Daxk

I'm prettier!!

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prove it!!

newshoney

Um... years as a lowlife minor hack (worthy but dull, so of absolutely zero interest to Oprah) have taught me amongst other things to carry an insignificant notebook that reveals little to anyone but me, small bills stashed in all kinds of interesting places, booze or cigarettes to bribe my way through checkpoints, to wear only cheap clothes and shoes and no jewellery that I'm not prepared to lose or give away. It also helps that I look like a teacher (and on occasion masquerade as one).

You'll also be amazed (not) that in my view most poor people are not, ipso facto, criminals. All the same I take the usual precautions, always have an escape route in mind etc. In truth, Whites receive a warm welcome in Matabeleland. And I did.. those same impoverished Africans you'd prefer me not to like, were the ones offering to share the little sadza they had with me along with their stories of government iniquity.

Yes, Zim is in most respects a police state and the leadership is pretty xenophobic so white foreigners are more likely to be assaulted by the authorities than the people (hungry and desperate though the latter may be).

There again I didn't go out of my way to draw their attention (no phone calls to the MDC, no marching up to the front door of Human Rights activists). Or perhaps the goons were just busy elswhere, intimidating the electorate or padding ballot boxes ahead of March 29.

At the border post when the immigration officials asked where I was from, I joked that I wasn't sure I should tell them because their president didn't like people like me... white, British, etc. The entire post (about 8 people) erupted in laughter and said things like "We like you... you're welcome here... come back soon."

And for clarification - that $20 rule was announced last Monday and is apparently aimed at Zim nationals, not foreigners, to force them to deposit foreign exchange in the banks rather than hoard greenbacks as a hedge against the 100,000% inflation.

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Tegwyn

I do think you were lucky not to meet up with some of the more unpleasant characters though. Do have to wonder what one more report will do. The world pretty much stands by and watches Mugabe destroy his people. Mbeki's efforts qualify as a collective joke. Quite frankly I think it was merely an excuse for Mbeki to have an all expense paid piss up with the finger pointed firmly at the rest of the world. All the words in the world seem to have zero impact on dealing with him. The only way he will be removed is when he forced to a day of hard labour, little to zero food and left to spend a night in a ditch somewhere. He would die of shock!

shiftdelete

Absolutely agree.

For me though, one of the main threads I get from newshoney is that there are so many good people in that country- the poor are suffering, most of them are 'black'.

We shouldn't take the stand that Mugabe is evil, and so therefore are all the 'blacks'. At that level of intimidation with drugged up gangs roaming around, how easy can it can be? Mugabe has already decimated the matabeles with the help of private armies.

For me personally, this kind of balanced reporting is like gold.
Thanks newshoney, and hats off to you for having the courage to go in again.

PatM

My sentiments as well, well done newshoney! I also think that the high levels of aggressiveness and violence in SA often lead one to dump all African countries in the same basket. Yes Africa does have many problems with violence but in general most people are much friendlier and more relaxed than in South Africa and I have felt safer traveling through Mozambique and Malawi than I have ever felt in SA! I remember standing in crowded marketplaces balancing a purchase in one hand and my wallet in the other and marveling that not one person tried a)to steal the wallet right out of my hand b)pickpocket me c)follow me to later mug me at knife-point, even though many people are suffering from more poverty than you will ever see in Cape Town! As a woman I was always treated with respect and never felt as though I had to fear for my life. (Whereas standing in the same situation at the market on the Grand Parade in CT would make me break out into a cold sweat!)

We are traveling to Mozambique next month on what will probably be our last diving trip for a while and I am really looking forward to it!

Pablo

Quite. And that is because poverty is not the cause of crime, in spite of all the idiotic modern propaganda which so many people just take on board without thinking.

Daxk

Hi PatM, where are you going diving in Moz?

PatM

Mid April we will be off to Ponta D`Ouro just on the other side of Kosi Bay. Am looking forward to kicking back after a day in the sun with some Mozambican Prawns and Beer!

Tegwyn

Mugabe making slime look good. http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx..._news__africa/ and what is left is now being decimated. http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=723457

newshoney

And for a daily digest on Zim see: http://www1.zimbabwesituation.com/

Tegwyn

Have to wonder how China feels about this since they have recently invested a chunk of change? Are they considered white? Don't think they will take too kindly to having their recent purchases handed over to be milked dry.

Kapstadt

Where and when

Rick b

I was going to post on here before you left, but decided to refrain as it seemed everyone else was doing a "Campbell".

I was in Harare at the time you were over (in London for 7 weeks at the moment before going back) and you had said you were only going to the Falls and possibly Bulawayo.

I find it fantastic to see someone painting a true picture of todays Zimbabwe rather than the doom and gloom that most seem to paint. The situation isn't good, it really isn't on an economic front - but we still manage, still are happy and still are very hospitable.

As for the safety thing, I really think some on here need to grow up. I have taken the train from Harare to Bulawayo, from Bulawayo to Vic Falls and from Bulawayo to J'burg vis Francistown many times over the past 10 years and NEVER ONCE had a problem. Many of my friends (white, black and asian) have done the same and that includes individuals as well as groups.

The carriages are not as nice as they were once due to maintenance being more or less non existent, but Ive had more delays in London than I have in Zimbabwe!!

As for general safety, Zimbabwe is actually a very safe country. If you are intending to be a journalist, march for the MDC, shout in the street about how you hate Mugabe or start flashing money about everywhere - yes, you will have problems. other than that, you won't. It's that simple. Not only have Tourist area's been completely unaffected in a security sense by the problems in Zimbabwe, there is an abundance of wildlife in Hwange, Matopos and Mana Pools that rivals most National Parks in Africa.

The cities (like any city in the world) do have some crime problems. I myself have never had a problem and my business (Backpackers) has never had a problem. If you want to find out for yourself about Zimbabwe instead of listening to the drivel that many spout here there are still many tourist operators working and living in Zimbabwe. From Shoestrings in Vic Falls to Honeybee in Harare there are backpackers hostels arranging travel, safari's and elephant rides. In April Harare hosts the Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA) where thousands will come from abroad to attend. There may be may who will make out you will get killed, raped and muged the second you enter Africa - my advice would simply be to look at the posts (like newshoney) of those that have been there recently or those that are living there now.