Around Nyanga & Marondera

The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa

Still in the Nyanga area we meet Debbie, possibly the friendliest person on the planet. Debbie has a dairy farm and is extremely inviting and welcoming and insists we can camp right on her lawn. In the evening we are treated to delicious food around the open wood fire, and during the day we hike around the local area being the sights and meeting fascinating people.

A local lady who was bursting with happiness

Behind the Nyanga valley facing North

This girl was a bit shy

A few days later we bump into a cool couple we met in Moz on the beach. Originally from Zimbabwe, they had been living the UK before driving down the West Coast of Africa about 8 years ago. Now they’re building an awesome log/wood house with a commanding view over the valley towards Moz, and we spend a great afternoon together, swimming in a nearby river before cooking a feast of meat and veg on the fire. As always it’s great to reminisce about West Africa, and I’m shocked to hear how different their trip was to mine – so many of the Roads in Cameroon, Nigeria and Congo were a nightmare of mud for them, but not a problem for me.

Mozambique in the distance

In the morning we head off to explore a nearby mountain, the subject of much debate. There are ancient ruins here, and there is at least one scholar that believes descendants from Isreal came here back in the day, and actually brought the arc of the covenant with them. Apparently now it’s in a storage facility in Zimbabwe’s capital. Yes really.
I’m not sure I subscribe to that theory, but exploring the area is a great excuse to poke down mountain roads and then walk around the very faint ruins.

The rock formations Zim is famous for

We strike out West and find ourselves at the Peterhouse Private School for Boys (and separate girls campus) where we catch up with friends we met in Moz. Again the welcoming is huge, and again we’re treated to all the local indulgences. The place has it’s own game park, and we hike around inside with giraffes and other large critter. In the evening we enjoy “sundowner” drinks on a rock with a commanding view of the entire area, and are treated to many more stories of Zim, the old times and the possibilities for the future.

Searching for critters at sunrise

Sundowner drinks with the crew

I have already decided Zimbabwe has the best sunsets

Em with some wildlife – giraffes and more

Just after sunset I ride back holding onto the back of a pickup canopy with a couple of teenagers – of course we all grin like mad – even out on the highway. The lack of rules here is so freeing and addictive.

Again I’m blown away at how positive and happy every single person is. It seems you just can’t knock a Zimbabwean down!

This country is amazing on so many levels. I want to stay. Forever!

Sunset over the rocks

-Dan