Falling in love with a whole country

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe _ When looking at the itinerary for the trip, Doug was more than a little skeptical about Zimbabwe. It is failed state, thanks to Robert Mugabe. Having survived hot combat as a reporter in numerous war zones _ like Iraq and Afghanistan _ Doug thought it would be very annoying to be killed in a food riot while on vacation.

Zimbabwe is in disarray. Its economy has collapsed. They have given up on their own currency and use US dollars. Unemployment has hit more than 70 percent, and what was once the breadbasket of Southern Africa has become the basket case of Southern Africa. 100 dollars a month would be considered good pay.

All that is true and yet it is still one of the most wonderful places on Earth. It is beautiful. D&E felt more welcome and safer than anywhere else in Southern Africa. People were friendly, smart and well educated.

The first stop was the town of Victoria Falls. Tourist Trap! It was safe enough, but walking anywhere mean running the guantlet of trinket sellers. The falls themselves were spectacular.

It was in Vic Falls that Doug and Eva broke away from the pack on our free day. After realizing that the planned trip hugged the border of Botswana but did not go into Zambia, Doug insisted on crossing the Victoria Falls bridge (from 1903) and setting foot on his father's second homeland, Zambia.

Fellow travellors thought we were nuts. But it went without a hitch. Passport control in Zimbabwe and Zambia were effortless both ways, and we hired a cab to take us into the town of Livingstone, Zambia. Doug marked the occasion by sending Zambia post cards to his brother in the US and mother in Norway.

After another long day on the road, we ended up at the remote wilderness Ivory Camp at Hwange, where we upgraded from a tent to the cabin for 20 dollars. As the only couple on the trek, D&E got the cabin on stilts with a bathrub that … we couldn't believe it … overlooked a waterhole used by the animals.

Milton prepared another of his 'can't be beat' dinners, but Doug declined to hang around the campfire afterward, saying 'I've seen plenty of campfires but never a cabin like the one we have for one night. Bye bye.''

The next day we met Ian the guide. But that's a whole other story.

We will be back, and aren't kidding about wanting a vacation home here.

D&E