The Zimbabwe Traffic Smorgasbord

Traffic starting to build up in Harare behind a tractor.

Harare is a wonderful mix of rural and urban, changing from block to block. 

Bet you didn't think this was in the city proper!

Living in Africa can mean some interesting traffic experiences for ex-pats.
Sometimes trying to get anywhere can be very....well, frustrating! It is always an adventure.

Vehicles going in multiple directions, people hanging out of vehicles, and naturally a truck barreling toward you.

(Patience and a good sense of humor gets me through it!  It's definitely the biggest culture shock in Africa for me.)

And an aspect of Zimbabwe I hadn't guessed? 

The amount of people who film the procession for a wedding celebration---outside the window!

I've seen some crazy things in traffic all over Africa but possibly the most endearing and scariest of all? 

The amount of people who ride in the back of vehicles. For an expat, we immediately think seat belts! car seats! etc!

While it seems a little dangerous (and scary!) to me, it is also such an endearing aspect of many African cultures: the community aspect of helping one's neighbor get somewhere so of course he'll be offered a lift.

One of my favorite things of Africa?
Its street vendors, especially when they get creative. Every day these guys sell their flags, their sports balls, and swimming pool toys.

Makes me think of this guy, my favorite type of Senegalese street vendor.

And what do you do when you see 20+ minutes of waiting at each repaving construction site in Mutare?

Wisely sell the hot, disgruntled people stuck in traffic cold soda! Brilliant.

Why yes, let's just haul a trunk full of skulls of assorted animals.

Thank you, Gaborone, Botswana, for this gem!

There is something always burning in Harare.
It took me awhile to get used to the raging fires at night that people set, often to burn trash, that then just go left unattended.

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The Lake Kariba Smorgasbord

While visiting the lovely Lake Kariba, we came upon this stunning bird.

He would hover like this before dive bombing for food. He was amazing to watch.

An African Fish Eagle --- also Zimbabwe's national bird.

Isn't he just beautiful?

A baby hippo and its pod.

Lake Kariba was just awash with birds.

This guy was on the hunt for food.

Success!

Check out how incredibly graceful he was:

And what is an animal posting without my beloved elephants?

Hello, hippo!

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The Chobe Smorgasbord of Animals!

Why, hello, giraffe!!

I love the attitude in this giraffe's look.

These beautiful animals are all over Botswana's Chobe National Park.

So stunningly beautiful!

An African buffalo in Chobe.

An African buffalo cub.  How can an animal be so cute and ugly at the same time?

After rolling in the mud.

Why, hello, you beautiful elephant, you!

A pod of hippos sunning along the Chobe River.

A hippo cooling in the grass.

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The Zimbabwe Billboard Smorgasbord

A man changes a billboard in Harare, Zimbabwe, for Spar Grocery Stores.

Every time I drive past this Nando's ad, it makes me smile.

Although, it's hardly as controversial as a previous ad by the South African chain.

The massive overreaction to this ad had people threatening Nandos workers in Zimbabwe resulting in Nandos pulling the ad in Zim.
Here's the ad:

Zimbabwe is heading into election season.
This billboard was by the Constitutional Select Committee (COPAC) promoting the 16 March 2013 referendum vote on a new constitution.

There's a ridiculously large amount of ads for celebrity fragrances.  It feels really random. I suspect that
Usher, Justin Timberlake, Julia Roberts, etc., etc., have no idea they are flashed across Harare!

Air Zimbabwe, Zim's national airline, has gone under a few times, is trying to make a come back.
It's flying a few routes but millions and millions under, still fighting its struggle against financial troubles.

A billboard somewhere between Harare and Victoria Falls.
It seems a bit one sided in its target audience for the upcoming general elections....

Maybe this billboard was trying to make up for the previous billboard's clear gender bias?
(Translation of the Shona: Wives! Champion peace!!)
So, basically, men must vote and wives are relegated to championing peace,
vice being encouraged to participate also in the political process.
Peace and free and fair elections are everyone's responsibility and right.

Amen!!

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The Gonarezhou Smorgasbord!

Remember Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge?  It's been awhile since I posted on it. I got distracted by HIFA.

It was a wonderful distraction, but back to Chilo Gorge!

While at Chilo Gorge in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, we came across this wonderful wildebeest.

This corner of Zimbabwe is just so incredibly lovely.

And it's easy to spot the last remnants of the rainy season.

Why, hello you impressive kudu, you!

The mighty baobab.  The tree goes right to your soul and it's impossible to weary of seeing it.

While driving, we came across this bull elephant.  He ignored us and ate.

And kept eating, and eating and eating!

Then, holy moly, throw that vehicle in REVERSE right now because he charged our vehicle, and he charged it fast.

My heart went through my toes and I must say, I was glad we were able to back up and back up fast.

This wasn't our only charge in Gonarezhou.  These were the most aggressive elephants I've come across in Zimbabwe.

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A Mana Pools Smorgasbord

A hippopotamus yawns at sunset over the Zambezi River.

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe.

An elephant stretches for its lunch.

A zebra stares me down, a bit skeptical of my presence.

Zebras are very alert and always had one eye on me.

Well almost always.  Not this one, kind of a bit distracted by lunch...

I love how their stripes always seem to blend in even with each other.

And since I heart elephants, I naturally needed to include one more photo..

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