Zimbabwe - June 2011

We were invited (for the second time note) to join Retief and Desiree van der Reyden on a trip to Zimbabwe.

As we like to do sometimes we left a few days early and went via Khama Rhino Sanctuary in Botswana. It was freezing and we could have done with even more warm equipment.

After Khama we headed north via an interesting route to meet the others. This route was only possible thanks again to Tracks4Africa http://tracks4africa.co.za/.

After a night at a camp site filled to capacity with happy campers (Woodlands Stop-Over - S21.08156 E27.46404) we set off the next day via a border post we had been told about. Again Tracks4Africa came to the fore as the location we had been told of had moved - Matsiloje Border Post (Botswana) S21.29657 E27.89304. On the Zimbabwean side we met the most officious officials I can recall having met.

While at the Matopos we went to Wayne's Butchery (S20.19397 E28.59526) - and you say so what? Well the meat we got there was exceptionally good. Vacuum packed and the best we can recall buying. That is why I recorded the co-ordinates - so if ever we are in that area we will go back.

Eventually we cleared the border and headed for the Motopos. We stayed in a lodge while Eon and his family camped below. We drove around as much as possible to try and see it all - especially the rock paintings. These rock paintings in some of the caves are the best I have ever seen.

After the Motopos it was Hwange. We camped at dams and the animals were on the far side so I needed maximum zoom for most of the pictures. The elephants seemed to be the happiest. To be a buffalo is to be unfortunate as they are hunted in the park. We met people who said they had shot two that day (we heard three shots fired - maybe one missed). Two Land Cruiser bakkies are used with about ten people on each to herd the animals towards the third where they are shot. As I have said "I would not give them ice in winter" to the Four Wheel Drive Club who donates money to this corrupt cause. My open e-mail caused an almost international outcry from do-gooders who obviously have never heard of Slavoj Žižek and think by donating to Starbucks Coffee they are helping people in the Rwandan bush. I proposed replying to the misinformed but was advised by friends that I might be too controversial. . . If you love the animals - withhold all money - let the man made waterholes dry up and the animals will move to Botswana and be safe or at least safer.

The pictures are held on Picasa at https://picasaweb.google.com/100212136101166492201/ZimbabweJune2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCKbe58jm8rWTIQand by clicking on that link you can choose to see smaller thumbnails or enlarge the pictures.

The trip route

Waterbuck

Camouflaged chic.

I was so happy to get a picture of a wildebeest showing eyes

The path north to Woodlands - it was single track and happily we met no oncoming vehicles - although traffic is not usually a problem in these parts. The problem is if you break down - will it be days or weeks before anyone else comes along?

Woodlands with Eon on the roof. (For those of you unfortunate enough - or maybe fortunate enough - not to own a caravan you have absolutely no idea whatsoever (not the slightest teeniest clue) how much work is involved from the time of unhitching to re-hitching each day you move. The erection of extra external rooms and bits is a highly specialised task that I stayed far away from. Eon is not the type inclined to express himself in an ugly manner but nevertheless I took no chances.

On the way to see the sites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangani_Patrol - The Wikipedia Link from which the bits below were extracted. The link has links embedded which I have removed. On this site there is also quite a bit more interesting reading if you are interested.

The Shangani Patrol was a group of white Rhodesian pioneer police officers killed in battle on the Shangani River in Matabeleland in 1893. The incident achieved a lasting, prominent place in Rhodesian colonial history.

Following the abandonment of Bulawayo, during the First Matabele War, a column of soldiers led by Major Patrick Forbes had been despatched by Leander Starr Jameson to attempt the capture of King Lobengula, leader of the Ndebele nation. The column camped on the south bank of the Shangani River about 40 km north-east of the village of Lupane on the evening of 3 December 1893. Late in the afternoon, a dozen men, under the command of Major Allan Wilson, were sent across the river to reconnoitre. Shortly afterwards, Wilson sent two men, Trps. Judge and Ebbage, with a message back to the laager to say that he had found the king, the prospects of capturing the king were so good he had decided not to return that night, and he was requesting reinforcements. Major Forbes planned to make a rush the next day, capture the king and at once turn back for Bulawayo.

It was a dark night and rain fell at intervals. At about nine o'clock an alert picket heard the sound of horses and aroused the laager. Captain Napier and two troopers reached Major Forbes and reported that the patrol had got close to the bush enclosure protecting the king and his wagon but had had to retreat and, to prevent themselves from being surrounded, had taken up a position in the bush to wait for daylight and required reinforcements. But earlier that day Forbes had received a report that the bulk of Lobengula's warriors, under his chief induna(general), Mjaan, had turned back and intended to attack the column that night. Unwilling to set off across the river in the dark, Forbes sent 20 more men under the command of Henry Borrow, intending to send the main body of troops and artillery across the river the following morning. However, on their way to the river the next day, the column was ambushed by Ndebele fighters and delayed.

The Wilson party was attacked that morning by large numbers of Ndebele warriors and forced to retreat, unable to safely cross the now rain swollen Shangani river and re-unite with Forbes. Vastly outnumbered, Wilson and his men retreated to make their last stand. During the final lull in the fighting, in an act of near desperation Wilson asked his two American scouts and Trooper Gooding, an Australian, to cross the Shangani, find Forbes, and bring back further reinforcements. In spite of a shower of bullets and spears, and the swollen Shangani river to cross, the three men set off to find Forbes. When Frederick Russell Burnham, Pearl "Pete" Ingram, and Gooding did finally reach the Forbes encampment, the battle raging there was just as intense and there was no hope of anyone reaching Wilson in time. As Burnham loaded his rifle to beat back the Matabele warriors, he quietly said to Forbes, "I think I may say we are the sole survivors of that party."[1] In the meantime, Wilson, Borrow, and their men were surrounded by a large number of Ndebele, and the Shangani River had suddenly risen in flood, making it impossible to cross. All of the remaining 31 men were killed, but the inaccessibility of the spot and the risk of attack by the Ndebele made it impossible to recover the bodies until February 1894.

Wilson’s Last Stand was produced on the stage as a patriotic play and ran in London for two years. In the play, based on some embellished facts, it is said that in the killing of Wilson and his thirty-one men, Lobengula lost 80 of his royal guard and another 500 Matabele warriors. Wilson was the last to fall and the wounded men of the Shangani Patrol loaded rifles and passed them to him during the final stages of the defense. When their ammunition ran out, the remaining men of the Patrol are said to have risen and sung, God Save the Queen. Once both of Wilson’s arms were broken and he could no longer shoot, he stepped from behind a barricade of dead horses, walked toward the Matabele, and was stabbed with a spear by a young warrior.

The Shangani Patrol entered Rhodesian colonial history as part of the mythology of white conquest, with Wilson and Borrow hailed as national heroes.

A cave with rock paintings

Some of the rock paintings

Some areas had water.

Eon camped in his caravan while we stayed in the lodge. The lodge was lovely. One day the vervet monkeys got in but fortunately no damage was done.

Dressing - I try and put pants on standing up - no wonder I sometimes fall over - this is far more sensible.

Black eagle - so happy with this shot.

The eagle above is on the rock near the middle - both pictures taken from the same spot.

These rock paintings are by far the best I have ever seen.

This applies unless you are a ranger who works in Hwange or you are an approved hunter.

This sign confuses me especially as there is a fence on the one side.

I just like the lines.

Lucky to get any picture here.

Sable antelope

Fire on the go.

Big tent - the elephants came at night and shook the camel thorn tree - we did not make a noise to disturb them - Kennedy Camp.

If there is no island or rock to stand on a hippo will do.

Saddle billed stork

Hammerkop

The size of lens I have to compete with!

Profusion of Impala Lily flowers.

Hippo on the move.

Tall palm

Tree orchid

Buffalo - we never told anyone where we saw it - probably saved its life (maybe only for a day or so) as they hunt in the park.

This Baobab has been damaged by elephants. The Adansonis Digitata is not really a tree so it will survive even if completely ring barkrked. The link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia_digitata is here in case you want to investigate further.

On the roof (if I was musical I would write a song with those lyrics).

Fish Eagle

A view from the tower at Robin's Camp showing vehicles without wheels - the finest type owned by the parks board as they can not be used for hunting.

Super sight - makes my heart glad - could sing for joy.

Robin's grave - he is busy turning in there now. (I almost felt that I heard a top spinning as he was turning so much and so fast.)

Yippee another one

Stop - asap

Tall grass - track slightly indistinct. (There was no point in trying to take the picture in some places as all you could see was grass - very tall grass. Have you any idea what could be in that grass?? You could stumble upon an elephant, a lion, a black mamba or other poisonous snake or heaven knows what else. I drove on bravely through all of this with windows closed and air conditioner running. I certainly did not want any unpleasant biting insects in the vehicle.)

Guides

More guiding

I am sure these are kasler ribs or salami by now.

Super lodge in Botswana.

The reason why no fruit or vegetables can be taken over the borders (Bactrocera Invadens). There are lots of links to "Bactrocera Invadens" on the internet and Google is always there happy and willing to assist.