Zimbabwe is beautiful. There, I have said it, although I am sure it has been said before. I will admit that I may be biased, as this is the land of my birth and something I will always be proud of. Growing up as we did in Zim was a way of life I would wish for my children, and while historically there were policies that were not fair for all, I remember care-free days riding my bicycle to school without a worry in the world. Life for us in the Colonies was good. Zimbabweans have a reputation for being ‘can do’ people – if there does not seem to be a way to fix something, give it to a Zimbo and he will make it work. The local Zimbabwean people are friendly, always smiling, eager to please and will surprise you with their humour.
Great Zimbabwe is one of many sets of ruins in Zimbabwe and they are one of the oldest and largest structures in Southern Africa. These are near Masvingo (formerly Fort Victoria) and were a royal palace during the Iron Age. Built without mortar, the walls reach up to 5m in height in places with one of the towers reaching more than 22m.
Lake Kariba is one of the largest man-made (and hydro-electric!) dams in the world. When it was completed in about 1959 and the water levels rose, the wild animals had to be moved out of the valley in order to save them from drowning. This was called Operation Noah and over six thousand animals were saved and relocated. In addition to tourism, there is a thriving kapenta fishing industry. With elephants crossing the road and giraffes walking next to the road, Zimbabwe’s wildlife attracts people from all over the world – amazing!
Diving in Chinoyi Caves is on my list of things to do – the water is an unbelievable colour with a constant 22 degrees (even at 110m!), 50m viz and zero thermocline, it cannot be missed. It is believed to be at least 170m deep. Bear in mind that it is fresh water, at altitude, so to ensure your safety please use the local guys if you intend diving the cave system.
Surely one of the most magnificent waterfalls in the world must be Victoria Falls? Known as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” which translates as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, it is over 80m in height and the spray has been known to rise to over 400m high and is visible from up to 40km away.
There is not enough space here to write about Zimbabwe and my feelings about it, and as one of the last countries where people and wildlife co-exist the best thing I could do would be to recommend it.
