Time always flies by and it’s no different while you’re in the bush. After a resupply in Lusaka and a new stamp in my passport I was ready for another Mana-month! The heat, the dust, flat tyres: for me it’s definitely all worth it. There is simply no place like Mana.
Zimbabwe, Mana Pools, Oct. 2018
After the elephant relocation, the little canoe trip and our relaxed stay in the cutest lodge of Chirundu (that does exist!), we were totally ready for Mana. First trip with the new car, so also first time checking out the new way to transport firewood (and it worked like a charm). First time seeing everybody again and of course the car was ‘the topic’ every time again. To be honest I was a little bored after the seventh tour around the car and the engine. It did become funny again when guys like Stretch and Alistair decide to do a little show in front of their guests polishing the car…
Elephant release, Zimbabwe, Sept. 2018
So we left Botswana and after a night in Bulawayo, we were on our way to the Zambezi Valley. A long drive with a stopover in Chinnoyi and again we stayed with people who became friends. It feels good to be at home in so many places in the world. This time we had another special stop before we would go to Mana Pools. Continue reading →
FAREWELL, August 2018
The end of an era. That’s probably a bit what this is. This summer I drove my car for the very last time to Zimbabwe to sell it to a friend of mine. It wasn’t until the end I suddenly realised I will actually going to miss this car. And since things like this make you a bit nostalgic I went looking for some pictures and some good memories… There were plenty! So I thought I share a few… 🙂
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Zimbabwe, Nov. 2017
So after the rain in October (you can read about that here), Mana Pools looked quite different as you can see in most of the pictures. More mud, more green, less animals although I had some nice sightings still. And as always I also go for the little things.
In the ablution for instance I found this little green snake. I was doing my laundry and the snake passed me by over the wall in front of me. Since my car was quite close, I ran back to get my camera.
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Zimbabwe, Oct. 2017
October started pretty different, since Sofie left and after more than a month traveling together, it does get to you. So I had to get used to being by myself again and getting back in my own rhythm. And in the beginning I did feel a bit lonely…
Nothing the bush can’t solve though! 😉 And luckily I’ve got quite some friends over there… Like Stretch, the Mana legend. When people ask him how I got his name, he answers: ‘I was born on a loooong weekend!’. First time I heard that I almost cried from laughing…
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Zimbabwe Sept 2017
Our trip started in Namibia and Botswana (as you can read here), but this story begins in Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. Or actually on the way to Mana to be correct. After Nxai Pan, we drove the terrible road towards Francistown and the boarder. It’s never been the best road, but after the major rainfall last season, it was truly filled with holes all over. Sometimes it was simply not possible to drive at a normal speed. The boarder however went quite smooth this time and fuel wasn’t an issue for once. Never obvious when you’re allowed what…
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Zimbabwe, Matopos, April 2017
After our Mana visit we decided to spent a few days in Matopos National Park before heading back to Botswana. There’s a cave with beautiful rock paintings. Not easy to find though and for sure not after rainy season. The week before another couple tried and they came back without reaching the cave. They had lost track and it was just too difficult to get there, according to them. We like a proper challenge and so we went for it. We cut ourselves a way trough the jungle. Literally. Our guide in front, Jens right behind him, both waving their machete as if they’ve never done anything else, smashing everything in their way. I simply walked behind them, using mine more to keep flies at a distance…
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