wo 08 aug, 2012 19:05
Voor mijn gemak heb ik maar wat kopie paste gedaan, maar jullie komen er wel uit 
So you want to cycle in Africa, see big game, experience a little of Africa but don't want to see kids screaming "Mzungu give me money" or cycle on roads like this :
Forget what you've seen on TV or heard elsewhere because just maybe Zimbabwe is for you ....
Having just spent 2 months resting and cycling in Zimbabwe I can say it has been one of my favourite countries so far.
But first the downside :
1. Not many direct flights from Europe to Harare or Vic falls.
2. Fairly expensive for an African country (especially hotels) due to the dollar being poorly valued (roadside food is damn cheap though).
3. You will get stopped every 20-30km at a police checkpoint, but they are generally just curious and rarely hassle tourists not in big fat 4x4's. Just smile and be friendly and all is well.
The upside :
1. Friendly people (the natives more so than the whites)
2. You get to see the great Victoria falls (take the microlight flight for $140)
3. If you get a multiple entry visa you can pop over to Chobe national park in Botswana for a day trip or longer and see lots of big game.
4. Tar roads all the way if you want, and generally quite flat.
5. Other highlights , Lake Kariba, Mana pools national park(might want to get a lift to the campsite though), Hwange national park (elephants galore)
6. Generally easy to wild camp due to the thick bush that lines most of the roads.
7. National (old Rhodesian national) Museum in Bulawayo has quite a collection of old stuff if you're into that kind of thing. Also a railway museum in Bulawayo for the spotters.
8. Nice weather.
9. If you like a little climbing there's plenty in the east near and around Mutare.
10. Lunch/dinner of Sadza, chicken and a coke for $2
11. The car/truck drivers often give plenty of space (often almost hitting oncoming traffic)
12. Friendly people (yeh I know I said that twice).
I heard enough first hand accounts to know that most of what we've read and heard about uncle Bob is true but as a tourist you really don't notice anything more than the police check points. Things right now are quite "stable/quiet". I think now is the time to go to Zimbabwe as uncle Bob is now 88 and once he pops his clogs who knows what will happen next, most locals think it will be a mess for a while.......
I wrote two blog posts over my time in Zimbabwe and in them tried to give an impression of this wonderful country and its resilient people.
http://www.shanecycles.com/africa/2012/ ... ly-slowly/
http://www.shanecycles.com/africa/2012/ ... r-da-eggs/
So you want to cycle in Africa, see big game, experience a little of Africa but don't want to see kids screaming "Mzungu give me money" or cycle on roads like this :
Forget what you've seen on TV or heard elsewhere because just maybe Zimbabwe is for you ....
Having just spent 2 months resting and cycling in Zimbabwe I can say it has been one of my favourite countries so far.
But first the downside :
1. Not many direct flights from Europe to Harare or Vic falls.
2. Fairly expensive for an African country (especially hotels) due to the dollar being poorly valued (roadside food is damn cheap though).
3. You will get stopped every 20-30km at a police checkpoint, but they are generally just curious and rarely hassle tourists not in big fat 4x4's. Just smile and be friendly and all is well.
The upside :
1. Friendly people (the natives more so than the whites)
2. You get to see the great Victoria falls (take the microlight flight for $140)
3. If you get a multiple entry visa you can pop over to Chobe national park in Botswana for a day trip or longer and see lots of big game.
4. Tar roads all the way if you want, and generally quite flat.
5. Other highlights , Lake Kariba, Mana pools national park(might want to get a lift to the campsite though), Hwange national park (elephants galore)
6. Generally easy to wild camp due to the thick bush that lines most of the roads.
7. National (old Rhodesian national) Museum in Bulawayo has quite a collection of old stuff if you're into that kind of thing. Also a railway museum in Bulawayo for the spotters.
8. Nice weather.
9. If you like a little climbing there's plenty in the east near and around Mutare.
10. Lunch/dinner of Sadza, chicken and a coke for $2
11. The car/truck drivers often give plenty of space (often almost hitting oncoming traffic)
12. Friendly people (yeh I know I said that twice).
I heard enough first hand accounts to know that most of what we've read and heard about uncle Bob is true but as a tourist you really don't notice anything more than the police check points. Things right now are quite "stable/quiet". I think now is the time to go to Zimbabwe as uncle Bob is now 88 and once he pops his clogs who knows what will happen next, most locals think it will be a mess for a while.......
I wrote two blog posts over my time in Zimbabwe and in them tried to give an impression of this wonderful country and its resilient people.
http://www.shanecycles.com/africa/2012/ ... ly-slowly/
http://www.shanecycles.com/africa/2012/ ... r-da-eggs/
