October Break - Ivory Lodge, Hwange National Park

This is our room at the Ivory Lodge.


It is a lovely tree house.


The view from our room looking out over the "pan" or watering hole. Every night a group of elephants came in to drink.


One of the Ivory Lodge guests.


Part of the adventure... a night in a mosquito net.

October Break - Matopo National Park - Game drive

The second half of our day was spent on a game drive in the big game side of the Matopo National Park. First stop was the ranger station to pick up a guide. There are both black and white rhinos in the park and they are very very protected. The rhino's have a ranger with them 24/7 and still poachers get them regularly. While we saw a variety of deer like creatures and many many giraffe, the white rhinos were amazing...

October Break - Matopo National Park - Cave Paintings

Our first day at the Matopo National Park we did a self drive through the recreational side of the park. That means the side of the park without big game. It was a drizzling, cold day but beautiful none the less.


Nswatugi Cave painting


Now you see her...


Now you don't. In just the right light, the little bush girl appears.


It is really a breathtaking place.

October Break! - Camp Amalinda in the Matopo Hills

First stop for the October break holiday is Camp Amalinda hotel located just outside the Matopo National Park south of the second largest city in Zimbabwe, Bulawayo. What a beautiful place! The room we had was awesome, the shower was actually built right into the stone. We stayed two nights and could have stayed a week. I hope we get a chance to return one day. It really was a lovely, friendly and very comfortable hotel.



The infinity pool built right into the granite rocks. Too bad the water was ice cold!




This is the shower built right into the granite rocks.

Spring time at 9 Harris

It is spring time in Harare, the beautiful Jacarandas are blooming and everything is turning green with the rains. The locals love this time of year, I am not so sure. They smell the fresh air after a long dusty winter, see the blossoming of flowers and trees, and the goodness it brings for the farmers. I, on the other hand, see muddy dog feet, an onslaught of rainy season bugs and rain, rain and more rain. I admit it, I am a dry season fan, as unpopular as that may be. Spring is a lovely time of year, but I have found beauty in all the seasons and enjoy those beauties more without the rain.