Zimbabwe is...

…“A cattle country so drive with caution!”  This was a phrase we became familiar with as we drove to and from Harare this past weekend.  It is common in Africa to have extra passengers whenever making a trip.  When news gets around that someone with a car is going into town, the car can fill up pretty quickly.  This time, we enjoyed the company of one of the nursing school instructors on both trips, and he explained many things as we drove along. 

 There are herds of cattle along many of the roads, dirt and paved, in Zimbabwe.  He told us that when taking the driving test here, it is asked, “What is Zimbabwe?”  The correct response is, “A cattle country, so drive with caution.”  There are so many things to watch for as we drive, not just cattle or other drivers.  There are many people who walk along the road or sell vegetables and other goods to travelers.  A driver’s eyes have to always be on the lookout for anyone or anything that could dart out in front of the car.  On the dirt road leading to the hospital, we have chickens and cows, goats and guinea fowl to contend with.  It all makes for an adventurous drive.  This is Africa!

Our river in front of the hospital.  It is usually not low enough to cross this time of year.

We love seeing the change in scenery as we drive up in elevation from Karanda to Harare.  The climb is about 2,000 feet.  We go from rural land with thorn bushes and elephant grass, to rich farmland.  As we get closer to Harare we begin to see orchards that line the road and huge farms.  One thing we love about Zimbabwe is the rugged mountains and stone outcroppings as far as the eye can see.  As the rains have come to most of Zimbabwe, things have turned so green and the land is just beautiful.  We hope we can experience more of Zimbabwe’s beauty and what she has to offer.  We love Africa!   

A gorgeous rainbow blessed us here at Karanda!