AFRICA our Travels to Zimbabwe and Mozambique

 The guest house at Graham's place. Loaded up with gear.

 Mango tree just outside the door.

 Graham and Tammy's place in Harare rebuilt after the fire.

 Enjoy African flowers.

 D'ya think I'm happy?

 G&T were great hosts. Makes me grin to see them both so happy~

 Never could figure out what this was: teehee!

 Bugggggg!

 The veranda at the new house with the same pool.

 Downtown Harare. We went there to get a Mozambique visa.

 The driveway in spring

 Office of HHK Safaris.

 Dinner for Bruce's departure to USA starting back to collage. So PROUD if him.

 Chillaxin'!

Biltong in many flavors and shapes. Wildebeest,Eland,Buffalo, even beef.

 Baobab baby! Just wait the big ones are yet to come.

 English spelling at Mteri.

 Mteri Lodge. Same one we stayed at last time in 2001.

 The boat ramp. I wish I could have been some help backing the truck down but they drive opposite of us.. I'd have had that truck and trailer all jacked up.

 KJ the one on the end goes back as long as Ken and Graham do. We've made some life long friends here. It's a welcome home "Bass" party!

 Metri Dam in Zimbabwe where the big ones live.

 More of the lodge.

 That was our room you see, #3.

 With mosquito net included. I rolled out of bed one night and it's a wonder I didn't pull that sucker down.

 Sunrise on Metri.

 Take off. First day of the tournament.

 Here they are coming out of winter and going into spring and rainy season in Nov.

 Their signs are so different from ours. Street Crossing.

Road Work

 Baobab towers over the sugar cane.

 Ken and Graham sorting tackle before the tournament tomorrow.

 After each day of fishing they have a braie for all the fishermen. Everyone sits around and eats, tells fish stories, have a few beers and plenty of laughs.

 When the sun comes up so does the anticipation of what you may catch.

Inside Metri Lodge is a game reserve so we were able to see a few wild animals, cape Buffalo being one. African animals aren't everywhere as one may think. They are either on private land with high fence or a game reserve.

 You can see the thatched huts that the natives live in. They are about 8-10 feet in diameter. They are only to sleep in. Everything else is done outside.

 

Everything is carried on top of your head. It's an art for sure and strong neck.

 The kids in the picture below were selling baobab seed pods. Checkers is one of the ways to pass the day.

 I sure hope we make it home with the seed pods. It's cream of tarter.
 Pretty darn good!

Graham bought two big rugs from them.

These beautiful rugs are made from the fiber of a baobab tree.

 Goat eating a seed pod.

 The Save' River. One of the main river systems that runs thru Zimbabwe. To the far left of this picture the river bank was lined with women washing clothes.

 It's the same Save' River where the two famous man-eating lions caused a ruckus when the railroad was built. But on the other side of the country.

 Random pictures of the life in Zimbabwe. We are driving to Mozambique.

 Everyday life.

 They don't have much. I suppose they don't need much.

 The border town just after you enter Mozambique.

 Baby on her back.

 In Zimbabwe they speak the Queens language English and Shona. In Mozambique they speak Portuguese.

 Cacti. ;), NO it's the lake.

 Let the fishing began at Lake Chicamba in Mozambique. Ken netting a fish for Graham.

 Graham caught the first and a nice one it was!

 I caught me a nice one on a Big chug-bug!

 Dug-out - is what they're called. Wooden canoes carved from a tree.

 Winter burning was going on everywhere.

 Giant African Heron.

 Very Big Croc. They were abundant on the lake.

 Nyala behind a high fence at the lodge we were staying at.

 The lake we are getting ready to fish.

 When we got there that afternoon we went out and to the far west was a tall beautiful mountain range. But because of all the smoke I only took a few pictures. We were there two full days after that and I never saw the mountain range again. Smoky haze.

 Spinner bait fish.

 The entire time we were at Chicamba we never saw another outboard motor. Only dugouts. These men are sorting fish nets.

 A way of life. Their food source was fish. As you can see in the background is a plowed field. They were out every morning bright and early checking nets.

 Fishing was good. It's very hard for the natives living on the lake to understand WHY WE TURN OUR FISH BACK??

 The Dam on Chicamba.

 Casa Misika Lodge on Lake Chicamba.

 One morning we were out fishing and I saw a man walking back to his hut with a single fish in his hand. Further up the bank I saw the natives waiting in line to get their fish food as well. Very humbling...

Toll Road Signs

 An African sunset.

 Where the big fish live~

 Dirt boat ramp.

 Our morning view.

 At least the boats have the steering wheel on the correct side.

 Fishing was good! The adventure is what fuels me.

 Fish Eagle. The sound they make sends goosebumps all over me.

 Quite, Beautiful and Vast~

 A lot of laughing going on!

 All smiles.

 No swimming! Crocodiles! 

 Plowing the fields getting ready to plant before the rains.

 Men checking nets. You could see every part of the lake was marked with sticks making a symbol for territorial reasons.

 A fence to keep the cows and goats out of the garden. Gardens were next to the water so they didn't have far to carry water for watering. 

 Two very small children.

 Drying clothes on the fence.

 These women I watched for a very long time while we were fishing. They were washing clothes the entire time. I'd be afraid of crocs getting me!

The smoky haze made for breathtaking sunsets.

 Yup we caught 'em!

Topwater baby!

 

Caught me a bigun!

 Thanks Graham for taking us to Chicamba Dam in Mozambique. A trip we'll never forget!

 Back in Harare and going shopping!

 Spears!

 They had some beautiful things in this shop.

 I fell in love with all the pretties!

 Silver corn, or maize seeds.

 Lotsa pangolins.

These two champaign glasses are designed to be used on the beach.                            The best is yet to come~ oxox