Zimbabwe Bound

Our tour company scheduled our transfer to Zimbabwe, and I couldn’t have been more relieved. While navigating the border crossing alone would have been possible, it’s my preference to witness the process first before attempting it. That’s not a hard and fast rule, but I feel much more content when the unknown is settled for me. For those of you excited to try a border crossing between Botswana and Zimbabwe solo, here’s the process:

A driver picked us up at our hotel. He loaded all our bags, and we began the short journey to the border. Upon arrival, our driver waited by the car with our things, and we waited in line for immigration. We needed to fill out some paperwork then turn that, and $30 USD, into the border police.

As we were in line, I began to talk with those around us. In front of us was a woman from Germany. I loved talking with her. She shared her journey and explained how her group came to be at the border. Like us, they took a journey within the Safari and enjoyed every moment. Also, thanks to her, I had a pen to fill out my paperwork :).

I expected the time in front of border patrol to take a long time. Thankfully, the person helping me just stamped my passport, processed the paperwork, and sent me on my way. Jenny and Mark had an easy time as well.

After that moment, we went to the van and grabbed our luggage. There was a gate separating the two countries. The fence was a typical chain-link fence, and passing through was just a matter of us walking past. We had the paperwork, but no baggage was opened for inspection once we finished inside the immigration building.

We located our new ride on the other side of the border, loaded our bags, and took off toward Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The driver provided us with pamphlets of all the things to do. The only portion of our stay in Victoria Falls that was already planned was visiting the actual Falls. As for the rest, it was left up to us. We looked at the pamphlets to get an idea of some the excursions offered. Helicopter rides over Victoria Falls, ziplining or bungee jumping in the gorge, taking a day Safari, visiting a nearby village, and shopping were all options. Since none of us wanted to commit to anything, we simply headed to the hotel.

We arrived early and waited for our rooms to be ready. The resort, Sprayview Lodge, met our needs well. Zimbabwe was hosting the COP15 convention, so the hotel and general area was busy. Here’s a video I found describing the convention, which deals with preservation and protection of the wetlands.

We washed up and made contact with our guide Joshua. He picked us up and took us to a quaint shopping area. We first had lunch at the Three Monkeys Restaurant then did a little shopping.

Oh, and we all became billionaires!

Zimbabwe demonetized their money in 2015, so our billions have no value. However, seeing, holding, and owning billion dollar bills ranks up there with other fun conversation starters.

If Zimbabwe has no currency of their own, what, you might ask, does Zimbabwe use? The good ‘ole American dollar, of course.

Knowing the going US rate for items made it easier to understand items’ values within Zimbabwe. For instance, a bottle of Coca Cola cost $.50.

Joshua took us through the grocery store, and we found many similar items to those we have in the states. Some items felt quite affordable while other items seemed too pricey.

The dried fish with eyes looking at me was something new. Joshua assured us Kapenta is a staple for families in Zimbabwe. I can’t be sure :).

Eventually we left the store and wandered through town. On this day there was joy in the mundane, but seeing one of the Seven Natural Wonders in the World tomorrow would be…exquisite. Stay tuned…