Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is presented by Wikipedia, here

Water Lilies

At the border post of Mozambique at Machipanda my passport received the exit stamp of Mozambique and, the exportation voucher as well as counterfoil of the carnet de passage en douane were duly filled and stamped. The procedure lasted approximately twenty minutes with an attempt understood. Further at the border post of Zimbabwe, the trucks rubbed down the road. The procedure was longer for the visa as for the carnet de passage en douane which unknown were appointed. The visa cost $30 and taxes $20. I left the border zone at the end of one hour. As well on the Mozambique side as on the Zimbabwe side the queue of trucks was long several kilometers. The A3 road bound for Harare is with toll. On my way I decided not to go up to Harare. Consequently I stopped away from the road close to a covered pond with water lilies at the bottom of a rock indicating the height of water. I saw Nessie, the monster of the Loch Ness, which showed its head. Of course I did not venture my truck at the edge of the marshy pond! There I remained two nights to finalize my journey into Zimbabwe.

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Harare, It's small World camping

Monday, December 17 while arriving at Harare I reserved my camp-sites in the parks which I would visit in spite of the rainy season by hoping that the tracks will not be mud pits. I was going to Mercedes-Benz to confirm my go following day for the revision of the 155,000 km. Then I made shopping at the close shopping center. Finally I was going to pose to me in It's small World camp-site. Harare is a very populous and very vast city of orthogonal form enjoying a pleasant climate at approximately 1500 meters of altitude.

Harare, It's small World camping-2

Tuesday, December 18 at 7:30 I was in front of “the door of the garage” of Mercedes-Benz for the maintenance of my vehicle which I took delivery of around 15:00. I occupied this period of time to read my emails on my Smartphone with the Wi-Fi connection of M-B and while walking neighborhood. While leaving I had plan to visit the National Heroes' Acre built with the assistance of the North Korea. Alas I was satisfied to see only the entrance gate of the site. Indeed to pay homage to the heroes it is necessary to pay cash US$10 for the foreigners, not by bank card knowing that ATMs give the fiduciary currency with parsimony by making a queue in front of ATMs. At the same time a violent storm fell down on Harare. Consequently I decided to go to bivouac in second It's small world campsite, a little less skimped than the precedent. By working with my site I received a sms of HSBC informing me of doubtful transactions with my Visa Infinite card. By telephone I pointed the transactions with a person of HSBC France. Indeed transactions in rupees had been made in New Delhi; I do not have the ability to be everywhere at once! We decided the setting in opposition of my Visa Infinite card. Where is the error?

En route A1, wild camp

Wednesday, December 19 I paid two visits of museum before leaving Harare. Gallery Delta is at approximately 800 meters from It's small world-2; I went there on foot as of the opening at 8:00. It occupies the old house of the painter Robert Paul. Exhibited works testify to the addiction for the bright colors. I took my vehicle to go to visit the National Gallery of Zimbabwe which exhibited works by artists having well-established and some awarded an oscar to. The topic is contemporary humanity, its parental relations or not and its report with death. I present those which held my attention. More attaching is that which makes it possible to enter the gallery of the page: I am left with the dead/ only the dead are left. Around midday I left Harare for Mana Pools National Park registered with the inheritance world of humanity. After having traversed nearly 300 km on the A1 road towards the west I stopped with about fifty meters of the road to establish my bivouac surrounded by not very savage antelopes. I spent a peaceful night  in spite of the noisy traffic of the heavy trucks in the two directions. The A1 road is the way connecting the two capitals, Harare and Lusaka.

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Mana Pools

Thursday, December 20 I entered Mana Pools, wiki here as of the opening of the gates at 6:00, at 8:30 I was at the office of reception for my inscription on the registers and the payment of US$10 for the vehicle. I installed my bivouac, for four days, at the edge of the Zambezi river, natural border with Zambia.

Friday, December 21 I left for photo hunting the wild animals in freedom in the park without fence. Moreover while returning to take to my shower at 5:30 an hippopotamus grazed neighborhood of my truck. I was walking with precaution not to disturb its breakfast, it is a dangerous animal. My picture harvest was interesting without more because I do not see the predators. On the other hand I was lucky to see an elephant drawn up on its back legs to take branches in a tree; alas the lens of my camera was the 200-500 mm, I have not time to change it for the 70-200mm or best the 24-70mm. I tallied it in the middle of its body to have it upright.

Saturday the 22nd I returned to Mana to river mouth in the hope of seeing the predators que nenni. Of course there were hippopotamuses and especially many birds of all species. I decided to go towards the west of the Zambezi. On the way I met a couple of Zimbabweans who had seen there four days ago a pack of 16 painted dogs. In the east I saw only elephants. I returned vexed to the camping.

Sunday the 23rd, get up early, I left towards the great west of the park, Vundu Point, in the hope of seeing the pack of painted dogs. I traversed 54 km without seeing neither the dogs nor the lions. Only elephants and many birds. The visit of Mana Pools NP, 124 km in three days, finished out of water of roll! I installed the shieldings against the bugs to prevent the monkeys from penetrating in the cabin in search of food. I had made them make in Pleasant Valley RV Park, here.

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Ecran de protection contre les bugs mais aussi contre les singes, Shielding against bugs but also against monkeys