Travelling through Zimbabwe II

Talking about names: Did I mention, that my guide's name in Matopo NP was Innocent? Innocent, Blessing, Mercy... and later I met Magnificent. Isn't that lovely? I think it says a lot about Zimbabweans. So, I took the bus to the Mozambician border a day later. But before I could do this, I had breakfast with Mercy. Which was nice and by 10 o'clock I sat on a minibus) this time even in front! But it took 90 minutes until the bus eventually left. It left before, but only to go once around the block, or to change position. There was a second similar minibus, from the same company, but they were competing for the passangers. So they tried to get in front or behind each other, I couldn't find out what was supposed to be better. When the bus eventually left, we drove safely, comparatively fast and without to many interruptions towards Mutare. Another reassuring point is that in Zimbabwe, they can only take as many people as they are seats. Unlike in Mozambique, where they stuff in as much people as they can. Whenever the bus stops, there will be loads of people coming to sell anything from fresh fruit to soft drinks, biscuits or nuts. I hardly ever buy soft drinks, but in Zim I got into buying this kind of soft drink - ice cream that we get at home too, in plastic tubes... Lovely in the heat. Or I buy fruit, that I than share with at least the driver, if not the whole bus. After about two thirds on the way to Mutare suddenly everybody left the bus and the driver politely asks me to move from this bus to the bigger bus, that had followed us since Masvingo. I was slightly irritated, but they said it wasn't worth continuing, because I was their only passenger now and because the price the told me was ok and the other bus was already pushing the accelerator, I agreed and hectically packed all my stuff. When I was on this big bus (75 seater) and had made my way to the back, sat down and relaxed I suddenly realised in panic, that I had left my sun glasses in the minibus. Again! So I ran to the driver's seat, telling them my problem, asking if we had gone far already (I had no idea). They said no, not far. So I asked if they could turn around and for a soft drink for each member of the crew they agreed. And here they went, this massive bus turned around on a rather narrow country lane to get back to fetch my sun glasses. And in the back of the bus there was a group of young guys going completely made... shouting, shaking their fists, and complaining. I didn't understand, because they spoke Shona, but I could guess, that they didn't like the fact that they were turning around to get my sun glasses. Back at the minibus which was fortunately still there, the driver jumped out and handed me the glasses as if he had been waiting for me. I hardly dared to go back on the bus and at first lingered in the front, when I was told to go to the back. The guys were still complaining loadly. They were so angry. But when I talked to them and asked them what the problem was, they made sure I understood that it had nothing to do with me (they were very nice actually), but that it was between them and the driver... Anyway, I liked it so much and I made so many friends there. And I met Rebecca there, who took me with her across the border and into Mozambique, to a kind of Zimbabwean refugee camp, where I could sleep on a straw mat for the equivalent of 0,30 Euro the night. Together with about 50 other Zimbabwean woman. We had a great time. Rebecca and I slept under my moskito net, in the other room they were singing all night, and I was taking pictures and got everybody's address to send the pictures... I didn't dare to say that it is highly unlikely that they will ever arrive, let alone that I will make it to send the pictures. But now I have around 20 addresses in Zimbabwe, where I am warmly welcome. I might need it sometime! I wish I could show some pictures.