It's been two more months of fun and excitement in Zimbabwe. With the addition of a 2001 Toyota Prado to the Fox fleet, we've been afforded the ability to explore more of what the country has to offer. At 12 years old, the car still has plenty of steam (metaphor only – it runs on petrol) and a plethora of random gadgets which have earned her the name "robo-car."
Robo-car's maiden voyage (with us) was to Great Zimbabwe. We explored the stunning ancient ruins with our friend Greg, where we took in scenic views and were mobbed by students from a local college who wanted to get pictures with the foreigners (Ryo was a major draw). We retired to our over-the-top kitsch (but awesome) hotel, where he had sundowners overlooking the countryside. The next day, we stopped off at a drive-your-self game reserve (what a concept!) on the way home. So cool!
We've also hit up the Eastern Highlands again (Bvumba and Nyanga) and have taken advantage of robo-car's high clearance/4-wheel drive to get off the beaten path. The area has some amazing waterfalls, including the second highest in Africa – Mtarazi Falls. Ryo enjoyed the scenery from the comfort of a baby backpack that we got on craigslist in DC for $35. Well worth the money and I have a feeling it's going to get plenty of use. While taking a break from hiking and checking out the botanical gardens, we enjoyed tea and incredible desserts from an artist named Tony in Bvumba while sitting in a lovely English-style cottage overlooking an orchard. In the evenings, we got cozy next to roaring fires (it's cold in the winter here!) and had fun candlelit dinners in two lodges where we were the only guests.
There's also been some fun travel for work. I made my way to the Save Valley, where I was able to see some of the incredible scenery and wildlife at Hammond Ranch. One evening while standing on the top of a rock pile (kopje), I snapped the above shot of a baobab while the sun was going down. Nikki and I also took a trip to Victoria Falls to support the Ambassador on his visit to the area. Although we were running around working, we did get a chance to enjoy some of the local sites, including an event at the Victoria Falls Hotel and a river cruise. We got to stay at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which is one of the best hotels I've ever been to, and had dinner at their Boma Restaurant, where I joined in the entertainment.
It's been busy around town too. Our friends Thando and Truthness were married and we were fortunate to be able to attend (our first wedding in Africa!). There was also the Harare International Festival of the Arts – which was amazing. We went to as much of the multi-day event as we could, checking out spoken word, music, and dance performances. The Embassy supported the performance of a New York gospel group, which was fantastic, and we also loved the opportunity to see Mokoomba again.
In other news, Ryo is growing fast! She now has two teeth (bottom incisors) and has started eating solid foods. She eats anything (must be my child!) and so far has tried carrots, pears, bananas, squash, and rice cereal. She's not crawling yet, but can sit up on her own and rolls from front to back and vice versa (an ambi-roller!).
So things are great and we've very much settled in. Looking forward to the next few months and hopefully a trip to some of the neighboring countries.
Robo-car's maiden voyage (with us) was to Great Zimbabwe. We explored the stunning ancient ruins with our friend Greg, where we took in scenic views and were mobbed by students from a local college who wanted to get pictures with the foreigners (Ryo was a major draw). We retired to our over-the-top kitsch (but awesome) hotel, where he had sundowners overlooking the countryside. The next day, we stopped off at a drive-your-self game reserve (what a concept!) on the way home. So cool!
We've also hit up the Eastern Highlands again (Bvumba and Nyanga) and have taken advantage of robo-car's high clearance/4-wheel drive to get off the beaten path. The area has some amazing waterfalls, including the second highest in Africa – Mtarazi Falls. Ryo enjoyed the scenery from the comfort of a baby backpack that we got on craigslist in DC for $35. Well worth the money and I have a feeling it's going to get plenty of use. While taking a break from hiking and checking out the botanical gardens, we enjoyed tea and incredible desserts from an artist named Tony in Bvumba while sitting in a lovely English-style cottage overlooking an orchard. In the evenings, we got cozy next to roaring fires (it's cold in the winter here!) and had fun candlelit dinners in two lodges where we were the only guests.
There's also been some fun travel for work. I made my way to the Save Valley, where I was able to see some of the incredible scenery and wildlife at Hammond Ranch. One evening while standing on the top of a rock pile (kopje), I snapped the above shot of a baobab while the sun was going down. Nikki and I also took a trip to Victoria Falls to support the Ambassador on his visit to the area. Although we were running around working, we did get a chance to enjoy some of the local sites, including an event at the Victoria Falls Hotel and a river cruise. We got to stay at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which is one of the best hotels I've ever been to, and had dinner at their Boma Restaurant, where I joined in the entertainment.
It's been busy around town too. Our friends Thando and Truthness were married and we were fortunate to be able to attend (our first wedding in Africa!). There was also the Harare International Festival of the Arts – which was amazing. We went to as much of the multi-day event as we could, checking out spoken word, music, and dance performances. The Embassy supported the performance of a New York gospel group, which was fantastic, and we also loved the opportunity to see Mokoomba again.
In other news, Ryo is growing fast! She now has two teeth (bottom incisors) and has started eating solid foods. She eats anything (must be my child!) and so far has tried carrots, pears, bananas, squash, and rice cereal. She's not crawling yet, but can sit up on her own and rolls from front to back and vice versa (an ambi-roller!).
So things are great and we've very much settled in. Looking forward to the next few months and hopefully a trip to some of the neighboring countries.
