Well, day two is winding down and the mosquitoes are circling us like vultures descending on carrion.
After a magnificent breakfast, we ended up spending the day being pampered at a hair salon run by a wonderful lady that was my mum’s friend. We also took a trip through the city centre which has changed so much.
The heat mixed with the smell of burning wood filled the backdrop to the traffic chaos on the crowded streets. Cars hooted and flew past in their mad dash to get to different destinations further up the congested roads. Men, women and children risked life and limb in their brazen attempts to sell water bottles, flags, airtime and snacks to cars stopping briefly at traffic lights.
Watching the hwindi’s (illegal touts who stand on the sides of roads encouraging commuters into Emergency Taxis, an informal transport link) work their street corners by corralling prospective passengers into an ordered group for the oncoming Emergency Taxis made me think of how ingenious Zimbabweans are.
With every possible economic and natural disaster washing over their towns and cities, the motto of the survivors is: Don’t worry, we’ll work a plan!
For those of you old enough to have watched the tv show, Macgyver, you will remember his amazing talents of using whatever he had at hand to create something extraordinary that would help save him. Well, that for me is a typical Zimbabwean.
Everywhere you turn, people are creating/inventing incredible things to help make life easier. I am in awe of their resilience and forward thinking in a time when most are crushed.
Hello Eloise I have been following your Thoughts ever since I read the story of your little Lucky Pig . I think you will remember me as I was the Ballet Teacher that actually made him! I now live in Oxfordshire in the UK but I am also visiting Zimbabwe for a few days from Saturday 9th. It is a very different place now in a lot of ways, but underneath you will find the old familiar places. I hope you will enjoy your holiday in the sun and maybe we can ‘catch up’ some time.
Judy Bowles
Sent from my iPad
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Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for contacting me. You made me love ballet and inspired me to dance to the best of my ability. I absolutely loved that Lucky Pig! It would be wonderful to catch up with you, here in Zimbabwe or back in the UK. Safe travels and please do let me know if you have a free moment. 😀
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I am Zimbabwean.. I can’t tell whether you are complimenting Zimbabweans in some areas..or insulting them
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Complimenting of course! How can I insult people who have the ingenuity and capability of surviving severe times and still manage to smile?
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