January 25, Norma Jean's Lodge, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe means big house made of rock.

Up and on road by 7 am... these early mornings are a killer! But there is so much to see.
We got through South Africa immigration fairly fast but had a 2, almost 3 hour wait to get visas in Zimbabwe. Just wait.. not so bad...as van was in shade and everyone was having to do the same thing! There was not much of a queue when we arrived but shortly after it was lined up outside the building.

A change in drivers and we were off!

This is a lodge set out in the middle of nowhere, or so it seems! Beautiful place set in the bush. The design is very colonial and seemed to be caught in the 70s! Many small sitting rooms with fireplaces, big chairs and couches around a fireplace. We go up graded and got a house. A nice large balcony that over looked the garden and the man made lake. The water level is very low, there is still a drought here as well. This is the end of the rainy season and there has not been much rain, although it did rain very hard over night you can not really tell that much rain fell at all!


January 24, Northern part of South Africa, not far from Zimbabwe border

Up at 3 am for a 4 am safari! Saw lots of birds, some hippos but not much else. We have been spoiled very badly from the previous safaris! It is still amazing and so difficult to put into words! Breakfast and then on the road. We left the National Park and are heading north towards the border.

Stayed in a small private game reserve, out in the middle of nowhere! The place is beautiful. All small round brick huts with thatched roofs! Very nice. It has power but all solar power with battery storage! The water is heated using a wood fired tank and then pumped! Amazing.