I sit, or rather lie, in a rather humiliating position. Without getting into too much detail, I'm recovering from an awful chafing problem aggravated by hiking in the National Park and several long bus rides.

I selected a quite nice, air conditioned resort hotel on Lake Kariba for my recovery that's now lasted three days. It's an impressive setting. Africa's second-biggest man-made lake and second-biggesd dam. Both behind only Egypt's Aswan. It's vaguely like vacationing on one of the many TVA lakes in the Southeast... probably even built around the same time. The hotel here has perfect view of the lake, a full breakfast and two pools. It costs $45 US dollars... a fortune in Zimbabwe. But not too bad split between Matt and me.

"This could get very ugly."
Tomorrow we plan, chafing permitting, to walk across Kariba Dam and into Zambia... leaving behind the strangeness and adventure of Zimbabwe. And just in time, too. In a few days the government will issue new $500 bills... and suddenly all the current $500 bills will be worthless. This could get very ugly. I'm glad I won't be here to see it.

I've probably learned more in Zimbabwe than any other single country I've visited. From famine to fuel shortages... bread lines to screaming beggars. We've seen just about everything that can go wrong with a country. And in its people we've seen every way humans can deal with adversity. Anger and blame. Quite resignation. And most impressively... a content, friendly acceptance that if they can just endure this one more day... maybe tomorrow will be better.

Travel in the third world often comes back to the cliches of "how lucky I am to have..." But this is truly the first time I've felt how fortunate I am just to be able to eat. It's hard to describe feeling ashamed walking down the street as people steal glances into your grocery bags. At moments like that, I feel further from home than I've ever felt.

"They're grateful to see each brave tourist."
Zimbabweans love their country. Black and white, they all talk of theirs being a country a cut above the rest of Southern Africa. Indeed, it once was. They're proud of what they had and even what little they still have. For the most part, they're grateful to see each brave tourist who still dares come to share it.

Funny how Zimbabwe and South Africa have opposite problems. South Africa has comparatively good government poisoned by a terrible racial climate and spirit of lawlessness. Zimbabwe has a comparatively good racial situation and a gentle population... something a despot easily preys on.

I think Matt and I both look forward to coming back here. How startlingly different Zimbabwe could seem if we return to find these friendly, easy-going people under a competent, democratic government.