31.07 till 8.08.07, 8 days, currency black market rate 1€ = 240,000 Z$ (Zimbabwe dollar)

highlights – we started visiting the country from Victoria Falls - Zambezi River creates a unique presentation here - dozens of cascades with a height of about 100 meters extend on distance 1.7 kilometres. In my opinion the most interesting lookouts are Devil's Cataract (views of the entire Batoka canyon) and Danger Point (not fenced cliff, ideal for suicide). The view is impressive, and if there's a sun, we can see a double rainbow at a time. Unfortunately, this park is not the cheapest, 20 USD. The most water occurs from April to June, the least between September and November.

For several days a month, you can also see a night rainbow - there is usually at the cloudless sky from the third night before the full moon till one night after. Unfortunately, the price was too high for me - in addition to the normal entry ticket you must pay extra 30 USD (all 50 USD!). Walk takes place with the guide and takes more than an hour. If you get here during the full moon period, I recommend see the show on Zambian side - there to the daily ticket (10 USD) you pay extra just 2 USD and you can get out and in on the same ticket at different time of the day, and wander the night rainbow without the guide.

There is worth to visit waterfalls on both sides, while in Zimbabwe is less paths, even for 1 hour walk. If we get to Zambia on 1 day visa, we need to leave the country before dusk, they close the border crossing. In the towns Victoria Falls and Livingstone agencies are selling a lot of extreme sport attractions, and probably the most popular is the white water rafting on the Zambezi River. Although there are rapids with the fifth grade, however, tourists miss it for the safety reasons. Even on slower rapids all looks funny, and if you never attempted white water rafting before, go for it. The high water level and lack a faster current on the river (no trips) occurs between April and July. Other attractions in this area are ride in/with/on horse, elephant, air balloon, motor gliding, kayaking, cruising, or fishing, visiting in traditional villages and the nearby nature reserves with wild game (Zambezi NP), crocodile farm, etc.

On the next day we visited the falls in Zambia, where is a different point of view. Generally you are closer to cascades and stronger impression of water crash. You walk on trails just on the cliff edge, and waterproof jacket is required from the spray that creates such a mass of water. There are several different pathways including "Best Photograph Walk" which allows you to look at falls from the further distance, going down to the "Boiling Pot" will allow you to get away from the tourists and close to the Zambezi whirlpools. "Knife Edge Point" - is probably the most popular lookout. There are as well the paths behind the falls, before the water get down. At the top of the waterfalls we saw the elephants! It is just nice to see this wonder of nature from different perspectives. Often there is no security, so watch out not to slip and do not fall. I recommend coming here early at morning - less spray from the water and the sun does not come from opposite side to the best photo shot. On the way be careful for the daypack, because once the baboons feel it, they will try to steel it from you. In the absence of own vehicle we missed the second part of the park, which is the "Game Park". After 4-hours trip we back to Zimbabwe. Generally speaking, the town of Victoria Falls is commercial and touristy, everything is definitely much more expensive than the rest of the country. Wallking from the town Victoria Falls to the falls takes about 20 minutes, and to the waterfalls on the Zambian side about 1 hour, including border bureaucracy.

Since we got some news regarding poor political and economic situation in Zimbabwe, we considered whether enter into the country behind the Victoria Falls. Locals advised that the truth, they have is a problem with fuel and food, but it is safe and the "black market" exist. First, we had to get the local currency. However, the currency exchange was not so easy - for foreign exchange transactions on the street, you can go to prison, and a official rate of USD extremely low (1 USD = 250 ZIM, Zimbabwe dollars). We finally managed to find a safe person to exchange dollar and we got... ZIM 180 000, which is 720 times more than in the government bank. We felt bad for the tourists, who withdraw the cash from ATM. We were so surprised when we discovered expire date on the notes. It was a text on the note: “on or before 31st July 2007”. Hmm, actually it was the last day of July…fortunately government had no money to print the new notes, so they were still valid.

All seem to us too cheap in the stores, such as Coca Cola 0.07 €, 1 kg of oranges 0.09 €. The problem is, however, that the shops are generally empty. Such a view of empty shelves and long queues for the supply of anything, I remember that from Poland during communism. How is so difficult situation in the country which not so long time ago was an example of prosperity? Cecil Rhodes stole in the name of the British crown that the British held the pouch up to the year 1980. But you cannot blame now the white farmers for the past, most of them are already the further generation, have no other home - Europe is alien to them. Briefly, after the year 1980 Mr. President Mugabe gradually took away the farms from the white owners and distributed it among his ministers. On the effects we didn't have to wait too long - the ministers did know nothing about the land cultivation, instead they build there its villas. The field was slowly devastated and thousands of people lost their jobs. Gradually export become import and inflation has started grow in extremely fast pace. When the prices raised in shops every few hours, the president announced "Price freeze" and ordered the sale of all items at a price from 18 June 2007 (which mean in practice less then half price) with a compulsory price sign - dishonestly persons were fined. For the local business that was a blow, because in reality it didn't stop the inflation and the product was loosing the value every day.

We bought a ticket on the night train - price ridiculously low, 0.45 € per 500 km. Riding the train of economic class is crowded and slow, but most importantly, that runs, is safe and you can move around the country.

Ryszard Kapuscinski mentioned then in Africa there are three architectural structures worth the comments: Egyptian pyramid, Ethiopian churches in Lalibela and the Great Zimbabwe. It is also the second largest stone structure on the continent. When I have seen it, I knew then is worth a visit. We hired the guide which led us around the XI century ruins. When climbing the old stone staircase between the narrow rocks, we got into a unique impression. After seeing the royal and religious complex on the cliff, the further sighting through the history of this kingdom we spent in the lower elliptic ruins with a huge stone wall. Finally we saw a museum with things found on the spot, including the bird exhibition, which represent successive dynasties. They are the symbols of Zimbabwe today, printed on the notes, stamps, flags, uniforms, etc. The only official admission and campsite fees for foreigners are quite high, several times higher than for the locals. We did what we always avoided in other countries - a service without receipts, so the money got into the private pocket, rather than to the tyrannical government.

Then we went to the regions where trains don't go. And we had a problem, because there was no fuel in the country, so passengers accumulated significantly. This meant hitchhiking to us, but the competition was strong in the form of several hundred locals. We stood far away in isolation and in the end always someone gave us a lift. We are full of admiration and appreciation for Zimbabwean people, the situation remains critical and they still are optimistic, kidding, smiling and believing in the end of Mugabe era. In addition, no one asked us for any donation, gift, support, visa to Europe etc, which was unavoidable in previous countries. And despite the fact that some of my stuff were stolen (broken zip in the daypack), I have no grief. Bad people are everywhere, and here most of them were kind and nice almost at every step, including the police.

We came to the Antelope Park, which deal with the animals rehabilitation and their adaptation to live in wild. I had a freak - just like the Eric from Monty Python, I wanted to fight with a lion - and I could do this, we signed the contract. I was ordered to leave my daypack, take off the fleece and I got to the cage with two cats. I immediately attacked them and played like with my dog, with one hand grabbed the lion throat and with the other I held its paw - I didn't wait long for a response - the beast rush at me, overturn on my back and bit in chest and drove in its claws in my back. Slightly shocked I tried to evacuate, especially when the second excited male tried to attack me from the back - suddenly supervisor release me the trouble and hit in the face those small 6-month old cubs. Hmm, I just wanted to have a fun with the small cuts, but those monsters used their teeth and claws, so that left me a couple of souvenirs like bleeding cuts and tear off pants.

These familiar with people lions won't be freedom, but their offspring may have the chance. Otherwise I wouldn't spent here even one dollar. I'm not going to the circus, and even the zoo, because I believe that there is causing more harm than help to the animals (www.antelopepark.co.zw). The park offers various attractions, including the cub viewing in a cage; walk with lions under escort, the feeding of lions; lectures on the program of rehabilitation, and also allows volunteers to work here. In addition there are elephant rides for 22 € / 30min; observation of elephants training for 7 €; swim with these giants (summer only) 19 € / 15min, riding or hiking, jeep or boat safari, bird watching, canoeing, fishing. One of the most interesting attractions, but not very often organized, is a night safari with a lamp following a lion during his hunt (of course a positive final result of hunting is not guaranteed). Admission fee to the park costs 4 €, but if you use the accommodation, no admission fee to be charged. You cannot pay in local currency and even traveller's checks are accepted.

We decided as well for walking with the lions. It was an exciting experience - three of us, three guards and three volunteers and four lions (they are much larger then cubs, up to 1 year). We hike in the bush, followed and watch the cats behaviour. We had to be only careful that the lion does not get to us from behind, something could wake up its hunting instinct. When they rested, we were able to get (with the escort near by) close to them, kneel on side and hold the predator. Although it is not a "real adventure" - it was interesting.

Then we just hitchhiked to the border with Zambia, using the cheapest internet on our trip (0.07 € per hour), a phone call to Poland (4 hours for 1 €), we bought some new clothes and repaired old clothes, shoes, zips, watches etc. Crossing the huge Kariba dam with regret we were leaving so kind nation - keeping fingers crossed for them. Lake Kariba did not made a big impression on us, just another lake. But getting to the lake was interesting, when the driver at night looked for us for a lion in bush, - he did not find a cut, but once our road was blocked with huge elephant, so we immediately warmed up from the emotions on the cold outside truck. In Zimbabwe we also recommended Matobo National Park near Bulawayo, where pedestrians can walk and rhinoceros can be found. And Mana Pools and other parks along the Zambezi river, which is worth to visit on the multiday boats trip (unfortunately expensive) and encountered the true isolated African nature with a wild game.

accommodation – when entering the country to Victoria Falls, it is the easiest place to exchange the money in backpackers, I mean relatively safe. In the country interior is a better rate, but the exchange on the street is more risky. Accommodation prices in Victoria Falls, as well as any other tourist spots, have been the highest in the country. For example, sleeping in a tent in the Great Zimbabwe costs € 7 for foreigners. If you have a receipt of exchange the currency from a bank or ATM (worth consider printing the balance, might work), then you may be able to sleep for little price for locals. We tried to bribe the guards, but they were afraid one each other. They helped us, however, took us at the middle of the night to the resort outside the park, where room price in the hut cost us € 2, divided for 3 people.

transport – from the centre of Victoria Falls to the border with Zambia, you can walk in 20 minutes. After the check in we must walk another 10 minutes to the waterfalls on the other side of the river. There are transfers from Kasane (Botswana) to Victoria Falls for around 22 € per person.

A disaster is in the interior. Train to Bulawayo runs every night, but the better classes are usually booked a few days in advance. We travelled as usual in economy class, is ok, but worth to come a few hours before departure to get a seat. Another train from Masvingo to Gweru - we get in the middle of the night and the train has already been overloaded. Fortunately, nice conductor without liability arranged his the 3-bed compartment. After comfortable night he got a one note.

Where the trains do not run, you must struggle, and unfortunately the economy crisis lasted. This led to the suspension of fuel sales for privates. In this case most of the country travels by overloaded trains and where they do not reach, hitchhike. General view is desperate, because literally hundreds of people waiting for transport at each main road intersection. And that traffic was minimal, many of people probably are waiting a few days. Our tactic was to isolate us from the others, far away behind all. There, in solitude we increased our chances for hitchhiking, moreover, effectively, because some local businessmen or political leaders with their own car, gave us a lift just from curiosity.

Visa – you can get it on arrival on the border, single entry costs $ 30 (€ 22), multi entry 45 USD. It is valid for 3 months.

Border crossing at Victoria Falls: even if you have a single entry visa to Zimbabwe, you still can take a 1-day trip to Zambia (visa € 7). We only need to mention at border to not cancel our visa but make a note then we coming back at the same day, (so you cannot go for 1-day visa to Zambia for a night rainbow, because we have to go back on the same day when border are close at evening). 1-day trip to Zimbabwe is not possible from Zambia - I mean, you can, but must to buy a new visa for both countries.

We noticed that our blank pages in passport are almost finished. Starting from now we asked the officials at the border to give us the new visa covering the other one. The most helpful official we met in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique.

In Zimbabwe you can find the diplomatic representations of Angola, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.