Kruger National Park, South Africa to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe -- 16 Nov. 2018

A long day of travel today that will take us from South Africa to Zambia by air, then by bus to Zimbabwe.

Loaded up and ready to go.

And that seems like a fitting ending to things seen along the way to the airport.

Linda found this on the floor in the departure area. She thought it was dead and joked it was an Africanized bee. When it wiggled it suddenly found itself on the floor.

Selfie of the day.

Coming in for the landing at Livingstone (I would presume). Bad Bob.

Another of those little known facts you only know if read this blog. And yes indeed, we are in Zambia.

Scenes along the road.

As seen on our bus. The weapon was not optional.

It was a very friendly welcome.

AK47? What’s up?

This was what was up. Something not many tourists to Africa get to see. All it took was someone, who knew someone, who knew the right person, then add in some creative financing courtesy of our group, and we got to see wild white rhinos up close and personal. And with that, our Big Five is now complete. Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Cape Buffalo and Rhino.

We weren’t a bit scared. There were five men and a woman armed with AK47’s standing right behind us. We asked them what they would do if a rhino charged us. At first I thought they said they all were track stars and could easily out run any old American tourists. Linda corrected me. They would fire their weapons immediately behind the animal which would (hopefully) stop the charge.

At least I knew I could out run all but maybe one or two of our group, so no matter what happened I figured I’d be around to report on what happened. I think about that time Linda was wishing she had been able to go out for the girl’s track team when she was in school. Unfortunately she went to one of those country schools where boys basketball, Future Farmers of America and 4H were the extra curricular activities.

I figured if I got behind this leafless shrub they would see me.

Meanwhile Linda's only protection was Irene’s telescopic lens.

It was unreal how close we were able to get to them.

This fellow was the person at the top end of the who you know chain. He also made sure the proceeds from our creative financing were equitably shared among his people. It was simply a case of when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Or put another way, when if foreign countries, their rules, their ways.

Only those who have had border crossings in Africa can appreciate what it is like. Think of a sign that says all persons entering the country must “personally present their documents to the immigration official”,  then watch as our guide takes all our passports while we stay on the bus and later comes back with them all stamped, while saying it just takes knowing how to get things done. My mind goes somewhere along the route of more creative financing. Your mind may think differently. But again. remember, WiRdatRd. Roman Robert.

We Americans have absolutely no idea of how well we are off, no matter what our circumstances, when an empty plastic water bottle can bring this much joy to a young girl in Zimbabwe. Everyone in the world deserves the opportunity to better themselves. To bad politicians put ego before the world.

Some of the wealth of Zimbabwe. Copper on its way to South Africa. The problem is the people don’t share in the wealth, only those in the corrupt government and their cronies do. Also add in the Chinese who know a good thing when it stares them in the face.

Every night she has to carry 40 pounds of drinking water on her head back to her family “house’ so they have water for the next day.

And we complain because our Internet connection is out for a couple of hours, or our roads have potholes. Travel and you’ll never look at life the same.

The open air gathering space where we relax and eat at our camp.

First world fun in a third world country.

Luis getting a African birthday cake..

The moment when Luis realizes his birthday cake is not chocolate, it is elephant dung!!!!!

Don’t get caught up in thinking existing is life, instead Live Life.