Saying, "Goodbye, South Africa! Hello, Zim, Zam & Nam!!"

Wow, I can't believe the end of the semester is finally here. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were sitting around mulling over the notion of "only two more months!" By "only" I, of course, don't mean "only two more months until we get to go home" ... because I haven’t been counting down the days to get out of here, or anything. It's just hard to believe we've been here for so many months, and now we’re free to wander wherever our hearts take us.

And our hearts are taking the three of us in quite different directions: I’m heading up to explore the western part of Zim for about a week or so, to visit friends and swim with elephants and lions in Gweru … oh yeah, baby, you heard me … I’m reserving judgment until I see what it looks like. If it’s a giant circus with wild animals in captivity for profit, well, then, I’m not so sure I can get down with that. But it sounds pretty mystical, and I’m looking forward to just being in their midst, waking up to lions roaring and elephants splashing … okay remember, Allison, it isn't Disneyland.

Then I’m heading north with friends to one of the Seven Natural Wonders, Victoria Falls, where Zim meets Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia. There, my sister, Heather, and pal Justina are flying in a couple of weeks before Heather begins a rotation at a hospital in Jo’burg. The plan is to cruise the Caprivi-Vic Falls region, where Thando and I have pledged to throw ourselves down the rapids of the Zambezi. I’m sure it’s no Elk River in a flimsy six-person dingy, but it’ll sure be cool to say I’ve had a face full of Zambezi. Like cruising down the Nile, just … cool. And thanks to a local hook-up, we’re also not going to be robbed blind by the hotel industry up there, which charges, like, US$100 per person per night. I know! WHAT is up with that?! Give me the $4 bed-bug special any day … Okay, the $8 bed-bug-free special. The whole sitch in Zim will be a little bizarre, with inflation reaching 2000% last week. I have NO idea what that even looks like. Apparently CAN$100 looks like ZIM$9,000,000.

From Zim, somehow we’ll duck down to the Okavango Delta for some world-renowned wildlife viewing in what’s probably the most expensive country in southern Africa, Botswana … needless to say, we won’t be staying long on my budget. Heather and Justina, well they get a pay check every month. We’ve already worked out a compromise: while they stay in private rooms, I’ll stay in dorms, but get to stash my stuff in their locked rooms. Totally sweet.

I don’t know how on earth we’re going to swing getting between Zim and Bots. We’ll apparently be cabbing to the border, then taking a kombie ride for a really, really long time. Well, we’ve got to do it at least once, don’t we? Still haven’t figured out the Bots to Land of Brangelina thing either, but it’ll all fall into place, I’m sure. Flying down the dunes of the Kalahari Desert on a sandboard or quad while overlooking the ocean doesn’t sound half bad, does it? Well, if it’s good enough for Brad and Angelina, it’s good enough for me. Uh, yeah. Then it’s back to Josie for us, to hit that city up for all it’s worth. I’m talking cruising the largest township in the country, Soweto, and storming the halls of the Constitutional Court (I mean, I have to at least see it, with all the constitutionalism talk that’s been going on in our house these past few months … I mean, Sachs J … how cool is that guy?!?). … oh, and I’ll be stuffing my bags with as many new clothes as they can handle. Hey, our dollar is practically on steroids right now. It’d be a shame for it to go to waste, right?

So, as you can see, I won’t actually be saying, “Goodbye, South Africa, hello Zim, Zam and Nam,” as the title of this entry indicates. It should be more like, “Check ya later, South Africa, hello Zim, Bots, and Nam.” So I took some artistic license, so what? Yes, I’ve updated the album with some real gems from my time here, including from my latest trip to the children’s home and a toxic tour with my Pollution Control Law class, which was an excursion to parts of the city I wouldn’t have otherwise gotten a chance to see. I was so relieved that I got to say goodbye to the kids. It had been a few weeks since I saw them last, and I thought it’d be nice to surprise them with some parting gifts (chalks, stickers, and 5 bouncy balls). It was such an incredible afternoon, spent drawing on the cement, taking photos, balls flying through the air, and just taking in the whole experience of working with these kids these last three months. It has most definitely been a highlight for me, and I wish I had seen them more. There has also been a lesson to learn: I should give myself a little more credit when it comes to little ones. I ain’t so bad at it. Hopefully the days of Ceili recoiling in fear when I enter the room are over! Ceili, promise me …!

Okay, I must go finish off my packing now. I’m off to Josie in the morn (well, if there are any seats left on the bus … they don’t accept international credit cards for reservations in this country … geesh). Just 20 hours of bus rides separate me from Zim. Laura and Christina are being much more sensible about the whole thing and flying in …. Well, thank goodness for Sudokos.

Safe travels, Laura and Christina. Take care, all.

Peace and love,

Allison