Plumtree To ManaPools

Plumtree to Bulawayo Passing thru Zimbabwe Border Post after 3 hours...Now there was a good 6 hour drive on not the best of roads with no suitable stops so it was a case of keeping going hoping to make it before dark..Aparently it's too dangerous to drive at night..I knew there was going to little fuel as each station we passed had horrendous queus of traffic waiting for the tankers to arrive...I was still on my reserve after 600km so no problem for me yet. My main tank could do 650km so I was more than safe..At last we pulled into Bulawayo checked out a few places we knew from previous times and headed to our B&B in Bulawayo. Had a nice steak with drink plus board came to 105 US each. Met up with Landdriver family who had broken down on route from Cape Town any got an early night Bulawayo to Harare Yet anothe early star After hours of driving .At last we pulled into Harare city centre..a busy vibrant place of shiny office blocks and people ..Up thru the city off to Silver Toyata Land Cruiser Family ...Round the back of some of the most beautiful houses seen up thru a gated community to our new friends Here we would stay the night in our own vehicles to get use to living in the Van . Silver Toyata Family also helped with fuel so we where back on track with both tanks full ..Overnight here next stop Mana Pools . It was totally freezing in the roof tent but the sleeping bags surficed..The Van was fine we slept well Harare to Mana Pools Tanks full anothe early start.. First find a chap with a compressor and grab some ice ..This would be 3 hours to the entrance of the park then another hour down 2 dirt tracks to the campsite by the Zambezi ..2 hours later Land cruiser Family pull of the road into a hidden ditch and the vehicle is stuck..Move forward or back and the cruiser will roll ..touch and go but a friendly driver stops and the vehicle pulls back onto the road with 5 people hanging off one side...At last arrive at Mana Pools drop the tyre pressure to make the ride softer go to 4 wheel drive and we are off on once more...After an hour we arrive at Nyamepi Camp right on the bank of the Zambezi ..No fences, with warnings to not walk 5 metres from the vehicle after nightfall..toilet blocks are 100m away...Monkeys grabbing any food left out welcome to Africa ...First nights meal is T bones 10 of them 1 each..on an BBQ The vehicles all have fridges ..ours has a shower so we had everything we needed.. Mana Pool Day 3 Monkeys everywhere Hyenas in camp Driving Safari saw Elephants a Babboons World Heritage site so no facilities in n camp or intermittant running water No power.. Stopped for beer and snacks Learned all about driving a 4x4 Mana Pool Day 3 All facilities back on running water ..shower toliets and limited WiFi at reception We hired an armed ranger Walked to Babab Buffalo crossing the Road WartHog strolling thru camp Leopard in camp Gin and Tonic stop overs Breakfast over looking Zambezi Played 30seconds Mana Pool Day 4 Day off Fishing for Crocs Amazon breakfast overlooking Zambezi. Panic as not driving fridge battery running low ..moved car into Sun Solar Cells on roof charging drive battery Good n and Tonics Safe All well on the Zambezi temperature 27 Pics to follow