My trip to Mozambique with Marc in July was really amazing. We stayed in some really out of the way places that tourists to Mozambique would not be going to. I love that country. I felt safe wherever I went. The officials were friendly. The people were friendly. The countryside was stunning. The food was fantastic. We travelled up to the mighty Zambezie River at Tete and then travelled south and then back north to the northern side of the Zambezi River again but this time further east crossing at Caia and then heading up to Morumbala which is not that far from Malawi in fact.
In contrast to Mozambique I hated every minute of the journey through Zimbabwe. I detested the corruption of the officials. I detested the attitude of the police at the ever-present roadblocks which are not more than 80 kilometres apart. I was saddened by the depression of the people. Mugabe and ZanupPF have destroyed the will to live in the people. There is just no joy or happiness in them. In the thirty years Mugabe has been in power he has done more than destroy a country. He has destroyed people. No wonder nobody tries to oust him. They just have lost the inner will to live.
I was arrested at one of the roadblocks! When it was aparant that they could not get a bribe from me for anything wrong with my vehicle or paperwork they trumped up some charges about it being illegal to wear camoflage in Zimbabwe and my Land Rover Owners Club hat (with embroidery on it nog al) was the offending item. A lot of talking and then against all my principles the changing hands of money led to my release. Being ex-Rhodesian and a member of the Police in those former times I did not fancy them finding this out and adding trumped up terrorism charges to the pot. I rather fancied being able to be free to return to South Africa!
Every roadblock was a constant search and demand for bribes. It made then trip unbearable. I was dreading the return trip which I knew had to happen. Most of the return was at night and in the rain which made travelling extremely dangerous but at least the roadblocks were a little easier to manage because the police have no torches with which to check your papers and vehicle. I did get caught for speeding which was entirely my fault. There is one section of road which is really in the middle of nowhere and the 100 km/h zone drops to 60 km/h. They always trap there. I have never been through Zimbabwe and the police haven't sat there trapping. But it was just dusk and it was raining and I thought their bed would call them more strongly than their call of duty. I was wrong!
Getting out of Zimbabwe into Mozambique was also a battle between me and a corrupt border official looking for a bribe. Marc had been cleared as had I and then I was stopped at the boom and for about fifteen minutes played cat and mouse with this official. He stated the wood, which is part of the construction of my roof rack, required a clearance certificate because there might be wood borer beetles. I told him this was surely a bit late because any beetles would have got out somewhere between Beit Bridge and Mutare and any that might be left were now headed for Mozambique which was less than 50 metres in front of me. When he insisted on a certificate I then played his game and said he should tell me where I could get one. "Ah" he said " it could take you a long time to get the certificate."
"No problem" I said. "Just tell me where"
"But it could take two or three days" he said.
"No problem" I said. "I'll visit Mutare and explore the area while I wait."
After 15 minutes of this bantering he eventually realised that I was not going to part with any money and then said I could go. Then he asked outright what did I have to give him. It took all my self-control to say only "nothing".
Mozambique arrived and saved my mind and my soul.
