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Zimbabwe or how I almost died
Writes well-known blogger and traveler Ilya Varlamov:
From Cape Town, it was decided to fly over the famous Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. This cute country distinguished achievements in the economy. After independence in 1980, Zimbabwe belonged among the most economically developed countries in the African continent. Having long-awaited freedom the government has decided to start a "fight against racism". It resulted in the forced, accompanied by pogroms, the withdrawal of land from whites and transfer of these lands black. White farmers driven out or killed all the power and the ground moved indigenous peoples. And it turned out that the indigenous people are not very willing to work. In the end, all that could ruin Zimbabweans destroyed. Now the unemployment rate exceeds 94%, constant shortage of essential commodities in the country does not have anything at all. In Zimbabwe managed prosrat even the national currency, since recently there is no money, all paying dollars. The main achievement of the last 30 years - Zimbabwe boasts the lowest level of GDP per capita among all the countries and territories worldwide.
But this is not the main thing, the main thing that I almost died here. Under the cut tearjerker like I was attacked by a wild animal!
23 photos
01. But let's start from the beginning. If you want to see Victoria Falls from the plane, sit on the left side.
02. "Combating racism" starts at the airport. Before we leave the plane, as the woman came and barely holding satisfied smile tourists said: "Ha, ha, ha! Your luggage has not arrived! "The border guards have started quite a giggle. It turned out that simply forgot to load the luggage on the plane! The first time this happens. Further more. Border guards on racks in no hurry to start working. Lined up, and they itched, they laughed pestered flight attendants. We do everything except work. In angry comments simply dismissed.
After 10 minutes, they decided to start accepting foreign nationals. In addition to the questionnaire required to pay for the visa $ 40. I do not have dollars, euros only.
- Let's not zdachi! - The guard said
- But I do not have without putting ...
- Your problem, we have here the border, not currency exchange
- And where you can change?
- Nowhere
- What to do?
- Your problems. There is no date, not going anywhere
It is worth noting that all airport personnel, including border guards themselves were extremely happy that the tourist was a nuisance. As a result, it managed to agree that small money give my driver, who was waiting outside. On the passage of a formal procedure left an hour.
In general, an hour in Zimbabwe tourist turns into a racist.
03. Arriving at the hotel, which, as expected, proved to be a terrible mess. I decided to explore the area.
04. Looked at the locomotives.
05. mingle with the locals. However, dialogue has been reduced to banal extort money from me. Chutzpah locals can envy even Roma.
06. The local train.
07. The toilet on the train.
08. A man in white socks.
09. Then went to look at the Zimbabwean wild forest.
10. ... I go on the path of an elephant poop. At first I did not attach much importance.
11. meet the locals who took my cigarettes (money no longer exists).
12. go for a walk, listen to music ...
13. I admire the scenery.
14. And there is much to admire!
15. Around beauty ...
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17. There were no signs of trouble ...
18. And then I look up and see before ELEPHANT !!! Due to the music with headphones, I did not see the elephant. The elephant apparently also did not expect such a meeting. At first I was pleased, not every day can be found wild elephant. And then I remembered all the stories, like wild elephants kill people. Elephant cute it only in pictures. In fact, elephants are harmful and evil. On occasion certainly bishop zatopchet you. And here I was terrified. Let me remind you that I rarely covers the horror, but then embraced. For some reason I began to look for a stone or a stick. Then he began to think of ways of retreat. Elephant roared and came at me. His head had two plans. One - to stand on all fours and start barking. The second - panic, screaming and running away! The idea with the dog seemed to me then good, because there was nowhere to run. Around the steppe and nowhere to run too much. All this happened very quickly ...
19. As I panicked and thought about a cunning plan to escape from the evil elephant, the elephant is gone. He left with his flock. But he could trample me. In general, my advice to you, do not listen to the forests of Zimbabwean music and listen to the elephants.
20. Here's a forest there. Although the forest is called, probably wrong. Then from the hotel staff, I learned that elephants really dangerous here, and I was lucky.
21. On the ground, by the way, then run some brazen monkeys. They hiss and not afraid of people.
22. On the tree.
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