MozamWeek

We recently spent about 20 hours in Zimbabwe. We traveled the road from Beitbridge to Mutare. It was good to be back in a country we have grown quite fond of in the past 14 years or so. We announced our engagement at a conference in Harare in 1996. Katie was born there in 2000. We used to vacation in the cool mountains on the Mozambican border, enjoying wonderful hospitality and good food only a half-day's drive away. In 2003, we used the "shortcut" through Zim from RSA to Tete for the last time. Times were tough, fuel was scarce. The borders were complicated. Shelves were empty and money was so devalued it was hard to buy anything. I took a bag of apples to the checkout, and the price had changed alread from what was marked! Things got worse after that... But, 2010 is different. They have taken the US dollar as their currency. Steps have been taken to stabilize the economy. Suddenly, the shelves are full! It is funny not to have to convert all the prices to dollars in my

Back. Hot. Of course! 4 days on the road to South Africa... 2000 km Tete-Johannesburg 33 days in the "Republic" as it is known at the border post. RSA. Republic of South Africa. The next best thing to America right here in Africa! McDonalds... kids had their first Big Macs when they discovered that Happy Meal isn't filling enough. 6 Pizzas. 2 Zoos. 2 Passport Renewals. Car tune-up, 2 new big expensive 4wheel drive tires. One spare wheel in the RIGHT size this time. Extra filters and timing belt to be installed later. "Ice-cream only ONCE a day"... we had to make a rule because we liked it so much and it was cheap. Barbeque ribs!!! Cookouts with friends. Real, good hamburgers (not to be confused with the Big Macs). Swimming pools. New guitar. Fresh clothes without holes or smudge marks from dirty water. 3 Dentist appointments. 2 doctor appointments. 1 eye appointment. HAIL... rain... cool nights and sunny days. Baking cookies without baking ourselves! Grapes, Ne