Its been roughly seven months since I arrived here in Zimbabwe. Most of it has been spent working 15-18 hours a day giving rise to complaints and accusations of me ignoring my family, the wife etc. even leading to a time when my wife refused to communicate with me.
While many a married man may find that a pleasant thought, I for one very much like my wife talking to me, because that makes sure I don't have to say anything, which is just as well since I usually don't have anything much to say or talk about these days except work.
But it was all worth it. All the hard work, long hours and ignoring the family paid off finally when it came to cashing in my chips. The wife and me went on a holiday!!
But planning and putting together the holiday was by itself a daunting task. You see, while I am in Harare, Zimbabwe, the wife is in Oxford, UK, also working also constrained by the fact the since she'd just joined in August 2013, there could be a problem getting leave. But all went well and she got the leave.
The next challenge was whether or not a yellow fever vaccination was required, since the shortest (and the cheapest) route for the wife to come to Harare and then return was via any of the African airlines or British Airways. British airways, like the Indian airlines was beyond the farthest reaches of my imagination in terms of pricing. Of the affordable ones, Egyptair was immediately screened considering the situation in Cairo. Kenya was out since I was not aware of the current status of the Nairobi airport, which left us with Addis Ababd or the middle east, We chose Addis Ababa. But I digress, the real issue was the yellow fever vaccination requirement for the UK and try as I might, I could not find a single decent and proper reference to whether we require the vaccination to safely enter the UK after a visit to Addis and Harare.
India has a fairly clearly defined policy. You either have the yellow fever vaccination when entering the country from Africa or spend 7 days in quarantine. A particular document on yellow fever vaccination by the World Health Organisation mentions all the policies different countries have on yellow fever and has the aforementioned information in the column next to India. But when one goes down the list all the way to UK, the document simply says no policy. That's kinda disappointing, considering how terribly systematic and organised the British are. Since one document discovered through Google is not sufficient proof, I went to the UK embassy to find out straight from the horse's mouth or the visa department. Well they seemed to be pretty confident of the fact that the vaccine wasn't required.
In the meanwhile 2 things had happened. First; 10 days had passed since we had last identified the route and second; the airlines had hiked prices by almost 40 to 50%.
The reason for this downright foulplay by the airlines was due to the fact that the wife was planning to visit around Christmas, which is major holiday in UK as well as Zimbabwe, I cannot and will not say about other countries just for the fact that I haven't been there to witness Christmas time. (Note to self - Write a separate blog post on Christmas in Zimbabwe). Anyway, the tickets had become costlier and the yellow fever vaccination cost us more than time.
Then there was the Zimbabwean visa. Multiple trips to the visa office in Harare, an invitation letter, copies of my temporary employment permit, passport, proof of residence, wife's photos, etc. two visits to London (where the wife was completely smitten by the museum of natural history (why oh Why did i marry a scientist)) and some 50 odd pounds later, the wife was the proud owner of a double entry visa for Zim.
Ah, yes, the ticket. I forget about that. That's another interesting story by itself. Ethiopian airlines allows online booking of tickets. I did just that, worked out 200 US Dollars cheaper than the real thing. But then there is a catch, a weird rule that states that the credit card holder whose card has been used to book tickets needs to be present at the airport or be a traveler. Weird, really weird. Thank god for small mercies for there was a way out. I had to go to a nearest office and verify my personal details and the credit card used to book the tickets. I only had to do it three times, but the ticket was booked, confirmed and the wife was all ready to come.
I will not go into the details of how I managed to pass the one month in anticipation of the wife's arrival or how I managed to wrap up all work possible before the wife's arrival. I am jumping (finally to the holiday)
The plan was to go to Victoria Falls, a well known tourist place. I figured, if I am to spend a holiday and the anniversary in Zimbabwe, might as well as go to Vic falls. I got special permission to use the company vehicle. Its a small Honda Fit, a nice family vehicle with an automatic transmission bought second hand by the office for local use.
Victoria falls is roughly 700 kms from Harare, but I was reluctant to travel by bus and flight was too expensive. By road, with a personal vehicle was the only viable option, but then again just the two of us all alone is also risky.
Zimbabwe is not a very populous country, its 12 million odd population is very thinly spread with large tracts of land uninhabited or scarcely inhabited. When travelling by road, this usually results in large stretches of road being devoid of any and all traffic, people or animals of any kind. (I actually drove at a constant 140-145 even touching 160 at times.) This makes travelling alone or without sufficient company a tad dangerous.
Now, I have a colleague here who has the luxury of living in Zimbabwe with his wife. The idea was that us two couples would go to Victoria falls together. That would make for interesting company and we wont be alone travelling to Vic falls.
But the problem was that my colleague stays in Masvingo, and he did not get the permission to use office vehicle for his visit to Victoria falls. Also he does not have a valid licence, of any kind. My Indian license is pretty much accepted by the cops here and although I am frequently pulled over and asked for my driving license, the Indian license I have seems to suffice. (I guess the cops know that if I can drive in India and survive for this long, I can be trusted to drive safely in Zimbabwe).
Back to the topic, the friend lives in Masvingo, I needed to pick him up and drive to Vic falls, which makes it an extra 300 kms. I was very sceptical about driving 1000 plus kms in a single stretch so I decided to halt overnight at Masvingo. the four of us had a cookout and grilled some sausages and pork chops. It was fun.
We set out for Vic falls the next day. the journey was largely uneventful except for the last 60 kms where our fuel low light was on and there was not a petrol station in sight. But out little car made it to Victoria Falls and we heaved a sigh of relief after we topped up the tank.
After a well deserved rest and good sleep, we set out to explore the falls. We went right up to the Zimbabwe - Zambia border where we entered the rain forest bordering the falls which is a protected area. We walked along its entire length being constantly awed by its grandeur and also drenched by the mist rising up due to the impact of the water. it was fun. The water wasn't at its best due to the dry season, but it was good since some rain had already taken place. Some photos:
Half a day was gone. The plans for the afternoon included an elephant ride, an evening safari and then a open air dinner.
The elephant ride was a bit different from India. But we managed to see a real full grown lion and hear him too. The elephant ride lasted for an hour almost after which every one had cramps in their legs. The organizers then allowed us to pet and feed the pachyderms. The mahouts / handlers were rewarding them with bits of processed food containing soy, some grain etc. To me it looked like the poor things were addicted to it.
Then came the evening safari. We had a very enthusiastic ranger /guide and he knew his way about. But the wife was clearly the star of the evening. I have never seen someone so excited and positively besides themselves with glee. The wife firing questions left right and center. Kinda reminded me of Sheldon in a train museum. She was so immersed into the safari, she even managed to trump the ranger in spotting animals in the bush, and that's not easy. Eventually we managed to see a black rhino, some zebras, a giraffe, hippos, kudu, impala etc before night time.
Coming back in the dark was an even better experience with the open jeep and the cool night air and the absolute absence of any and all light except the headlights of the car.
The day ended with a buffet with other tourists who had signed up and then a ride home to the hotel. That was just end of day 1.
Day 2 saw us get up at the crack of dawn to be picked up by another company which is actually working towards rehabilitation of lions and use the lions as a special attraction to raise funds.
The idea was to have an hour long walk with the lions, interact with them and have some fun. There were two lionesses, not yet full grown, but large enough. And we were walking behind them mostly, petting them when they sat down and had a good morning walk in general. It was good, plus the information we got about the conservation programme made it worthwhile.
the wife was absolutely thrilled about the whole experience, I was afraid she might want one, and for the briefest moments I was lost in imagining a future where we have a pet lion or a lioness......never mind.
The afternoon was pretty much free, but we had booked an adventure activity. The bridge between the Zimbabwe and Zambian borders is a place for much adventure sports. There's bungee jumping, swinging over the gorge and then there is the zip line. A line across the gorge to which paid tourists are strapped and sent across. It was fun, we all had a go, it was short and we did not experience much of an adrenaline rush, but then again it was fun and I am afraid of heights!
We had good fun at the hotel close by, tried out some food, watching people jump of the bridge with a rubber band tied to their legs. But this was not all. This was a special day. This was the 3rd Anniversary for the wife and me. The evening was a lovely dinner in a local restaurant. Although it was not gourmet, the food was good, steaks and all and the hotel had champagne!!
We started back the next day early morning, making back to Masvingo by evening (My speed being hampered by the presence of cops on multiple occasions with speed guns). Dropping my colleague and his wife back in Masvingo, we stopped for the night and left for Harare the next morning.
That was the end of the official holiday. Although this was just 5 days, all the 15 days that the wife was here was a holiday. It was one of the best ones I had, and just because Mukta was here. I could have gone to Victoria Falls with all my colleagues and stayed longer and done more stuff, but it still would not be as memorable as the one with Mukta. She adds her own flavour and touch to everything.
I look forward to more such holidays. And here's hoping I can see more of this wonderful world with Mukta.
While many a married man may find that a pleasant thought, I for one very much like my wife talking to me, because that makes sure I don't have to say anything, which is just as well since I usually don't have anything much to say or talk about these days except work.
But it was all worth it. All the hard work, long hours and ignoring the family paid off finally when it came to cashing in my chips. The wife and me went on a holiday!!
But planning and putting together the holiday was by itself a daunting task. You see, while I am in Harare, Zimbabwe, the wife is in Oxford, UK, also working also constrained by the fact the since she'd just joined in August 2013, there could be a problem getting leave. But all went well and she got the leave.
The next challenge was whether or not a yellow fever vaccination was required, since the shortest (and the cheapest) route for the wife to come to Harare and then return was via any of the African airlines or British Airways. British airways, like the Indian airlines was beyond the farthest reaches of my imagination in terms of pricing. Of the affordable ones, Egyptair was immediately screened considering the situation in Cairo. Kenya was out since I was not aware of the current status of the Nairobi airport, which left us with Addis Ababd or the middle east, We chose Addis Ababa. But I digress, the real issue was the yellow fever vaccination requirement for the UK and try as I might, I could not find a single decent and proper reference to whether we require the vaccination to safely enter the UK after a visit to Addis and Harare.
India has a fairly clearly defined policy. You either have the yellow fever vaccination when entering the country from Africa or spend 7 days in quarantine. A particular document on yellow fever vaccination by the World Health Organisation mentions all the policies different countries have on yellow fever and has the aforementioned information in the column next to India. But when one goes down the list all the way to UK, the document simply says no policy. That's kinda disappointing, considering how terribly systematic and organised the British are. Since one document discovered through Google is not sufficient proof, I went to the UK embassy to find out straight from the horse's mouth or the visa department. Well they seemed to be pretty confident of the fact that the vaccine wasn't required.
In the meanwhile 2 things had happened. First; 10 days had passed since we had last identified the route and second; the airlines had hiked prices by almost 40 to 50%.
The reason for this downright foulplay by the airlines was due to the fact that the wife was planning to visit around Christmas, which is major holiday in UK as well as Zimbabwe, I cannot and will not say about other countries just for the fact that I haven't been there to witness Christmas time. (Note to self - Write a separate blog post on Christmas in Zimbabwe). Anyway, the tickets had become costlier and the yellow fever vaccination cost us more than time.
Then there was the Zimbabwean visa. Multiple trips to the visa office in Harare, an invitation letter, copies of my temporary employment permit, passport, proof of residence, wife's photos, etc. two visits to London (where the wife was completely smitten by the museum of natural history (why oh Why did i marry a scientist)) and some 50 odd pounds later, the wife was the proud owner of a double entry visa for Zim.
Ah, yes, the ticket. I forget about that. That's another interesting story by itself. Ethiopian airlines allows online booking of tickets. I did just that, worked out 200 US Dollars cheaper than the real thing. But then there is a catch, a weird rule that states that the credit card holder whose card has been used to book tickets needs to be present at the airport or be a traveler. Weird, really weird. Thank god for small mercies for there was a way out. I had to go to a nearest office and verify my personal details and the credit card used to book the tickets. I only had to do it three times, but the ticket was booked, confirmed and the wife was all ready to come.
I will not go into the details of how I managed to pass the one month in anticipation of the wife's arrival or how I managed to wrap up all work possible before the wife's arrival. I am jumping (finally to the holiday)
The plan was to go to Victoria Falls, a well known tourist place. I figured, if I am to spend a holiday and the anniversary in Zimbabwe, might as well as go to Vic falls. I got special permission to use the company vehicle. Its a small Honda Fit, a nice family vehicle with an automatic transmission bought second hand by the office for local use.
Victoria falls is roughly 700 kms from Harare, but I was reluctant to travel by bus and flight was too expensive. By road, with a personal vehicle was the only viable option, but then again just the two of us all alone is also risky.
Zimbabwe is not a very populous country, its 12 million odd population is very thinly spread with large tracts of land uninhabited or scarcely inhabited. When travelling by road, this usually results in large stretches of road being devoid of any and all traffic, people or animals of any kind. (I actually drove at a constant 140-145 even touching 160 at times.) This makes travelling alone or without sufficient company a tad dangerous.
Now, I have a colleague here who has the luxury of living in Zimbabwe with his wife. The idea was that us two couples would go to Victoria falls together. That would make for interesting company and we wont be alone travelling to Vic falls.
But the problem was that my colleague stays in Masvingo, and he did not get the permission to use office vehicle for his visit to Victoria falls. Also he does not have a valid licence, of any kind. My Indian license is pretty much accepted by the cops here and although I am frequently pulled over and asked for my driving license, the Indian license I have seems to suffice. (I guess the cops know that if I can drive in India and survive for this long, I can be trusted to drive safely in Zimbabwe).
Back to the topic, the friend lives in Masvingo, I needed to pick him up and drive to Vic falls, which makes it an extra 300 kms. I was very sceptical about driving 1000 plus kms in a single stretch so I decided to halt overnight at Masvingo. the four of us had a cookout and grilled some sausages and pork chops. It was fun.
We set out for Vic falls the next day. the journey was largely uneventful except for the last 60 kms where our fuel low light was on and there was not a petrol station in sight. But out little car made it to Victoria Falls and we heaved a sigh of relief after we topped up the tank.
After a well deserved rest and good sleep, we set out to explore the falls. We went right up to the Zimbabwe - Zambia border where we entered the rain forest bordering the falls which is a protected area. We walked along its entire length being constantly awed by its grandeur and also drenched by the mist rising up due to the impact of the water. it was fun. The water wasn't at its best due to the dry season, but it was good since some rain had already taken place. Some photos:
Half a day was gone. The plans for the afternoon included an elephant ride, an evening safari and then a open air dinner.
The elephant ride was a bit different from India. But we managed to see a real full grown lion and hear him too. The elephant ride lasted for an hour almost after which every one had cramps in their legs. The organizers then allowed us to pet and feed the pachyderms. The mahouts / handlers were rewarding them with bits of processed food containing soy, some grain etc. To me it looked like the poor things were addicted to it.
Then came the evening safari. We had a very enthusiastic ranger /guide and he knew his way about. But the wife was clearly the star of the evening. I have never seen someone so excited and positively besides themselves with glee. The wife firing questions left right and center. Kinda reminded me of Sheldon in a train museum. She was so immersed into the safari, she even managed to trump the ranger in spotting animals in the bush, and that's not easy. Eventually we managed to see a black rhino, some zebras, a giraffe, hippos, kudu, impala etc before night time.
Coming back in the dark was an even better experience with the open jeep and the cool night air and the absolute absence of any and all light except the headlights of the car.
The day ended with a buffet with other tourists who had signed up and then a ride home to the hotel. That was just end of day 1.
Day 2 saw us get up at the crack of dawn to be picked up by another company which is actually working towards rehabilitation of lions and use the lions as a special attraction to raise funds.
The idea was to have an hour long walk with the lions, interact with them and have some fun. There were two lionesses, not yet full grown, but large enough. And we were walking behind them mostly, petting them when they sat down and had a good morning walk in general. It was good, plus the information we got about the conservation programme made it worthwhile.
the wife was absolutely thrilled about the whole experience, I was afraid she might want one, and for the briefest moments I was lost in imagining a future where we have a pet lion or a lioness......never mind.
The afternoon was pretty much free, but we had booked an adventure activity. The bridge between the Zimbabwe and Zambian borders is a place for much adventure sports. There's bungee jumping, swinging over the gorge and then there is the zip line. A line across the gorge to which paid tourists are strapped and sent across. It was fun, we all had a go, it was short and we did not experience much of an adrenaline rush, but then again it was fun and I am afraid of heights!
We had good fun at the hotel close by, tried out some food, watching people jump of the bridge with a rubber band tied to their legs. But this was not all. This was a special day. This was the 3rd Anniversary for the wife and me. The evening was a lovely dinner in a local restaurant. Although it was not gourmet, the food was good, steaks and all and the hotel had champagne!!
We started back the next day early morning, making back to Masvingo by evening (My speed being hampered by the presence of cops on multiple occasions with speed guns). Dropping my colleague and his wife back in Masvingo, we stopped for the night and left for Harare the next morning.
That was the end of the official holiday. Although this was just 5 days, all the 15 days that the wife was here was a holiday. It was one of the best ones I had, and just because Mukta was here. I could have gone to Victoria Falls with all my colleagues and stayed longer and done more stuff, but it still would not be as memorable as the one with Mukta. She adds her own flavour and touch to everything.
I look forward to more such holidays. And here's hoping I can see more of this wonderful world with Mukta.
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~ Sandeep kaka.