The road from Victoria Falls to the ship that will cross Lake Kariba Zimbabwe teaches a different. It is somewhat drier, more rural. The cement around here in Harare mutates and clay. The roads have more dust than lines drawn on the road. Areas where people walk fine row on the horizon carrying water in buckets.
The Kariba is an artificial lake that divides Zimbabwe and Zambia. The great dam built between 1955 and 1959 an extension flooded 280 kilometers long and 40 long. Then there was the operation called "Noah's Ark", removing thousands of wild animals in an area flooded by the waters stay and also took, despite the effort, ahead many lives.
The navigation on the lake was perhaps my favorite moment of the trip. A ship of dreams in which he ended up sleeping on mats and bags under the moonlight. I went down to the back of the boat, only, listening to the silence of that immensity of water and watching an unforgettable dawn. Suddenly it was a bit of clarity, then a red spot and a huge ball floating on the water.
Were 36 quiet hours, fun, of absolute peace. The boat reached a top speed of 20 kph, what did it look like over the water gateábamos. Had time to see the animals down to the shore to wet his throat, to watch the fishing boats and, even, to lose the boat we had been tied with care and rescue, great care, those waters that are infected with hippos and crocodiles. They were times of sharing beers, binoculars to see buffaloes and elephants and relax in the sun on the bow.
The boat reached a top speed of 20 kph, what did it look like over the water gateábamos
What I did not forget was the conversation with the captain Zimbabwe (I forgot his name and neither pointed). A white boy, fatty, with 30 years in the card and 40 on the face. She came with me to the bow and started talking. For those who have read the previous post of this blog know that I was in a moment of doubt in which I began to wonder if just one and a half of my stay in Africa. I ask the guy for his life. Would you like to be here walking up and down the lake with your boat?
Then, Captain tells me with the forthrightness with calm voices. "I decided to sail with this boat ten years and then I'll buy a van that will travel I have seen and five years for all countries in Africa, all ". He drew the next 15 years of his life safely. I have no doubt that only a catastrophe can keep your plan is changed a few months. Lest we perform almost had the feeling that to happen the apocalypse. Do not blink, did not change the voice, tone did not exploit. Only a plan to make. Then, Captain looks at me and says How about you? I looked and even calculating what they mean 15 I answer years: "I do not know what I'll do the next 15 minutes ". We laugh and we enjoy beating of waters began to rise in the wind. "Sometimes they become ten feet, tell me.
Thus passed 36 hours in that dream ship. Then we came to the park Matusadona, another unique, authentic, where every bend in water was a postcard. There'll start my story in the next post.
This trip is part of the route of the agency Katanga Zimbabwe: Walking great Zimbabwe
Route Kananga:http://www.pasaporte3.com/africa/viajes/zimbabue-mozambique/zimbabue-mozambique.php
