Bulawayo #2: The Blue Whale And Three White Rhinos
In attempting to describe Bulawayo, or even the part of Zimbabwe we have seen so far, it’s difficult to know where to start. Away from the hectic centre, the long roads out of the city are bordered by a suburbia filled with those who are clearly doing okay, big houses in large plots surrounded by security fences and filled with decorative plants. Yet the roads themselves are pitted, potholed nightmares evidencing lack of both maintenance and investment, many of the vehicles on them equally badly cared for.
The neighbourhood where we visit Dave who provides Michaela’s much needed haircut (Michaela: one of my best travel haircuts EVER, if not THE best!) is a haven away from the city where each house has its own courtyard, pleasant leafy corners to wile away the hours. It’s a million miles from the bustle, hustle and struggle of the inner city. Dave’s opinion is that there is very little in the way of middle ground or middle class in Zimbabwe – you are rich or you are poor. To us, there is much evidence that Zimbabwe is a country in difficulty, heavily compounded by the current drought and recent poor harvests.
Examples. This is a country with a proud railway history (as Rhodesia) which now has no passenger services whatsoever. With upkeep of railways bordering on non-existent, even freight from the mines and quarries now moves by road, further damaging the flagging surfaces. It is a country without its own currency. In April of this year the Government launched a new currency, the ZiG (Zimbabwe Gold), the sixth attempt to implement an independent tender in recent years, and, with virtually no cash yet in circulation, the sixth which seems doomed to failure.
Road surfaces are appalling, worse even than Malawi, large potholes and broken tarmac every few yards – several times people have said we were right to choose to fly from Victoria Falls as that particular road is in really poor condition. Law enforcement has dwindled through lack of resource to the point where drink driving laws are only enforced if an accident occurs – and there are plenty of those. Unregistered and unroadworthy trucks thunder down unsuitable back routes to avoid police road blocks. The smart Air Zimbabwe airline is now owned by Ethiopian. Perhaps as telling as anything, we see just outside Bulawayo a major dam and huge reservoir, now rendered useless due to an absence of management leaving the waters too contaminated to use. In the middle of a terrible drought, this huge manmade lake sits idle and unusable.
There is much talk of bribery and corruption, indeed the local rag headlines are filled with it daily. Poor governance seems to have broken the country and fragmented the economy, and in such circumstances it’s always the needy who suffer the most. Not only are the streets full of vendors scraping a living selling one sweet at a time, but we also see cartloads of illegal “wood poachers” heading out into the forest to fell trees to sell as firewood and, worst of all, families driven to fishing in the contaminated waters of the reservoir in search of a meal which may be the death of them.
One guy we meet, we won’t name him, even says that without intervention by another nation to assist, he can’t see how things will get better any time soon. “What?”, I say, chancing my arm, “like the British did with Cecil Rhodes?”. “Yes”, he replies seriously, “like Cecil Rhodes”. Bloody hell, there’s a statement and a half, and not one we thought we’d hear. Zimbabwe is, after all, blessed with rich mineral resources. If China knows this, it’s probably licking its lips and flexing its financial muscles right now.
Our first excursion out of Bulawayo (our nickname of Blue Whale, born out of mishearing its pronunciation, has stuck) is to the Matobo (or Matopos) Hills, primarily to take a hike to view the ancient rock paintings of the San bushmen from around 2,000 years ago – there are over three thousand paintings within the area. But our guide has an immense surprise in store before we even get there: he knows where a group of white rhinos have settled this morning. What follows is a wildlife encounter to match any of those we’ve already enjoyed on this trip.
Leaving the truck we head out on foot into the bush, following unclear tracks that Blessing our guide seems to know well. As we approach a certain area, he begins to speak in hushed tones, then runs through a series of hand signals which we are to obey: one means “stay silent”, the others “stand dead still” and “crouch down”. And then, after twenty minutes or so, we are so near to the three rhinos, an unbelievably close encounter which is absolutely thrilling. Blessing’s senses are visibly heightened as he is, after all, suddenly responsible for naive tourists in the close company of potentially dangerous animals.
As the beasts begin to move, he tells us to stay dead still and breathe slowly, staying calm. The rhinos move by, but the male, the most dangerous of the three, is stirring. It’s time to head back to the vehicle for our own safety. But what an experience this has been.
You can hear our guide’s instructions on the short video above
Once the white rhino encounter is over, we head to what was Cecil Rhodes’ favourite place to sit and think, and which at his own request is his burial place. At the top of a prominent rock with huge panoramic views across the savannah, Rhodes’ body lays in a place he called “The View Of The World”. Now slightly changed to “World View”, it is a popular place for visitors. Rhodes of course cuts a massively controversial figure and there has in the past been some opposition to him being buried here in a site which was sacred to indigenous peoples. Apparently, when such opposition was expressed to Robert Mugabe, his response was that the location of the burial site was a good thing, and is reputed to have said that the fees paid by tourists is effectively Rhodes at last paying his taxes.
The power which Rhodes and his British South Africa Company accumulated is mind blowing. Backed 100% by both British Government and royalty, the Company plundered massive mineral riches, including diamonds, from these lands, acting as a de facto mercenary army along the way to achieve the stated aims. Wealth wise, he was the equivalent of a Bill Gates or Elon Musk of his time, even hoodwinking African KIngs into signing punitive contracts handing over exclusive mining rights to the Company, contracts which permitted achievement of those aims by whatever means were necessary.
Flip side of the coin. Rhodes’ philanthropic legacy is still plain 120 years after his death, these areas are peppered with schools, universities, hospitals and national parks which were funded and established by the other side of this controversial character, or bequeathed to the region in which he accumulated his vast fortune. Most still bear his name. So controversial is his influence in fact that opinion is still divided today between those who only see the theft of riches and those who weigh up both sides.
As Brits of course we know the version of history we were taught at school, tempered by what we’ve learned since. Reading his story here in the very place where it unfolded, presented from a different angle, and listening to people’s opinions, is fascinating – and remarkable that a man who left such a giant mark on the world only lived to be 48.
Our final excursion out of the city is a hike around the Khami Ruins. Here, twenty odd kilometres out of Bulawayo, are the remains of an ancient city constructed largely using the dry stone walling techniques which we will see in more detail at our next destination – a technique which ultimately gives the country its name. Zimbabwe, in the local Shona language, means “stone houses”.
Khami was a city which housed a King, the capital city of the Torwa dynasty for around 200 years from the mid 15th century. From the hilltop location of Khami it is possible to see the layout of this ancient settlement, the royal residence protected and with restricted access at the highest point, the extensive area occupied by most of the settlement’s population below. It’s an absorbingly interesting place and one which whets our appetite for our next destination.
Time to leave the “Blue Whale” behind and explore more rural parts of Zimbabwe. In the absence of viable public transport options we’ve decided to drive ourselves on these potholed roads in the country which has one of the world’s worst records for road fatalities. I sign and date the rental car paperwork. It’s Friday the thirteenth. Good job we’re not superstitious.
As it happens, any such fears are soon allayed and forgotten: road surfaces improve quickly once out of town and the drive is as easy and stress free as we could wish it to be. And from here, our journey takes us to a truly amazing and spellbinding place….
27 Comments
Helen Devries
What a wonderful not too close encounter with the rhino family!
The Chinese were heavily into Zim in Mugabe’s day…they won’t have forgotten what’s there.
Phil & Michaela
Indeed they won’t and I dare sat they’d “invest” here with some ease.
suzanne
Interesting part of the world. The Cecil Rhodes character can be characterized as a Villain or Savior, which ever way you look at him. Loved your encounter with the Rhinos. Great photos.
Phil & Michaela
Cheers Suzanne. Rhodes was a complex character, as indeed was Mugabe. Africa s certainly proving to be a different kind of travel from most.
Sukoluhle Bailey
The is amazing information about Zimbabwe, my mother land
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
I’m thinking the fact that those rhino horns were docked would have provided only minor comfort! My, you were close. It’s sad to hear that the country is in such a difficult financial situation. And yes, it might fall under “other” influences that don’t have its best interests at heart. Because of corruption, flight safety in that area can be unpredictable. You could literally be on a wing and a prayer, so driving may be the better choice.
Phil & Michaela
Apparently Air Zimbabwe’s safety record is much improved since Ethiopian took them over. They were under financial strain here even before the current drought, a combination which had forced up the price of basic foods so the poorest, as ever, are suffering the most. The rhino horn docking is as you probably know done to deter poachers…but they do grow back too. Great to see some at such close quarters.
Historical Vagabond
Wow that is close!
Phil & Michaela
Ha it felt close too 😃😅
Monkey's Tale
I can’t believe how close you were to those rhinos!! How exciting. It’s difficult to see the new haircut in the rhino pictures though 😊 Hopefully the rest of Zimbabwe does not have such a wealth divide as blue whale, but I imagine it’s there, maybe just not as obvious. Maggie
Phil & Michaela
We’re in rural areas now, and it doesn’t seem any better. Poor harvests have sent the prices of basic foods out of the reach of the needy.
Monkey's Tale
😪
Lookoom
Cooperation between nations is beneficial to all, but we still need to find the right political framework, as colonialism and imperialism have shown their limits. But it is certain that the corrupt regimes of those who proclaimed independence did sadly more harm than what they overthrew.
Phil & Michaela
Undoubtedly true. It’s a shame that independence tended to be a divorce rather than a changed partnership.
wetanddustyroads
I think South Africans’ greatest fear is that our (once prosperous) country will end up in a second Zimbabwe. And sometimes I think we are speeding towards that – the bribery and corruption, poor governance, dwindling trains, poverty, sad state of our roads … oh, that’s enough to leave me slightly depressed. But on a brighter note, I love the Bushmen paintings and how brave you guys are to stand so close to the rhinos. I knew there were ruins in Zimbabwe, but not the kind you were showing us – very interesting.
Phil & Michaela
The ruins in our next post are even more impressive, an amazing place! I do hope South Africa doesn’t suffer that fate, but yes, everything we hear tells us that things are currently not on an upward trend.
Andrew Petcher
I especially like the balanced rocks.
Toonsarah
More amazing adventures! Getting that close to the rhinos is truly awesome and in its own way the rainbow lizard is almost as wonderful 😀 The ruins look and sound fascinating too, as does everything you are learning about the country. A guide in India once told he thought that in some ways they might have been better off had the British stayed a bit longer – Zimbabwe seems a much more extreme example of a place where that argument could be made, although on balance (and despite those schools etc) I don’t feel we served them that well at the time.
Phil & Michaela
We’ve heard both in Zambia and here exactly that opinion, that maybe independence came a bit too soon and was sought a bit too eagerly. As I just said in reply to another comment, it’s a shame that independence meant divorce rather than a different partnership.
Travels Through My Lens
Your African adventures seem to be filled with so many once in a lifetime experiences. Thanks for sharing these with us.
Phil & Michaela
Africa is certainly a different kind of travelling experience !
WanderingCanadians
How lucky to go on an excursion for a hike and then to also see a few rhinos. The scenery looks very beautiful. It’s a shame to hear about all the corruption and the state of the roads and water though.
Phil & Michaela
All sorts of conundrums to think through here, it’s a country in difficulty, to put it mildly!
grandmisadventures
It’s hard to believe that they are on their 6th, and apparently not final, currency for the country. The man made lake that now is contaminated seems like such a tragic waste to those who could use it. It was interesting to read the controversy about Rhodes in the country.
But on the other hand, the ruins and rhinos are incredible! 🙂
Phil & Michaela
There’s a lot of despairing aspects here, Meg, most of them adversely affecting the poor.
jeffrey bell
So refreshing to read something on the internet that gives an honest first person impression of the land and its people
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Jeffrey – that is precisely what we aim for with our blogposts!