Zimbabwe update and things I love about sabbatical

These are Dave’s words. I stole them from his Facebook post. He remembers details better than I. “Yesterday - from Harare to Masvingo, in time for a trip to the Great Zimbabwe ruins.  This was home to the Shona kings from 1150 to the 1500’s.  We also visited a traditional village and the Great Enclosure. This is the largest pre-Colonial structure in sub-Saharan Africa.” I will add the color details. I loved hiking around the Great Zimbabwe ruins because my family was way overdue for even a little exercise and the only other tourists at this World Heritage Site seemed to be some local teenagers on a field trip. I continue to be reminded that Americans don’t travel to these remote parts of Africa. We have one other American on our little tour. She is from Georgia. The other 6 in our group are from Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Most days the only white people I see are my fellow travelers. That is a first for me and I have traveled a lot of places.

On sabbatical the enormous gift of time, and sometimes boredom, opens up space for really fun and authentic conversation. Today I sat next to Dagny for several hours as we drove. Looking out the window but also talking about the things that are important to her; her friends, her upcoming senior year, what comes next. This is the gold. The good stuff about getting away and leaving all our normal behind. This happens every day, with a different kid, or all of them at once. We will laugh about these conversations ten years from now and be so grateful all over again.

Tonight we are in Bulewayo, Zimbabwe. We had a rare treat of arriving in the city at lunch time. The six of us had a sit down lunch in a real restaurant called Raco Mamma’s. It was a burger joint, not all that unlike Bad Daddy’s. It was a good break from camping food. We had a walk around town and mostly just wandered. We get a lot of attention when we walk around, always lots of stares and folks really want to talk with us. Inevitably they try to guess where we are from and it always starts with Spain, England, Australia. We never get asked if we are from the United States because I really don’t think Americans come here. They want to know which state, but of course, most Africans only know of New York and California. Very few people we meet have ever traveled outside of their hometown.

Tonight we traded in our tents for an upgrade to a dormitory style room that has three bunk beds and a twin. Again, I love this part of sabbatical. This together time that leads to all the funny experiences we will remember for a lifetime. I’m on a top bunk tonight above Adelaide. Feels like summer camp.

We head out in the morning to track rhino on foot. Yep. I’ve never done that and I am really looking forward to it. The guide has promised great nature walks and views of ancient hieroglyphics.

We are nearing the end of our summer and that feels weird. Exciting to return home to the people we love and the comforts of home, but also sad that this gift is winding down. We will be back in Denver in 9 days and I will ring every experience and memory possible out of these final days. Tonight I will sleep easy with all my chicks in the same nest. Even if that nest is in a remote location in Africa.

Jll