13 August, 2015 Mana pools, 2nd outdoor camp Up predawn in an attempt to find the lions but they were not ready to end their honeymoon so we returned to camp to enjoy a magnificent sunrise, full cooked breakfast alongside the river then with anticipation for another great day we slipped into our canoes and paddled forth. Today we are paddling through the widest part of the river and along some channels teeming with bird life. Our pace is leisurely although fro...

12 August, 2015 Mana pools, first outside camp Today started with an early wake up call, coffee and game drive then delicious cooked breakfast before we were back on the river. From the road we saw elephant, Impala & waterbuck in the distance. The game seems a bit sparse. Wow, today did not disappoint!!!!! Up close & personal with many hippo & crocodile, many bird sightings plus walking through the bush & being rewarded by getting up really clos...

11 August, 2015 Chinhoyi to Mana Pools, Zimbabwe Up bright and early and off we go .. In and out of Mopane bushland & up and down the hills climbing to + 1000 meters then down again the river. There are a large number of trucks as this is the main road to Zambia. The hairpin bends & long laden road trains make the drive a bit frustrating but we follow our instructions and are soon bumping over a very corrugated road - 60 km which took us a very long tim...

10 August, 2015 Mutare to Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe Another impressive early start and off we go. R & A are driving in turns so we set off with A driving. We have been warned about traffic police and sure enough it's not long before we are politely pulled over A fined US$20 for overtaking on double white lines! The truck we had passed had indicated all clear - but still he is in the wrong. Paid up and off we go. Blow me down if 4.5 mins later the same thing happen...

9 August, 2015 Inhassoro to Zimbabwe We made an impressive early start. The first 100 km was pretty bad, potholed and some stretches of single lane. It's a Sunday but there are still loads of heavily laden double trailers heading both ways. As we go further north the countryside becomes more sparsely populated & as we get closer to the Zimbabwe border and travel further inland the countryside changes - it's more hilly, and green. We followed local advice f...