Up in time to go on a game drive and duly picked up by open topped land rover. Turned out the game drive was just us and in fact was the property manager carrying out fence/trough inspection, but never the less we got to spend four hours in the Zimbabwe wild and saw zebra, baboon and several different types of deer. We also saw where a herd of elephant (the guide estimated 40 to 50) had passed with fresh droppings and substantial damage to trees and gates. Also in the far reaches of the property we saw dead impala tied hanging in trees and were told it was farmers baiting for leopard.

Back at the resort for lunch we got chatting to Danish aid worker who explained one reason for the children we had seen was that it is school holidays, but more disturbingly the girl with the wheelbarrow was more likely an orphan, looking after her siblings. She went on to explain in her district alone there were 13,000 orphans where both parents had died from Aids. Her assessment was 1 in 3 Zimbabweans were HIV positive. The push was to keep the orphans in the community, and that's where she worked trying to offer support for the older children shouldering the burden of parenthood.

Pushing on again we were crossing the bridge back into Birchenough Bridge when we noticed a large crowd down on the river bed. We did not take a lot of heed, but were interested to read later in the paper that it was a mass circumcision ceremony taking place.

The landscape gradually gave way to operating farms with substantial crops of what looked tea and other produce. The area around Mutare looked more organized and successful to the other parts we had been. Our plan was to stay in Juliasdale which is the southern end of the Nyanga national park. This was a favourite haunt of Rhodes (summer camp) and a Rhodes Museum is here. We went on the usual accommodation hunt with the usual result. The village was booked out so we trundled off towards Harare. We had not gone far when we spotted a sign for the Pine Tree Inn and while it looked expensive thought we could afford a treat. It was meant to be, they had just had a cancellation otherwise they were full. This turned out to be a special night, no "Fawlty Towers" here, clipped English accents, old English cottage, candlelit bathroom, lovely meal, port fireside chatting to a South African couple, returning to our room to discover the bed turned back with chocolates. 

Tomorrow the capital Harare.