This post has been a long time coming, but I got home 3 weeks ago after spending 3 weeks in Africa. It was an amazing trip, with most of our time spent in Zimbabwe. It’s an absolutely beautiful country and I hope to return some day. The scenery, the people, and the culture are very distinct and like no other place I’ve been to. Everyone is kind and welcoming, it was a great change of pace from the US.
This will mostly be a photo dump, with the focus on vehicles because this is Oppo.
Our flight started from O’Hare to Heathrow in a 787, then Heathrow to Johannesburg in an A380, then Jo-burg to Victoria Falls in a 737. Nothing super special to say, other than that the A380 is a MASSIVE plane. Even manages to make a 747 look small.
Rental Hyundais in Vic Falls, some of the only new cars you’ll see. Zimbabwe almost entirely imports used cars from Japan. Most common cars include the Honda Fit, Toyota FunCargo, Toyota Hiace, Toyota Altezza, Toyota Fortuners, Toyota Land Cruiser Prados, small Ford and Isuzu pickups, and surprisingly, Mercedes C and E-Classes. Most unexpected car I saw? BMW i8, sadly no pictures. Zim roads aren’t awful but they’re certainly worse than those in Illinois which is saying something. Plus the economy there is in the dump and anyone with enough money for something like that either doesn’t live there anymore or owns a Land Cruiser.
Also surprising, something British.
Less surprising, a broken W220. I saw several W220s on the trip and only 1 wasn’t slammed like that.
This Hummer was the first American car I saw other than the international Ranger.
Downtown Zvishavane was chaotic and energetic. Lots of people, lots of cars. Somehow didn’t get hit or get run over.
Our ride for the majority of the trip, a Toyota Granvia 3.0L Diesel. Very comfortable and surprisingly capable offroad. Not the 4WD model either, just the RWD.
Our hotel in Vic Falls. That Blazer was MINT. Cleanest I’ve ever seen.
Name that dash.
Here’s a hint (different truck though).
Only the second Eclipse Cross I’ve seen. I have to question why someone would go through all the hassle and cost to import a new car to Zimbabwe and then choose an Eclipse Cross. According to my friend from Zimbabwe, that could easily cost $40,000 USD, if not much more.
Our rental X-Trail and a very problematic 323.
Lawn art at our hotel.