“You must buy some nuts!” the street vendor says, holding up his bags. They look interesting. “What are they?” I ask – and I swear he said “groundnuts” which are what Africans call peanuts. They don’t look like any peanut I’ve seen but he is so cheerful and friendly I buy a kilo. Down the road I break one open. There are two round white fruits inside the shell. These are not peanuts. I eat one. Jim eats the other. Chewy with a raw taste. I think I need some local help with this food.

Bulawayo (B-yo to the locals) is Zim’s second largest city after Harare. Matebele kings are buried near here and other high ranking Shona and Ntebele leaders. The altitude is 4,455 ft, population around a million (although it doesn’t seem like it) and winter is upon us. Beanies and pile jackets are what the locals are wearing. We fit in, at least by our clothes.  There are black people walking everywhere; we are the only white people. Downtown has some tall buildings and many small businesses tucked in-between: food stalls and hair stylists and muffler shops. We leave the Beagle at the Toyota dealer for a lube/oil/filter and we take off walking too. Zimbabweans greet us with “how are youoooo?” everywhere we go. Courtesy is a given. Zim has its problems, of course.However we don’t see children in rags on the streets and no one accosts us or begs. People are well-dressed, and not in oversize American hand-me-downss either. This is a smart city, once the industrial hub of the country. It is clean and neat – even the vehicle repair shops have clean shiny floors. We easily find everything we need.

In need of hair cuts, we find a salon. The stylist is a 40+ black Zimbabwean who loves her country despite being fleeced by the government at every turn. She states: “Zim is a peaceful country, no one will rob you at the traffic robot” and I believe her. I ask her what she does when she is not cutting hair; she reads a book at home. How ‘bout a picnic on your day off? I ask. Picnics are a big thing here. She says no, no picnics. Too busy trying to make a living with two older children. We wish her the very best. Another Zimbabwean tells us “We are not all politicians. You must see it on the ground for yourselves”. He is right.

At the Africa.Com shop, Ope (pronounced ‘ope) has a great time helping Jim with the satellite phone repair. He is a character – quick talking about the places we should visit, he has been to them all! The shop is full of workers who know their trade, the place is busy as a beehive. The sat phone is repaired and while we don’t need anything else, it is a pleasure to hang around and chat for a few minutes before heading off to Matopo National Park.