restday in Bulawayo: cycling Matopos NP

October 29, 2015

"You do a great bike safari" Rachel says to Mark. Mark took us on a bike safari in Matopos National Park where we saw sable and cycled past 3 rhinos. He is starting a business "Go Cycle Africa". https://www.facebook.com/GO-Cycle-Africa-1437378893198108/

A Facebook friend, Alan, connected us with his friends, Lauren and Doug in Bulawayo Zimbabwe. Lauren and Doug connected us with Mark. We stayed with Doug's parents, Jake and Nancy. We told Mark about Warmshowers and he signed up as the first WS host in Bulawayo! He also connected us to Shaun, a friend of his in Francistown Botswana.

This evening, we took Jake and Nancy out to dinner to thank them for all their hospitality.

Mark shares some of the now worthless multimillion and even trillion Zimbabwe dollar bills with us. They make a nice souvenir.

Very impressive rocks and mountains (koppies in afrikaans)

A herd of sable walking through the tall grass.

We ride down a track called "Rhino Alley" and come across three rhino. The wind is from behind us and they smell us soon. White rhino and not agressive says Mark and after a while they move away giving us room to pass.

Taking photos of rhino. (Behind the bush on the left)

Their horns were cut off a while ago to protect them from poaching. Like fingernails they are growing back.

Thanks Mark for a very nice bicycle safari.

Today's ride: 20 km (12 miles)
Total: 8,434 km (5,238 miles)

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