Third trip since October. And I STILL haven't seen all I wanna see or do all I wanna do. This is in Harare.

The first time, one of the guys from our Johannesburg office rented a car and drove. We stayed at Meikles Hotel for two nights and managed to visit a bar the second night. I have no recollection of the name of the place or where the hell it was...but I remember being completely surprised that its clientelle were almost all honkeys. They must have been the kids of British expats, and they were very cliquish and kept to their own groups. They couldn't have cared less about the two dumb Americans, one sawed-off Brit, and one Afrikaaner in their midst.

Other than making sales calls to several potential customers (tobacco leaf processors) and one equipment assessment visit to one of our current customers, I didn't really get to see much or experience much of the local culture. I was kind of disappointed, but being in a foreign country with a recent history of animosity toward Caucasian people for the first time ever (well, there WAS Joburg, but the whites and indigenous peoples are usually pretty insulated from each other most of the time), I was not quick to venture out and do some exploration.

The second trip was back in January, with our senior sales engineer and myself. The weather was amazing, and I was much more relaxed with my surroundings. Our customer provided a driver to ferry us back and forth between their facility and the hotel, so once again, I didn't need to worry about getting around. Our meals and all of our alcohol consumption were taken at the hotel, and once again, I didn't get to really explore, though we did spend a bit of time walking several blocks around the hotel. We still felt a bit out of our comfort zone.

Now I go back for what could be two weeks by myself for an equipment install. I'd like to see more of the city, and I'm hoping to get out a bit more. I've become friends with our customer's head engineer and the maintenance supervisor, and we hung out and had drinks several times during my last visit. Hopefully, we'll get to go out a bit more. One thing I've been pondering is renting a car, but I'm not so sure how that works there, or what credentials I'll need. Talking to our Europe/Africa salesman (went with us on the first trip)...he says get the most insurance coverage I can. Oh boy.

Any of you able to provide any insight on what to do or where to go, and if I should attempt to drive myself around or just get cabs?

[Edited on April 9, 2014 at 11:16 PM. Reason : It would help if I told you WHERE in Zim...]

4/9/2014 11:15:19 PM

, Chicago to Czechoslovakia and back!

4/9/2014 11:18:56 PM

I don't know how close you are to it, but I would try to go to Victoria Falls.

4/10/2014 1:59:58 AM

I can't imagine trying to drive in Benin. Someone would be dead in five minutes. Zimbabwe must be a hell of a lot better about that if you're even contemplating renting a car.

I'm impressed that at least people are recommending sites IN zimbabwe. When I came here people would say, "Oh, Benin? My friend went to Namibia and loved it, you should go there if you get the chance."

4/10/2014 4:04:10 AM

I gotta admit, I didn't even know where or what Benin was until I read your thread.

Zim is a bit different, a bit higher profile, and on the radar of anyone who keeps up with economic, social, and political issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

Driving in Harare is definitely something that I'm a little afraid to do. If I have to, I will. But it's quite the zoo on the streets, and there seem to be unwritten/unspoken rules and courtesies that I don't know about.

And some areas are so full of pedestrian traffic. Being white, I'm a little afraid of what would happen if I accidentally hit someone. Things are already bad when they tell you to drive through stoplights at night. Granted, not as bad as Joburg, where carjackings and beatings are the norm at night...but still...

4/10/2014 10:18:37 AM

And I leave Sunday. Fun. I literally found out today.

Last time, the local guys I worked with and I hung out, and I had brought a bag of Blue Diamond smoked almonds to snack on, which I shared. They loved them.

Today, speaking with the mechanical engineer...he says to me, "bring some more of those nuts!" Guess I'll be buying more this weekend.

5/9/2014 4:56:34 PM

so how's this going?

5/25/2014 1:38:04 PM

He cried about not having a good beer within hours of being there.

5/25/2014 1:40:07 PM

Two weeks.

Found Castle Milk Stout. I could drink these for hours.

Last weekend, the engineer celebrated his birthday, and we all went up to the lake (about 20 km out of town) and had a braai (barbecue)...the first time I've had goat. Not bad. Lots of beers consumed, and then music cranked in the parking lot. Lots of drinking, dancing. Good times.

We went to a nice restaurant one night and ate out on the patio. Was an Italian joint, and the food was off the chain good.

Another night we went to this place that was cool as fuck. It was like a small compound. There was a big bar. Outside there were tables and pool tables under a big thatched awning, and a stage for live bands. At the back were three big open grills (burning wood) and guys cooking food. There was a small butchery right there where you could buy beef, pork, chicken, and sausage and get the cooks to cook it for you. Not bad.

[Edited on May 25, 2014 at 1:53 PM. Reason : Details]

5/25/2014 1:42:11 PM

I want to be in your Africa. Goat is great the first two or three hundred times you have it. Then it starts to get old and you wonder why you can't eat the chickens that are running around everywhere.

5/25/2014 6:16:15 PM

goat's alright but still falls behind the standard American meats

5/25/2014 7:22:28 PM

^^ Why CANT you eat the chickens... I'm assuming they belong to people, but surely they eat them and would share...

5/25/2014 11:48:31 PM

Quote :

"last weekend, the engineer celebrated his birthday, and we all went up to the lake (about 20 km out of town) and had a braai (barbecue)...the first time I've had goat. Not bad. Lots of beers consumed, and then music cranked in the parking lot. Lots of drinking, dancing. Good times. "

I hope they used a vinegar pepper sauce with absolutely no ketchup or tomato product.

5/25/2014 11:54:32 PM

No sauce. What I remember. I was pretty hammered

5/27/2014 12:28:29 AM

On my way home. I'll be thrilled shitless to eat a goddamn all American beef cheeseburger. With Duke's mayonnaise. And a cold beer what ain't no goddamn lager.

5/28/2014 11:05:05 AM

http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=626620

5/28/2014 11:10:37 AM

Yeah, his trumps mine. Big time.

Sitting in OR Tambo Airport (Johannesburg) waiting to fly to Atlanta. Air France/KLM lounge sucks donkey dicks. The last time I was here, I was in British Airways lounge with one of my bidness colleagues. They know how to do it.

5/28/2014 12:13:16 PM