08.44 We have slept well here at Small World Lodge. We have plans for breakfast in about half an hour. Before that, Christer will have a shower and both he and I will be respectably dressed. We have to get out and see the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare.

09.05 Finally the shower across from our room got vacant for Christer. Before him there were hygiene technicians and other guests there. As he walked out of the room a small cat entered it.

09.45 The cat looked at our room with great curiosity. It became really happy when I picked it up in my bed. It purred and pressed his front paws on the blanket in bed. Now we have been at the front desk and ordered our breakfast. The order was supposed to have been done already last night or at last from 07.00 to 08.00. Breakfast is served until 10.00 so we will have something to eat after all.

A cat visited our room and read about Harare.

Peter is watching Olympic hockey while waiting for breakfast.

The garden area at It's a Small World Lodge.

11.05 After a little wait we got our breakfast. The bacon is so much better here in Africa. Someone else who liked the bacon was the big cat that joined us for the meal. On TV, there are various forms of sport of the London Olympics. Now we will order a taxi to take us to the center. We live a few kilometers north of Harare city center.

11.28 The man at the front desk called a cab. We are now sitting down and waiting for it. Now we want to get away. The day slowly runs away. Zimbabwe have, after years of a runaway inflation, abandoned its own currency and transferred to U.S. dollars.

11.56 Oh yes, the taxi is here. We heard a car horn, the door opened and it took off towards the city center. We asked for a ride to the bus company Pathfinders office. On the way there, the driver asked if we were going to something that sounded like Blayo. We wondered what he said, and the same word was repeated. It's the nickname, short version of Bulawayo where we're going tomorrow. Now we are on Pathfinders office, sitting in some chairs and waiting for our turn.

12.19 It went well to get the tickets. In addition was the cost less than expected. Now we are at the square Africa Unity Square. The sun is shining and people are walking around. A short distance away, we have the Anglican Cathedral and the country's parliament. We rest not as usual on a bench, but on a wall this time. A man walked right past wearing a yellow t-shirt with the word Sverige/Sweden on the back.

13.07 We have found a large mall, Eastgate Centre and in it an internet café. There we have surfed around a bit and updated us. This mall is unique because it is built so that it will vent itself. The architecture is like no other here. We now continue and the day

Africa Unity Square.

A man in a Sweden t-shirt sprinted through the park.

Eastgate Centre, Harare.

A typical day in the city of Harare.

14.03 We have had our lunch at Steers. The waitress Precious had lost her voice. It was to say the least difficult to hear what she said. We have eaten hamburgers with fries and drink for US$10.70. In exchange, I got a 20 cent coin and a voucher for 10 cents. I had problems as I tried to get to the toilet after the meal. None of the keys I borrowed the cashier opened the men's toilet door. Everything worked out as the ladies room became vacant. Why lock the doors at all?

14.53 We felt that we have seen the center of yet another capital. We entered a taxi by the Africa Unity Square and were driven by the driver Muhambi to Avondale Shopping Centre near our accommodation. Here we bought postcards in a store from a lady with such lovely English. In addition, the mall offered us stamps from the post office and soon coffee and muffins at Café Nush. On the post office, all aged 60+ could jump the queue.

16.10 Our time in the mall ended at TM Supermarkets. We did our shopping and strolled the short distance home. Now we are sitting on the patio outside our room. It's quiet and peaceful here. Most of what tomorrow is clear and planned. However everything depends on that a taxi come and pick us up tomorrow morning.

First Street, Harare.

Zimbabwe Parliament.

Tall buildings near Africa Unity Square.

A cute bus waited at Avondale Shopping Centre.

Christer is having coffee at Café Nush.

Avondale Shopping Centre.

It is afternoon and Christer is on his way back to our temporary home.

It´s a Small World Lodge, seen from the street.

16.30 We have rested and become more active. We have visited the lodge's lookout tower and admired the view of the city center. On the way down we saw the cat I offered bacon was waiting for us. It probably wondered why we climbed up there.

18.10 We have posted our postcards and ordered dinner for this evening. It is served at half past eight.

19.32 Christer has got a lightning warning message regarding southern Norrland´s coastal areas. Here it´s rain-and thunder free as before in southern Africa.

20.11 Two tough matches are over. We have with dull blades defeated our t-bones teak and an Egyptian, Alaaeldin Abouelkassem has won over the South Korean, Choi Byung-Chul in fencing. For us it was the evening's dinner, for the fencers it was an Olympic semifinals in foil.

Christer is relaxing after a full day in Harare.

The cat wonders why we climbed into a tower.

Peter has found a nice car at our lodge.

20.56 The swimmer Michael Phelps has taken his seventeenth Olympic medal and equaled the record. It was not gold, but silver

22.11 Mr. Phelps is the foremost medalist in Olympic history. Mr. Nordin has begun his journey to the East. He's going to Tokyo, Japan. In the badminton arena it is chaos. A Chinese double pair is alleged to have subsided to get a more favorable quarterfinal. Possibly, this also applies to their Korean opponents. A major power outage has hit 600 million people in India.

22.34 Now we've got ourselves one evening beer each. This time it was Zambezi, Zimbabwe's own beer if you believe the text on the can. They get to keep the beer. It was brewed with among others corn and the taste was nothing special.

23.04 Our day in Harare has reached its end. The city is modern and pleasant, not at all dangerous either. The German who warned us in Malawi must have old information. Zimbabwe is slowly coming back after the economic chaos that has been the last decade. Some claim that most people here are waiting for 88-year-old dictator Robert Mugabe to die so that the country can start again. Perhaps it is so?

Wednesday 1st of August

05.49 A new month has begun and a new breakfast has ended, this day we had own purchased breakfast of the simpler kind. Today, it is a journey within the country. There will be no border crossings and the bus is hopefully more comfortable than the ones we´ve used the last times. We will travel with Pathfinder (http://pathfinderlx.com).

06.16 There, now there are only a few question marks. Have we packed everything? Is it a good idea to check out? Will our taxi be in time? Will it take us to the Pathfinder office? Yeah we'll see.

06.45 It was good to check out. Our taxi from Raalpek arrived on time. The driver Godfrey told us that he often was contacted and asked to drive early in the morning and knew the way to the office. Just before arriving we met some jogging and walking police cadets. What about the last question mark then? I do not know now if everything is packed. I guess we will find out.

07.13 The passengers were asked to check in. We took our tickets which were printed out by Chiedza Kurwakunire and went to be checked. At the bus's luggage compartment stood a man in a sweater where it stood Husqvarna, a Swedish company. Christer sits on seat 42, I sit on the seat 40 and the seat 37 is a man with a shirt that it says Volvo on, another Swedish company.

Waiting at the Pathfinder office. Robert Mugabe is looking at us from the wall.

The bus started and we take one last look at Harare.

07.46 The bus trip in a luxury bus has just started and a lot has happened. One of the bus hosts have communicated some about everything, including that a hub isn’t plugged in, it was followed by a giggling from him. Additionally, we heard about the travel time, six hours, and a prayer for safety have been read. Outside of the bus is a large stadium, the National Sports Stadium, passed. Country music is being played on board.

08.53 Bryden School, it was written on a low white wall that we just passed. The landscape is partially cultivated and flat. The bus hosts have distributed fruits and beverages to the passengers. Roberth might be on his way as well.

09.26 "Can´t stop this thing we started" is Bryan Adams singing. The bus, however, stopped at the petrol station, Power Fuels Kadoma.

09.42 I just got a text message from Roberth, "sitting at the airport with a purchased coffee, The Moomin valley is waiting". I guess he means Finland, where he will change planes.

10.21 The bus has stopped again. This time we are at the Golden Mile Hotel in Kwekwe. We have received the August issue of Pathfinder´s own magazine. In it, we've seen the lady we bought the tickets from, Chiedza Kurwakunire. She is the publisher and marketing manager for Pathfinder. In the magazine you can read that she behalf of the company has received, The Zimbabwe Institute of Managment 1st Runner Up Customer Service Award for 2011.

A bus heading to Harare is being stopped by police.

A trip with Pathfinder means convenience and great coaches.

The rural areas in central Zimbabwe is experiencing the dry season.

11.15 The journey through Zimbabwe rolls on. Right now the bus has stopped. We are at a petrol station in Gweru to drop off old passengers and take on board new, including an entire school class in blue school uniforms. There are still more than two hours of the trip. The bus magazine, we have seen a short presentation of one of the bus hosts on the bus. He called Shepherd Mkhuleko Ndebele, Born 15 September 1986. His hobbies are travelling, swimming and cooking.

12.06 A vast, flat landscape spreads out around the bus. A few huts and grazing cattle can be seen.

12.37 There are traffic jams, congestion, a roadblock ahead. It may be due to a traffic accident.

12.39 It's OK, no accident. It was "only" road work.

13.42 We're almost there at Pathfinders office in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city. God has been thanked for a flawless trip. I say thank you for a relaxing trip in a comfortable bus.

13.53 We passed a large modern cricket stadium, Queens Sports Club and was then in the center. It was crowded on the sidewalk when people would get their luggage, and others wanted on board. In the end, however, we got our backpacks.

Berkeley Place.

Robert Mugabe Way, Bulawayo.

14.18 There are soft beds here in room 18 at Berkeley Place in Bulawayo. This is where we intend to stay another night. Now we'll probably just gather ourselves.

15.24 Now we have familiarized ourselves with the central parts of the city. We have been taken photos, sent postcards and made the short walk to the restaurant Nando's. This is a chain we have visited before, both in South Africa and also in Northern Ireland. Nando's is a South African chain that specializes in spicy chicken but they also have other dishes. If the staff doesn’t appear soon it will be just a short stop. Surely they should be able to get us a menu anyway?

15.39 If you think about it you remember. If you remember you do the right thing. We ordered at the counter when we were in Belfast New Year's Eve in 2010 so we ordered at the counter. We have done this now too. What lured us was the security guard at the door asked us to sit down.

16.03 Good food deserves something more. I went to order coffee for both of us after the meal. Next to me at the counter was a blonde woman who spoke Swedish with a child. The little boy was craving soda. I talked with her and also with her African man. All conversation was in Swedish.

16.41 We said goodbye to the Swedes who were from Skåne (Scania), the province furthest south in Sweden. They went to see his family in the neighborhood. Well, it's her relatives as well. We cruised around a bit more of the city before we went home. In the lobby, we bought a Coca Cola each but only paid for one. She who sold them lacked change. You may pay with dollars here but alternating coins, both U.S. cents and South African rand. The lady at the front desk has told us that the minibuses to Botswana go from Bellevue Shopping Center on the outskirts of the city. It's good to know tomorrow. We also took the opportunity to talk about what we wanted for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Christer is looking for a lunch restaurant.

Lunch at Nando´s.

Bulawayo Post Office with its clock tower.

18.26 It's been quiet since the return to Berkeley Place. We have mostly listened to the radio. It seems that many double pairs in the Olympics badminton were disqualified. I then phoned a friend of my old Swedish teacher and teaching colleague, Stellan Bäcklund. The friend is called Charles Mpofu. The call was heard badly and was discontinued. Also my phone charged out. I'll load it and try again.

19.26 We went out of the hotel, turned left and walked to the street corner. Here there was another left and immediately left again into the fast food restaurant Chicken Inn. Here we have bought cheeseburger and soda. Christer even bought a medium french fries, a large medium. In exchange, I got a two dollar note. Last year was the first time that I heard spoken about and saw such a bill. It was at the diner Baula's Café in Liberia, Costa Rica. Now, I myself am the proud owner of such a bill. The girls at the counter had a problem with the change. It seems to be a recurring problem in this country.

20.11 When we came back from dinner Christer made us debt free, the Coca Cola was paid for. My cell phone rang just now. It was Charles Mpofu who called. He asked me to call back. It was also done. I've talked to him and sent a greeting from Stellan and promised to send the greetings back.

20.40 Charles called me again. He wants to come around to the hotel on a visit. I said it went well so now Charles on his way here. Even Roberth is going on his journey to the East. He'll go where, none of us has been, Japan.

22.43 I've just come back after meeting Charles. We talked about mutual friends and about how it is in our home countries. Now I'm going to get ready for another night in Africa.

The artwork "Tired Man" looks like you feel on some early mornings.

Peter had a long interesting talk with Charles Mpofu.

Thursday 2nd of August

07.03 Christer received a SMS at 02:30, it was from Roberth. His plane had landed, and now he was sitting on a train to Tokyo. We have not moved at all during the night. Sure, we have spun a little on the beds. Later in the morning we'll roll on.

07.29 There was a knock on the door. The lady at reception said that Charles was here and asked for me. I have now been and talked a little more with him. Now Christer and I get ready to travel to the next country and city. Roberth is now further east than any of the three of us have been before.

08.50 It was a good breakfast. The sausages were really delicious. What will happen when I get home? Can I really eat Swedish sausages after the meaty ones I had on this trip? One of the women who work here spoke with us during breakfast and wondered how we survived the winter cold here with such thin clothing. We explained that the weather here is like our summer back home.

09.03 Now almost everything is packed. Now we go one last turn in the streets here in Bulawayo. There are actually some issues that remain.

Breakfast at Berkeley Place.

A morning walk through Bulawayo.

Peter says goodbye to room 18.

09.23 We have done some walking in the neighborhood and now we know where the taxis are parked. However, we have not found a place to change money. We had plans to exchange to some pula, the currency of Botswana. I guess we can do it some other time.

10.18 A taxi took us out to Bellevue Shopping Center in the outskirt of the city. The driver was talking about his theory of the Victoria Falls. It was something about an unknown underground river. He also told us that the police put up many roadblocks and charge the drivers. I suggested that the three of us would establish our own roadblock. Now we are in a minibus with the Botswana border as destination. The bus host calls out US$3,40 pula. They shall only pick up more passengers before the departure. We were initially offered transportation in a vehicle of our own but it was way too expensive so here we are. The driver insisted that we as tourists would sit at the front next to him at the best places.

10.48 We drove around one lap and have just returned to the "bus stop". We stood there for a while before another lap and now we continue to wait.

11.18 There were a number of turns and a little wait before we left for good. Now we're at a roadblock with some police.

Our minibus is looking for passengers in Bulawayo´s outskirts.

11.49 We have stopped at a police barrier and even at some road construction. Recently we passed a bus with punctured, tattered right rear tire. Probably, the tire had exploded. Some of Zimbabwe's buses are unsafe. The economic crisis has led to that they have not been serviced in a long time. Now we stopped to drop off people.

12.46 The bus stopped in Plumtree and we went out, took the backpacks and were asked to walk to the bus in front. No sooner had we got there as we were asked by our driver to go back to the first bus. We have, on the bumpy road, written our name, gender, nationality and passport number on a paper.

13.04 Here we go. We went inside the house of the passport police and were stamped out from Zimbabwe in a flash. A big thank you to the driver that showed where we would go and made sure everything was done in a fast pace.

BOTSWANA

13.22 We're at the border post Ramokgwebana. It went smoothly at the border post. We passed through a portal and dipped our sandals and even the shoes in your pack in mud. We assume that there is something germicidal or similar. It may be against foot-and-mouth disease. Now we are sitting in a minivan from Botswana and the sun bakes us through the window. On the radio, there is talk in an incomprehensible language, probably Setswana. I have reached my 95th country and Christer is in his 90th. With the pace we have, we are soon up to 100. Incidentally, this is the 90th country that I write journals in.

14.26 We drive on a smooth road to the southwest. In parallel with the road is a narrow, paved road. I think it is a pedestrian and cycle path.

14.56 The vehicle stopped at another check-point. Everyone got to step out and get/put your shoes in a box of clay. The vehicle is then passed through a large puddle. The whole thing is to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

15.20 The mini bus finally stopped at the bus station in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city and the capital of the eastern part of the country. We went to the hotel Metcourt Lodge, one of the possible lodgings in the city. This is the only place on this year's trip we have no pre-booked overnight accommodation place in. The hotel is next door to the restaurant Spur and banks.

15.31 Christer has been in and talked to a girl at the front desk. Unfortunately, Metcourt Lodge cost 770 pula almost $100 per room and night. We continue to a slightly cheaper place.

Peter has arrived at Francistown bus station.

In our room we have everything we need.

Grand Lodge, Francistown.

15.59 We walked on along the way A1 passing through the center. Soon we got entourage of a persistent young man. He went on the road A1, where it led, said we were handsome and declared his love for us. He was totally ignored by us. We left him behind and went on to the Grand Lodge. Here we stay for 350 pula, a little over $50. One key was not left out before we paid. It was explained to the reception lady that we have not taken the money yet. Short go well was the answer. I took out my Visa card and was asked to write my ID number on the receipt. ID number? I wondered. Yes ID number! Can passport numbers good? I asked. Yes! was the answer. Now we live in room 10. Here we have a kettle, fridge, hob, sink and microwave. It also contains a small desk, a small table and chairs. Besides this furniture also have two beds. It's good because we will sleep here.

16.36 After two refreshing showers in a fresh new bathroom, we are ready to return outdoors. We shall check with transport from here tomorrow and meal for today.

17.19 We have had a photo session and made a visit to the bus station to check any bus times. The photos gave some but it was nothing of the buses. No information was available. We go there tomorrow morning and let what happens happen. Now we are at the restaurant Spur, Golden Hills, for dinner. I suggested that we could possibly try out to breakfast this morning. Chris suggested that we use our kitchen and do our own quality breakfast. It sounds much better.

19.07 A delicious meal with meat was enjoyed. After that, we went shopping at Shoprite. We got hold of almost everything we imagined. There was, however, no beer there. Perhaps it is here that in South Africa when it comes to the purchase of beer. They sell beer and liquor in special stores. However, we have got hold of instant coffee and sponge cake, always something.

Francistown

Christer is waiting for meat at Spur Golden Hills.

Nswazi Shopping Mall

20.05 Just as we would listen to the Olympic broadcast disappeared BBC from Christer's portable radio. Probably changed BBC short was antenna against another part of the world, too bad!

22.06 We have it easy in our room, drinking coffee, eating cake and watched a drama series from Nigeria. In short, we've had a holiday. Tomorrow, we find out a bit. How do you get from here to Maun? What does the excursions offered on the next home? What to do if you want to buy a beer in this country?

Friday 3rd of August

07.56 The radio tells us that there might have been life on Mars. It is mentioned that a space probe from the U.S. will land on our neighboring planet on Monday. It is unlike yesterday evening a disturbance free transmission on the radio. The last we heard last night before we fell asleep was that Michael Phelps took his third consecutive Olympic gold in the 200 m individual medley. No other swimmer has taken three gold medals in the same discipline.

09.10 There has been an international breakfast here at the Grand Lodge. Two Swedes have consumed six Russian sausages and six Portuguese bread pieces. Now we pack up again. We are coming to an end on this trip. It's only a week left now.

10.08 We checked out and asked if they could call for a taxi. The man at the front desk scratched his nose, was he about to sneeze?, and said he had no phone number to any taxi. However, it would do well to arrange one on your own outside the lodge. We did so and told a few anecdotes from earlier trips to the driver during the journey to the bus station. The driver laughed happily. Now we are waiting for a bus to take us west to Maun.

Breakfast time at Grand Lodge.

10.31 A bus from Golden Bridge Express pulled up in front of us. People got out and the bus drove away. After a few meters it stopped again and it was OK to get on board. The backpacks got some luggage tags and with the other half of the patches with us we stepped aboard. It has 4-5 vendors that offered their products. A young man has asked for a small coin. We have not answered that. What about the big bills then, he wondered. We said that he had such but needed them for the ticket.

11.13 Candy, chips, soda, water, chicken and strips of Hungry Lion, calling cards and more was offered for sale. Three people have passed through the bus and told that they are screaming. Well, they said ice cream, ice cream and not I scream. They had ice cream in a cooler bag and mugs to serve the ice cream in. I do not want to hear any salesman; I want to hear the noise from the engine. I do not want to see their goods. I want to see the bus travelling to Maun now.

11.42 The vendors got off and the driver shifted to first gear. We are finally on our way.

Once again we are waiting for a long time before the bus departs.

The bus station in Francistown.

12.42 Our vehicle is travelling at high speed north through a flat and tree filled landscape. Now we pass a road sign. Unfortunately, I did not catch what it said.

13.54 Nata is the name of the town where we now stand still. I have taken the opportunity to visit a toilet. We have in two hours traveled 190 kilometers. It sure is full speed ahead. Unfortunately there is not much to see along the road, mostly dry shrubs. 300 km remain before we are in Maun.

15.13 The bus has stopped again. It's time for some to get off and for others to get on board.

Our Golden Bridge Express-buss has stopped in Nata.

16.31 It's hot, crowded and boring. It still remains 1.5 hour of this trip.

16.53 We have been out of the bus and stretched our legs at a check-point. Some men wanted to know what was in the passengers' bags and backpacks. A sign has greeted us welcome the Okavango area.

17.45 Hooray, we're in Maun. The town is the capital of tourism in the Okavango delta here in northern Botswana. We were so happy to avoid sitting down in a four-wheeled motorized vehicles. Pretty soon, we sat in a taxi. Now we leave Maun for a while. It might be so that the wildlife park we plan to visit here in Maun is temporally closed. Christer saw a sign on it when we went into the city.

18.16 It was a nice and talkative taxi driver we found. He claimed that Botswana had taken an Olympic gold today. We'll see if it's true and if so in which sport. Just before we arrived, he asked Christer if I was his father. He also said that Maun was known for its hot climate. Now we are in the house/chalet number 5 on the Okavango River Lodge (http://www.okavango-river-lodge.com). Different rates circulated at check-in, one that I have paid it all in advance, 720 pula and one that it will be a cost of 470 pula for us. Our accommodation is in the village Matlapaneng.

19.25 Now that we are rested, it's almost time to go down to get information about the payment and arrange a dinner.

We are staying in house 5.

Peter writes down a few journal notes in our house/room.

19.41 St. Louis can be read on the can standing next to me. The same applies to the can which is near Christer. The cans are our first Botswana beer. We sit at a table with a kerosene lamp for lighting. We got a visit from a happy, black dog before we ordered food. I gaze out towards the river and two riverboats.

20.58 Happy children were playing around us until the food arrived. Then they went and were replaced by the agency's black begging dog. After the good food, I ordered a coffee. It was just like I want to my coffee, hot, black, big and strong. As for payment, then we also ordered something to drink for later tonight, we had three receipts, one for the food and the beer, one for evening drinks and one for extra cheese. Was the cheese in fact the coffee? Had a mistake been made? On the way home we saw a beige dog.

21.43 Now we listen to the Olympics broadcast on the radio. No one has said anything about a gold medal to Botswana. We have not heard anything about a Swedish medal either. However, we have heard of a swimmer who quit, had dreads, played in the band "Weapons of mass destruction", crashed a motorcycle when he was chased by the police, were a Buddhist and tried to commit suicide. He made a comeback as a swimmer in the Olympics four years ago and had apparently made a new comeback now. His name is Anthony Ervin.

22.38 It is becoming time to do something we have not done for a few days. It has again become time to take down and spread out our mosquito nets. There seems to be activity down at the bar. We hear music and cheerful voices.

Dinner in the dark.

Begging dog blinded by the flash.