And lots of hard hitting.
Though because most of the pics involved rapid motion, the pics today are not as clear as usual, even though my little point-and-click Kodak did its best!
Walking through the center of Harare, there was a sudden hue and cry, and a surge of people running along to opposite pavement, with loud shouts of "Mbavha, mbavha". This is the Shona word for 'thief'. Apparently one of the local population had been caught stealing, and as is the case in Zim, justice was dispensed fairly instantly, and by people wholly unconnected with the alleged crime. This is the sudden surge of people along the street...
Once they had him surrounded, he was given several lusty blows, until the police arrived and rescued him by taking him to jail and placing him, to his relief, in a dank and fetid cell. The robber is in the middle somewhere!
The bumping and banging is not restricted to people though, and along the way we saw several vehicles involved in accidents............with themselves. Here is a great example - though somewhat grainy as we were travelling at speed as I took the pic. This truck was all alone, on a stretch of straight road, with no obvious impediments, and flat ground on either side of the road. He just kind of fell over......
Another roadside challenge that prevails, quite aside from the erratic driving, are the swarms of 'vendors' trying to sell their wares to hungry and thirsty travelers. They spill out onto the road, and engulf every vehicle that stops. The need to stop suddenly can cause other vehicles to drive up your tail pipe, and I was mightily impressed by one driver who had though of a way of minimizing the inevitable damage that results from being rear-ended....
A solution so simple that it should have global marketability!
Interesting to note that in the brief moment captured on film as we sped past, the items for sale comprised of crisps, orange juice, tomatoes, apples and boiled eggs. Plus - I think, a bottle of brandy pictured beneath the egg trays. Don't tell ME we can't do in-flight meals in Zim!
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