March 8, 2003

March 08, 2003

Subject: Zimbabwe Calling

Hello again and sorry for the delay. I have heard that some of you are

concerned because you hear things on the news. Don't Worry!!! It is totally

peaceful here and no problems.

My last week or so has been fairly straight forward. Bob Vinek, my friend

from Comox, and I spend the day around town getting supplies for my lodge at

Umguza and just meeting with people for lunch or a drink. It is a real

problem getting supplies at times. For example. There is a sugar shortage

so the Coca Cola bottling company often has no cold drinks and the bottle

manufacturing plant here has shut down so there is a bottle shortage. You

often get no drinks or for sure you do not get the mix of drinks you want -

you just take what they have and often go three places to get 15 crates of

drinks. Beer seems to be no problems most days and spirits and in short

supply, especially if they are imported.

Bob had an incident the other day when I went to the bank to get money. He

stayed in my combi (van) and waited for me. A man came to his door, opened

it and offered to clean the tires. Bob said no, closed the door and locked

it. He then reached over and locked the other door. But by then it was too

late. The first guy who talked to him was a decoy to distract him as an

accomplice reached in and grabbed my satchel without him even noticing. It

was empty, luckily, except for my cheque book, the company cheque book and

our deposit book plus my e-mail address book. I had $700,000 in it earlier

in the day, the deposit from my lodge for the weekend, but it was already in

the bank or it would have been a big loss. This is life here.

I am heading up to Vic Falls tomorrow to take Bob there as it is a must to

see if you come here. Will be gone for 2-3 days and also take him into

Hwange Park to see the animals. Should be a good trip.

My guard disappeared two fridays ago and has not returned. It has been 10

days now. I got a phone call from a relative of his last Monday saying his

father had died and that he would return "today or tomorrow" but it has been

5 more days and no Peter to be seen. Again, this is life here.

The weather here has been very rainy and cool. About a week of it so far

which is unusual. I am actually wearing a jacket which is the first time in

all my trips here. And long pants instead of shorts. The locals are

bundled up in sweaters, toques, jackets, etc and complaining bitterly about

the cold.

Got to run - I will try and send messages more often. This is Sunday

morning and the internet is working the best I have seen since I arrived.

Love to you all

Doug