Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
After I changed into my trousers and a long sleeve shirt, two teachers, Peter
Mavhaire and Herbert Rangamai invited me to share in a communal meal. Peter went back
to his room soon after our meal for he had a lot of marking to complete over the weekend
and he wanted to prepare the following week's lessons. I too bid everyone a goodnight for
I was really tired and wanted to write in my journal before I fell asleep. I returned to my
classroom/hotel and slipped into my sleeping bag with my journal in hand. I noted that my
goalforthedaywastoonlycycleabout50kilometres,however,aftertallyingthedistance,
Ihadcompleted145kilometres.NowonderIwassotired.Withoutanymosquitostoworry
about, I fell asleep like a baby until 8:30 a.m. the next morning.
Afteramostpeacefulsleep,IwokeuptocyclemylastfulldayinZimbabwe.After
breakfast with Peter and signing his visitors' book, I gave him a Canadian pin and a big
thank-you.
FromthemomentIpushedoff,mypacewasextremelyfastwiththehelpofastrong
tailwind. After 20 kilometres of relatively flat road and small curves, I took a 5-minute
break to buy a large watermelon for $2 dollars. I strapped it to the back of the bike (as if I
needed more weight!) and cycled for several kilometres until I found a tree where I could
rest and attack the watermelon. I spotted a large baobab tree and rested my bike against its
trunk. I sat on the ground and, as gross as it may sound, I managed to eat the whole water-
meloninonesitting.IfeltsopregnantthatIdecidedtowalkabittohelpwiththedigestion.
WhenIresumedcycling,Iwassuddenlyhitwiththeeuphoricrealization thatIwas
about to arrive in my last African country on the tour. I was completely overjoyed. I sang
and danced in my saddle all the way to Beitbridge.
My first order of business was to visit the Catholic Church to give thanks for my
safe arrival. I asked a few locals for directions and soon arrived at the locked church and
the empty rectory. I walked over to the sisters next door and asked if they could let me in
the church so I could make a visit. Sister Wilfreda Chivasa was very pleasant and let me in
right away and then invited me to join the other sisters for lunch when I was finished.
After lunch, I left my bike at their home and went for a walk with the sisters. We
strolled through Beitbridge eventually passing the checkpoint where I would be crossing
into South Africa. When we returned to the church I inquired if there was a Saturday even-
ing mass for Palm Sunday. When they said no, I then asked them if I could camp on their
property so that I could celebrate mass in the morning. They told me not to bother and in-
stead allowed me to stay in their guestroom.
Inthemorning,thepriestarrivedatthesistersbutwasinarushforhehadnumerous
out-stations that he was planning to visit. He didn't have the intention to celebrate mass
in Beitbridge but when he heard that I stayed specifically for Palm Sunday mass, he had a
changeofheart. Hecelebratedmassinthesisters'chapelformeandthewholecommunity
and then bid us a good day.
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