Avondale

Woke up early to sort the car out before returning it. We drove around the neighbourhood trying to find fuel at the petrol stations. They’re all empty, and at the last one we visit, the attendant informs us that there is no petrol in the whole of Harare. Another staff member at the hostel has a contact, who we could call, and offer to buy him a drink in exchange for petrol.

Eventually the woman from the car hire company came to collect the car, and just takes the cost of fuel from our deposit, no dramas after all.

When we headed back into town for breakfast, we see a giant queue of cars, snaking its way around the neighbourhood. They are queuing for Engen, which must just have received a shipment of fuel.

In the evening, we boarded the overnight bus from Harare to Vic Falls. It is maybe one of the worst bus seats I have sat in so far- no seatbelt, broken armrest, it’s stuck in the reclined position and the window keeps opening until I tie it closed with a shoelace.Read more