Ngomakurira (“place where they beat the drums”) is a very large granite dwala 30km from the outskirts of Harare. At one time the drums were regularly beaten there at a full moon and I know someone who once spent a night on the rock listening to the drumming but I am told it rarely happens now. I met Lucina and various friends of hers at the base of the path this morning though I opted to drive the Land Cruiser up the 4×4 track from the south. It is a popular outing for the local 4×4 club and the challenge is to touch the beacon on the top with the bumper of the vehicle though I decided my driving skills were not of that calibre. The more energetic people opted to cycle their mountain bikes up the track and they were not much slower than the vehicles – the track is that rough!
The weather was unusually warm and very hazy so I contented myself with subjects other than the view.
- This oxcart came down the road on the way to the 4×4 turnoff up the rock
- It descended a steep hill with only the branch on the left wheel for a brake!
- Marco approaches the top of Ngomakurira
- I was surprised by the number of flowers out – this IS winter in Zimbabwe and very dry.
- There were lots of small aloes in flower.