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Kalle, Pfranc of South Africa, drove 15 hours to meet me at the Harare airport in Zimbabwe. The first thing we did was to go find and record the very first degree confluence in Zimbabwe! You can see it at Degree Confluence Project. At first I thought it was the dumbest thing anyone could be doing, but now I think it's pretty neat. We are helping to compile and record an objective on-line sampling of the earth at this time in history. That is kind of cool.
A few days later we drove about 150 miles north, many miles on a dirt road and pulled over to see the eclipse. It was awesome! I've uploaded photos and videos to here. In the Kadohwatai photo, from left to right are: David, Marieke, Me, and Kalle. Kalle, Pfranc of South Africa drove 15 hours to Harare. He picked up a guy hitch hiking, an out of work local truck driver named David and hired him as a tour guide for 4 days. Unemployment is very high, over 70%? There were no Hotel rooms to be found so we stayed at a backpackers lodge. It cost $2 per night. A export quality cool beer at the outside bar cost $0.35. Marieke, a medical student from the Netherlands, was also staying at the lodge. She rode along with us 150 miles north for a picnic and to experience the eclipse. From Mount Darwin we drove north on a dirt road about an hour where we found a tree to park under and some rocks to have a picnic on. After awhile people from miles around gathered around to see what we were up to. They were very excited to see my digital camera. We tried to explain to them what has about to happen and that the kids should not look into the sun until the eclipse was total. It was an amazing experience for them - and us.
Kalle had to leave the next day for home. I stayed in Harare that night and in the morning flew 1 hour to Victoria Falls. On the way I met the most amazing people, Michael from Germany and Farai (Front Office Manager of the best hotel in Victoria Falls, The Rainbow hotel). We all just instantly hit-it-off as life long friends. It's just magic. "Fara" means "be happy". Farai gave both of us a ride into town from the airport (saving both of us over $20 each)... AND, she actually drove me back to the airport that evening to catch my flight home.
Victoria Falls was all they said and more. Got some great photos. I also have some DIY photos of me jumping off the bridge over the Zambezi river. I attached my QV-8000 to my right hand and took a 10 second mini movie as I fell over 350 feet with a rubber band attached to my legs. It was great! Afterwards I walked to the Rainbow hotel to meet Michael and Farai for a drink around 6pm. Farai's husband of just 2 months got off work and joined us. He is an air traffic controller at the Vic Falls airport, for about 10 years and just a few hours before he had his first crash. He was flight following a private charter of 6 passengers and had just handed it off to the destination airport when the pilot radioed he was out of fuel and going down. Two died at the last report. 1 pilot and 5 tourists were aboard. I did not hear any news anywhere about the crash in the papers, TV, or from anyone else. The cost of fuel has gone up over 70% and we think the pilot did not fill the tanks as he normally would.
News: 6/4/2001 --- I will be in London only one night, 18th, at Posthouse next to Heathrow, then off to Harare on the 19th at 5pm arrive at HRE 10am. I still need to find a hotel in Harare and a ride to Mount Darwin on the 21st for the eclipse. Will be back in London for one night, the 26th, at the Regent Palace, Piccadily Circuis, on my way home.
Meeting date: The location, date, time, and duration of all World Pfranc Meetings are dictated by astrological coincidence. When the sun and moon line up with the earth in just the right way there is a total solar eclipse. This planetary event in our solar system determines when and where Pfrancs of the world meet, and happens to also be the birthday of Jose, Pfranc of Portugal, and by coincidence also the Summer Solstice this time! The meeting will be for about 3 minutes around noon time, Thursday, June 21st, 2001, somewhere near Harare, (airport code=HRE) Zimbabwe, Africa, (map of eclipse path) (map of Zimbabwe ) showing Harare and Victoria falls about 250 miles to the west. and here is Zimbabwe on-line Victoria Falls is nearby! Ian Simmins diary of his trip all around Zimbabwe.
Ardel is staying at Pfranc central this time to take care of Pfranc.com. Because I抣l be traveling alone and light, and because most Pfrancs will not be able to make it to the meeting, on the way, while in Europe, I抦 going to try to meet with as many Pfrancs as I can, even if just a short time and try the local beer.
Maybe next time .... I can fly to somewhere in Europe, some number of days prior, and meet as many Pfrancs as possible using an Europe by Air Flight Pass that costs only $99 per leg and stay one night at a hotel within shuttle distance of the airport. There are 130 Air city pairs here to choose from! Meet one or more Pfrancs at a place that serves cold local beer. Take photos, drink beer, talk Pfrancdom. The cost for each additional Pfranc visit is $99 plus one days hotel, food, and beer. I should be able to find a cheap flight from SFO to one of the countries in the list.
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