Shades – Thank you very much and hope it’s still worth the wait lol

s – thanx for informing me on what it stands for…. hope things ease up a little and you’re no too busy

Pan – Thanx for commeting and hopefully it won’t be too long before the proposal

Mates – *still doing happy dance* coz there were two posts from you today…. hope I’m still delivering the B&T lovin that you need ;) Thanx for always taking the time to comment, from an author like you in means a lot!!

Moi – Not too sure what’s gonna happen with Tori but hopefully she’ll be around for a while

K – Thanx and hope you’re still enjoying

Gina – Thanx so much for saying I won’t dissapoint…. I’m hoping to get the proposal done soon, got some ideas it’s just writing it that’s the problem lol

Lost1 – Looking forward to getting the girls to Zim too…. it’ll really be fun in the sun then lol

Veronica – Hope this was soon enough…. sorry about the wait and hope you enjoy

Trolle – Thanx for commenting…. the proposal should be coming soon =0)

TheRealJLo – Hope the ‘writers *****’ clears up soon…. for your sake!! (and mine lol I’m going blue ha ha)

Kabby – I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Tori and Shane but only time will tell ;)

Lwordjunkie – Hope this delivers some of the B&T loving that ya need ;)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Bette and Tina made their way to the delapidated airport for their domestic flight to Victoria Falls, Bette could not believe how small and decrepid it actually was. Tina couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on Bette’s face, it was priceless. She looked as though she was afraid to touch anything, Tina didn’t blame her as she almost didn’t want to either, but non the less it was better than some African airports.

“T how the ***** did they cope when this was the international airport?” Bette asked in amazement

“They didn’t, it was pandemonium” Tina said humerously, all too well aquainted with the tiny airport

They had to be checked in manually as there was a power failure and the computers were down and so, like everything in Africa, it took twice as long as it should have. Eventually they were on their way to the plane, walking on the tar-mac towards one of those tiny planes that you always think are going to crash they’re so small. Their handluggage was taken off them before boarding and they were informed as to how long the flight would take and what would happen once they landed.

The flight was short and uneventful but as with their flight to Zimbabwe, Tina gave Bette the window seat and what Bette saw took her breath away. She couldn’t believe how beautiful the land was, how seemingly pure and inncocent it looked…. but then she was reminded of a poem Tina had read to her and she held back the tears that threatned to spill as she rememberd the words….

‘I cry for my country
Born out of pain.
A river of blood
Clensed by by a downpour of rain.
I cry for what was lost.
Our humanity
And innocence
Taken in its totality
Hatred has taken it’s toll
It has torn us asunder
And taken our soul’

Bette quickly tried to put those thoughts out of her mind and focus on what was before her, a breathtaking country that had given birth to the woman she loved.

Once they landed they were greeted by the sight of their luggage on the tar-mac and stood back and waited as the rest of the passengers collected their bags, not wanting to get caught in the rush. Eventually they were on their way and collected the rental car and headed off to where they were due to stay. Tina would point out small details to Bette, such as a road sign which warned drivers that there was an elephant, cattle or antelope crossing and when they were approaching Vic Falls itself she pointed out the spray which was like a mist in the distance. Bette was suprised to learn that that was the spray which came from the Falls, she couldn’t believe that it was visable from such a distance and that it rose up so high.

“The local name for it is Mosi-oa-Tunya, it means the smoke that thunders” Tina informed Bette as she pointed out the mist

“I can believe that” Bette replied as she looked on in awe

Bette was suddenly startled as she saw people jumping out of the bush waving what looked like money in the air. She wasn’t sure if they were talking to each other or directing their shouts towards them. She was dumbfounded as to how they seemed to appear from nowhere and just as quickly dissapear. After a while Bette could no longer contain her curiosity and asked Tina what the ***** they were doing

“They’re offering to exchange Zim dollars for foreign currency. They sell Zim dollars at the black market rate which considerably better value than changing your money at the bank but it’s illegal”

“Foreign currency, like Zim dollars, is hard to come by and so many people deal through them. I wouldn’t advise it though as they’re likely to take you for a ride, first by charging slightly more than the black market rate and secondly by conning you somehow. We’ll see more of them in town, they’re everywhere waiting to prey on unsuspecting tourists”

“What’s the black market rate, surely it can’t be that much higher than the offical rate?” Bette asked, bit confused by the whole thing

“Well the offical rate is Z$100 dollars to U.S$ 1 and the black market is Z$20 000 to one”

“Oh” was all Bette could say

With that they turned off the main road and headed towards Lokhotula Lodges where they would be staying. After a few minutes Tina suddenly stopped the car and told Bette to be quiet as she directed her gaze towards the side of the road. There before Bette’s eyes was a large heard of water buffalo’s, about 20 or more, that were grazing. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed them before Tina pointed them out, or that Tina had managed to see them while driving. Thus began a pattern for the rest of the drive to the lodges, by the time they reached the entrance Bette had seen a bull elephant and a heard of Kudu…. a very timid kind of antelope who as soon as Tina pointed them out were running off deeper into the bush.


Later that day:-

They had completed their registration and settled into their hut like accomodation. It was cozy with a thatched roof and an upstairs bedroom that over looked the watering hole and an expanse of bush. It had a little outside dinning area which offered the same view almost as the bedroom and a kitchen which could barely fit more than two people at a time. The whole hut was painted with the traditional designs and colours of the rural African huts and it only added to the overall charm and tranquility which enveloped their surroundings. It was beautiful in its simplicity…. the only thing that concerned Bette was the mosquito nets, she wasn’t sure how comfortable she would be sleeping under one. But Bette would make do, she always did, and as long as she had Tina to hold she would be alright.

Bette looked out and was taken back by a family of warthogs that made their way accross the back of the hut and began grazing…. the way they ate was intriguing as they knelt down on their front legs. They were animals that managed to be ugly and cute at the same time and just as Bette realised this Tina said something which completely threw her….

“Adorable aren’t they…. wait till you taste them babe, they are deliceous!!”

Tina had made reservations for them at The Boma, which was the restaurant that served the lodges, and she informed Bette that they served warthog along with many other animals and traditional foods. So all they had to do was sit back and relax until it was time for dinner. They sat outside with a drink in one hand and the hand of the person they loved in the other. They soon found that they both craved more contact with the other and they soon found themselves envelopped in each others arms and engaged in a deep, passionate kiss. Wanting, craving to taste, to feel, to breath each other. Once the craving was fed, the kiss lost it’s urgency and became a slow, sensual kiss which conveyed their love and their need for each other. Eventually they stopped kissing, relinqueshing their hold on each other’s lips and just sat in silence…. all that needed to be said at that moment was conveyed in that one kiss.

The sun was setting and the sky was filled with deep russet reds and vibrant oranges, the whispy white clouds looking as though they were outlined in pink. The dust rising off the ground contributed to creating the vibrant colours which emitted from the setting sun, making them more vivid and striking. This moment, this place was perfect and Tina knew she had finally decided how she was going to propose….