AFTER his travel diary following a visit to Zimbabwe in November 2009 [DAY 1; DAY 2; DAY 3; DAY 4; DAY 5], Scott Ramsay returned recently and travelled for four weeks in the western parts of the country, discovering deserted tourist attractions, plenty of welcoming locals and more than a few roadblocks.

Want to find out what it’s like to travel in Zimbabwe at the moment? Can you have a good time in the country? Are visitors welcome? Is it safe? Is there fuel? Is there food? How bad is the poaching?

FROM the Matopos, I drove north 450 kilometres, past the enormous Hwange National Park, to which I’d return later in my trip. My destination was the iconic Victoria Falls, traditionally one of the most visited spots on the continent.

On the way, I was stopped six times at road blocks, twice at toll roads ($1 charge for a car), and went through one speed trap. Road blocks are easy enough if you have your car papers in order. The speed trap was different. I was doing 100 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. The fine was $20, but when I asked for a receipt, I was told I could pay $10 if I was happy to “forget about the receipt”.

Driving into the town of Victoria Falls, a massive afternoon thunderstorm came crashing down. The thick teak forests on either side of the road were drenched with rain. Even in the wet weather, the spray from the falls was clearly visible from a few kilometres away. And the rumble of crashing water can be heard on a quiet day in town. And in recent years, there have been many a quiet day.

Initially Vic Falls’s tourism industry weathered the effects of the political turmoil far better than in the rest of the country. However, continued political pressure took its toll, and last year’s worldwide economic slump made things tougher. Some hotel occupancies plunged to zero. Shops closed and thousands of locals lost their jobs (like elsewhere in Zimbabwe).

But things are looking up. The recent co-operation between President Robert Mugabe and rivals Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, as well as the abandonment of the Zimbabwe dollar in favour of the US dollar, has now boosted tourism again – albeit off a low base.

“Vic Falls” as everyone calls it, seems to be on its way back to its position as one of the most popular destinations in Africa.And it’s obvious why. The town offers a steady supply of severely distracting activities designed to help you forget about Zimbabwe’s major issues.

Take the gorge swing, for instance. Plunging 70 metres vertically towards basalt rocks will – it’s assured - take your mind off anything. As will white water rafting through massive rapids the size of Mugabe’s ego – of which there are plenty in the half-day trip down the Zambezi River.  And of course, the 100-metre bungi-jump off the spectacular Victoria Falls Bridge will eliminate the last remaining political concerns in your head.

On our way back through town, a group of persistent locals tried to sell us their curios – and old Zimbabwean dollar notes (for a few dollars you can buy a complete set, including the 100 trillion dollar note). Others offered to work for us, for as little as $1 a day, some showing us their CVs as we walked.

Up close ... The beguiling sight of the Victoria Falls

Jumbo country ... Elephants swim across the Zambezi River downstream from the Vic Falls

The recent pick-up in the tourism industry has not managed to absorb the large number of lay-offs of the past decade. Despite this, Zimbabweans are amongst the most welcoming and friendliest in the region.

Nevertheless, the contrast between wallet-touting tourists and jobless residents can make for thought-provoking travels. While some locals will work for next to nothing, wealthy tourists can spend US$30 on tea at the ultra-luxurious Victoria Falls hotel. Served by innumerable waiters, immaculate in white uniforms, you can nibble your scones while gazing over the expansive lawns and watching the spray rise up from the falls below.

It’s a beguiling experience, tempered somewhat by the knowledge that 90% of Zimbabweans are still unemployed. Nevertheless, the hotel sets a spectacular standard. The five-star hotel is famous, and rightly so. Service is world-class, the rooms could be found in any luxury European hotel and the immaculate grounds deserve a standing ovation.

For an equally impressive, yet completely different experience, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge offers a superb wildlife setting, just a few kilometres from the main street of town. Guests eat their dinner on a raised deck, looking out over a waterhole commonly frequented by wildlife, and an endless horizon of woodland.

While you’re munching on your salad, a variety of antelope and elephants graze on the trees below, and by the time you’re half way into your warthog steak, hyena can be seen prowling around looking for a warthog of their own.  It’s an idyllic setting. You’d never think things in Zimbabwe could ever be tough.

But things were indeed tough. Heath Dhana from Safari Lodge told me how their staff used to run – literally - to the shops on pay day: inflation of the now-defunct Zimbabwean dollar was so rapid that by the time staff had got to the shops, their salaries were almost worthless. So Heath started paying his team with special coupons, which could be redeemed for a variety of benefits.

“2008 was really difficult,” said Shane. “But things improved a lot in 2009 with the introduction of the US dollar - and 2010 should be better still.”

On the last morning before departing town, I visited the Falls themselves. Although I arrived early to miss the crowds, I needn’t have worried. For the first few hours of the day, I was the only visitor around. I stood dumbstruck, staring at the immense power of the crashing water: during peak flow in April and May, the falls are the largest falling body of water in the world, dumping about 9,000 tons of water - every second! - over the 100 metre high cliffs. I marvelled too at how I could be the only person in the whole world who was visiting one of the earth’s most astounding natural sights.