New Year = New Currency in Zimbabwe

All Zimbabweans know that each day brings new challenges and survival is a test of both will and wit. The end of the year was particularly so, when the currency (the Zimbabwe Dollar) was recalled. This description was sent to us on New Year's Eve from a dear friend - Jenni Westlake.

All $200,000 (our largest denomination) notes have been recalled by the Reserve bank by the 31^st and we are VERY slowly being issued with 250,000, 500,000 and 750,000 dollar notes…..and we have minimal inflation!!!!!! The banks were told to be open all weekend from 8.30am - 6.00pm and all public holidays to help ease the cash crisis but nothing has helped and there are still people sleeping in the pouring rain trying to get some cash out of the banks. I have been trying since the 15^th to get some new money and have not yet had a note!

All this seems to have done is double the price of everything out there….bread is now 1 million dollars a loaf.

Happy New Year to all our friends in Zimbabwe.