End of Zambia

---

Rest of Zambia
It rained heavily on Thursday night with lots of thunder, a bit hard to hear over the roar of the generator. I was snug in my tent, all safely zipped in- an insect-free zone. And the hotel provides a little plastic water paper bin, or wee bucket, so I could stay in all night. The day dawns dry with some cloud.
It's hard to get into relaxing mode, I'm used to being busy. Sitting on a sunny terrace by a river, with a book to hand is lovely but I'm just waiting for my breakfast dip in Devil's Pool to begin. It's a boat ride from another hotel (the ,Royal Livingstone - very posh) to Livingstone island, to the edge of the falls where you can see the rainbow, then a swim across to a pool right by the lip of the falls. The guide is quite specific; we have to follow him in single file, sometimes all holding hands, to a small pool where we won't get swept over. This is not possible when the waters are in full flood, and is a bit of a hair raising experience. “Sit up here,” said the guide, then “Lie on your front and look over the edge.” Meanwhile the other guide takes photos. Although we all signed a waiver before we left, I assume they don't actually want to lose any tourists over the falls, and that it is quite safe. Scary, but brilliant! I didn't know it was on my bucket list, but it ought to have been. It was followed by a very tasty breakfast of egg and bacon Benedict.
There's a Portaloo called ‘The loo with a view,’ where you can get changed. I'll put the picture on Facebook. You can sit and look over the upper Zambezi, and see the mist rising from the falls.
The end of the day following a swim in the hotel pool, lunch and a snooze, was a sunset cruise with drinks and nibbles. Saw a pod of hippos, one elephant, some zebra impala and kudu. Saturday morning I'm off with a group; there's four of us and the guide. The couple seem very pleasant, the guy from South Africa I've taken against already, even before he was rude to the receptionist about paying his park fee bill. We shall see.
Zambia seems like Malawi's richer, more sorted, older brother. The people look similar, with similar names and similar language. Everywhere looks a little tidier, the roads have fewer potholes, and the tarmac provides a bit of a pavement. The houses dotted along the side of the road look a little neater, and there are more trees. I've seen fewer goats and more cattle.

---