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Published: September 29th 2014
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We landed on the run way at vic falls. You are greeted by a small old style airport. Lots of single engine planes sitting on the runway waiting to take you off on safari.
As a UK passport holder I had to pay $55 for my single visa. Passport control that issues these visas is literally 1 person, I believe they have to write every persons detail that come through there into a book, no computers here. Your bags are unloaded and put on the floor before you put them through the X-ray machine! No baggage carousel!!!!
Peace Maker greeted us out side and took our baggage to the combi. He did tell us his actual name, but Peace Maker was its meaning. Much easier to say.
It took us about 40 minutes to drive to Vic falls from the airport. I was hopping for elephants to be on the road, but no such luck.
Our hotel, Elephant Hills, was as described on trip advisor. In need of a little up date but we found it very clean, lovely crisp bedding and towels and the staff where lovely. Nothing was too much trouble.
After we had
checked in, Shepard, the porter, explained the hotel and breakfast times. When he introduced himself as Shepard, it was cause we were all his sheep!!!
The hotel provides a shuttle service into town, they will drop you anywhere you like. We headed off into Vic falls to get our bearings and some liquid supplies. It didn't take long for the guys to be walking along side of you trying to sell you something! It was like running the gauntlet. They'd introduce themselves and tell you what they were selling, they'd ask where you were from and eventually once they got the hint they'd leave. Don't do what I did. Typical British, I said not today thank you, maybe tomorrow!!!! And they remember!
"remember me, 'Promise', you said you'd buy something today!"
We decided to have dinner in the hotel that evening. Godknows was our waiter! Rather than have the buffet we ordered off the menu. I had lamb shank. It was very nice, would have like a little bit more!!
Monday - in the morning I hit the gym, go early to avoid the heat and then have breakfast on the way back. Breakfast was the
normal buffet.
Once wed showered we headed off to the falls, via the supermarket to buy water. 20c in the supermarket and $2 off the street sellers!!
We ran the gauntlet as we had to walk to the entrance a the bottom of the high street.
$50 entrance, so its not cheap. I had no idea what to expect from the 'smoke that thunders'. I don't think health and safety has reached Zimbabwe. You followed the path along the length of the falls and every 100m or less there would be a look out. nothing really to stop you go over!!!
It was amazing. I got totally soaked and loved every minute. I couldn't get over the width of the river. We watched people in Devils pool, only open at certain times of the year and on the Zambian side, so you need a yellow fever cert and another visa!!!
We walked the width of the falls, at a guess 1.5 km. You can take soooooo many photos, but remember to wipe your lens, or at least have something dry to wipe it with!!!
On the evening we took ourselves off to Boma, which
is not just a restaurant but an experience!!! If wed know that and the price wed probably not have gone. It was very nice and a great atmosphere but just not for me. There was typical african dance and music entertainment through out the evening. You had a choice of starter, I had crocodile tail, very much like chicken but very white. Then there was a buffet. Lots of lovely salads and loads of different types of meat to try. I had a warthog steak and kudu stew. I have to say id eat both again and warthog is really nice. But theres only so much you can eat and I certainly didn't feel like I had my moneys worth. it cost $40 each!!!
Tuesday - We had decided to play golf, so to try and beat the heat it was another early start. 7am breakfast and on the t for 8am. $25 for 18 holes. You can hire a caddy if you want. We started with out a caddy, with 1 bag between us. They were in the process of watering the fairways and greens. Oh my word. for the first 3 holes we were dodging sprinklers and
pools of water.
We were teeing off on the 4th and a caddy called Watson came out of nowhere and asked for a job. So now we had a caddy, or in my case another set of eyes for looking for balls.
The course was nice enough, needs a little money spent on it but its challenging and has plenty of wildlife to keep your eyes busy. Waterbuck, warthog and many varieties of antelope.
That evening we took ourselves off to the Victoria Falls hotel for more cocktails and dinner. The day before I had tried the Zambezi sparkles, so thats how i started. followed by a Stanley's. Id throughly recommend either of those. Dinner was very nice with a beautiful sunset behind us and the bridge in front of us.
We took a taxi home and ask if we could go via the big tree, this baobab is huge, it would easily take 8 adults arms stretched to go around it. As the taxi was driving off I noticed an elephant at the side of the road. No more than 10 meters from the car. We watched her and her calf for a couple of
minutes until they got a little rowdy and we left. We learnt a valuable lesson that taxi ride. Always set a prices before you get into the taxi!!!
Wednesday we had booked onto a half day upper zambezi canoe safari. Another early start.
It took us about 1 hour to get the the launch site, but we got a free game drive in the national park included. I was like a bunny in the head lights. My eyes couldn't have gone any bigger. I thought how amazing, I'm sitting on the Zambezi river, never in my life did I think id be doing this!!!
Thursday was a quiet day. In the morning, after gym and breakfast we headed into town to buy last minute presents at the craft market. I got myself a plane made form recycled coke tins! brilliant.
We relaxed around the pool until it was time to go and get ready for our sunset cruise!
We were picked up at 16h20 and driven to the launch site, next to the a'zambize lodge. Our cruise included snacks and drinks!! I was going to get my monies worth!!
We headed up the river
first and saw hippo getting a little angry!! they were showing off, opening their mouths and splashing around. We then got the call to say there were elephants down river. We motored down and just managed to catch 2 elephants half way across the river. Unfortunately we were just a little to far for my lens but it really was something special.
I had an amazing holiday at Vic falls. I want to go back again, so much still to see and do the
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Joyce
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Vic falls
Hi Kate well of all the blogs we've had from you and all the photos you've taken, you've excelled yourself this time. So gobsmacked with reading about your trips and the photos, I can't think of anything to say. For once in my life I' m at a loss for words!!! And you know me Kate when have I ever been lost for words.