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Published: August 15th 2008
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Victoria Falls
View of the falls from the stock standard tourist side. Hi everyone!
I finally have some quiet time to update you all on my adventures. I have just left Zanzibar but have seen many things on my way. So I guess I will begin with Livingstone....
My time in Livingstone began with a traditional must do trip to Victoria Falls. WOW! I can understand why it is one of the seven wonders of the world. The water is a force to be reckoned with and even though you stand metres and metres away from it you still get drenched from the spray. I decided to look into the falls a little deeper and on my 4th day in Livingstone I went on a guided tour of the falls. This was awesome and I was very very happy because it was a stylish tour which included 'High TEA" and those that know me, know how I luv, luv, luv high tea. To be hoest that was the big selling point! But I got more than I bargained for when we got in a boat and were taken closer to the tip of the falls. OMG! We each had to be guided one by one to the edge where we could take
Vic Falls
View of the falls from standing on the other side. Was right on top of it during my High Tea adventure. piccies but we were sternly warned that the guide would hold onto us at all times. It was at this point that I realised I was near the devils pool but too my dissapointment the opportunity to swim to the edge of the falls was not allowed at this time of the year. They were re-opening the swim in 12 days. Bum!!! I missed it by 12 days..... oh well..... will just have to come back! We were then escorted to a lovely High tea Afternoon were we drank tea, pimms and ate cakes and quiches. It was heaven. The day continued to get better when we jumped back on the boat and went to the Royal Livingston Hotel. This Hotel is..... my kinda place.... he he he. We went to the decking area where we sipped cosmoploitans, ate free food and watched the hippos as the sunset. I really thought I had died and gone to heaven. The thought of returning to camping made me want to cry!!
While in livingstone I also improved my wheeling and dealing skills at the local market. I brought lots of pressies for everyone using the local currency as well as trading
Two Cute!
Driving through Malawi clothes and batteries. For some batteries and a packet of sultanas as well at 50 Kwacha (that's nothing!) this guy gave Sheena and myself 2 wooden hippos. Very cool! Since then my bargaining is impressive. Can't wait to show you everything.
I guess the most amazing adventure in livingstone was the white water rafting down the Zambezi. Why I chose to do this I will never know but I AM NEVER DOING IT AGAIN! It was insane! For starters we had to hike down this cliff side which took what felt like hours. That in itself exhausted me but once we got to the bottom the real adventure began. I could not believe it when the guide Steve told us that the first Rapid was a grade 5 and if we could make it through that we would be fine for the rest. HE IS A BIG FAT LIAR!!!! Here I was thinking this is all going to be A ok! We had watched lots of boats go through and most had made it. We were the last ones to go and as we started our stride to the finish line the boat in front of us went over.
Horse Riding at Kande Beach
I hate this photo. For obviouse Female reasons but love my face I was right at the front of the boat and just thought OH SHIT! We tried so hard but had no hope.... we were amatures! We didn't even get over the first wave when this King Kong mother wave came and swallowed us whole....
I will now move onto the moment that I call 'Death at it's best!". I went under water and did not come up for an eternity. When I finally came to the top I was breathless and scared. Waves were crashing over me from all angles and I had lost all bearings. I knew I was in the middle of the rapid. It was hard to breathe because the life jacket was tight aroung my chest, water was going in my mouth and the dudes that were supposed to come and save me were nowhere to be seen. I was struggling!!!! Basically they saved me when I made it to calm waters again. I didn't even have the energy to pull myself onto the boat. I was the last one to be saved and the only one who did the entire rapid in the water.
I was very happy to discover that all
Hospital
Only one Hospital room and this is it! those years of life saving at school and the adds on tele really did work cause when I thought I was going to die I raised my hand out of the water so they could see me. Impressively it was a natural reaction to the situation. Really glad I paid attention! Mum all those hard earned dollars you put into my education have actually paid divedends! Thanks!
It took me days to get over the experience. Cazily some of the people who did it could not swim.
The first leg of my tour ended in Livingstone so sadly I said goodbye to some of the cool group I was travelling with and we met new people. They are nice but once again married or female!!!!
We made it ti Malawi where I finally got to see ocean...... only it wasn't , it was actually a massive Lake! We stopped at Senga Bay for a quiet, remote night and then headed to Kande Beach. When I arrived there Sheena, Jenny and myself did an incredible horse ride through some local villages and then took the horses into the water for a swim. I had a cheeky horse! It
Dinner with a family in Malawi
Just before I was bombarded! The kids love to see photos of themselves. is soooo hard to ride bare back!
The following morning we went on another amazing township tour. This time we visited the local hospital.... Oh boy!!! The doctor is 22 years old and does not have a full degree. She has only studied for 2 years. What a wonder women! She took us through the whole one room of beds and lots of women were waiting to see her with their children. Malawi is known for the amount of orphans it has as a direct result of AIDS. Every second shop you drive past is a coffin shop. We also went and spoke to some volunteers who are helping to educate the people about the transfer if HIV. We visited another school and in the evening one of the local families cooked us a traditional meal. I took my camera and was showing the children some of the videos I have taken while away. They were so excited and kept telling everyone that they were watching a film. Before I knew it I was swamped by about 10 local children.
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Jane M
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Beats Sitting in an Office
Yes Rachelle - all this does beat sitting in an office-reading your blog just makes me want to walk out right now. Sounds like you are really havinga great time. I won't comment on your spelling (HAHAHA)