The mighty, mighty Zambezi!

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Zimbabwe was emotional. With mixed feelings about our visit to a country torn apart by a vicious dictator, the decision was at least not ours to make, as our tour ended there. Zimbabwe is in dire need of assistance, but I guess it does not have enough oil, or pose enough threat to be worth any first world intervention. So I guess Mugabe will grow fat and old, untouched, which watching his people suffer and die.

Zimbabwe had just revalued their currency a month before we arrived. Prior to this, you needed 20 of their largest banknotes just to make up the equivalent of a US Dollar. It would actually be cheaper to use their money as toilet paper, than buying actual toilet paper! Our tour leader told us of dinners where the bill reached into the millions of Zim Dollars, and having to carry a garbage bag to hold the money to pay. When they revalued the currency, they only allowed each citizen to change over 1 billion Zim Dollars, bad luck if you had any more money than this. One man desperate to preserve his wealth bought a stack of luxury cars just before the currency was changed, only to have them impounded and be thrown into jail for his efforts. Freedom is a distant memory for most Zimbabweans.

Our border crossing could not have summed up the sad situation any better. We were all gazing out the windows like meercats when suddenly gunshots made us all duck and cover. A desperate man was trying to cross the border from Zimbabwe to Zambia and was currently in a fight with a border guard (gun on shoulder) and a civilian (wooden plank in hand). Knocked to the ground by the plank he suddenly had the rifle in his face. Much shouting and crying followed, all ending with a sudden dash from the "prisoner" as he high-tailed it back over the bridge to Zimbabwe. A brave act when the man you are fleeing has a gun in his hand. Welcome to Zim everybody!

Victoria Falls was still an exciting prospect. A genuine wonder of the world! Our first glimpse of the falls was... well nothing. There was literally nothing there! Not even a trickle. Of course, there was still a considerable amount of water going over the falls, just not at the point we could see as we drove over.

Our disappointment did not last for long. Once we got to the tour office were were shown a rafting DVD and told that due to low water flow the conditions were ideal, with several grade 4 and 5 rapids. Pretty much everyone on the tour took up the challenge and the next day took us down 19 rapids of pure adrenaline! The day proved to be a highlight of our tour, once we had overcome our fear.

We would unreservedly recommend white-water rafting on the Zambezi. The guides are amazing, reading the currents like we read a book. The scenery was spectacular with 200ft rock faces and 30m deep churning water being our home for the day. We were transformed from pansy, unco civilians to a mean rafting unit in a matter of 2 rapids. You learn very quickly to paddle, and paddle hard! I think if we were there another full day, most of us would have done it again!

Our final day was spent exploring the falls at eye level, and getting some last-minute bargains from the local market stalls. A tourist is forced to shop only in the official markets, as "Herr Fuhrer" has dictated that if any transactions take place on the street, both parties will be arrested. We decided to take as much tradable goods as possible, which proved very popular. Shirts, pens, socks... anything we had they wanted, even asking for a half-full hayfever nasal spray. They wanted every item of clothing on Bronson's body, which says it all really.

We had lots of fun trading for our merchandise, getting some lovely wood and stone items, but always making sure to include some cash for their efforts. TIP: if you are going through Zimbabwe or Malawi, bring clothes you are willing to trade. Other items they asked for included perfume, sunglasses, shoes/flip flops, hats, and bandannas. Bargain for a cash price first, and then ask what the price will be if you throw in your trade item/s.

So ends our overland tour, next stop Cape Town where we continue our journey on our own.

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Photos

An amazing sight
This photo was taken for us by a honeymooning Zimbabwean couple. They got in for about $5 together, compared to our $35. One of the few perks of being a Zimbabwean at the moment.

What must this be like in High Water?
We passed up taking the helicopter ride due to our tour leader saying that it wasn't worth it (the falls being at their lowest in the 3 years she's been touring).

Devil's Cataract
Low water has the advantage of making the falls visible on foot (instead of being hidden by mist). One day we will return in High Water to see it from the air.

Bronson goes flying
This was one of the scariest things we've done, more scary than jumping off a plane skydiving.

Bronson gets close to the other rafters
If I wasn't there, I'd be a little concerned seeing him in such a compromising position...

Triumphant at having regained his seat
Our guide tells us where the cameras are. The photographer and videographer canoe ahead and set up on the rocks just past each rapid.

So this is why it's called white water rafting
The rapids in the morning were mainly grade 4 and grade 5 with one grade 5.5 which is the highest allowed (we had to get off the rafts and walk past the grade 6).

On the approach to "The Muncher"
Our guide told us there was an 80% chance we'd flip on this rapid...

Paddling hard
The faster you go, the more likely you'll push through

Our guide pulls himself up
After getting onto the bottom of the raft, the guide does a headcount to make sure we're all okay, then flips the raft over.

Happy to have made it to lunch
A very relieved bunch of rafters!

Comments

[jamie]

crazy crazy
sounds like you 2 are having a crazy time as usual!!! sounds awesome, would really like to go rafting up there myself!!! maybe some day when i got sometime i'll grab a couple of mates and follow in your footsteps! keep well and enjoy the journey!