8-10 Victoria Falls

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After leaving Chobe National Park we headed to the Zimbabwe border. I paid $30 to get my Visa (first Visa in my passport). Poor Canadians had to pay $75/each. After the border we drove about 2 hours to Victoria Falls. Here we drove around, saw the entrance to Vic Falls, located the activity center, the market....everything within walking distance.

When we arrived to the Rest Camp, a few of us decided to upgrade. The way that the upgrades were set up were a small building with two bedrooms (each with two beds), small dinning area, kitchen, bathroom with tub/shower. So there were four parties that wanted to upgrade...myself, Danny, Mike & Linda, Yvette & Daniel. So the two couples took one building...myself and Danny took the other one. Meaning I had a bedroom with two beds, Danny has his own bedroom with two beds.

For the rest of the day, I just hung out, got a bite to eat, relaxed. In the evening we, as a group, went to the local restaurant and ate at the buffet. Our last evening together. The buffet was pretty good. It was at the Kingdom Hotel. I tried Kudo and a fried worm. I also had one of their mixed drinks....boy they do not skimp on the alcohol. Clearly I did not drink the whole thing.

The following morning I was up early. I went to the reception area and waited for my shuttle to do an elephant back safari. That was pretty cool. I am not a fan of it as a whole though, I do not think elephants are intended for people to ride on their backs. But overall the experience was good. I think the elephants are treated well and I think it is a good experience for people to know a bit about the animals. I learned a lot myself. Some of the things I learned:


• not all elephants grow tusks
• those that do, they use them as a tool-therefore those without have a more difficult time getting what they need
• all in all elephants only have about 5 babies in their livetime
• 22 gestation for mom's to carry their babies
• the young ones surely hang around mom until 13-15 years old
• usually the young ones stop nursing around 2 (though the one I road, had a young one...he was 5...still nursing...momma's boy)
• their full adult weight can be anywhere from 4-7 tons
• they are gentle beings, usually do not care people are around and will only charge if they feel threatened, especially around the young ones


The safari was about 45 minutes. The guide that was on the elephant was very knowledgeable. And it was interesting to hear his story as well. He, along with a number of other "elephant guides" work about 24 straight days. Then they go home to their village for 6 days and come back and do it all again. Ontop of that, they pay $100 to room where they room to work the 24 days (where you would think that would be free). He has been doing this for about 6 years. Can you imagine?

After our ride with our elephant, we were pleasantly surprised to meet Sylvester. Sylvester is a rescue cheetah. He was the only surviving cub of 5, his mother was killed and four siblings were killed by a male lion. Which is not uncommon in the wild. Wild Horizons use Sylvester to be an ambassador to help educate people not only about the species itself but maybe for human and wildlife to live together.

On the way back to the rest camp I asked the shuttle driver if he would be willing to make a pit stop for me and drop me off at the entrance to Vic Falls. He agreed. I did opt to take a raincoat only because I did not want my camera to be destroyed. So I kept my Nikon in my case and used my backup. I am glad that I did because my back got soaked. Victoria Falls is quite massive. I am not sure if it is the biggest waterfall, I do not recall what I have read, but it is certainly the largest that I have seen. It was definitely high water season too, so much so that they canceled water rafting and the "devil's pool" to swim in because of the danger.

I decided to walk the trail because in the afternoon I took a helicopter ride over the Falls. Talk about breathtaking. So unreal the mass, the strength of this waterfall.

After the Vic Falls waterfall, I manage to make my way back to the rest camp not after being hounded by a number of street sellers. Nothing like seeing this white chick walking down the street by herself...an easy target for sellers. "I will sell you this elephant for $25"...."no thank you."...."how about $20?"...."no thanks"...."what about trading for your shoes?"....."excuse me? I need my shoes!"...."How about $15?"..."no"...."where are you from?"...."America" I say....."OBAMA!!!" they say....I say "YES, indeed...I voted for him twice"...."how about the big and small elephant for $20?"...."no"...."15$?"...."no"......After awhile every time one approached me I would say "Hello. I'm from America...Pres. OBAMA....and no I'm not interested". :-)

I made it back to the rest camp with about an hour to spare, while I made my way back I ran across the "t-shirt guy". He developed t-shirts that aimed at the tour that we were doing. The shirt was $25. I only had $20s...while his partner went and hunted down change for a $20 we got to talking. Basically he was under the impression because I was from America and on vacation in Africa that I must be well off. I said "no...this is my first trip overseas". But your parents help you out. Ummmm....no, my mother died last year and even when she was around, I was more like the parent. I'm the only person in my family with a college education...and no my parents did not help me achieve this. "Ohhhh" he says!! I tell him "granted America's struggles are probably far from Africa's but don't assume that just because I'm on vacation that I must be well off or have things handed to me". He got it eventually. I am not sure if he believed me but I was a little annoyed. He asked me how long I've been saving to come, even asked how much I saved a month to go to Africa. Ugh.

Anyways, back to the helicopter ride...I met the shuttle at 1:45 at reception. Heading over to the helicopter pad for about 13 minutes. Again delightful. There were three of us. All from different groups. The other lady was a physician from Canada. She asked us if either wanted to ride in front. I said I did. She did as well. She was going to flip for it but I told her she could take it. I rode in a medical helicopter and I got to ride in the front. She's a physician, she even stated that when she has been on the medical helicopter, she's always been in back with the patient.

After my return from the helicopter flight, I made my way out of the rest camp and onto my final destination....a night at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge . I highly recommend this lodge for anyone going. It is backed up to a National Park. The lodge overlooks a watering hole. When I arrived, I was about 15 minutes late after check in. I was booked for the main section of the lodge but then I was walked over to the club. I thought, I should not be here. But when the meeting was finished, I asked why I was upgraded. The manager stated because they overbooked. Cool I thought.

When I walked into the room, I thought holy shit!!!! Big bed, a standup shower, a fullsized bathtub. For real?!? The manager proceeded to tell me that a lady would be around 6:30ish. I asked "why, I just checked in?" The manager stated "to turn your bed down". Well clearly my facial expression said "why would she come and do that?!?" Soon after I was in the room, a man knocked on the door. He wanted to clean my patio...bird poo or monkey poo. I thought WOW!!!

I took a nice hot shower. Read my kindle ap on my ipad and took a nap for about 45 minutes. When I awoke I went over to the bar that overlooks the watering hole. I do not eat big meals in one sitting, so the Buffalo Bar was a better option than waiting until nighttime for the Boma restaurant. While eating my burger and having a drink, I witnessed Impala, Kudo, warthogs and some birds. Eventually a elephant came over, soon after a second one. Really?!? This is right outside of the lodge I was staying in. WOW is all I have to say. I purchased this hotel room for $155 on Expedia. Well worth it.

It was time to go home on the 17th. So I boarded a plane at Vic Falls airport (very very small), transferred in Johannesburg. Then went onto London. In London I left the airport via London Express and walked to the Wax Museum . I should say before leaving the train station, I went in and bought a coat...it was nippy, I was wearing a t-shirt. The walk to the museum took about 30 minutes. It was pretty easy navigation. I went to the museum, reallly....lets face it. For the sole purpose of seeing the Michael Jackson display. :-) I am a freak...it's okay (yes the tattoo that you see on my right back at the Hickman Airforce Base is of MJ...his artwork in his autobio Moonwalk , though I shaded in the hat.) I kind of regretted going. It was so crowded and I HATE crowds...ugh how much I hate crowds and really, I do not think the MJ one looked like him. At the end of the Museum though, they had the Marvel SuperHeros 4D show, which was pretty stinking cool.

After the museum, I headed back to the airport because I was not sure if I had time to get on the Big Tour Bus that goes in a loop. At the airport I hung out and read. I finished reading Andrew Bowen's Project Conversion. I downloaded it on Kindle when it was free (he advertised it on his FB page). About his journey through his understanding of different religions. In 2011, he abided by a different religion each month...Bali, LDS, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, among others. I like to know things by nature, so the book left me wanting more. I had a Mormon friend, who stopped practicing years ago but I read up on it years ago because I wanted a better understanding of the religion. Same with Jewish. Same with Muslim.

Now onward home....

**the photos of the animals at the watering hole at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge were all taken from the Buffalo Bar balcony**

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Photos

Elephant back Safari
The 5 year old baby still nursing

Comments

[Anneline]

Planning to go
Hopefully by the end of this year or beginning of 2014, I would love to visit Harare and Victoria Falls. I will definitely be adding it to my blog! It looks like you had so much fun. Did you work as a nurse in Zimbabwe?

[NoLimitations]

Zimbabwe
No, this time I did not go to Africa to work as a nurse though it has always been a dream of mine to go on medical missions overseas as a nurse. I aim to go on one hopefully in the next year or so. Vic Falls was very lovely. If you are used to the market feel, you'll be fine. If you are not, which I was not, just beware you will be hounded to buy things. If not buy things, then trade things. But people were incredibly friendly.