Day 9 - Livingstone, Zambia

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An early start though not too bad, as our tents had to be in Frik and Sonja's truck by 7am. When we finally located our new truck and transferred all my things (in the rain) and had taken my tent down (on my own) it was 7.30am. Oh well - they weren't ready anyway. We have a new guide and truck from this point onwards. I just had time to stuff my belongings into my new tent before leaving to go to Livingstone Island. My taxi driver (Andy) took me to the Royal Livingstone Hotel (a 5* hotel, v nice, felt scruffy) where half an hour later I was picked up by Felix on 2 two large canoes with outboards.

After getting a life jacked we zipped along right to the edge of the falls for about 3-5 minutes and alighted at Livingstone Island. He was the first Western person to see the Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders). He said upon seeing them:

On sights as beautiful as this, angles in their flight must have gazed"

The spray was amazing up to hundreds of feet high. We walked through the forest, past the Loo with a View to the front of the Island, passing red Fireball Lily plants (like big pompoms). On the rocks we edged closer to the edge and saw the gorge stretching off into the distance, Zambia on one side, Zimbabwe on the other. The dry side (i.e. when the river is not in full flow) was actually a bit wet, because of all the rain yesterday and this morning. This also made the water muddy instead of clear. After photos here we headed to the Main falls, which are year round. It was spectacular. The updraft created by the water impacting the gorge bottom, hundreds of feet below, was causing some smaller waterfalls to fall up not down. Incredible!

It was such a rush standing on a rock about 30cm from the edge looking down! There was a poor crab who had been washed down onto a rick right on the edge. Every time he tried to put a foot out he got wet by a big stream of water. I think he was going to get washed over if he was not careful! Floating around in the river and fairly zooming off the edge were bunches of cabbage water lily with delicate lilac flowers, like an iris with yellow stripes.

According to the waiters who talked to me at the hotel and later the guide, last year 3 elephants and 2 hippos were washed over the edge, for the first time in living memory. Their bodies were found downstream.

Some people in our group swan out to the Devil's pool, right at the edge, but it involved swimming against the current and I was too chicken! So I stayed and took some photos, which was exhilarating as it was! After everyone was back we went to the dining tent with a beautifully laid table for eggs benedict (I had the muffin, spinach and bacon) and warm muffin (scone) with jam and butter. I also had two cups of tea! Very very nice! The first time I have felt pampered all holiday! Too quickly it was over and we had to leave, the boats being a bit slower against the current! The boat ride was also very cool, bouncing along, skipping over the waves.

Back at the hotel I went to the loo (lovely! lovely! towels! soap! a door!) and just as I was walking out, a maid cleaned my bootprints off the floor. I felt very lower class like a worm amongst beautiful peacocks. It must have been check out time at the hotel because some singers were saying goodbye to the guests with song. I came back to the campsite and found Ben and Becky watching their washing dry - Frik had warned us that the monkeys would run off with it.

As it wasn't raining, I washed some of my clothes and hung them outside my tent so I could see them. I spent a very boring day watching my clothes. I did my diary and some sudoku puzzles and no monkeys even came close. They are vervet monkeys and there are a troop that live on the campsite. Some are males with sky blue balls, and there are some mums with little babies. They look cute but can bite!

We cooked pasta for dinner for Ben, Becky, myself and Tilly-Vicky-Elsa. It was good but not really a proper meal. After a shower, the others went to watch a film but I went on the internet to update my blog (as there is reasonable internet here!) After an hour and a half my back was aching, so I went to bed.

Lots of Love,

Sally xxxxxxxxxxx

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Comments

[Mum and dad]

postcard
Hello darling, Thank you for the lovely postcard - I love the lilac breasted roller - it's a beauty. It was lovely to talk to you the other night; the blog is great but talking is better! The riding in the lake sounds wonderful, what super opportunities! lots of love, Mum and Dad