Livingstone, Zambia

24 - 26 MAY 2011
ZAMBIA – Country number 11 – ZAMBIA

LIVINGSTONE, VICTORIA FALLS

After a long bus ride made longer by repairs after “the wheel has lost its nuts” we arrived in Livingston, Zambia. The border formalities were minor and the bus was super comfy so all in all the 21 hour trip was not hard work. I walked to Jollyboys Backpackers and pitched my tent for US$6 a night on a great shaded lawn – what a bargain. I rent a blanket here because my 2 airline blankets are not going keep me warm– the predicted overnight temperatures drop below 10° C. And it’s only getting colder the more south I go…. bbrrrrrr

 

First things first and that is to visit the Victoria Falls which actually span across the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe with a bridge frontier crossing the boiling chasm below. The town of Livingstone is actually 11 Kms away from the falls themselves, and is an existing Zambian town that became more popular after visiting Zimbabwe fell out of favour with tourists over the past few years. Jollyboys offers a free shuttle every morning and even before we get near the entrance to the park, the shuttle stops to show us the cloud of vapour rising from the falls. US$20 gets me in the gate of Zambia’s Mosi-Oa-Tunya (The Smoke That Thunders) National Park and I traipse all day here in the sunshine. You can hear the sound of the water cascades a long time before getting anywhere near them and then when you do – WHOA. Water, water everywhere! The mist is a downpour on the viewing path and I think fondly of my poncho back in my tent. Who knew there’d be so much water? The only concession I’ve made is to bring a zip lock bag for my camera – durr! Photographing the falls here complete with rainbows is nigh on impossible due to the water falling everywhere along the fenceless paths. A feature of the Zambian side viewing here is crossing Knife Edge Bridge and I give it a couple of shots on my own but the force of the water and the knowledge of how high I am is very discouraging for a chicken like me – so I wait for a tour group to come along (complete with ponchos) and ask the guides if I can join them to cross the bridge – of course and I am kindly shepherded along this narrow bridge that has inches of water gushing underfoot with a force of falling water such that it is even difficult to keep your eyes open while trying to walk across the bridge, using our hands to grasp the side railings as a guide the whole way. Imagine someone aiming six hoses at you and turning them on full force and you will have some idea of what it was like! I make it across and meet up with Anna from Norway who has a waterproof camera and she kindly takes some shots for me as by now I am completely drenched along with everything in my bag except for my camera in its zip lock bag! We wander the park’s paths and compare travel itineraries together for a lot of the day. To get back ACROSS Knife Edge Bridge, I attach myself to an Aussie from Perth whose wife is waiting on the other side, being too scared to cross! Anna and I head along the path that takes us to the lip of the falls at the Eastern Cataract where I spend an hour or so in the sun drying out. Eventually we part and then I take the low path down to view the ‘Boiling Pot’ whirlpool at river level where the Zambezi river violently swirls after being forced out of a narrow chasm. A great day interrupted only by a few annoying chaps looking for friends/customers/anyone who will talk to them really! After arriving at the park around 10.30am I finally leave around 5pm – had to get my $20 value! But it was a once in a lifetime visit that was truly breathtaking and amazing!
The town of Livingstone doesn’t really have a lot to recommend it other than a few colonial era buildings and a museum that contains a collection of original David Livingstone letters and memorabilia, along with maps dating back to the 1600s.
But there is plenty on offer here in town to help tourists part with their money – fling yourself off the 'Zim/Zam bridge? Whizz along a zipline? Giant swing over the river canyon? Walk with lion cubs (that will never return to the wild?) A sunset cruise with all you can drink (colloquially known as a booze cruise) along the Zambezi? Uh uh What about a high tea at the Royal Livingstone Hotel situated at the lip of the falls on the Zambezi riverfront with tea served in fine china? Mmmm Then stay for a sunset over the Zambesi river? Mmmmmm ! Royal Livingstone Hotel for a High Tea buffet – or as we say to each other “all you can eat cake”! lol What a hoot – fab surroundings on the zambezi river, in sight of the falls ‘smoke’, gorgeous comfy chairs on the veranda or take seat inside to be serenaded by a piano player. There is every sort of tea you desire served in Royal Albert fine china teapots, cups etc. MAGNIFICENT. Many of the customers today are backpackers from Jollyboys who make many a raid on the mini quiches until they run out. The finger sandwiches last the distance and one english guy proudly proclaims at the end that he “has tried every one of the cakes on offer” and that would be at least 30 different varieties. The highlight though would have to be the marauding monkeys who have mastered a grab and run approach to supplement their diet. I was sitting near a doorway, and next thing I knew there was a monkey perched on the wing chair opposite me on the other side of my table, helping himself to MY cucumber sandwiches! I tried shooing him ineffectually with my serviette and as he fled he smashed half the china on the table! This went on at other tables outside at various intervals, with staff running about on the alert for sneaky monkeys and trying to head them when sighting them – what a hoot! Then I relaxed in front of a gorgeous sunset from the hotel lawns, with the pink hues reflected off the thick clouds of mist from the falls – the smoke that thunders? Yep
Now a boo and a brickbat for the ANZ Travelcard – after many calls and emails to this bank I reach an impasse because I cannot remember my ‘secret access code’. Yes I can remember my pin, yes I can give all the right answers to questions identifying me but that blasted code escapes me and I find I cannot use the card to withdraw any money. Turns out that some kind call centre bird took offence at my impatient ranting, declared fraud on the card and put a stop on the account. After more emails home to Terry, he competently found all the paperwork AND EMAILED ME ALL DETAILS required by the ANZ (gosh I hope they read this and get the irony of privacy!!) After another short and sweet call back to ANZ (for the fifth time) to now quote a correct secret access code and assure them the card is ok, a drone took the stop off and it’s now working to access my money again! YAAHHHH
My tent back gives up the ghost here after travelling many miles and I really imagine what I will use until I go to the market here and find a folding chair bag (minus the chair) –perfect replacement tent bag. Alas no sleeping bags….
Onwards to Zimbabwe tomorrow!

FACT: Estimates of water cascading over the Eastern Cataract are 550,000 cubic metres per minute at peak flow, but owing to heavy rains that volume is even greater now! According to available scientific evidence, the Victoria Falls have moved upstream 8 times leaving a series of gorges on their way to their present site. The first of these gorges lies about 2/3 of the way from the chasm’s western end at which point the 2 Km wide river is compressed into a 60m channel. It is this lateral squeeze that gives the falls their ferocious speed. There are no accurate figures but estimates of 40Kmh are given for low flow.