Victoria Falls

A two hour drive to Vic Falls from Mbala Gate.  Could feel the increased heat as soon as we stepped out of the minibus.  After being dropped at Helen's house we headed straight for the pool!  But I didn't get very far as within seconds of being here Liz Read phoned to say that she was going to swing by with Chris Worden to lend us her car.  How amazing is that?!  I worked with Chris 35 years ago at National Parks, here in the Falls.  He and Liz now run the Falls office of the  Zambezi Safari and Travel Company  ("EXCEPTIONAL JOURNEYS ACROSS AFRICA")  through whom I  booked various parts of our itinerary - activities at The Falls,  Camp Hwange and our flight to Musango (Bumi).  We'll meet up with them again and Gary Jones on Tuesday night.

For many camps visitors have to book through an agent and not direct as these agents were the lifeline during the hard times that Zimbabwe has had to endure.  They help you identify what it is you actually want to do and see as there is such a variety of type of accommodation on offer here and in the region.  It's no good putting someone who is expecting jacuzzis and swimming pools into a camp that does not offer these.

Am I glad to be here or what???!

An hour passed by and in the pool and a chat with Steve and Lisa who are also staying at the house.

Having the car I did a quick tour of the town - past Nat Parks Provincial office where I worked, past our old house (which looks rather pitiful), past Our Lady of Peace where we got married, past where Boots' office would have been, past Elephant Hills, past A'Zambezi River Lodge (where I once worked - my first job in The Falls), past the Croc Farm, past the Boat Club, up to Nat Parks entrance into the Zambezi National Park and then back through the town and down around and over the railway line to the Sopers Curios area, informal market and Elephant Walk shops, then past the Post Office, Air Zim and the banks (I also worked at Barclays Bank!) towards Vic Falls Hotel and Penny's first sight of the bridge and "The Smoke that Thunders - Mosi oa Tunya".  Oh and we also popped in to the Lookout Cafe to see where it is and when it opens.  Managed to fit in a cold Zambezi for me and glass of wine for Penny before it closed at 7pm!

The bridge across the Zambezi to Zambia

By now we were pretty hungry so we went to Ilala Lodge for supper.  We were a bit scruffy and hadn't booked but they found us a space by the swimming pool.  I had some really good tilapia but Penny's steak was a bit disappointing.  The mozzies were apparent and the waiter brought some "Peaceful Sleep" to spray on our legs.  It worked too; mozzies kept at bay and we did sleep well!