African Adventure part 3 - August 2022

 I think it is law that if you are in Victoria falls, you go and see the falls. We got the tram there, crossing illegally into Zambia, all ok apparently, if you're on the tram. We took a short walk to a couple of viewing platforms and it helped me decide I was not up for any of the adrenaline activities on offer. We had a cup of tea in the middle of the bridge, the first one which was commissioned by Rhoades over a century ago. Very impressive and great to see the water, falling. The drop of around 129m. Still one of the natural wonders of the world. I was impressed, having seen Niagra falls, this was better. 

This area is still in a national park and as if to prove that we saw a few elephants just off the tram tracks. 

We lounged by the pool for a few hours after that, too cold to swim in but refreshing to dip our feet in. Camping in berks places helps you appreciate the importance and value of a good shower. The ones here being the best so far. Proper hot water, guys fast water flow, lockable door and rough places to hang stuff so it doesn't get wet. I also very much appreciate toilet paper. 

After a great shower and putting on a dress a beautiful friend had given me,  we took a short walk to the Victoria hotel for high tea. It was so lovely and filling, I couldn't finish it all. A was particularly excited by the macarons, me by the beef and horseradish sauce sandwich and I let BigA have my smoked salmon one. The hotel is, as you'd expect very grand with lush green lawns that contrast the white of the building. Old trees placed, it feels very carefully so the view looks towards the falls and the bridge. I could easily see a Miss Marple adventure here. 

 It's been really good to be able to walk to all the locations in Victoria, it feels very safe and, despite a few hawkers around,  pleasant enough and they don't stick at it once you've said no thank you a couple of times. We don't walk anywhere to go out in Malawi, the pavements are not great and the distances just a bit too far really. 

Then it was back to the side of the pool to sit in the shade for a bit. We rounded off the day with a meal out and a short walk back to the campsite. Zimbabwe isn't designed for vegetarians but we had more choice here and we've enjoyed the meals a lot. 

Sunday morning I woke up before the rest of my family and sat in the rising sunshine enjoying the warmth on my face. We packed up ready for our third country of the trip. Stopped just before the border for a big breakfast and over we went. It was relatively straight forward but the car was a bit of a complication, road tax and carbon tax and checking of engine numbers, but we got through, over the bridge and into Zambia. 

Our next campsite was situated on the Zambizi. The town of Livingstone which is very close to where we had just been. A nice setting still in a national park with warning signs for elephant, hippos and crocodiles. We did a quick shop and feet up camp, ate, made a fire by our tent and had an earlish night. The following morning we got up for another trip to the falls, but a walking one and much closer to the water. It was so beautiful, rainbows all over the place, walking close enough to get wet from the spray. This is a dryer time of year and so we didn't get soaked. The walk goes through a grove that they refer to as a rainforest. Pretty small lilac flowers that contrast with the green all around. The water at times defying gravity and falling up, looking like a moment in a sci Fi film. Our guide was great, telling us various facts that I doubt I'll remember. On the way I thought I saw one of the best roadside animal statues but when it moved I realised it was a real zebra. Just grazing at the side of the road! 

After a quick stop back at the campsite we went to one of the national art galleries. We were lucky to get a tour of the exhibition, based on the exploration of local identity and the connection to healing, traditional and otherwise. 

Zambia feels much more like Malawi, the ladies in chitengi cloth around their waists and carrying heavy loads on their backs and heads. Several shops that are the same as in Malawi ShopRite and Pepp, but more organised and better kept. Shelves are full and there is a lot more choice. It felt nice to be in familiar settings and I had to keep stopping myself from saying zikomo, I later discovered that it works here too, although not an official language, one that has some same words and well known by most. 

Then lunch before heading to a museum. This was, what at first seemed a strange mix of a steam railway and Jewish museum. The guide gave a good tour and explained that there are only two Jewish museums in Africa. That many Jews who did settle in Zambia were part of the railway infrastructure and built shops and more, some getting involved in the politics of the country. 

After that we did a bit of pool time, the water icy cold and then onto a sunset cruise where I met a lovely woman cashed Rabecca and her husband Khasuba. We chatted the evening away and A ended up spending time with a group of teenagers also on the boat. Probably very pleased to have a bit of younger company. 

We hadn't fully decided to stay for another night or not, waking up to a beautiful sun and an invite with our newly made friends for coffee and a day by the pool was too tempting. There is something very freeing about changing your plans and going with the flow this way. BigA also wanted to change one of the tyres on the Bongo which Khasuba was happy to help with. 

Stone cooked pizza for dinner with our new pals. We also had the leftover pizza for breakfast the next morning, heating it on our little camping stove. 

And do Wednesday morning rolled around and we set off, as Livingstone is just a short drive from the Zimbabwean border it was good to get on the road and start to see more. The single track roads are in good shape and there is even something of a hard shoulder. The colour still not quite that of Malawi with a lot more long grass and, like other places area where it had been burnt back to create firebreaks and clear the edge of the road. Again, fewer people around and more sense that it's all being looked after. A quick stop at a road side services on our way to Lusaka. The next bit of road a bit rougher but improved. Like Malawi there is a mix of walls painted with advert and more modern looking ones, as we drove deeper into the city it began to look more industrialised with so many Casinos. Again familiar shops and a lot of traffic. Lots of people at the slow moving traffic selling fruit & vegetables, clothes, cables, kitchen stuff and I even saw a sealed box of Scrabble. The city isn't as clean as the rest of the country we've seen but still feels more cared for than a lot of Malawi. 

We pulled into a simple backpacker place BigA had booked. The luxury of a proper bed for a few nights making a welcome change, especially as it is the same price as the next nearest campsite. The next morning we got up slowly and headed into the city centre to do some retail therapy. We found a few good shops and A enjoyed trying on various floaty things, she got some lovely stuff. BigA and I also got a few uninspiring and sensible things. But it was good to get a pair of jeans that fitted and a replacement top. We probably could have looked for more places but I'm not great at long shopping trips. 

We went for Korean food for our evening meal and Ra and her boys joined us (she lives in Lusaka) we had such a fun night, great food, so different to what we have access to, even in London I think. She's great company and so were her sons. We did lots of laughing. It's also great to get some local recommendations and advice. 

Yesterday we set off to a lodge called Chaminuka, which Ra recommend because it has a cheese tasting experience. Which of course we partook in. A short drive from the lodge to an artificial cave and we ate a fair amount of cheese and we sampled the coffee too. Then we headed back to the lodge which was a stunning place, full of art and amazing furniture. The house of A's dreams she said, complete with a library, a cat and kitten in residence. Such style and grace and we had a big lunch there too looking out over the a reservoir and expanse of the game park around it. No big game here so there were goat, donkey, cows, sleep and ostrich roaming free. We saw a herd of giraffe too, and a few zebra and Impala. While sitting in the huge upstairs room, digesting and reading my book I heard a voice call 'Ms Doherty' and there stood an ex pupil. Such a lovely young man, not by very long, we hugged and chatted for a short time before he had to set off. 

We opted for Mexican for our evening meal and try to recall where, what and when we had eaten and our favourite so far. The night before scoring highly. We happily listened to a podcast we all enjoy on our way home and then, for the last time this trip, we headed to bed in the backpackers lodge. 

This morning we're heading off to our final destination of the trip, with one stop over to break up the journey.