On to Southern Africa....

I arrive in Lusaka by plane - had considered overlanding but it would take a week to get to Zambia from Rwanda via boat and bus. Considering the boat which brings you through Lake Tanganyika leaves every second Wednesday (and that's not even guaranteed) I decide that spending money on the flight is the best way to go!

Leave Lusaka almost as soon as I arrive - apparently there isn't much to see here. I've booked an overlanding trip with Acacia Adventures which departs from Livingstone so need to get to get there to meet my group asap!

Pass through some very arid but beautiful countryside and really cute villages en route to Livingstone. Livingstone itself is nice but pretty commercial.

As it turns out, I'm a day early for my overlanding trip but it gives me a chance to spend a good half day at Victoria Falls. The falls really are spectacular. It's hard to say if I'm more impressed by these or Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian/Argentinian border. You really get the chance to get up close to the falls as there's a boardwalk along the perimeter. Even with a rain-jacket and two ponchos I'm totally soaked within the first couple of minutes! There's a lovely walk along the source and a steep trail down to what is called 'Boiling Point' at the bottom of the falls. From here you can sit and take in the adventurous bungee jumpers on the bridge opposite which connects Zambia and Zimbabwe. There is also a spectacular rainbow visible from this point and its really just a nice place to sit and take it all in!

The Acacia group I'm joining are camping at The Waterfront, a hotel/camp site in the outskirts of Livingstone. There are amazing views from the veranda/bar over the Zambezi river and the mists created by the falls further west. The locals call the falls 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' or 'The smoke that Thunders' - also the name for the popular local beer!

I finally meet my co-travelers for the coming 3 weeks - mostly Brits and Ozzies who have a great time mimicking my accent throughout the trip! They turn out to be a really great bunch! The group are treating themselves to High Tea at The Royal Livingstone Hotel on their last night in Livingstone so would be rude not to join! This is really posh and totally surreal but enjoyable nonetheless - crust-less sandwiches, a selection of probably about 30 types of tea and every kind of dessert you can imagine! Back to our tents in the evening (surrounded by frogs and baboons) - it's a different type of traveling but suits me better methinks!

On to Botswana next - Victoria Falls is amazing. I gather between that and Lusaka, that's all there really is to see in Zambia!