We are slow learners. We are also slow drivers and very optimistic about the road conditions and budgeting time for travel in Africa. Hence we were driving into Lusaka in the dark again on a very aggressive section of road. The trouble is that your destination will often be the most busy section of road and therefore the section you will most likely drive after dark. We packed up camp and then enjoyed the views of the Gorge around Taita Falcon Lodge, which are breathtaking, before heading down to the falls.

The falls now cost $25 per person to get in with a $5 parking fee so it would be $55 to get in. All prices in Livingstone are incredibly inflated. Perhaps it is the tourist boom ten years ago that met the Global Financial Crisis which has forced people to put up prices or perhaps it's just an old problem that greed runs in very close parallel to tourism and they know people will still pay such high prices to see something so spectacular. The rafting is $150 for a day and bungee jumping is $120 (in 2006 the bungee jumping was $90, I'm not sure how the dollar prices can inflate so much?).

Anyway, Joey managed to get us in for $25 total, which I'm sure her father the "tour guide" would be very proud of her for doing! The volume of water is amazing, you can hardly see the falls through the mist and we were absolutely soaked in no time, Ant wearing just his baggies and Joey wrapped in a poncho. After about an hour there we were on the road to Lusaka at 12:30.

The drive is uneventful and the roads pretty good but to enjoy driving through Zambia's endless bush to either side is beautiful. It was only the last 50km that were hairrasiing but we got through with no problems. It's just so tricky because the roads are narrow with no lines let alone cat's eyes and trucks fly forcing you right to the edge where the potholes are and the road often breaks away. We were lucky though in that we knew where we were heading which is makes a late arrival less stressful.

Michael and Dorothy live in what seems to be quite an upmarket area of Zambia with some embassies and the international school nearby. They really welcomed us with open arms and treated us to a wonderful meal of nsima and beef stew with rice and potatoes and coleslaw. It was so nice to be hosted and taken care of and chat to folks who we could relax a bit with.