13.Victoria Falls, Zambia - 6 September to 11 September 2009

After our border crossing into Zambia on Sunday 6 September, we crossed the beautiful Zambezi River over an amazingly massive concrete bridge built about 3 or 4 years ago. Arriving in Livingstone we looked at Maramba River Lodge, but decided to go back to the Waterfront where we had stayed in April last year with Paul and Susan. The Waterfront bar has a magnificent view over the river and having a sundowner of local Mosi beer as you watch the sun set over the Zambezi is simply unbeatable.

On Monday we organised our Yellow Card Insurance in Livingstone, and had a rest day followed by the obligatory sundowner. We were camped next to a fellow from Israel who was bike riding towards the north of Africa, and who had travelled extensively in Australia.

We spent the day at Victoria Falls on Tuesday, firstly walking over the Victoria Falls Bridge which links Zambia and Zimbabwe, but no bungee-jumpers to photograph this time. The Zambezi River in September has much less water than in April, when the flow was huge, and walking along the track at the viewing points was like walking through torrential rain, and the Falls were visible intermittently through the mist. This time the flow over the Falls was quite reduced, but we really enjoyed viewing them in a different way. We walked down to the Boiling Pot which is at the base where the water drops, and has a tropical feel to it with a view back up towards the Falls Bridge. After the climb back up, we decided to walk across the river above the Falls (not too close to the edge!) where we could see quite a few people venturing, and where the river has dried and runs between moss covered boulders. Luckily we were approached by a guide who offered to show us the way across, dodging the faster running water between rocks with slippery moss, to where it is safer on dried moss. I still managed to fall into the Zambezi, but from then on took the helping hand of our guide who knew exactly where to place his feet. The view from the top looking down was beautiful, and we could see people on the Zimbabwean side, as well as people on Livingstone Island further across in the middle of the Falls. So really enjoyed the different perspective.

The rest of our time at the Waterfront was restful and pleasant, until we had an overland truck park at our campsite, and tents dotted all around us, so we decided to stock up on groceries and spend the last night at Maramba River Lodge, ready for an early start the next day to Lusaka, capital of Zambia.