We made it, 

Victoria Falls here we are. We and feeling very much like Livingston (the first white to see the falls) must have, i e tired and grubby as we went looking for accommodation. With no booking this proved a little difficult but were told at the Sprayview Hotel we could have a room with twin beds. Heather pulled a look somewhere between an appeal and I'm going to dissect you, and common sense prevailed, we were provided with a double. Great except the door does not lock!. A much needed shower and down to dinner, a bit more confusion but eventually a good and cheap meal ensued, with local Zim dancer/singers performing a rendition of Waltzing Matilda. Then finally with the car pulled as close as possible against the door and a chair pushed up on the inside, we were in bed.

Next morning we were woken with a cup of tea which was lovely (but we had ordered coffee). On our way to the falls we stopped at the supermarket so Heather could grab some essentials, Avan stayed with the car to ensure we still had one. Heather came back to report that armed guards patrol the aisles, you know, just an everyday shopping experience!

It was all worth it, absolutely worth it, "Mosi Oa Tunya" local lingo for "The Smoke That Thunders", Victoria Falls are awesome, spectacular, large, loud, wet, stunning, amazing did we say awesome? 

Truly it is a wonderful, magnificent, experience, we wandered around the scenic site, in the spray, taking in the many falls, enjoying the small but vibrant rain forest, watching the white water rafters way down in the Zambesi Canyon, and the idiots on the other side climbing on the precarious cliff face. We chatted to fellow travellers, also with awed looks on their faces, and watched the bungy jumpers leaping off the bridge, spanning the border between the Z's (Zimbabwe and Zambia), and free falling 110 metres into the Zambesi Canyon, until almost out of sight, before recoiling back up. Must have nerves of steel, - not for us!. The video camera rolled, and was even set up on tripod. Eventually we reluctantly realized we had to head on our way.

Our trip back to Bulawayo was a little more relaxed and we stopped at several roadside stalls, many with wonderful wood carvings, but logistical nightmares to carry and get through WA customs. We even stopped and gave a lift to a lady walking back to her camp with some oil (she reckoned a mechanic had drained it and not put the oil back, we reckoned she had big problems, but held our comments). There were numerous kids around, we stopped and gave some our empty drink bottles, and bought some boab nuts, quite tasty in a funny way.

Eventually arriving back in Bulawayo we went on our eternal quest for accommodation. At one hotel we were told that one room was left, it just needed cleaning, OK we will wait. Next minute we were told there were no rooms and that noticing a local couple had walked in, it was obvious we had been discriminated against. Never mind, not the time or place to make a fuss.

After several tries we ended up across town booking into the New Royal Zim-Zone Hotel . What a dive, it took three quarters of an hour for them to work out how to use the Visa swipe machine, then wanted to argue we were too late for dinner. Eventually sorted and we ended up getting fed a 3 course meal for $5. Feeling a bit buoyed we ducked into the bar for a celebratory drink, and it wasn't until we sat down that we bothered to look around only to notice we were being stared at. Not only were we the only white people, Heather was the only female, although some of them were dressed as females. Whoops!! a hasty retreat was called for and bed was a good option, so long as we could just ignore the cockroach in the bath and scuttling across the floor.

Footnote: Victoria Falls is listed as one of The Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls is UNESCO World Heritage listed.