After breakfast Alan took us on a bit of a drive on the way to the Falls - first to have a look at the Zambezi River above the falls and then to the Big Tree Viewpoint (a large boab tree with a platform in it where you can see quite a distance towards the top of the falls. He then took us into the Royal Livingstone Resort (this is where the rich people are) and suggested that we come here for a coffee at 2pm and he would pick us up. Just inside the gates we were met by several giraffe just minding their own business munching the trees. The resort is pretty flash with decks built on the River. You could go in boats to the top of the falls.
Alan then dropped us off at the border gate to Zimbabwe. At this time of year (the dry season) there is no water coming over the Zambian section of the falls and we have to walk across the border into Zimbabwe to see the falls.
This is a bit of a rigmarole. First you have to get an exit stamp from Zambia which is checked at the gate, then you walk across the bridge into Zimbabwe where you have to get an entry stamp on your passport, which is again checked at a gate. There's quite a walk between the border gates and then to the entry gate to the falls and it was pretty hot at this stage so it wasn't that pleasant. On each side of the border you have people trying to sell you stuff - cooper bangles, ornaments, Zimbabwe dollars (50 billion Zimbabwe dollars for 100 Kwacha) etc. Outside the Falls gate there were lots of stalls and a group dancing. Richard quickly got roped in to dance with them - of course he then had to buy their CD.
Entry fee to the falls was not cheap at US$30 per person but once inside you could see where the money was going. Everything was pleasantly presented and clean and tidy. We had a very fancy coffee which we paid for in US Dollars. I asked the waitress about the relationship between the US dollar and the Zimbabwe Dollar - her answer "I wouldn't know Sir, we only use the US dollar". Not sure if that applies for the rest of the country but it's certainly the case in Victoria Falls Town. I bought a T shirt at the gift shop US$28. It's not the best time to be in a country so tied to the US$ when we Australians are only getting around the 70c mark at the moment.
Everyone was telling us that it was very dry and there was not a lot of water coming over the falls so we were prepared to be underwhelmed. This wasn't to be. There may be no water coming over the Zambian section but there is still plenty of water coming over the Zimbabwe side. At this time of year, instead of being one long waterfall there are several separate falls - Devil's Cataract, Main Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. In the wet this is added to by the Rainbow falls (just a trickle at the moment) and the Eastern Cataract. Because the falls are so long you do not get one view of the whole falls (you would need to be in the air for that) so they loose out on the sheer impact of Niagara Falls for instance, but they are magnificent all the same and it's great to be here.
To get back to Zambia we had to repeat the earlier exercise - exit stamp from Zimbabwe, checked at the gate then entry stamp for Zambia checked at the gate. The only difference this time was we caught a taxi from one border gate to the other. Five people 2 taxis at US$5 each taxi. Too much. OK I'll take you all so we all bundled in with Jill and Jennie sitting on top of respective husbands.
On the walk along the river to the Royal Livingstone we went past a market. Jill had misplaced her hat so had to buy another. Eventually we all escaped the market having purchased not only a hat but several figurines and other bits and pieces. They drive a hard bargain.
Once inside the grounds of the Royal Livingstone we were in another world. Green grass everywhere, statues etc. At the bar we all ordered cool drinks (including the local beer - a very nice Mosi Larger) while we waited for Alan.
As we got to the carpark, the giraffe viewing of this morning was surpassed by several zebras, again just minding their own business. It never ceases to amaze.
We got Alan to drop us downtown at Cafe Zambezi for lunch just as a heavy shower hit. Once again there was a blackout. The Cafe is a nicely presented spot with a courtyard (not a lot of good in the rain) and little booths around the edge. Jill and I shared a Zambian Platter - we had to do it: A selection of kandolo fries, caterpillars, village chicken, beef stew and mbuzzi accompanied by nshima, traditional veges, chips and jollof rice. It was all very interesting and some of it delicious but you probably only need to do it once. Not too many of the caterpillars were eaten.
Again Jill and I walked back to Gloria's. There must be real downpours here in the wet because there are very deep gutters everywhere. On the way back we passed a Seventh Day Adventist Church and the congregation were just coming out - beautiful singing. Everyone dressed up in their best. A couple of young ladies invited us to come a join them if we were still around next Saturday.
After another late lunch it was wine and nibbles for dinner and then off to bed early again. We must be getting old.
