Day 89-91 / Apr 11-13
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: After a short 3-day riding section, which included some long cycling distances (a total of 489km) we had a well-earned & much appreciated, three glorious Rest Days in Livingstone - glamping (glamorous camping) alongside the Zambezi River at the Zambezi Waterfront Hotel Camp Site.
As one of the Oversees Riders commented to me, "Africa continues to surprise and disappoint all the time". But I will dwell on the positive aspects of our three days in Livingstone.
Day 1: The first of our rest days was declared a NAFI Day (No ambition, Flip-all Interest) and we spent the whole day in the Waterfront Camp. I just stayed and loitered with intent in the Restaurant/Bar Area. Later in the day, a few of us Riders managed to decimate the Mosi Draught Beer supply, much to the consternation of some of the other Riders who arrived later in the evening! Thanks go out to Peter and Deborah who assisted greatly in consuming the draught beer.
Murray and Andje organised a Cheese and Wine evening at the Pool and a great time was had by a select few - which included Liz and her husband Tim, who had motored up to the Falls with two of their sons on a boy-only Road Trip to meet up with her, and to spend some quality time with Liz during our three day rest period.
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| Our Group visiting the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls
Day 2: Our second day in Livingstone was a bit more adventurous. A group of us caught a Shuttle Bus and went off to the Falls, and proceeded to view the Falls from the Zambian side.
We paid our $20 USD (very reasonable entry fee) and our first stop was a walk down to The Boiling Pot, a walk I had last done with my late Mother when I was 10 years old. The experience of seeing the whirlpool situated just under the Bridge was as exciting and as exhilarating as the first time I had seen it as a child! A most worthwhile climb down and out of the Boiling Pot. Then it was off to and over Knife Edge Bridge to the Danger Point view site, in the process of which the majority of us were well and truly drenched by the spray from the Falls!
The Falls are currently experiencing a major inflow of water, and the spray is very excessive, not conducive to great viewing but still a great experience. Judith aptly called it "upside-down rain".
Our final viewing point was at the edge of the Falls on the Zambian bank, where the River plunges over the lip and down into the Gorge below. All agreed that our visit to the Falls was truly a most enjoyable experience, which I rank as one of the highlights of the whole Tour thus far. Soon after, it was off to Zimbabwe on foot; walking over on the Bridge (we have become quite blase about changing countries) and crossing over for lunch at The Lookout Cafe, followed by High Tea at the Old Colonial Victoria Falls Hotel. In the early evening we caught a taxi to the Zimbabwe Immigration Offices, left Zimbabwe, crossed back into Zambia, then caught another taxi back to Camp, after a most superb and productive day.
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| The Bungy Jump off point on Victoria Falls Bridge |
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| Walking across the Bridge from Zambia into Zimbabwe |
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| Welcome to Zimbabwe our unofficial 12th Country crossing |
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| Art work at the Lookout Restaurant in Zimbabwe |
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| View of First Gorge from the Lookout Restaurant |
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| Brad enjoying the opportunity of sampling some of Zimbabwe's finest Zambezi Larger |
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| Cairo 5 165 miles away and only 1 647 miles left to Cape Town |
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| Solange enjoying the view of the Falls from the Victoria Falls Hotel |
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| Michael, Andje, Peter and Deborah very happy to be finally at the Old Colonial Victoria Falls Hotel |
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| Enjoying "High Tea" at the Victoria Falls Hotel
Day 3: Our third day was spent doing the last bit of washing, organizing and the packing of our Daily and Permanent Bags, catching up on administration and trying to update the Blog, another truly NAFI Day.
Onward to our next leg of the tour, soon...
Cheers, Mike T
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| Pianist entertaining the Hotel Guest's |
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| Colonial memorabilia adorns the walls in the Hotel |
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The Bulawayo Room - Now if only the walls could talk !! |
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