Blog Post 19 – Livingstone

Wow! Livingstone, rafting and cruising on the Zambezi, visiting a couple beyond swank hotels and seeing Victoria Falls, all in a couple days. My body and mind are quite shocked (and relaxed too). Its definitely not at all like the village life I've been living for the last couple months.

First day we arrived we went to the curio market. Here I got to use all my bargaining skills I've been building up and still probably got ripped off. These people have some scams I've never seen before, like trying to get me to trade my socks for their stuff. Of course once you take off your socks, then they try to get you to add more money on top. But I learned that putting your socks back on and walking out of the store gets the price down faster and further than any other method. Should have tried to trade him my underwear.

I thought I had malaria that night. I had fever, dizziness, chills and all that good stuff. But I took 4 of Tony's Malarones that night and next morning I felt fine. That day was a 'work' day, so we went to the fee paying park (no joke, you pay about Kw1000 to get into parks in Livingstone). But as long as you use the free toilets a couple times you get your money's worth because fee-paying toilets are about Kw1000 also. I should confess the park was nice, complete with waterfall and pond. And no people because who would pay too use a park?

In the afternoon we visited Maramba market, which is a bit out of town and had no Makuas. Prices were sort of fair, and I bought 4 sweet looking chitenge cloths, which I shall make into shirts, a hoodie, and (if I can find someone willing to make it) very colourful underwear. Also if you want tobacco, this is an ok place to go, for 1000 (about 25 cents) you can buy about a ziplock bag full, and for K5000 (1 dollar) you can get a ziplock bag full of “the other type” of tobacco.

Friday was rafting day. We started with a great breakfast, and then a ride out to the gorge. Here we grabbed paddles, life jackets and helmets and learned the techniques I never thought I'd need to know. Like if someone fall out of the raft, but is hanging on the side, you first push them underwater, and then pull them in. Or if you overturn and are under the raft, grab for the rope on the side. Or if you are a long way from the raft, face downstream so your legs can push off any rocks. We climb down the cliff face on a sketchy wooden set of 'stairs' which was pretty fun. Then get into the boats, and start off.

First few rapids were tons of fun. We started off with the “Creamy White Buttocks” which quickly became our team name, beating out our other favourites like “Eeway” and “The Minibus.” Then we approached the “Three ugly sisters” and “The Mother” and our guide started cleaning the throw bag which is used for helping people who are out of the raft and a long way away. The Sisters were no problem, but then we hit the mother and capsized pretty good. I ended up under the raft, forgot to grab for a rope and about half a second later was about 50m from the raft. It was a pretty exciting ride down the 'Mother' and at the other end another boat picked me up. Absolutely unreal experience floating down on my back with the massive boiling waves around me.

That night we went for the Booze Cruise on the Zambezi which was really fun too, but not as exciting. Saw some hippos, crocodiles and a really nice sunset, had an OK dinner and drank some Castle and Mosi, (as in Mosi-oa-Tuna or “The Smoke that Thunders”). Asked for Chibuku but seems they didn't have any on board, I guess it was a bit classy for that.

Saturday morning was pretty relaxing. Went for breakfast at the Zambezi sun, which was the biggest buffet I have seen in my life. I just kept eating partly because there was so much food I could never get in Pemba, and I had paid a month's rent for breakfast so I though I'd better make good use of it. Walked into the bush nearby and saw some zebras, impalas and giraffes. Yeah, thats right, just went on a stroll and saw some Zambian wildlife. Well actually it was kinda disappointing because they were feeding the giraffes and zebras out of some big sacks of food, and the trainer was standing there, but it sorta felt like we were observing wildlife in the bush. Also there was a baboon that kept opening people's sliding doors on the porches. It would shake the door to unlock it, then slide it open and walk inside. It was funny but the guests were not too impressed. Next to the Zambezi Sun was the Royal Livingstone. This was in a class of its own, the staff even dress up like Colonial Age workers, while driving you around in golf carts. We went for drinks on the patio, which was cantilevered over the Zambezi and you could see the smoke from the falls in the distance.

Giraffe in the Wild

In the afternoon we went to the falls. These were pretty remarkable, even a few hundred meters away and above you still get soaked walking by. And apparently 2 months ago you got even wetter, and could barely see the falls from all the mist! We walked down to the bottom to the “boiling pot” which is at one of the gorge's switchbacks and the water forms a big whirlpool. Also saw some more monkeys and the biggest rat I've ever seen. This one was fatter than the bunny's at UVIC!

Mike and his 'stash taking a well deserved break on the patio

I should also give an honourable mention to the food we ate, from Greek the first day, Chinese the second, and Indian the third. And also an honourable mention to the Mazhandu bus company which is the only one that actually runs on time is decently comfortable. Unbelievable all round trip, and I took over 200 pictures and movies so don't forget to ask me about it.