The first day was a mental adventure. First of all, Livingstone airport is tiny. It actually looks like the garden centre of a Home Depot from the outside. We were picked up by JollyBoys, our hostel, and then taken into town. I was surprised by how small Livingstone is and how un-touristy it is. The Zimbabwe side has always been bigger and it isn’t until recently (thanks to Mugabe) that people have been flying directly into Livingstone.
We spent Sunday figuring out our weeks plan and dealing with Kwacha, the local currency. $1= approx. K550. This caused all prices to be in really high numbers that my head is not used to dealing with. A meal for K30,000? A Livingstone Island tour for K270,000? If you know my mental math capacity, you will understand how difficult this currency was to use for me. There was a point every single day where we would sit on the floor of our room with all our kwacha out, figuring out how much we have and how we can use it.
millionaires
On Monday we went to the main area of Victoria Falls- the falls are absolutely stunning. It isn’t rainy season so there wasn’t a ridiculous amount of water flowing, but it was enough to enjoy the scenery. We also hiked down to the bottom, called the Boiling Point, which is also the start of white water rafting trips. You literally jump off a cliff into the water, and then swim to the raft because the boiling point rapid is too hard for beginners to navigate. This hike has baboons on either side of the path, just chillin’ and doing their own thing. Well, until we hiked back up. We stopped to take a break near a baboon with its child (it was steps all the way up, at least 90 degrees, and those baboons were everywhere so there was nowhere else to stop). As we got up to leave, a male baboon practically cornered Anne-Marie and Danielle and kept blocking their path up. Andrew threw water at it, giving them time to slide by and come up the path, but boy did we make it up that incline faster after that. Near Death experience #2- being attacked by baboons.
Tuesday we went to Chobe National Park in Botswana. There is a lot I could say about this trip, but I will focus on the hippos. I know everyone thinks that hippos are so cute and cuddly looking, and I hate to tell you this, but this perception is entirely false. They are aggressive animals that, according to our river tour guide, “pretend charge” you. No, no. They were not pretend charging. Three hippos looked us dead in the eye, then began moving threateningly close. One opened its mouth and bared its teeth. One actually got into the water and swam toward us. One was already in the water, glared at us, then ducked under the water. Hippos are fast swimmers. The water is murky. And in a small boat, that is a scary thought, even if the guide’s name is “Lucky”. Near Death experience #3, but really it was #3,4,5, and 6 (if you count the croc we got heart-attackingly close to).
Hungry, Hungry Hippo
Wednesday we went to Devils Pool. You swim through small currents at the top of the Falls and jump into a deep pool of water at the edge of the Falls. The EDGE. Here, you are separated from your death by a little rock wall. Near Death Experience #4 (and favorite one).
Thursday I went white water rafting for the first time, down the Zambezi river. The raft I was in never flipped over, but we did get dangerously close to some rocks. The main concern was as follows: In a hypothetical situation, if I were to fall out of a raft, then the first thing I would lose is my contacts. Thus, I would not be able to see the boat that I am supposed to climb into. Thus, I would be taken by the rapids down the river until I eventually hit a rock that I did not see until it was too late. So really, it was a near death experience (#5) (hypothetical or not).
Friday we left Livingstone, Zambia, traveling the new 1time Airlines again. At the airport the line of 5 people checking in took a long time because boarding passes are handwritten. While the 20-some year old flight attendant did the safety demonstration she kept snickering to herself, trying to stop laughing. I looked back to see what was causing this reaction to see that the other 20-some year old flight attendant was standing in the back doing ridiculous things like sit-ups, making faces etc. for her entertainment. I felt quite safe after that.
"everyone thinks that hippos are so cute and cuddly looking" hahaha do they now?
ReplyDelete