Victoria Falls Weekend!

Thursday – August 12, 2004

My last full day of work before going off to Victoria Falls! The day went kind of slow, mostly because I just wanted it to hurry up and end. I managed to pass out all the books I was giving away since I’ve read them already. I got everything in order, set my away message, and went home to pack. I only carried enough to last me the weekend, with just a couple of outfits. I want to be prepared for anything I might be inclined to buy. Eddie is coming in the morning around 7am, so I have to be up and eating breakfast by 6:30am. That’s the only down side I see right now. :)

I had to go directly after work to get tickets for Harry Potter, since the latest movie just opened here. Anne Marie, Yinka, and the family of a girlfriend of one of the Marine’s joined us. I wolfed down some dinner at St. Elmo’s before the movie started, and we had a nice time. I appreciated more of the subtle points in the film the 2nd time around. After dinner, Yinka, Anne Marie, and myself went back to St. Elmo’s so they could eat. I only had a salad at that point. Anne Marie took me home.

Friday, August 13, 2004 – Sunday, August 15, 2004

I got up early, but I wasn’t too difficult. Breakfast was ready at 6:30am and Eddie was on time at 7am. He said that he’d wait to be paid until after I got back on Sunday, which was fine with me, but it did make me wonder if he didn’t want me to have sticker shock for the price he would charge me to go to the airport. It is on the other side of town, far from where I’m located. Probably 20 miles, I’d bet.

Going into the airport, we had to veer away from the newer terminal used for international flights. Domestic flights take off in this converted hangar that had next to no security. They do screen luggage when you come in the door, but after that, they don’t do anything. I was flying first class on the way to Vic Falls since that was the only seat available. They had been able to get me an economy seat on the way back to Harare, which netted me $50 US. With the $710,000 Zim that I got changing out $100 US on Thursday, I was set.

Thankfully, Yinka had brought a couple of books she had finished, so I had something to read. It was A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett, and it takes place in pre-revolutionary Britain and America. Interesting reading, that’s for sure. It definitely kept me from being bored out of my mind.

The planes for Air Zimbabwe were not bad. They were older, but not any older than some US jets. First class was comfortable and spacious and it was nice to be waited on. I had some juice when I first sat down, and I also got a drink and a sandwich during the flight. First, we had to go to Bulawayo and then went on to Victoria Falls. Once we landed at Victoria Falls Airport, our luggage was unceremoniously unloaded and dumped in an open warehouse door that served as the luggage area. I then found the group (United Touring Company) that I had the ride with to my B&B and boarded the bus.

I sat in the front seat and listened to the driver tell me some facts about Victoria Falls, pointing out villages and whatnot as we drove toward the town. I was the last one dropped off, since I was also the only one staying in a B&B. Amadeus B&B is nice, but it’s a bit out of town for my taste. If I could have afforded to spend the cash, I would have preferred staying at the Kingdom resort or even at the Victoria Falls Hotel, which is 100 years old. Amadeus is a nice house that has been converted into a B&B. There is the main house, and then wings have been built for guest rooms. It has a gorgeous pool, and a nice eating area where you have breakfast each morning. My room was right on the pool, and had a nice, new ceiling fan. The toilet and shower worked beautifully. The B&B’s website is at www.amadeusgarden.com.

When I arrived, I decided to jump into the pool since it was so warm, and the pool looked so inviting. That was a mistake. The pool was ice cold! I managed to swim my way to the shallow end and get out. I had to spray myself with bug spray since the flies and stuff almost immediately descended. The spray worked wonders. I relaxed and read my book until it was time to get ready for the game drive. I showered under intense water pressure which thrilled me to no end.
The game drive was pretty cool. We saw a herd of elephants and watched them destroy trees for food. I had no idea that elephants destroyed so much land in their wake, or that 2/3 of they eat passes through their system undigested. Baboons, in fact, pick through elephant dung looking for food to eat. I can’t imagine anything more nasty. I saw tons of water buck (male and female) along with baboons. I also saw some vultures that were apparently waiting for a predator to finish his meal or for another animal to die. Since it’s the dry season, all the vegetation is pretty much brown and dead.

I went to the Boma (Eating Place in the native tongue) for dinner. Everyone said I had to try it. It was this wild game restaurant that served buffet style. The owner of Amadeus Garden said I was should walk since it was close. Well, the map wasn’t matching what the streets did, and it was after dark with NO street lights. I tried walking, and quickly discovered I couldn’t see anything and had to go back and take a cab. I don’t know what that man was smoking when he had me try to walk! The Boma started me off with a drink of the native beer, which was clear and tasted like vinegar with a dash of rubbing alcohol thrown in. Then you ate. I tried ostrich (not bad, much like sirloin steak), kudu steak (stingy and tough), and warthog. Let me tell you, warthogs might be ugly, but they sure are tasty! It was as tender as filet mignon and had a taste that a cross between a filet and chicken. I also tried the peanut butter rice, and I got a certificate for eating a fried worm which is a delicacy here. It was crunchy, but otherwise OK. Reminded me a little bit of escargot, but with a unique enough flavor to be different. After the Boma, I was stuffed, and was glad to get home.

The next morning, I had a typical breakfast of cereal, juice, coffee, eggs, and ham. We then went on the walking tour of the falls. Now is the time for me to talk about the Egyptians. For every activity, and on both my flights to and from Victoria Falls, there was a couple who I found out were from Egypt. I knew she was Muslim from the head scarf, and I figured the husband was some Middle Eastern businessman. Turns out he’s the trade attaché for Egypt to Zimbabwe. I wasn’t aware that Muslim wives were allowed to henpeck their husbands the way this lady henpecked her husband. She complained about everything. She didn’t want to walk far, she didn’t want to get wet, she didn’t like to wait, etc. One of the ubiquitous street vendors tried to sell her something for $80,000 Zim, and she laughed in his face and said, “I give only $10,000!” The guy backed down to $30K, and for a carving, that wasn’t a bad price. But she wouldn’t budge off the $10K offer, which is only $1.50 US. Then, at the falls (which are 2km wide), she refused to rent a rain coat for the mist. Well, the wind shifted, and she got all upset that the falls was making her get wet! I couldn’t believe it. I just wanted to ask what she expected visiting one of the largest WATERfalls in the world?!? The kicker was the sunset cruise where she apparently didn’t like the boat. It was a catamaran, which you would expect for a casual dinner cruise on the Zambezi River. I suppose she thought she would be aboard the Queen Mary II. She refused to get on, and her husband was ready to leave her ashore and make her wait for him. Just before the boat took off, she almost burst into tears and decided to board the ship. We applauded her courage. She and her husband also wanted an alligator skin. They thought someone would just shoot one in the river for them, I suppose. I don’t know if they ever got their skin. They certainly were memorable. The Egyptian guy, too, was whiter than I am. I found that to be funny to see a Middle Eastern guy from Egypt to be so light skinned. That’s what I get for having assumptions!

The falls were fantastic. I really do not have the proper words to describe them. They are huge and seem to go on forever when you are standing at one end. Any of the individual falls that make up Victoria Falls as a whole would be breathtaking. Together, they are simply amazing. I truly understand why people harped on me to go here before I left Zimbabwe, and why Vic Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world. I am so glad I got to see them. Once I am able to upload my pictures, hopefully you can get a glimpse of the majesty that is Victoria Falls. I’m afraid my camera, even with over 150 pictures taken, cannot quite capture it.

I also watched some fool bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge that links Zimbabwe with Zambia. I can’t imagine doing that, with my fear of freefalling. I would be paralyzed with fear; someone would have to go with me or push me. After the falls, we went to the “living village” which was nothing short of cheesy. It was not nearly as authentic as I hoped, and the guide who worked there rushed us through and then brazenly demanded tips like a beggar on the street. No sense of discretion AT ALL. I could have done without that tour, although seeing examples of native huts was interesting.

I convinced the tour driver to let me off at the Kingdom Lodge, where the Egyptians were staying, so I could explore downtown Victoria Falls. It was a cute tourist town, like any other you’d see in the world. I went through the 100 year old Victoria Falls Hotel which was fantastic. It certainly deserves its 4 stars, and I imagine is not far from a 5th one. It has an elegance that reminded me of many find resorts found in the US, especially in tropical areas. If I ever return here, I will definitely make plans to stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel. Failing that, I will stay at the Kingdom lodge, which is cute in a sort of African themed, Las Vegas way. I did manage to find another book to buy (although I later discovered the book I bought was not the one listed on the jacket cover!) and a T-shirt. I would have gotten my mom a T-shirt, but the only one I liked for her was $150,000 Zim, or about $25US. No way was I paying that!

The sunset cruise, or booze cruise, was nice. It was very peaceful sailing along the Zambezi River above the falls. I found out that the Zambezi is the 4th longest river in Africa. It comes after the Nile, Niger, and Congo rivers in length. We saw some hippos and an alligator. There was a nice gay couple from Athens who had fled the Olympics by going on a Southern Africa tour. Victoria Falls was their first stop. They were very funny, and it was nice to talk to “family”. The irony was especially thick when the Egyptians had the gay couple take pictures of them. It made me think about this guy would probably support imprisonment or death for these men for being gay, but had no qualms about asking their help. I think I polished off a bottle of Zimbabwean red wine (had no idea Zimbabwe had any vineyards!) on my own. It was very good, much like a merlot but without the typical bitter aftertaste of red wines. The sunset was perfect too. I think I captured it pretty well on my camera, as the sun slowly slid below the horizon in a red blaze of glory. It just what you’d expect an African sunset to be.

I went home and just went to sleep. I slept the whole night and got up in the morning for breakfast and to pack. The bus to take me to the airport was late by about 30 minutes. I was getting very nervous that they had forgotten me and that I’d miss my flight when they finally arrived. Again, there was little security at the airport, and I sat in coach. This woman next to me had her 7 year old sitting in her lap, which I could not believe the airlines allowed. That child needed his own seat. I talked with a Danish guy on the other side of me for part of the trip, and he was interesting. I exited from a different terminal than the one I had come into on Friday. This was a new terminal designed for domestic flights. I don’t think it was finished yet, which is why they still use the old hangar. I had to wait 20 minutes past 1pm for Eddie to arrive. He got me home though, and I was glad of it. I got to talk to Mom for a while on the phone when she called, and she wanted to come visit me next Sunday after I just got home. I nixed that idea. Last thing I’ll want next weekend is company.

Pet upgraded the TV satellite service, so I can switch channels on my own without regard to what they are watching. That was nice. They also put up new shower bars to hold towels and washcloths. Nice touch. Now if they just will get a new toilet that flushes properly!