Today we agreed to meet at 9am so I slept in. I think I slept over ten hours. I had my yogurt and cereal for breakfast and then met John at 9am. Today we are going to Zambia! He drove to the border, parked the van and then we walked across. First we had to go through passport control on the Zim side. After passport control we headed across the bridge to Zambia. Its maybe a ten minute walk at most to get across. I think I read this is the longest bridge in Africa – but dont quote me on that.
Passport control on the Zam side moved very quickly and we had a short walk to the park. However, he was a bit oblivious again and missed the ticket office so we walked to the gate, but then had to turn around (maybe eight minute walk each way) to go get the tickets for the park. We passed all sorts of little shops each way and they do lots of begging/heckling to get you to come into their shop. So it was a bit annoying I had to walk by them so many times. I didnt want any of their things. Im never sure if they are actually hand made items (they easily could be) because everyone has the EXACT same thing.
The Zam side is VERY dry. Zambia does something similiar to Niagara Falls now – they use the water from their side of the river to power turbines for power (fun fact though, they sell that power to Zim and dont use it for themselves, so power goes in and out all day). But since they have powered up the hydro plant their side of the river stays much dryer for a much longer part of the year. Since I saw all the dryness I asked if I could walk across to Livingstone Island and John didnt know – but he found someone to ask and they said “the people at the umbrella may know.”
Two weeks ago the river dried up enough that the “dry” bed hiking option was BACK!! It has to be dry enough to walk so, while the falls are weak on the Zam side, there is still water – enough to make it dangerous to cross, until now! I signed up for the 11am slot tomorrow – I am SO EXCITED! Honestly Im more excited to walk across dry water falls than the devil’s pool – but both of them together is a win.
John dragged ou the time here, when he was finally ready we headed back over the border. But this time there were bungee jumpers on the bridge so we got to watch them jump – I will never be a bungee jumper. So everyone who thinks Im brave, that is a line I wont cross, haha! I realized since I am coming back tomorrow that I will need another visa for Zimbabwe tomorrow. I should have gotten the more “open” visa that allows you over ten border crosses on one visa. Keep that in mind if you ever go to Vic Falls.
He offered to go to Lookout Cafe for lunch once we were back on the Zim side and I took him up on it. There were no signs that it was closed today, thankfully. He just walked into the restaurant without talking to anyone and showed me to the edge of the restaurant that is basically hanging over the gorge. We could watch the zipliners here and he told me to just grab a seat. I said “they are all reserved.” He finally figured that out and our only option was to go to the bar downstairs and find a seat down there. Thankfully we did.
I got another salad as we watched the zipline and bungee swing participants. It was so cool. I really wanted to do the zipline but I was over John offering unsolicited remarks. He said “no one does ziplining,” even though the entire lunch people were ziplining. I had to pay for his lunch again (at least he said thank you) and we headed back to the hotel so I could “relax.” Um, it was barely 2pm. I had him stop at another grocery store so I could get dinner – basically just more yogurt and a drink. I didnt come on vacation to rest, but apparently he thinks I need it because Im going to hike tomorrow.
We got to the hotel and I basically vegged out and packed. I was so bored, but I think my body appreciated the rest. Tomorrow I change hotels to the tour hotel and will be going to Zam again for the hike and devil’s pool.
Normal Travel Girl 
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