As we drove into Vic Falls we stepped into another realm, one of luxury. We were welcomed to a beautiful lodge and treated like royalty. We swapped dusty feet for espresso martinis by the pool. We still had a jam packed itinerary, but this one involved breweries and bungee jumping, shopping and sightseeing. 

The first night we went to Baines for dinner, a stunning restaurant on the Zambezi river, but behind the falls. As the volumous water gushed past, its next stop was plummeting 108 metres.  

Our next day started early as we wanted to hike down into the gorge. There isn’t so much of a trail, as a steep series of steps down to the water.  As we weren’t sure where to go, we asked a gardener at the lookout cafe who dutifully wandered off shift to show us the way.  Although it is a built up area, there is evidence of elephants nearby, baboons and trumpeting hornbill are in the trees, and there is rumour of a visiting leopard.  The past summer in Southern Africa has brought heavier rain and even flooding so the falls were at extremely high water. 

Curio shopping was a main activity, haggling with the locals for wooden and wire treasures.  There are signs everywhere forbidding hassle from salesman, which suggests a change in attitude towards protecting tourism. This was also noticeably different from my visit 11 years ago where there was plenty of bribery needed to drive through police checkpoints throughout the country. 

We enjoyed a beer at Victoria Falls Brewery, psyching some of the group up to do the adrenaline activities.  Lisa and Gaby took a zip line over the Zambezi River, whilst Sara and Kate decided to plummet head first towards the water, strapped together in a bungee like gorge swing. The falls are on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, with Victoria Falls bridge standing in no man’s land. In order to cross onto the bridge you have to get a gate pass to exit Zimbabwe. The 120 year old bridge shakes worryingly as one car crosses at a time.  Here we stood in the baking sunshine to cheer them on.

The heat readied us for the Falls, which throws up so much water they has a permanent cloud above them, and usually a rainbow.  The local name is Mosi-oa-tunya, the smoke that thunders. They are magnificent and stretch for 1,708metres.  In places the spray is like a torrential downpour, soaking you as you watch from the other side, sometimes masking the falls entirely. 

In the evening, Rob and I went to a restaurant called Zulu which served local dishes, such as crocodile for Rob.  There was a performance of music and dancing where the acapella performance has huge depth of sounds. 

Our second full day in Vic Falls was more relaxing. The boys went golfing, where they shared the course with several warthog. They had a caddy each who helped them choose a club and held their beers (of which consumption started at 7.30am). The girls had a more leisurely start, before heading out to a gallery of a local artist, Nicole Sanderson. After a bit more shopping we all met at the Vic Falls Hotel. This fancy hotel is stuck in the colonial era and looks out at the Victoria Falls hotel and Zambezi river. We all had a cocktail in the Stanley Bar escaping the heat of the day. 

The alcohol theme continued with an afternoon swim at the hotel pool. Whilst the outside temperature was hot, the contrast for the un heated pool was a challenge. In the evening we dressed up for a cruise on the river.   The floating barge was like a living room with open sides and blinds. Crocs and hippos inhabited the waters, as well as colourful birdlife. A lot of people were leaving the trip in Vic Falls, flying out of the small airport. The camping would continue with just Sara and Neil, Rob and I.  Back at the hotel, they helped us by draining the cool box of the unpopular drinks, of which the most unpopular, flying fish, became a penalty for losing at a game.

From luxury, back to life on the road, onwards to Botswana.