Matthew & Jen's World Trip: Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is a small tourist town on the Zimbabwe and Zambian borders right next to Victoria Falls. It is currently the high water season, millions of litres of water are pouring down the falls every second creating a spray cloud rising some 200 metres above the bottom of the falls (or about 100 metres above the top of the falls). This made for an entertaining and very wet viewing session where we were absolutely drenched from top to toe.

Hawkers on the street aggressively push all types of souvenirs from wood carvings to the now redundant Zimbabwean currency. I couldn’t help myself from purchasing a 100 trillion dollar note - just for the novelty - setting me back a total of US$5 for a set of notes with incredibly long strings of zeros.

I popped over the border for a microlight flight over the falls (think a bicycle with wings travelling at about 50 kmph) an absolute highlight and the best way to view the falls. From the air you could really see the wind picking up the fall spray and blowing it over the land. I also went along for an ‘adrenaline day’ of abseiling, flying foxes and gorge swings. The end of each adrenaline activity required an excruciating climb back out of the gorge. In about 30 degree (or more) heat and with a very steep final ascent I was spent on return and slept fitfully for over 12 hours. Jen, who was less sold on the microlight idea, decided to spend her time viewing the falls from both sides of the border (she claimed she got even more wet on the Zambian side) and enjoying high tea at the Victoria Falls hotel (a very fancy colonial style hotel which overlooks the river on the low side of the falls and the bridge connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia).

We are now in Bulawayo and head to Antelope Park for 5 nights where we expect to go walking with the lions and possibly some game drives. Don’t expect much internet for a little while, but will post when we next can.