A breakfast indoors, in a restaurant setting, quite a novelty nowadays, gets us going. A full English, and the bacon is pretty damn fine, too. Just the HP missing really. New Year's Day, and it's noticeable that there are not many folks abroad this early.
Our start is fairly gentle also. Taxis have been booked for 1000 to take us the 6 miles or so to the falls, Zambian side. There will be an opportunity further into the itinerary to visit from the Zimbabwean side, the finer of the two viewings, we are told. I'll let you know later.
It is true that the Zambian entrance is not over-commercialised. There are far fewer international opportunities than I had previously imagined to separate me from my Kwachas. Also rather obvious - and it's been evident elsewhere before now - is that all the units/stalls sell exactly the same stuff. So, if you don't want a carved mask (beautiful though it is) on the first stall, you don't want it on the next twenty either.
There are a number of walks around the Victoria Falls grounds. We have arranged for the taxis to return at 1300, allowing more than enough time for all of them. The walk most worth tackling is down to the waterside at Boiling Pot, which affords a good view of the Bungee jumping off the railway bridge and the rapids used by the white-water rafters. The 25-minute climb back up to the top gets the blood coursing.
Many activities, both adrenalin and otherwise, are available at Victoria Falls, as you perhaps already knew or guessed. Actually visiting the falls is the cheapest. Almost all the others are offered at urine-taking prices. Part of the explanation is that a whopping 35% tax is compulsorily applied to the basic fee.
Mike's pork recipe for dinner is fabulous, hugely commendable, considering that he is under the weather. The conversation turns to politics. 'Time for bed' said Zebedee.
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