These are our personal thoughts written during the trip itself.
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Mark's EntryDecember 31The alarm went off at 7:00am. We got showered, dressed, had breakfast, and made our way to the airport for our flight to Victoria Falls. What a comfortable airplane! The coach seats were much more spacious than normal and the lunch was pretty good. We arrived at a rainy Vic Falls and were taken to our hotel. We drove past a bank with a long line of people trying to get their money before it devalues. Our driver told a little bit about the country and the town. It was a depressing story about how there are more Zimbabweans living outside the country than in. This is due to the bad economic situation and lack of decent pay. Most professionals have left and this was apparent in the service staff. It just wasn’t as good as it should have been. I think those who were good enough to make some money have already left. After checking in we took a walking tour of the falls themselves. It was impressive, but it was also raining, humid, and foggy, which obscured much of the view. Apparently this rain has been falling all month making this December the rainiest December in the 126 years records have been kept. Our walking guide was also open about the economic situation and mentioned that tourism was keeping this part of the country from being as bad-off as the rest. The hotel itself was quite huge. It had a main restaurant, but it only served dinner from 8-10 and it was for adults only. Fortunately there were other restaurants in the hotel’s ‘food court’ including a steak house where we got our first burger and fries since arriving in Africa. It wasn’t very good and they didn’t have ketchup! When we got the bill we worried just a bit because that was when we realized that each burger cost 16-million-dollars!!! Those of course were Zim Dollars. We paid in US dollars and got out of there only 40 dollars poorer. I had been physically uncomfortable for most of this trip. Now I was much more physically comfortable but much more emotionally uncomfortable. This was clearly a “4th-World” country, where the economy is actually shrinking, and lots of people in a bad situation getting worse. Yet here we were, being waited on by these very people, eating expensive food and drinking clean water. I tried to remind myself of what our guide had said, that we were helping these people by giving them jobs and much needed foreign currency, but it didn’t help much. On the way back to the room both Ann and I decided that new wouldn’t be going out very much tomorrow, part because of the weather, part because of the economic situation. We went to bed early and caught up on much needed sleep. |
Ann's EntryWater WorldVictoria Falls, Zimbabwe – 31 Dec 2007 – 11:00 (Local Africa time is now 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.) I like Johannesburg Airport. It is bright, clean, air-conditioned, and has ample seating. I feel secure in this place. People are friendly and helpful. We check our luggage and proceed to our gate, which happens to be the one all the way at the end of the terminal. We fly British Airlines into Victoria Falls. At this point, I need to make an apology to the British for the razzing I gave them about being over-helpful. After spending time in Nairobi, I am so thankful for clean, comfortable planes that leave on time. And they serve very good vegetarian lasagna (no chicken and no Snickers.) Upon arrival at the Victoria Falls Airport, we stand in line to gain entry visas. We collect our bags and meet Ernest, our bus driver. He takes us, and 3 other families, to our hotels. I am glad that it is a short ride because the bus has a nasty, musty smell. At about 15:00, our guide, Pumlani, takes us to Victoria Falls. The ride itself is less than one minute. He gives us raincoats to wear. Victoria Falls is a national park. It has a walking trail along the very edge of the 90+ meter gorge, with several observation points. Victoria Falls is not one continuous sheet of water. Rather, it is several smaller sections of the Zambezi River. It is an awesome sight to behold - the power of rushing water and the spray on your face – kind of leaves you speechless. It felt good to get out and walk for about 2 hours, instead of sitting in a vehicle on a game drive, or sitting in an airport or on an airplane. I feel like I am part of it, not just observing from a distance. As we exit the park, Jacob notices two baboons. One is picking at the other’s butt. Jacob loudly proclaims, “That’s a disgusting violation of space!” |
| next day: January 1 | ||