We spent yesterday at Vic Falls - around the pool and relaxing in the very comfortable lounges. At 1600 hrs we got a taxi to Livingstone. I felt as though I was an exchange spy or captive. We arrived at the Zim border
and went to immigration - they stamped us out. We passed customs and then our taxi driver got into another car and drove us to the Zambian immigration. I had checked online earlier as to the amount of the visa, only to discover that Ireland was exempt - we were the only western country listed as exempt. I can only conclude that it is because, if i recall correctly, we had or may still have a bilateral aid programme with Zambia. The lady at Immigration was extremely friendly unlike her Zim counterpart!
We now crossed the border into Zam and transferred to another taxi, that eventually brought us to our hotel.
During the transfers I left a sun hat that I had bought at Rovis rail in Pretoria in the last taxi. It was the best sun hat I have ever had. It was passed by the cancer society as suitable for up to 50*c. Though I missed it almost immediately. It could not be found.....
Within minute, we arrived at the Oriental Swan Hotel c 2 km from the Town centre. (€80) Most hotels were out on game reserves but as we were overnighting, we wanted to stay in town. We needed to get some Kawatcha ( local currency - no US $ here, unlike Zim so we set out for the town centre. We were advised that it would take 15 minutes - it took double that!
We found a bank, with a secure ATM
machine. We put the card in or my travelling companion did. ( I take no responsibility for the following) Initially, we were too slow , then it confused us as to the multiples we could take out and eventually the machine swallowed the card!! While we looked at one another in confusion, and wondering where to go from here, a man stuck his head out of the door of the bank! He said he could retrieve it and if we could give him the name on the card , he would return it .
He retrieved the card , CC gave him his name and he gave it too him - couldn't see such service from an Irish bank?
We then noticed a place we had read of in our guide, namely Olgas - an Italian restaurant / hotel. Unfortunately, we had tried to book the hotel, but all nine rooms were full. We decided to eat at the restaurant - Italian. The proceeds go to educating homeless children.
The pizza was the best that I have ever eaten. The homemade ravioli was divine all washed down with a SA Shiraz! As we had not intended to stay out after dark, the Mosquitos would have had us for dinner but for the restaurant providing us with mosquito spray.!
The clientele was white and no doubt most had read The Lonely Planet guide book - the power of these guides!! As we entered, there were three young girls sitting at a table. We asked them if they had taken a bus to Livingstone from Lusaka and what the taxi fares were ?
The girls were three nurses from Finland, doing a three month semester in Livingstone hospital. They informed us that they had taken a bus from Lusaka to Livingstone and that gospel music was played loudly throughout the 7 hour journey. They added that even with earphones they could not escape the music! I advised that we did not have earphones but decided that I'd plug my ears with cotton wool! They were so helpful with their advice and told us of their trials and tribulations over the past 6 weeks! What they missed most was rye bread.
I asked if they intended going bungee jumping or helicopter touring but they said they would not - they were afraid, though at least one of the three, to her mother's chargin, said she intended to try the infinity pool, where one can swim and peek over Vic Falls!!!!!
We returned by Taxi to the hotel and only the realised how far we had walked - in excess of two kilometres!
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