On my solo adventure, I must admit to being a bit wary of the road to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. I’d heard stories of road-blocks and spot fines for the most ridiculous reasons, including "your car is too dirty". The officials at the Zimbabwe border post were friendly and surprised to find a South African woman travelling on her own to Zim. “Not many South Africans travel on their own to Zimbabwe anymore, especially women,” the official commented. “Will I not be safe then?” I asked. “No, it is fine now,” was the reply.
I checked into the Victoria Falls Rest Camp and decided to stay in a chalet rather than camp. The camp has an old section and a newer section. I use the term loosely. The camp and the town itself is understandably rundown but the people are friendly and the hawkers badger you with some humour (in my case they were Monkey and Clever wanting to trade carved animals for clothing).
I had a 05h30 start the following day to go on a sunrise cruise. Victoria Falls Anytime is the one of the few tour operators to offer a sunrise cruise on the Zambezi. They have a small boat, accommodating 10 people. This river cruise knocks spots off a sunset cruise in my book. I think I was especially moved by the fact we were the only boat at that time of day on the mighty Zambezi and I was the only guest – pure heaven! There is something soul-nourishing in drifting down a magnificent river listening to nature with background noise from Nature’s wonder, Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders) or Victoria Falls as the sun creeps up onto the horizon.
After the cruise, I went visit the Falls. WOW, WOW, WOW. Awesome. I don’t think I have ever been close to something so powerful. The energy was phenomenal. So much water drops down the cliff with such force that it catapults the rain/spray twice the distance back into the air. It is said pictures speak a thousand words – in this case pictures are also speechless. I walked around for a couple of hours trying to take it all in.
Then I was off to the Lion Encounter, kindly arranged for me by Victoria Falls Anytime. I'm not a great believer in things like elephant-back rides or lion walks, but I decided to go and experience it.
Whilst it was fabulous to touch 16-month old lions and walk in the bush with them, there is something that jars me about it all. I got irritated with the handlers shaking branches and kicking stones to make them open their eyes or sit up for everyone's "Kodak moments". Let the animals sleep if you've just fed them – it's what lions do best.
I was only spending two nights in Vic Falls and my time was ending, but not before I took the “Flight of Angels” in a helicopter over the magnificent Falls, the perfect end to my brief stay in Victoria Falls.
