The Triple Crown of Water Falls is complete for me — Niagara, Iguazu, and now Victoria Falls. I started on the Zimbabwe side with Tom, Biebs, Taylor, Drew, and Bianca. It was a clear, sunny day but that doesn’t matter when the water level is as high as it was. It could have just as well been raining and you wouldn’t have known the difference because you’re going to get drenched either way. Most people wear rain ponchos, but what’s the fun in that? I just put the few things I was carrying in a Zip-loc bag and I was good to go.
Aside from getting soaked, one of the other downsides to high water levels is the thick mist that is emitted from the falls. In a lot of places you simply can’t see… anything, really. But occasionally the mists clear just enough for you to snap a few photos.
There are a lot of adrenaline activities to do in Victoria Falls, but I decided not to spend the $165 on the bungee jump package as I thought it was overpriced and I have already been bungee jumping anyway. I had paid the extra $15 at the Zimbabwe border a couple weeks ago to spring for the double-entry visa just in case Devil’s Pool would be open on the Zambia side of the falls. Unfortunately it was not — yet another drawback of the high water levels. But since I had nothing else going on I decided to walk across the border, pay the $20 for the Zambia visa and check out the falls from the other side.
Biebs takes the leap off Victoria Falls Bridge
I must say I liked the falls on the Zambia side a little better. The pictures were perhaps not quite as impressive as the rainbow shots from the Zimbabwe side, but there were more trails to walk and a broader array of angles to view the falls from. I particularly enjoyed the hike down to the Boiling Pot where you were at water level and could see the whirlpools that formed, and the dangerously slippery hike across Knife’s Edge Bridge.
All in all Victoria Falls is a truly impressive sight that everyone with the means and inclination should go visit. But it still only gets the silver medal in my opinion, as Iguazu reigns victorious at the top of the podium.
That night we all decided to go on an all-you-can-drink booze train pulled by a century-old steam locomotive. The train didn’t go fast and it didn’t go far, but who cares with an open bar? It takes you onto the Victoria Falls bridge — which at a height of 128 meters above the Zambezi was the highest in the world when completed in 1905 — and stops to let you off and enjoy the views for over an hour. All in all the trip is about two-and-a-half hours, and in that time frame we drank the WHOLE bar. The wine went first, followed by the vodka, whiskey, and brandy. When we came into the station Maddy had the barkeep pour the last of the gin into her glass. He asked what she wanted for a mixie, and she said “no”. Ice? “Nope.” Atta girl, Maddy. That was the end of the liquor. The rest of us filled our pockets and Taylor his camera bag with what remained of the beer and eventually made our way off the train. Sidenote: I won’t go into the details, but there is nothing more boorish than a group of 30 middle-aged white men from Zambia and Zimbabwe on a bachelor party.
Enjoying a whiskey and ginger beer while the train is stopped on the Victoria Falls Bridge
After a raucous night, we decided to class it up a bit on our last day in Vic Falls by going to high tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel. For $30 you get a three-layer tray for two with assorted sandwiches, scones, and pastries along with as much tea as you care to drink, all the while taking in the views from the veranda of this classy hotel. All the food was excellent and it was well worth the price for the experience. Adam, Amanda, Krystal, Siggy, Thor, Odin, and myself were so impressed we just lingered around until dinner. I had the crocodile tail, which was quite delicious, along with a couple cocktails. It was really nice to enjoy a high-class afternoon and evening after sleeping on the ground for so many days.
Katy, Thor, and Bianca join me for High Tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel
Sadly, this was the end of the line for Biebs, Rosey Posey, John, and the Baker sisters — Nicole and Kelsey. And we gained six new people and a vegan for a total of seven new passengers, meaning we are now 24 and at max capacity. Oh boy.
*More photos when I get to decent internet in about two weeks*
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