Monday, June 30, 2025

We got up at 5:45 to get ready for our 7:30 departure. We went to breakfast at 6:20. I had scrambled eggs, toast, yogurt, Weetabix cereal, juice, and coffee. As we were finishing up breakfast, it was decided that we should try to leave by 7:05. We hurried and loaded up. We left at 7:15. I got a picture with  Reinette.

It was very cold. When we got to the airport, we returned our rental van and went to check-in for our flight. It is a bit tricky because we were flying Airlink so we had to check-in at the counters in the domestic terminal, but after we checked our bags, we had to head to the international terminal to go through security. Ruth had told us to allow at least two hours to go through security at Joburg. The line was completely filled, but it didn’t seem like a ridiculous number of people in line. However, there were only two open security lanes so it didn’t go as fast as it should have. A few people at a time started cutting through the line, then a few more, then 8, then 15, then 20. It was crazy watching these long trains of people cut the line and then have three more join the end of the line. I have never seen anything like it! After security, we waited in line for passport control. The same thing continued happening. I wish I had started counting at the beginning. Tammy and I estimated that we were passed by about 100 people!

When we got through to the other side, we went to a coffee shop because some people wanted some coffee. We then walked downstairs to our gate. When it was time for our flight, we got on a shuttle bus, along with everyone else on our flight. It was quite cozy and we were on the bus for at least twenty minutes. There were lots of people speaking Spanish!

We got on the plane. Tammy and I sat on the left side of the plane. Tammy’s dad told us that one side of the plane would be same to see Victoria Falls as we landed, but he didn’t know which side. 

I worked on my blog and we had breakfast. I had berry juice, water, cold roasted vegetables that were delicious, a trail mix with cranberries, raisins, peanuts, and cashews, and colorful dried fruit cylinders. I shared some with Tammy.

I worked more on my blog. When we got close, Victoria Falls was on the right side of the plane where all the others were sitting. We could only catch a tiny glimpse of the spray.

We landed and walked into the tiny Livingstone Airport. We got in line to go through passport control. We purchased KAZA visas for $50 that would allow us to enter both Zambia and Zimbabwe. After that, we walked to the baggage claim to collect our luggage. All of it was there except Sandra’s suitcase. However, they were still sending one more suitcase every two minutes and Sandra’s case appeared before she could figure out how to track it with her AirTag! We went through customs and found a man named Friday holding a sign that said “Carolyn x6.” 

We walked out of the airport and he showed us the drivers who would take half of us. Their names were Vincent and Clifford. It was only a 15 minute drive to the Ngoma Zanga Lodge. Ngoma Zanga means “beating the drums.” 

We checked in and met Caroline, one of the front desk staff. She was very friendly. Another woman brought us wet washcloths and juice. We put our stuff in our rooms and prepared to head out. 

Caroline asked us where we were going and we told her we had asked Vincent to take us to see the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. You could tell she didn’t like that answer. She told us that the lodge can arrange tours. She told us to be careful because it’s kind of dangerous. She told us that a woman staying at the lodge had slipped and hurt her shoulder. We thanked her and left.

We drove about 15 minutes to Victoria Falls. We saw elephants on the way there. Vincent gets a commission from bringing visitors so he paid for us to enter the park and we reimbursed him. It cost $20 to enter. We explored the far right side first. We saw the Livingstone statue and walked to the top of the falls. 

We saw Livingstone Island. Tammy and I sat and enjoyed the view for a bit before heading to the left. 

We hadn’t gotten wet much at all until we walked farther. There was a wooden pedestrian bridge called the Knife Edge Bridge. The spray from the falls was pouring down like rain when we crossed. Amazingly, my raincoat stood up to the water pouring on top of me. My pants were soaked. I had worn sandals so it didn’t matter that they got wet. We explored the falls on that side of the bridge. There were multiple overlooks where we could enjoy the view. Some were soaking wet! I started taking a video at one point and had to abort the mission because my phone was getting drenched!

We made it to where we could see the Livingstone Bridge and took photos. Tammy’s dad suggested going to see the Boiling Pot. We walked over there and it was closed for the day. A man told us that we could see it by hiking a different path and we started hiking that way. We saw several baboons lying on and near the path. There was a mom with a baby. The baby ran up onto a little tree and started swinging around. It was adorable!

After we watched for awhile, we decided to go back both because of the male baboon on the path and because a man near the baboons told us it was at least 30 minutes to get to the boiling pot.

We met up with everyone else and went to meet Vincent. We drove back to the lodge and on the way, we saw some elephants by the side of the road. We stopped by the biggest and oldest banyan tree in the area and took a picture.

When we got back, we got ready for dinner and had Vincent come back and get us to take us to the Royal Livingstone Hotel. We got there a little late for the sunset. The hotel was super fancy and located on the Zambezi River just above Victoria Falls. We could see the spray from the falls. We took pictures by the river and then went and sat on a bench and enjoyed the WiFi for a few minutes until the restaurant opened. 

We asked to sit next to the fire that they had burning. We were outside but it wasn’t very cold. The waitress brought us warm bread and water. I had a pasta dish with vegetables. When we finished, we paid and went to meet Vincent so he could drive us back.

We got ready for bed, caught up on messages, and went to sleep.