Taking to the Skies - Microlight Flight in Victoria Falls

August 17, 2010
For my last evening in Victoria Falls/Livingstone, I decided to get on a microlight flight, basically a hang glider with an attached seat and a small motor. A few other people in my group had done the flight, and they were raving about the views from above during the dinners around the campsite, so I figured it might be a good last way to view the falls. After running back across the border from Zimbabwe and catching a taxi just in time, I made my pickup time with one minute to spare, and we drove off to the nearby airstrip for the helicopters and microlights that frequent the sky in the area.

Getting in the little aircraft, the driver simply folded his bucket seat over, and I climbed aboard, into a small frame and tiny bucket seat strapped next to the engine and wings above. With my helmet and microphone on (to communicate with the pilot), I strapped on my lap belt and was surprised to see that nothing else was really holding me in, soon zipping down the dirt runway before taking flight. The first minute or two was a little scary, realizing that there wasn't much securing me to the plane besides my little seatbelt and my arms clenched to the edge of the seat frame below me. Bouncing up and down a bit in the gusts of wind, I wasn't sure if the flight was such a good idea, but I was soon comfortable with the situation, able to look down below at the wide Zambezi and the mist in the distance, coming up from the edge where the river can be seen to just drop off into nothing.

As I chatted away with the German pilot about his experiences throughout Africa, we arrived above Victoria Falls, yielding yet another amazing view of the iconic waterfall, from a completely different perspective. From above, you can see both sides of the huge cliffs and the winding gorge downstream, watching the water plummet over the side, some of it continuing downstream, some of it pushing back up into the air in the huge clouds of mist and spray. We were probably 500-1000 feet above the falls, dropping down closer and then heading back up as we made a few circles around the falls. The late afternoon sun revealed a few of the ubiquitous rainbows in the mist that add to the magic of the area. From this vantage point, I could finally appreciate the entire falls in one piece, putting together all of the amazing, separate viewpoints that I had visited over the past few days.

About ten minutes later, we finally turned away from the falls, heading back over the Zambezi to spot a few hippos and crocs lying alongside the river. The pilot also gave me control of the plane, allowing me to push and pull the steering bars to catch the wind and turn from one side to another. Not comfortable at first with the sharp turns of the little plane, I eventually got the hang of it and guided the plane back to the landing strip, with the pilot wisely taking back control just before we touched down and ended my incredible stay at Victoria Falls with a combination of adventure, wildlife and unbelievable natural beauty. That almost meant that I'd finally be hitting the road with my tour group, making our way over to Botswana and Namibia before ending up in South Africa about three and a half weeks later.

(I had heard rave reviews from some people in my group about the microlight flight, so I thought it would be a nice way to view the falls on my last afternoon in the area. After a few minutes making our way from the airstrip, we got to the falls for another stunning, awe-inspiring view.)

(The aerial view allows you to see the whole stretch of the massive falls. Check out how wide the Zambezi is below, and this picture doesn't even show the entire thing.)

(I finally managed to even look at the camera for one of the pictures. Starting off, I was a bit scared, as there was only a tiny seatbelt holding me into the small bucket seat, so I didn't relax my clenched grip on the bars below the seat for quite a while.)

(Coming back from the falls, the pilot gave me a chance to fly the machine which is basically like a hang glider with two seats and a small engine attached. It was a little scary since the aircraft can make some quick, sharp turns, but I got the hang of it and took us back to the airport, giving up control just before the landing.)

(Safely on the ground, the flight was completely worth it. Earlier in the day, one of the members of our lion walk/cheetah encounter was walking with a cane and a limp, as he had actually been involved in an accident in one of these planes the last time he was in Victoria Falls, so I tried not to think about that during the flight. Good times.)

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Walking With Lions, Cheetahs, and a Caracal - Victoria Falls

August 17, 2010
The exotic animals of Africa are what draw so many people to this vast continent, and that draw was definitely one of the reasons that I came on this trip, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see a few of the local animals up close and personal, booking a trip for the next morning that would allow me to interact with lions, cheetahs, and even a caracal (basically an African lynx). The morning began with another short drive from my campsite down the road, near where the rafting began the day before. I was joined by only six other people, given a few basic instructions and warnings before beginning our day. We were given long walking sticks that we were told to use to basically just distract the lions if they turned and looked aggressive, since the mostly domesticated animals were usually just looking for something to play with. The center we were visiting, like many others, usually takes in orphaned or troubled animals that may be in danger due to their habitat or other factors such as farmers seeking vengeance for lost livestock.

Beginning our walk down a dusty red path into the dry bush, we soon saw the three lions that we were to meet, laying lazily on the dirt, rolling back and forth every once in a while with a trainer standing above them. These experiences typically use slightly smaller, younger animals, and though these lions were only 20 months old, they were still very large and strong. As the trainer introduced them, he assured us that if we followed instructions, we'd be in good hands, proving it to us as one of the lions licked his hand while he spoke to us. Even so, we all knew in the back of our minds that these are still wild animals, and I had just heard a story the night before from a group member who did a similar experience the day before in which she tripped while near the lion, falling to the ground and immediately the lion's natural instincts kicked in, completely changing its mood and stance before the trainer could jump in and grab a hold of her collar before anything could happen. Nevertheless, the majestic felines were a beautiful sight, laying just a few yards from where we stood, yawning and stretching in the morning sunlight. Seeing them in zoos before was impressive, but it couldn't compare to standing at the foot of the king of the jungle.

After our introduction, we were asked for someone to volunteer to be first to pet the lions, and I jumped at the chance while most of the others were a little hesitant. As instructed, I approached the lion from behind (which seems counter-intuitive to me) and talked to it as I stroked firmly along the back of the animal, pushing hard to let it know I was there, since the problems often come when it just senses something small behind it and turns to push it away, thinking it might just be a bothersome bug or something. The other important thing is to not completely get down to their level, as then you lose your sense of dominance. Also, just like any other animal, it can sense your mood and/or apprehension, so it's important to be confident around them. Stroking the somewhat soft, golden fur of the lion, I could also feel the thick skin below, realizing that this was a potent predator. Luckily these lions weren't fierce at all, and I couldn't believe how calm it was, obviously not caring too much about all of the people around. Smiling from ear to ear, I petted the other two lions as well, posing for pictures and just staring at the beautiful features of the cats, from the powerful claws to the pretty face.

The lion walk, as it's called, continued with us walking down the path for nearly an hour with the three lions, stopping at spots when they wanted to play and to take a few pictures, each of us in disbelief of this magical experience. As we got more and more comfortable with the lions (and they with each of us), I even got to hold the tail of one of the lions as we walked along, letting it guide me around the circular path. At the end of the hour, we finally had to say our goodbyes to the gorgeous creatures, though we were moving on to another exciting part of the tour as we passed back up to wash up and then move on to the cheetahs.

Unlike the lions, the cheetahs were kept in a fenced enclosure, and we simply entered in and walked up to the long, lean cats, laying down in the shade as the heat of the day was coming in. The lions we had played with were still adolescents, but since cheetahs aren't as dangerous, these were actually fully grown cheetahs, about 5, 7, and 9 years old. Each of the three cheetahs looked up to investigate our arrival, though they also didn't seem threatened by this group of humans, so they went back to their morning rest as we approached. The brilliant coloration of the fur revealed beautiful black spots patched among the yellowish background, along with a regal looking black strip running down the face from each shining orange eye. We were told about the history of each of the animals, mentioning the personalities and moods of the three cats, named for kings Solomon, Shaka Zulu and one other one.

As before, we were allowed to pet the cats, though with the lions we were told to only pet the backs and sides, but with the cheetahs, they enjoyed having their head and neck scratched, just like house cats. Again, I couldn't believe that I was actually crouched down next to one of these beautiful creatures, petting a cheetah as it purred in delight while I scratched the soft fur under its neck. Shaka didn't prove to be quite as friendly, hissing and growling at us frequently, though just trying to establish dominance and never actually intending on actually getting up from his comfortable spot on the shaded ground. We took picture after picture and again the time passed so quickly, soon enough being the end of our 30 minutes with these sleek, slender animals.

Finally, we stopped by the caracal enclosure, finding a very friendly, sociable cat about the size of a medium-sized dog, pacing around its cage, anxious for us to come inside. An African version of a lynx, the golden brown cat has long ears with black tufts at the points, along with a short tail and long back legs. It is also apparently fairly mean and vicious in the wild, though this domesticated one was obviously happy to have visitors. We entered the cage, and the caracal circled around each of us, rubbing up against our legs and trying to greet everyone in the pen. Though the lion and cheetah were fairly soft, this one felt almost the same as a house cat with a lovely short coat and a penchant for being petted. We only had a few minutes with the caracal and were soon back on our way to the hotels, but I couldn't believe what an unbelievable experience it was to be able to actually pet and interact with lions, cheetahs and a caracal. From cuddling with kangaroos and koalas to hugging a panda and walking with lions, these wildlife experiences are always one of the highlights of my trip, and I was really glad that I got to enjoy this one (even though my tour has another cheetah encounter later on in the itinerary, but that will just be a bonus).

(The three beautiful, 20 month old lions that we got to interact with as a part of the lion walk.)

(Rooooooaaaaaarrrrrrrr. Actually, it's just a yawn, but it still looks scary.)

(After a little introduction, we were given that long walking stick to distract the playful animals if they seemed to be looking at you in an aggressive way, perhaps picturing a nice big human steak.)

(Luckily the mostly domesticated lions were very calm and nice, allowing us to pet them along their back and sides. We were instructed to pet hard and talk to them the whole time, so that they feel your presence and don't think it's just an annoying pest....which we probably are.)

(For about an hour, we got to follow along with them, walking ahead of and behind them as they made their way down the dirt path in the bush.)

(This was such an incredible experience to be able to literally reach out and grab these powerful and adorable creatures.)

(Looking really ferocious. And the lion doesn't look bad either.)

(Licking his chops, perhaps planning out a nice meal of seven tourists. Our fairly small group and three lions meant we had plenty of time to play with the cats.)

(This one even let me hold on to his tail (with the trainer's permission) as we walked along the path.)

(Though only 20 months old, these lions were quite large and strong.)

(One last shot of the beautiful lions.)

(Next we moved on to a large enclosure with three full-grown cheetahs. Though this guy liked to hiss and growl, he didn't even get up from his shady spot in the dirt.)

(Since he was in a little bit of a bad mood, we didn't pet Shaka Zulu.)

(Solomon, on the other hand, was happy to have us scratch his head and neck, purring along in approval.)

(Two of the extraordinary cheetahs looking off in the distance. How stoic of them.)

(Though full grown, these long, lean creatures don't pose as much of a threat to humans, but I'm sure they could still do some damage if they wanted to.)

(And finally the caracal, a cute African lynx about the size of a dog. This one was very sociable, coming up and rubbing against our legs and getting petted by each of us. The fur was also nice and soft, just like a house cat.)

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Rafting Down the Zambezi - Victoria Falls

August 16, 2010
Rushing towards some of the most fierce rapids in the world in a small plastic boat seemed like an adventurous activity and interesting way to see the area, so the next morning I joined a white water rafting trip down the Zambezi River, starting a mile or two down the gorge from the falls. Fortunately the water was still fairly high, meaning that the truly dangerous rapids were still flooded over with the large amounts of water, leaving a nice mix of enjoyable, exciting rapids without the peril of one of the world's most dangerous stretches of river at the right time of year. After a brief introduction and breakfast, we boarded a few open trucks and were chilled to the bone by the cold morning air blowing unrelentingly on us in the backs of the open benches in the modified trucks. We then got our safety helmets and life jackets, along with our paddles and started a very steep, slightly precarious climb down the gorge, stepping on weak looking branches nailed together to form a sort of ladder down to the river. More than a few complaints and bloody feet later, we made it to the bottom after the 15 minute walk, and I was paired up with a Welsh couple, a South African couple, a young English guy and a young Kiwi for our trip down the river. Our friendly guide, Boyd, gave us a few last minute tips, emphasizing that we hold on to the end of our paddles at all times, furthering his point by mentioning that the huge bandage in the middle of his forehead was from an errant paddle a few days earlier.

We worked out our rhythm and a few simple commands with Boyd doing the steering and a few of us doing the work up front, though the river is mostly fast enough to take you downstream, so our task was mostly getting us in the right line coming in to some of the rapids. Within a few minutes, we were at our first set of rapids, each of them with separate, menacing names to scare those coming upon them. We were also warned to be careful, since anyone who happened to fall out of the boat would then have to go down the next few rapids in the water, since the string of rough water ahead didn't leave time for jumping back into the boat. We negotiated a few rapids successfully, getting drenched by the cold spray and waves that crashed over the boat, and then we hit our next set, intentionally trying to flip the raft, as that's apparently the thing for the adventurous groups to do in this area. Just as we were about to hit the huge wave, we all jumped into the middle of the raft, holding on tightly to the rope that encircled the raft, hoping we'd be able to come out of the flip easily enough. Right away, the powerful water picked up our raft, and, as if in slow motion, the boat rotated over on its side first to 90 degrees (standing straight up on its side in the water), and then dumping out all of the passengers just as it flipped upside down.

Being on the short side of the flip, I tried in vain to hold on to the rope and was immediately dropped into the water, flailing around as the boat and other passengers landed on top of me. Though it was probably only a few seconds, getting out from under the heavy raft was a scary event as water pounded my face, and I struggled for air as a few gulps of water went down my throat, and I tried to orient myself. I could feel that the raft was above me, so I pushed up on the raft, trying to free myself to one side or the other, though I didn't really know which direction I was going. I also felt the arms and legs of another rider, kicking and grabbing in an attempt to free himself. I did manage to catch a breath in the air bubble formed by the raft, and I finally made my way to the edge and under, popping back up outside of it, relieved to grab a huge breath of fresh air and see the sunlight above me. I was the last one out from our group, as the others had either landed on the side of the boat or made their way out before me. Looking around, I saw a bunch of red eyes and panicked looks, though these soon turned to smiles as we realized that we were safe. Our group was one short, though, since the South African woman sitting in the back of the raft had been thrown outside and away from the raft, and she was soon picked up by one of the accompanying kayakers with our trip, though she was certainly not happy about the experience, especially since her husband had to try hard to convince her to go on the trip in the first place. We also saw that our group was the only one who managed to flip their boat during the whole day, so I guess that's probably a good thing.

Finally calming down, we helped each other back in the boat and enjoyed a few more rapids. Bouncing up and down through the waves, we shouted and screamed, feeling the pressure of trying to fight against nature and then lulling back into enjoying the incredible scenery of the massive cliffs and dry trees and shrubs surrounding us. We even saw a small crocodile slide into the river, much to the consternation of the Welsh couple who soon jumped off the raft to begin the second part of their trip, boogie-boarding with flippers down the middle series of rapids. As our group got more comfortable with the waves, we were also instructed by Boyd to jump in the water, experiencing the next few rapids with just our life vests and helmets to protect us, flowing down the rushing currents of the river, bobbing up and down and through the huge waves. Floating down the rapids outside of the raft was amazing, though it wasn't always easy getting back into the boat, as the currents simply took your where they wanted. If the water was slow, you could swim back, but once the speed picked up, we tried in vain to fight the mighty waters before realizing that you just had to go where it wanted to take you. At one point, I got a long way away from the boat, finally slowing down and heading over to shore to stand on a few rocks in a more shallow part of the river before being warned by another boat about crocodiles again, so I went back out into the middle before finally rejoining our boat.

Feeling that we had got the hang of the rafting, our guide decided to change things up again, instructing us all to get as far back as possible in the boat. We all huddled together on the last bump/row of the raft, crushed against each other as we came upon another stretch of white water. With all of our weight back, we hit the churning waves and the front of the boat catapulted into the air, allowing us to sort of surf over the waves below. Though it wasn't really dangerous, kicking up the front of the raft like that certainly looked cool and added another element to the experience.

During one of our last rapids where we again jumped into the water to float down, I passed the rapids without too much of a problem, though seconds later, I was pulled down into a powerful whirlpool, struggling to get myself out. As the water pulled me under, I panicked, kicking and grasping for breath, swallowing another few gulps of water and trying to throw up my arms to hopefully reach the surface of the deep river and hope that someone would see that I was in trouble. Another few seconds passed as I tried to look around and swim free of the powerful grasp of the pool, but I was helpless against the forces before it finally spit me out, coughing up water and clearing my eyes to see my raft far upstream. Fortunately, that was our last big rapid of the day, so I was quite happy to finally jump back on the boat and head down the river peacefully. I was told that my guide did actually see me head into the whirlpool, and though he couldn't prevent it, he knew that it was a relatively small one, so it would spit me out within a few seconds, knowing that I likely wasn't in huge danger, so he just laughed off the event as he saw me get pulled under.

Finishing off our trip, we landed at a beautiful white sand beach along one of the slow bends of the river. We were also lucky to have a huge lift (sort of like a cable car) to pull us out of the canyon, as the walk back up the steep walls would have been quite tough after a few hours of physical exertion, fighting against the mighty river. Feeling enough excitement for one day, I went back to our campsite and was soon on one of our group activities, taking a leisurely cruise up the Zambezi, just above the falls, spotting a few crocodiles, hippos and other birdlife before seeing the red African sun drop over the lush horizon and heading back for the evening.

(A view of the gorge formed by the mighty Zambezi, just downstream from Victoria Falls, forming the border between Zambia in the foreground and Zimbabwe in the background.)

(At one of the first rapids, our guide convinced us it would be fun to intentionally flip the raft. Just before hitting the wave, we all jumped in the boat and grabbed on to the rope, hoping to make it through the flip.)

(The wave engulfed us, all caught with great camera work by a few of the kayakers who sped ahead at each set of rapids to record the action.)

(Being on the short side of the boat, I think that's my orange helmet that can just be seen going into the waves as the boat began to turn over.)

(Just before people began letting go, falling into the water and on top of each other, not to mention the entire raft falling on top of us.)

(After flipping, I was stuck under the raft for a little while, fighting for breath and trying to find a way out.)

(At this point, I was still under the boat, just about to finally emerge into the sunlight. Check out the guy on the left gasping for air as he just came out from the strong current.)

(After coughing up a bit of the Zambezi that I swallowed during the flip, we were back on the boat, enjoying the rapids. We even jumped out of the raft for a few of the runs, bobbing around through the water. That was quite a fun way to experience the waves until I got sucked into a whirlpool and under the water for a few scary seconds. It all worked out in the end, though, so it's not a problem.)

(Near the end, we all piled as far back as we could go on the raft, allowing it to surf up over the waves on one of the smaller rapids.)

(Happy to be through the mighty river, we took some time to play a little air guitar.)

(In the evening, my tour group and I enjoyed a nice peaceful sunset cruise up the Zambezi, just above the falls, spotting some wildlife and a huge, red sunset along the way. The sunset was much easier to spot than the animals.)

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Mosi-oa-Tunya - The Smoke that Thunders (Victoria Falls)

August 15, 2010
Mosi-oa-Tunya - The Smoke that Thunders. The evocative local name for Victoria Falls sets expectations high, but the waterfall, regarded by many as the best in the world, doesn't often disappoint. The massive falls span a 1.7 kilometer (a little over a mile) wide chasm, dropping a spectacular 107 meters (351 feet) below as the mighty Zambezi River snakes its way through a few canyons, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the area certainly isn't unknown to tourists who come from all over the world, once frequently the Zimbabwean tourist city of Victoria Falls before a bit of civil unrest has led many to congregate in Livingstone on the Zambian side, just about 10 kilometers from the actual falls.

During my first day in Livingstone, I simply relaxed and took some time to run a few errands, building up the anticipation for seeing the falls from all different angles and vantage points over the next few days as I would begin my tour. Though I was now officially on the tour, our first three days in the area were free, meaning that we'd basically just come back to the campsite for dinner, our tents and breakfast, doing as we pleased during the day. As the most significant stop on a backpackers trail from Nairobi to Cape Town, there are innumerable activities on offer in the town, ranging from wildlife encounters to skydiving and bungee jumping to high tea at the edge of the falls, and everything in between. Given all of these choices, it's easy to find your money drifting away quickly, in sizeable chunks of $100-200 per activity.

For my first experience of the falls, I chose to simply catch a taxi down the empty road from town to the national park, passing by a few stalls selling souvenirs right at the gate, along with a few rather tame baboons jumping on parked cars and digging through the trash cans. Just a few minutes after paying my entrance fee, I laid my eyes upon the magnificent sight that is Victoria Falls - a roaring curtain of water pouring over the massive cliff to the bottom of the gorge. I continued down the trail to get closer to the edge of the opposite cliff, looking straight across the chasm to the water about 40 yards away. I also soon realized that it was going to get really wet along that trail, so I headed back to the gate to rent one of the ponchos ($1) to keep myself and my camera dry. Moving back to the rim trail, the heavy mist blew in and out from the falls, drenching everything in its path, though when the wind pushed the mist away from the falls, the sweeping views were miraculous. I have obviously seen hundreds of pictures of the falls before, but the volume, width and sheer size of the falls can't really be captured in just one photo, and I was blown away by the sight. Fortunately the hot sun and arid climate was quick to dry my clothes when I did take a break from the views and backed off the trail a bit.

As this is early in the dry season, the falls were still pretty full with water rushing from further up the basins of the Zambezi. During April and May, the water surges to its highest level, and apparently the mist simply covers the area, soaking everything around it (and probably obscuring most of the close views of the falls). Conversely, the falls get down to only about 5% of its peak volume during the height of dry season in November, so I was glad to have made it at a time of strong flow and decent visibility. In terms of comparisons, Victoria Falls is a little more than twice as high as Niagara Falls and half a kilometer wider, though its water level fluctuates more, giving Niagara a higher average volume. It's also higher than the famous Iguacu Falls of Brazil/Argentina, though not as wide as that expanse.

Still in awe, I spent a few more hours just walking around the park, circling around for a few more views from more distant viewpoints. On the Northern side of the falls, I sat along the edge of the Zambezi, watching a few crazy visitors hiring local guides to wade out into the wide river, carefully stepping through the rushing waters as they maneuvered to get the footing right and end up at one of the many rock islands that sit on the lip of the falls, offering great but somewhat dangerous views of the water falling off the edge just meters from their feet. (Although I'm sure it's a great view, I was told that about 5 or 6 tourists die every year doing things like this, and there was even a Zambian guide who died the day before as he attempted to give a hand to one tourist who decided it would be a good idea to go swimming in a huge whirlpool just a few hundred feet away from where the falls come into the gorge, known as the Boiling Point.) Finishing off my day, I walked down to the huge bridge that spans the river and crosses over into Zimbabwe. This bridge is also the jumping off point for the bungee, ziplines and other aerial activities, so I was able to watch a few crazy souls throw themselves towards the river below before heading back, haggling with the taxi drivers who are quick to overcharge tourists for the short ride back to town and then back to my group to get a bit of orientation and get my bearings regarding the tents and truck that would be my home for the next few weeks.

(One of my first views of the incredible Victoria Falls, as seen from the Zambian side.)

(The powerful falls were still high filled with water from the previous rainy season. There is actually quite a bit of fluctuation in the falls, completely blanketing the area with mist in April and nearly running dry in November.)

(1.7 kilometers long and 107 meters high (351 feet), it's no wonder that this waterfall is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. In addition to that, a nice double rainbow is almost always lurking when the bright sun hits the mist.)

(Pictures really can't even do justice to this massive falling sheet of water.)

(As you can see, I rented a cheap poncho for a few hours to protect me and my camera from the persistent mist blowing around from the falls. Although I got completely drenched, the warm sun dried me off in just a few minutes.)

(Heading towards the bridge over the Zambezi to Zimbabwe, this is a view of the canyon just past the falls, with a small piece of the falls visible through the gorge. A huge whirlpool called the Boiling Pot where a guide died the day before trying to save a tourist is just to the right of this view.)

(Back up on the Zambian side, you can walk around the side to get views of the falls from behind, watching the water fall over the lip and into the crevasse.)

(Some of the more daring tourists hired local guides to walk out through the rushing waters (usually just a few feet high as the river is very wide here) and climb around on the rocks at the very edge of the falls. I was not so daring/foolish. (Around 5 or 6 people die every year trying this.))

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Lilongwe, Malawi and Lusaka, Zambia - Unexciting Capitals

Aug 11 - 14, 2010
Not many people come to Africa to see the large cities or capitals, so it's no surprise the Lilongwe, Malawi's capital, doesn't feature many sights or attractions for most visitors. I was simply passing through on the way further South, stopping for a day or two to make arrangements for the next part of my trip. Arriving on the bus from Kasungu, I found a spread out city with a few centers of development separated by small neighborhoods and some remaining patches of dry forest. The large bus station is another open air lot near the center of the city, filled with taxi drivers trying to catch people coming off the buses and looking for a quick ride. I opted to walk, wondering if I'd find anything interesting in the city. The paved road was lined with somewhat larger, though just as generic, concrete shops with clothing, merchandise and a few Chinese import shops (one of which proved perfect for me to replace my tiny umbrella that had apparently fallen out of my bag on the bus ride back from Chitimba). Not finding much to catch my eye, I crossed over a small river running through the middle of the city, flanked by some wooden huts and a small shantytown, before heading up the other main road to find my hostel for the next day or two. I had only intended on spending one night in the capital, though it turns out that there were no buses leaving for Zambia the next day, so I realized that I'd be staying an extra day.

Like most big cities in Africa, the capital of around 900,000 people is viewed as more dangerous and crime-ridden than the countryside, though Malawi is a fairly safe destination, so I wasn't too worried. I hadn't heard any horror stories of the place, and it seemed safe enough to me, though I didn't really try my luck walking out on the dark streets at night. My two highlights of the city were both centered around my hostel. The first was a great little restaurant with a mix of local, Indian and Middle Eastern food called Ali Baba with huge portions and cheap prices. The second was the wonderful showers of Mustafa Lodge, a sort of futuristic looking spigot spraying out refreshing hot water into the clean showers, particularly appreciated after going without showers for the past four days or so while being in the local village and then at my horrible hotel in Kasungu. I also took the chance to do laundry and a few other simple things that aren't always easy when you're on the road every day. While in the capital, I also heard about a huge measles epidemic sweeping the country, causing 80 or 90 deaths in the month of June alone; it's always interesting how far removed you can get from news when on the road, especially travelling through small villages with no television or internet access.

Two mornings later, I woke up before the sun rise, walked back across the city to the bus station and got on a larger, more comfortable bus for my trip over to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Our ride started off fine, consisting of a few other Western travellers and some local Malawians and Zambians. Within an hour or two, we were at the Western border of Malawi, ready to cross over to Zambia. We all exited the bus, passed through the immigration post and walked the short stretch over to the Zambian post. I also did my best to bargain with the moneychangers who troll this area, looking to change money at horrible rates for those leaving either of the countries. Luckily I only had about $40 to change from Malawian kwacha to Zambian kwacha, so I resigned myself to just accept the fact that I'd lose a few dollars on the transaction. (I had tried to change my last bit of local money in the banks in Lilongwe, but they don't often carry Zambian currency for some reason.)

After changing money, I chatted with a few locals and even another American from the bus who had been touring the continent looking for business opportunities after getting his MBA. Though all the passengers seemed to be ready to go, the bus was taking a long time to get through the checkpoint, leaving us to stand out in the cold, windy morning. For some reason, a cold front was passing up from Mozambique, and with the wind chill, the temperature was pretty close to freezing, and I was certainly unprepared for that weather. Finally, after nearly four hours of waiting on and off the bus, all the goods were cleared, and we made our way into Zambia. The countryside seemed to gradually get a little more dense and hilly, and it was noticeably less populated here, not seeing as many small village huts strung out along the roadside. We stopped a few places to pick up more passengers, eventually filling the aisles even though the ticket agent had promised me that that would not be the case. Then after another quick restroom and snack stop at a tiny little hut, we got pulled over by the police who also didn't like the fact that passengers were lining the aisle, so we sat for another half hour as our driver was ticketed for this infraction. The whole time I was stuck in my window seat, trying to ignore the little girl next to me who was singing, kicking, yelling out everything she saw through the window and moving around the entire ride. Her grandmother was nice enough, but by the end of the ride, I was ready to get a little peace and quiet. Just as dusk was setting in, we came to our last stop near South Luangwa National Park, a beautiful area of wooded hills and a river valley that is renowned for walking safaris among lions, leopards and other wildlife. Unfortunately I wouldn't have time to stop there, so we continued on and arrived in Lusaka around 9:30 that night, four and a half hours later than expected.

It's never fun arriving in a new bus station in a big city with which you're not familiar, particularly in the dark of a late night. These tend to be some of the more dangerous and sketchy places in a city, so I was anxious to get a bit of information for my bus ride the next day and get out of there, noting about fifty people sleeping on the concrete floor of the partially covered station. Finding the information booths closed, I saw a few schedules posted on the walls, got some times in my head, and then I headed off, joining up with a few other travellers from Canada, Holland and the US to share a taxi. We made a quick stop at one of the few places still open at that time of night, Chicken Inn. Chicken Inn, along with Pizza Inn and a few others called something like Bakery Inn and Creamery Inn, is simply a fast food chain in the country, so it was simple enough, and we persuaded the driver to stop with a meal of his own. I then checked into a small hostel nearby, hoping to go straight to bed to be ready for an early start.

Just before going to bed, the other American traveller and I met a huge local Zambian staying at the place, and we started to have a chat about what he did in the area. The large man finished his heaping plate of chicken and rice and proceeded to tell us all about his copper and manganese mines in the center of the country, as well as some interesting and incredibly profitable businesses he runs supplying food and other materials to some isolated diamond mines and camps in bordering Congo. The friendly man discussed business and politics, explaining the history of Zambian copper mining and some horrible exploitation and profiting that has gone on there, as well as questioning us about our opinions on his country and our own. Soon enough, this chat turned into a two hour talk. It was really, really interesting to hear his perspectives, though I knew I'd be tired after only four hours of sleep the next day. I got up early and found a taxi back to the bus station, this time more crowded than the night before. People were lined up and pushing their way to the front, particularly at the kiosk for the bus company that I had heard was the most comfortable, safe and efficient. A few walked away in anger as I heard things being said about the three buses for the morning being all sold out, though when I got to the front, there was a little bit of discussion between the clerks, and I was given a ticket for the 6:30 am departure (just 10 minutes from then), so I grabbed my ticket and hopped on the bus, seeing that I was able to get the last single seat, with a perfect position behind the driver and next to one of the workers.

The bus sped along, making a few break stops, way more efficient and comfortable than most of my modes of transportation up to that point. Somehow we even arrived an hour early to Livingstone, the Zambian gateway to my next stop, Victoria Falls. Waking up from a quick nap to calls of taxi drivers who had spotted the dazed white guy in the front seat (me), I heard people saying "Wake up friend, I'll give you a ride." So I gathered my bags and headed off down the road in the hot midday sun, making my way to two of the hostels before settling on a place. Victoria Falls is one of the key attractions in Southern and perhaps all of Africa, so I was sure there would be no shortage of places to stay, restaurants and things to do.

(A view of the fairly nondescript shops along one of the main roads of the Malawian capital, Lilongwe. Knowing there wouldn't be much to see there, I just passed through for a couple of days before taking a bus over to Lusaka, Zambia and then on down to Livingstone, the site of Victoria Falls.)

(One of my highlights of Lilongwe - a wonderful spicy chicken dish with some Indian flavors at a place just around the corner from my hostel.)

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