Zim Zim Simbabwe

The flight to Victoria Falls town, in Zimbabwe, was one where we were putting together a jigsaw puzzle. There were missing pieces from the previous night’s high which had to pieced into a full story. Oh my god, it was hilarious, embarrassing and a bit hazy, all at the same time. Anyways, in less than 2 hours, we were in a different country. Zimbabwe. Or Simbabwe - as the locals call it. Or Rhodesia - as it used to be called. Thankfully, the conflict and political tension is limited mostly to Harare and surroundings. But that doesnt stop the 4000% inflation from affecting the entire country. Yes, I didnt type an extra zero there. The currency is a bearer’s check, not a currency note. One with an expiry date. You realise how little their money means to them, when you have to pay in foreign currency for almost everything there. Nobody in ZIm wants Zim dollars. They would rather have your old shoes or an old shirt. Despite all this, Zim, or Victoria Falls atleast, was relatively safe.

Vic Falls, or Mosi-Oa-Tunya - “the smoke that thunders”. Vic Falls - what I had flown to Africa for. Vic Falls - the idea I was hooked on to since Buzz mentioned his plans of visiting it. The falls were promising. The bungi from the bridge over the falls was my personal struggle over my own fears. Driving from the airport to the hotel itself introduces you to a new experience. Everything looks different. South Africa doesnt prepare you for the rest of Africa. Zim, in parts atleast, does. Yellow dry fields, dusty roads, wild buffaloes, poor people, poorer people. It becomes a bit difficult to shake all this and behave like a tourist though, doesnt it? Something gloomy about the place, atleast for me. I guess Buzz and Dopey are used to this, so the darkness didnt get to them. I guess.

We got dropped off at the Kingdom Hotel, and checked in. The hotel is huge. With ponds and pools and a backdoor path to the falls. After catching a nap, we started figuring out the activities to indulge in. I was sure of the bungi, helicopter ride and the zambezi cruise. After enquiries and negotiations and plenty of phone calls, we managed to book ourselves into the sunset cruise on the zambezi. It was the most relaxing 2 hours of the week! Upper zambezi is calm and slow... you almost cant believe that it transforms into the falls some distance later. There were some sightings too - an elephant here and a crocodile there. All natural. For once. Sipping my wine, and watching the sun set over the zambezi, in a different country, in a different continent. How far did I come in a week’s time?

The next morning was a bit of an anti-climax. First, Buzz refused to wake up. Dopey and I bugged him till he realised he wasnt going to be left alone. What can I say? I can be pesky when I need to! Then, Dopey went ahead of us, and then realised we need money for the entrance fee. We came back and picked up our Zim dollars. Finally, all three of us were refused entry at the Vic Falls gates because we needed to pay in US dollars. What did I say? They dont want their own money. And certainly not from foreigners. Sigh. We were not meant to see the sunrise over the falls. So we went to see the gorge instead. The zambezi takes a 150 meter plunge as the Victoria Falls, and then flows through a narrow gorge that forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Livingstone bridgec connects the two. So I finally caught sight of the bridge from where I was to take the plunge later in the day. Gulp! I couldnt tell Dopey and Buzz how my tummy was in knots at the thought. Take a deep breath. Dont look at the gorge below. You will be fine.

After missing the sunrise over the falls, atleast there was some good news on coming back to the hotel. There was a slot open for the helicopter ride that I could take. Buzz and Dopey were booked to take the flight from the Zambia side, but since I didnt have a Zambia visa, I had to pray for someone to cancel on the Zim side. And someone did. A 15-minute helicopter ride, sitting next to the pilot, flying over the falls, over Zim, over Zambia, over rainbows, over game reserves, over upper Zambezi. I cant wait to transfer my photos and have them printed. There is nothing more beautiful than the arial view of the Falls. The ride is a must-do!

Finally, it was time to walk through the mist and the spray, from the Zimbabwe check-post to the middle of the bridge. You see the bridge is in no-man’s land, between Zim and Zambia, so you need to exit Zim when you go for the bungi. Passport in hand, and my heart in my mouth, I went and registered. They marked my serial number and weight on my forearm and I knew there was no turning back. Dopey and I were going to do the jump. Buzz on the other hand, decided to be a chicken and didnt register. We tried convincing him, but no luck. The harness strapped on, the cameraman asks you to say something before you jump, the instructor asks you to step on to the edge, look at the horizon and stretch out your arms. 5-4-3-2-1-BUNGI. You are literally thrown off the platform. 4 seconds of absolute free fall. You feel like you are flying, somewhere in heaven, in the afterlife!!! 111 meters, the cord gets taut, you feel the wind rushing, the ponytail is loose and the band is lost to the zambezi. I forget to spread my arms enough, and swing like a pendulum more than I should. Then the recoil. And down you go again. And then you swing again. Finally, you stop swinging and continue spinning. You notice the rainbow while you hang upside down over the zambezi, waiting for the guy to descend and take you back to the bridge. You feel the lock on your rope, and you are pulled by the guy, who locks your harness to his and finally you are upright. You smile for the photo as you reach the bridge.

It was an experience to remember. Five years back I would have laughed if someone had suggested that I try the jump. So much has changed. I’ve tasted adrenalin rush, and it is difficult to give it up now. Another check on my list of Things-to-do-before-I-turn-30. Yayyyy. I am proud of myself.

The rest of the day didnt seem to matter much after that. Dopey and Buzz went to the Zambia side for their helicopter ride while I caught some rest in the hotel. We decided to explore the other hotels for dining options. We went to Ilala lodge and then we went to the Victoria Falls hotel. While walking there, Buzz decided to scare me. He suddenly says - dont look back, someone is following us. With all my foolish paranoia, I was an easy target. After ten seconds of walking calmly and being in utter panic, I see a white chick walk past. Buzz could not stop laughing! Oh trust me, it will come back and bite you when you least expect it. Just you wait and watch, my dear. We finally had dinner at Spur and decided to get rid of our Zim dollars at the casino. Roulette. Slots. Blackjack. Unfortunately we kept winning it all back. I was spreading my bets well at roulette and made quite a buck. Tee hee. Finally we decided not to cash in all our winnings, and instead kept the winning token as a souvenir. Yes, we are not exactly great gamblers.

The next morning Buzz and I managed to catch sunrise over Vic Falls. It is beautiful to see up-close-and-personal, but scared of the spray we faced the previous day, I decided not to carry my DSLR that morning. Quite a pity that I dont have photos of the Falls from close quarters, but I wont forget it myself. It is awe-inspiring... you cant forget it easily. After breakfast, we spent time and money at the local crafts market. The spoils are rhino-shaped stone book-ends and an ethnic-painted tablecloth. Then, we were on the way to the airport. The lady at check-in seemed to fancy Dopey, because he got upgraded to Business Class, while Buzz and I were left in Economy! Oh well, atleast there was good company. This afrikaner bloke, who has traveled quite a bit, and arranges tours across Africa. Made for interesting conversation. He had some good things to say about my camera and my photos. I know he was just being nice to me, but he didnt really need to, so brownie points to him.

So that was that. Three days in Zim. And loads of memories. Some regrets. Some thoughts. Some clarity. Some questions. Still, I am glad to be back in Jo’burg.