Editor’s Note:We are home. I was about to type that words can’t describe the length of our journey, but that’s not true. One word can. That word is…exhausting. More on that in a couple of days. I hope to do one post a day, as if we were still in Africa. It all depends on the extent of my jet lag.
After our FULL day in Victoria Falls, we were up early to catch our flights from Victoria to South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg. As someone who believes that airports are the worst part of travel, this is not my favorite trip. We had spent way too much time in airports so far, and we still had at least four more flights after this one before we would be home (we took eight total—some of our fellow travelers took 12, depending on how many connections they had to get to Africa or home). This was another case of boarding a bus, sitting in the airport, flying, and clearing customs in another country. You get the idea. It’s almost as if you trade boring, exhausting days in airports for the glorious days in between seeing Southern Africa.
We basically spent one full day in Johannesburg. We got into our hotel, the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa. If you remember, we stayed at the Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town to start this trip with AmaWaterways. We thought that place was a truly beautiful hotel. Our next hotel was the Victoria Falls Hotel in Victoria Falls, which was older, more staid and colonial, but still (as much as I hate to admit it) beautiful. But this place knocked our socks off. It was so impressive that I actually remembered to whip out my phone and give you a short video tour.
This “room” was not only bigger than my first apartment, but I think the Springboks (South Africa’s national rugby team) could play a match inside (okay, that’s hyperbole…but good hyperbole ?). This place was beautiful. While the Cape Grace was very nice, it was a little too prim and proper for me, and I was saddened by the colonialism of the Victoria Falls Hotel—but this one, decorated in what I would have to call “African Safari,” was (and still is) my favorite hotel of the trip.
By the time we had arrived from our travels, it was fairly late in the day. I had forgotten to mention that two other amazing representatives from AmaWaterways met us upon our arrival. And we still had the amazing Delia with us. The amazing Lucky (yes, that’s really hisname) met us at the airport and took us to the hotel, as well as leading our full-day tour the following day. Once we arrived at the hotel, we met Beverleigh, who is basically like the Ama fairy godmother of Johannesburg. If Delia is the queen of Southern Africa touring, then Beverleigh is the princess in Johannesburg. Both of these people would play a significant role in my thoughts on South Africa in general.
One of the things I may have mentioned is that about three weeks before we left, we met Dave and Janine Marcus, who live here in Trilogy with us. Dave and I did Trilogy Tech Support together one morning, and I mentioned (like I could shut up about it ?) that we were going to Southern Africa. It turns out Dave and Janine are native South Africans. They still have a place in Cape Town. They travel to Johannesburg regularly and have friends there. They were of great help, providing valuable advice and information. We had one free evening in Cape Town for dinner, and they had recommended a restaurant, which, alas, we had decided to skip because of our late arrival at Table Mountain. Dave had also gotten us a restaurant recommendation in Johannesburg from a good friend he described as a “foodie.” Well, you know me, I love food, and the amazing restaurant prices in South Africa make it almost a sin not to eat out in a superb restaurant at least once.
On the other hand, when we arrived at the Fairlawns, we were exhausted. Beverleigh had offered to make arrangements with the hotel for us to eat in their dining room (which was superb at breakfast). I told her to do that for us. I also told her that we had reservations at a highly recommended restaurant in the city, but we were tired and decided to stay in the hotel instead. Without me saying where we had reservations, she turned to me and said, “I bet you have reservations at Marble. You have to go!” She went on to regale me with how much we would be missing if we didn’t go, how the hotel would transport us there, come back and get us and that we would have a “WONDERFUL experience.” Well, you can’t pass up that kind of recommendation, so we said, “Set up the car.”
Editor’s Note: At this point, I have a lot to say about South Africa and Johannesburg that some may find controversial (it has to do with being transported by the hotel’s car), but I want to reserve my thoughts until my next post, when I detail our full day in Johannesburg.
Let’s talk food.
I haven’t said much about the food. At this point, we had experienced some great food. None of it was bad (except for the cold breakfast at the Victoria Falls Hotel), but there also wasn’t much to write home about. But let’s discuss Marble. We ate, we took pictures (below), and we left stuffed. Everything was perfect except for the one tired impala or antelope I had as an entrée. (I ordered their “game assortment” as my entrée and the “game”—which I now believe to have been impala—was so tough I joked that it must have been the one the lions chased for days but it got away just in tme to wind up at this restaurant ?—but the sauce on it was amazing.)
Here are the pics. The captions pretty much describe the meal. I took them with Kathleen’s iPhone because I stupidly forgot mine at the hotel. Feel (guilt) free to look at them on your phone ?.
The interior of Marble. It was located on the third floor of a building about 20 minutes from our hotel.
Started up with some awesome bread and a mixture of butternut squash and seeds on the left and herbed butter on the right.
Accompanied by the perfect negroni.
My amazing octopus appetizer with chorizo. Maybe the best I have ever had.
Kathleen’s lamb entrée
My “game” entrée
Dessert was chocolate and orange bread pudding with whiskey cream and coffee ice cream on top. It was delicious and hotter than hell.
We can’t thank Dave and Janine (and their friend in Johannesburg) for the recommendation, and Beverleigh for ensuring we went. It was (for me) the best dining experience of the trip. This place fully passed the “Steve Test.” Not only would I eat there again, but I would make it a go-to place for special occasions, especially with the price.
Let’s talk restaurant prices. Prior to the trip, when I was reviewing restaurant menus, I was scared by the prices. Most were in South African currency (the rand), and when I looked at Marble’s menu, I saw that my favorite dish (anything with octopus) was 230 rand. At first glance, that seems like A LOT OF MONEY to pay for one dish. It does, right up until you pull out your calculator (thanks, Apple, for including a constantly updated currency converter right inside your iOS calculator) and realize that R230 is only $ 12.99 US. So, our entire meal, with two appetizers, two entrées, two drinks for me, one for Kathleen, and her glass of wine, as well as a split dessert (in one of Johannesburg’s best restaurants), plus the tip, came to less than $ 140 US. Seriously. Would I dine there if it were in my own city? With those prices? I would eat there weekly. I would try everything on the menu…twice. Two of us could not eat at a place like Marble here in Seattle for twice that much.
After that amazing dinner, we were picked up by the hotel van, whisked back to our luxurious suite at the Fairlawns, where we slept like babies. Which was a good thing because our next day would be a stunner in so many ways. I believe it will be the most joyful post I have ever written and the saddest. See you then.
Now that we have a democracy and you can go back and the airport air is not laden with evil any more, you can actually breathe oxygen when you land in Johannesburg. —Janet Suzman
After passing out (not really, but it felt like it) and sleeping for almost 12 straight hours, I awoke to Kathleen feeling lousy and telling me I should go and grab some breakfast. That was when I discovered it was an outdoor restaurant and freeeezzzziiinnnggg. I had a piece of cold toast and a cup of lukewarm tea. That got me through to lunch. On the way to breakfast, I did get a chance to catch some photos of the spray rising from the falls with the rising sun behind it. Here’s a few to start the day. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. And PLEASE…don’t look at my photography on a phone. Please…
A dinosaur?
Kathleen says this one looks like an elephant.
After my quick shots and the tea and toast, I was off to the walking tour of Victoria Falls in the national park. We had a great guide, and he took us along the trail that has approximately 15 lookouts, each with increasing amounts of spray. It is a beautiful waterfall that you have to wear a poncho to tour. I can only imagine how much spray there must be during the rainy season.
Here are the photos I took along the walk. I am not thrilled with them because, basically, the water/spray looks white, the sky looks white, and everything else is black. BORING…but you be the judge.
Dr. Livingston…I presume?
Not a lot to caption.
Water goes down.
Spray comes up.
I did see a rainbow!!!!
I shot from behind trees.
Anything to get interesting.
This is kind of pretty.
And this.
Now, here’s something interesting on the trail.
And some of our friends on the viewpoint behind me.,
Looking into the cavern.
And another falls
Folks in their ponchos.
More water, more spray
They all kind of look alike.
More white water.
One last one.
These guys are performing everywhere. Same guys that welcomed us to the hotel and then at the train.
They were there when we finished our tour.
Lunch was on our own, and Kathleen was feeling better, so when I returned to the hotel, we went to the other outdoor venue and sat in the hot sun, getting warmed up. The food was okay, but I only ate half of the burger and left the other half of my fries. That tells you how lousy I was feeling. But we were both up for the next part of the day.
HELICOPTER FLIGHT OVER THE FALLS!!!
Now for the GOOOOD part. In the afternoon, we had planned a helicopter flyover tour of the falls with Zambezi Helicopters. It only flies for about 12 minutes, but it does a very cool loop over the falls that lets us see everything. And I was thrilled with the photos AND VIDEO I got. Away we go. Quick note: we could have booked the same flight through AMA, but it was about $100 US more, so we booked it ourselves. I called AMA and asked when we would need to be back. They told me 4:00 pm for the evening cruise on the Zambezi. When Delia announced 3:30, we were afraid we would miss the cruise…but we just made it.
Before watching the videos, please adjust your sound level to a comfortable setting. Helicopters are REALLY LOUD. Did I mention this was our very first ride in a helicopter? It was. Smoother than silk.
That’s the first video. Here are some still shots that I love. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. And PLEASE…don’t look at my photography on a phone. Please…
Not the helicopter we were on, but we did fly her on the her next tour.
This is the map. They go both directions over the Falls in a figure eight look so you can get views from both sides.
From the start
The canyons that lead away from the falls
Looking down on their beauty.
Totally different than walking next to them in the morning,.
Loved our first in a lifetime helicopter ride.
Loving these shots.
From all the angles.
Totally amazing.
Now we get it.
Amazing
Just love it.
Blew me away.
Incredible.
I have now officially run out of superlatives.
Here’s the second video. Thankfully for you, they are very short. Again, adjust your sound. Turn it down.
This was one part of the trip that will definitely stay with us. After the ride, we raced back to the hotel, and we got there with three minutes to spare before we were off for a dinner cruise on the Zambezi River above the falls. While onboard, we heard a very interesting lecture about the explorer David Livingstone from one of his biographers, a long-time British guide.
Of course, when you are on the Zambezi River at sunset, you have to take a photo. So, here’s my last shot from a very long day.
Tomorrow: On to Johannesburg!
The most impactful place I’ve been to, where I was completely awestruck, happy, and moved, is Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is probably the most beautiful and romantic place in the world. — Hill Harper
This happened so long ago (we were there on Friday—only a week ago, but it feels like at least three weeks), it almost seems like it was in another life. This particular day was (for us) the worst on this trip. It was the day we got sick. For some reason, I only get sick while we are traveling. Ask our friends and relatives who we travel with or visit. It’s as if I’m immune to colds and flu at home, but not on the road.
Kathleen had been coughing since she arrived in Cape Town, but she thought it was due to an allergy. When I caught it, we realized we both had it. And on top of having the cold, I made the mistake of not eating for the entire day and then just before bed, taking all my vitamins and regular prescriptions along with my malaria pill that we needed to take for this trip. The only problem was that we had been warned to “never take malaria medicine on an empty stomach.” And when I took it at 8:00 pm that night, I hadn’t eaten since 8:00 pm the night before. Needless to say, I got even sicker and this time it was my stomach.
We were staying at the colonial-style Victoria Falls Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in all of Africa. From their windows, you can see the falls…or at least the steam/spray from the falls. For some reason, this hotel bothered me greatly for several reasons. Maybe it was the whole colonial thing? Maybe it was the fact that it was IMPOSSIBLE to find our room without having someone take us there? Maybe it was because they had no map of the entire hotel (I asked and was told it was only on their website—if you go there, print out a copy in advance)? Perhaps it was because they had no indoor restaurants, so when we had breakfast outdoors on our two mornings there (at 6:30 with a temperature of around 45°F), the food was cold as soon as it hit your plate? Seriously, a beautiful hotel that costs a fortune to stay in, with a wonderful staff, and yet so many things bothered me. I suppose I really am a Victor (it’s a British thing).
Forget about us being sick. We did our best to do the evening activity after check-in. As soon as we had arrived and I had gotten our suitcases inside, I went to bed while Kathleen went off to meet some of the others for lunch. Then, around 5:30, we met Delia and the rest of the gang for a train trip that crossed a bridge that is over the Falls. We were to have appetizers and dinner on the train. We got on and they served drinks while it moved into position on the bridge. I should add that the bridge is so old that only one car or truck is allowed to cross it at a time. And the engine of the train could only back us onto the bridge. It could not go on the bridge itself. Made us feel really safe. We got on board and Kathleen got the traditional British colonial drink, the gin and tonic, while I was only up to Coca-Cola. Once we are out on the bridge and the engine is unhooked, you can get out to take photos (they are below) on the bridge. I took a few and then had to sit down on a bench on the bridge. Delia noticed and, being the angel she is, she asked if we would like her to get us a taxi back to the hotel. We happily said yes because by that time, I had chills (and not the kind with thrills) and a fever. We headed back almost immediately and were back at the hotel in no time. Of cours,e we got completely lost trying to find our room WITH NO MAP!
This is when I made the mistake of taking the malaria pill. BIG MISTAKE. Once I finally got to sleep, I slept for 12 straight hours (interrupted by coughing and blowing my nose). We both felt a little better the next day, but I still was not up for a big breakfast. Kathleen had slept less than I had, so she stayed in while I went to the coldest restaurant on earth (because it was outside in 45°F weather) for a cup of tea and a piece of toast. I really wanted to do the walk above the falls…which I was able to do, and we both felt better, but tired from that time on. Still have the cold, though, and we are sitting in the airport waiting to head home.
More about the next day in my next post. In the meantime, I took a few pictures that day. Here they are with captions. Don’t forget: if you click the first shot, you can scroll through it using your arrow keys or by swiping. And please, don’t view my photography on a phone. Please…
On the bridge, an ussie with Victoria Falls
Inside the antique train
Outside the coaches
On both sides
Looking back at another bridge over the falls
With the sunset.
The train on the way out.
Looking down into one of the canyons that flows off the falls.
A deeper look.
These gentlemen entertained us while we wanted to board.
The lead singer.
The post for the next day in Victoria Falls will be much more fun—I promise. Hopefully, I will have that up tomorrow. It’s the one that includes pics and video from our helicopter ride over the Falls. Yes, I went on a helicopter ride.
Long before the Scottish missionary and explorer Dr. David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the Falls in 1855, the local Batonga people had named them Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the smoke that thunders. — Anonymous AI on Google
To close out the Zambezi Queen, I just have some odds and ends. Let’s start with the odd. I tried to do a vertical panorama of our Stateroom so you could see it. You can tell what you are looking at, but the photo is weird. But here it is.
It wasn’t a huge stateroom, but it was bigger than some others we have sailed in. The maid service was excellent. Here’s something we found strange—there are no keys to the cabins. You can lock them from the inside, but as Bernard told us on our first day, we are completely surrounded by water that’s full of crocodiles and hippos. There is exactly no chance of anyone from off the boat getting onboard to steal things. Still, it seemed weird. And even though there was a safe in the room, it was fairly small. no place to put any electronics. Primarily, they are there for the money and passports.
Meet Gibson
I have mentioned our guide, tour boat driver and my early morning buddy numerous times, but I keep meaning to post his photo. This is the amazing Gibson. He is the best!
My trip would have been significantly impacted if he had not been there. I learned so much from him. He is not only a great boat driver, but he is an amazing guide. He knows so much about the Chobe and its flora and fauna, not to mention that when I asked him to list the languages he spoke, he came up with 11. WOW!
What it’s like on the excursion-style boats
I have been asked what it’s like when you jump on one of the small boats and head up river. Here’s a quick video of that.
The Common Area
Normally, when my friend Mike cruises, he does a complete walk around of the ship with photos from every venue that he puts into his reviews (If you have never read Mike Preisman’s reviews, CLICK HERE. They are amazing.) With the Queen, there is only one venue other than your room. Here’s a quick panned video.
Our last night on board
Our last dinner on board was very special. First, the menu is entirely African. The crew cooks what they eat at home. We had oxtail stew with a distinctly different polenta and a variety of accompaniments, including game meats or fish, and malva pudding for dessert. But after dessert, things got seriou,s and they danced and sang and finally displayed their love for Namibia. I found it wonderful that people could unite behind their country..something we can’t seem to do in the United State. I find this video very moving.
That about does it. We loved the Queen. We loved her crew. The lock on our door, the tiny safe, and the need for new furniture in the lounge are the only minor and easy improvements we can suggest. The spirit of Namibia is well represented.
Please take me to Namibia, my soul needs to breathe. —Anonymous
As it turns out, this game lodge (in the absolute middle of nowhere) had great internet. Go figure.
Right now, it has been almost a week since the day I am about to write about. I am sitting in the main lodge at Tintswalo Game Lodges, watching a small herd of elephants drink water less than 30 feet from me. I have stopped writing this at least five times to go out and take their photos, but I have sooooo much to cover before you will see those. Let’s finish up our Zambezi Queen story.
Pre-Dawn Solo Birdwatching
This was our last full day on the Zambezi Queen and they had scheduled another optional birdwatching tour at 6:30 am. When they had done this on our first morning, there had been about eight of us who went out on the boat with Gibson.
I had promised myself to do every game/birdwatch cruise they offered us so I was up and ready to go. Sadly, no one else was. When Gibson came to get everyone and found just me waiting, I told him it was OK if he didn’t want to go out. That I would just stay on the Queen and process photos. He told me, “If I don’t take you I will be stuck either cleaning or assisting with breakfast. I would much rather be on the river in my boat. I will take you someplace that we don’t usually go but it is the best place to see birds.” How could I pass that up? So I got in the boat and off we went. I have to say that this morning cruise with Gibson was absolutely (so far with three days to go) one of the true highlights of the cruise for me.
We started out going in an entirely different direction than we had on all the other game cruises. We went towards the rapids that led to Victoria Falls. As we approached them, I could see thousands of nesting birds silhouetted by the rising sun. We stayed right in that area for more than an hour, with me getting to shoot any bird I wanted to my heart’s content. He would ask how I wanted the boat positioned so I could get the best shot and the best light. What a guy!!!
We also saw a couple of crocodiles and hippos. On the way back to breakfast (which was totally up to me), we stopped alongside a herd of Cape buffalo and I got my favorite animal photo up to that point. I am not much of a bird photographer, and if you are, these may disappoint you, but they make me happy. Plus I got another great African sunrise. Here are the pics from that morning trip with my new best photo friend, Gibson. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. And PLEASE…don’t look at my photography on a phone. Please…
My attempt at shooting the African moon as it set. I never have luck with moon shots but this one is pretty good.
Now the start of my day with Gibson, sunrise.
And all those trees are full of bird’s nests.
And soon the sky is full of birds.
And the sun comes up enough that you can clearly see the nests.
And they are everywhere.
A yellow billed stork
Waiting for a fly by. And there it is.
More sunrise nests
And more.
And More.
And still more. They are just so amazing. I am hoping you are looking at these full screen, with your monitor set to its brightest setting.
But more nests catch my eye in a new light.
Every photo seems different as the light changes.
Depending on where I look, it’s amazing.
I see a Yellow-billed stork flying by.
Quick action shot.
Not my camera skill on this shot but Gibson’s boat driving.
The Yellow-billed storks are gorgeous.
And I keep finding them in new places.
As we return for breakfast, I see two fishermen that Gibson tells me are checking their nets that they have left there overnight.
Then we say this guy. He as beyond majestic.
Especially when you see him in this shot.
And we returned to a comic Bernard pretending to pull in our boat.
Visiting the locals
After breakfast, everyone boarded the smaller boats to return to Namibia, heading towards a small village just east of the border station. Our guide for the morning was Tecklar, a young, single woman who lived there. She shared that the village, which had just under 40 residents, including men, women, and children, was relatively new. Tecklar had recently become a part of the community, and she had to apply to the village elder, the regional chief of the tribe, and finally the government to be allowed to move in.
Editor’s note:At this point I welcome any of my fellow travelers to correct me on any facts, as it has been over a week since our visit, and my memory might be a bit hazy.
While we were in the village we were shown the lodgings, new well and solor system, the gardens and finally the village gathering place where almost the entire village sang and danced for us. It was a an awesome visit. They even had a small bazaar set up where they sold things they had made. We came home with a hand-painted bowl and a carved wooden giraffe. So here are my photos from the visit. Hopefully you got a chance to watch the video above of the village entertaining us. You know the drill. Don’t forget to click the photos to make them bigger.
This is our guide Tecklar
On the way to the village (and every time we went to the Namibia border) we passed this small store and bar. Sometimes (like this morning,) no one was there. Other times it would be packed.
Tecklar tells us about how they build their homes and how long she had to wait for permission to join the village.
The village garden.
Strange how there was no running water or indoor plumbing, but there were satellite dishes.
A typical home.
The local well.
Guavas.
Time for dancing
And singing
And more singing
And more dancing.
This gave me a great chance to do some people pictures.
Some of our group joined the dancing.
The drummers were excellent.
This little guy spent most of the performance under his mom’s feet.
One of the drummers.
The costumes were beautiful.
So were the faces.
So much of the African spirit.
This guy had it too.
He was so photogenic
I loved shooting him. He just draws the lens.
So did this woman.
And the guys.
They passed around grains they use in cooking.
Kathleen enjoyed the show.
Bernard (our cruise director) has a twin brother ? who plays the drums.
They look amazingly alike.
And just so you can hear the music, here’s a short video.
Afternoon Game Cruise
After a quick bite for lunch, we were off on our last game cruise of our voyage. Kathleen decided to stay and pack, so I was off with a few of the others and Gibson. He finds us the best stuff. I need to add that Kathleen did not miss much by staying on the Zambezi Queen. While she packed, the Queen sailed up and down the river, and they saw as many animals as we did. Maybe they weren’t close, but they were definitely close enough. I will put some of her iPhone photos up later so you can see what I mean.
Instead of going into detail in text about what we saw on this last game cruise, I will just let my photos do the talking. Enjoy. Captions identify but you have to change into slide show mode to see them.
I loved the way this elephant was perfectly framed by this arch.
Momma and baby hippo
A family of giraffes
So often these are alone, it was great to see them together.
I loved these two.
This may be the cover of my Africa book.
Or this one.
Part of Fish Eagle triptych
An African Fish Eagle grabs prey from the shore.
And flies away with it.
This tree just said Africa.
The same place we had seen hundreds of other animals on different days and times…
Was now totally filled with elephants
And a lone giraffe.
And this little guy and his mom.
A new village being built.
See the large mound behind the woman carrying water? That’s a termite mound.
The local bus.
Some guys waiting for a taxi.
Gibson took a wide-berth around these guys.
That covers the day. It was back to the Queen for a final night dinner that featured some of the incredible crew members singing and dancing for us afterward. More tomorrow.We just got back from a game drive, it’s freezing, we ate dinner and are going to bed because we go out again tomorrow morning at 6:00 pm.
This happened so long ago (we were there on Friday—only a week ago, but it feels like at least three weeks), it almost seems like it was in another life. This particular day was (for us) the worst on this trip. It was the day we got sick. For some reason, I only get sick while we are traveling. Ask our friends and relatives who we travel with or visit. It’s as if I’m immune to colds and flu at home, but not on the road.
I have mentioned our guide, tour boat driver and my early morning buddy numerous times, but I keep meaning to post his photo. This is the amazing Gibson. He is the best!
