Rafting day. We were up early and for the first time on the tour to date we are the first at breakfast. Off to the Kingdom Hotel to sign indemnity papers and stow valuables then a walk round to the back of the hotel for equipment and a safety briefing. It all seems pretty straightforward.
The descent into the gorge isn't and has a few steep and slippery points. Into the raft with Tubs,
our guide. Some basic drills including an Out the boat!
which was, um, refreshing.
Then to the first rapid ([rapid] number 4) a grade 4.5 in which we got stuck in a eddy [literally] next to the rocks. We were there for a few scary seconds before breaking free. Kim and I, in the front, looked round to see half the team of six missing from the boat! Next a couple of heads shot by and we were off to rescue them.
In fact we picked them up from other rafts (half a dozen were descending the rapids together). Helen had suffered a couple of dunks on the way down and her native nervousness had multiplied several times. The other Drifters boat had flipped on the same first rapid. Oh dear.
After the first rapid before which you see the Livingstone Bridge and the bungee jumpers the gorge becomes an awesome Jurassic park vista -- huge imposing edifaces of rocks with bits jutting out where the river has changed direction over the millenia.
We then bounced and crashed our way through several more grade 5s and less without quite such drama before lunch. I managed to get thrown out on a grade 3 (wuss!) but I blame Kim for hitting me as I was airborne!.
Helen decided to call it a day after lunch ([lunch] entertained by the local monkeys stealing food). Some stunning dragonflies and butterflies serenaded us. So to the afternoon run.
Tracey, a substantial Canadian woman, decided to opt for the "chicken boat" whilst on the water a few yards from number 11, a grade 5. That meant we were down to four crew (including Paula with her swollen leg, an injury sustained getting out of the boat to bypass number 9, "commercial suicide" -- a grade 6 that the boss man of Wazzi Wazzi(?), a [local] sandal maker, did on a kayak quite impressively).
[At number 11] the raft promptly got stuck in an eddy in the middle of the rapid and for a while we didn't go anywhere but finally we made it through. Then a series of calm grade 2s and 3s including a pleasant swim with a cliff jump -- a mere 5m but quite a rush.
In the afternoon we saw black and fish eagles -- the black eagles soaring high above us. We even passed a small crocodile basking on a rock (the advice not to swim was probably a good one!).
Then number 18, "oblivion" -- three standing waves. We passed the first two OK then heaven alone knows what happened but I saw/felt the raft come over my head and started thinking about the emergency procedures [for being stuck under a raft]. No point, the Zambezi took hold of me and I shot down the river. Much energetic swimming later Rich and I reached the boat. Then we recused Heiko who had flipped their boat as well.
Great fun. Highly recommended for a whole day adrenaline rush. The final paddle home marred by hail falling!
The final climb back out (220m) was that bit more entertaining due to the rain and hail and [the steps] was not to European safety standards I'm quite sure! Still, plenty of beers at the top to celebrate a great day out.
Just had a shower and washed off the sun cream to be replaced by Mosi-guard. This is becoming quite a repetitive thing -- a good job that so far the Drifters camps have been (all things considered) well prepared, flushing toilets and hot showers (when you know how to use them!).
Vic Falls suffered a power outage today that affected the Kingdom for about five seconds but the lodge must have been out for about an hour. You don't get everything!
I've been thinking (and a few of us discussing) that we don't know everyone's names. We had a round-robin "introduce yourself" on the first night but eighteen names don't stick. I think we're now down to just a few we don't know: Helen and I, Rich and Deb (family practitioners from Canada), Heiko (short fat and [slightly] crazy German lawyer, did a Drifters six years ago), Paula (quiet Dutch technologist), Rolf (Dutch guy who's after Paula and done these sorts of things before), Heiko #2 (German, gives the impression of being experienced in these things), Terry-Lynn and Tracey (Canadians), Jos (a loud snoring Dutchman), Marcus and his wife (German), a German woman and her non-English speaking Romanian other half (did these things a few weeks ago!), Connie (a very quiet German woman) and Kim (a funny Norwegian bloke).
We had some traditional Zulu/Matebesi dancing and singing at the Drifters Inn during our meal including the last one in, presumably, the original English. A long debate about T-shirts for the trip was followed by Rolf bemoaning the group for not going out together when we are faced with so many nights away from civilisation. I think he or I are on the wrong trip.
Drifters Inn, Vic Falls S17.92211 E25.83084 Elev. 934m.
Copyright 2002 Ian Fitchet. All rights reserved.