I am writing this from Livingstone, Zambia - sitting on my balcony overlooking the Zambezi River. We flew here yesterday from Cape Town, through Jo'burg - about 4 hours total air time. This part of Africa is so different from anything that I have ever seen - mile after mile after mile of lush green land, uninhabited, and uncivilized. Victoria Falls is the big draw here, and you can see the mist from the falls rising into the air from many vantage points. It is the start of rainy season, which lasts through March - so it is muddy, muddy, muddy. Our driver navigated the water and mud-filled potholes and dirt roads with amazing dexterity. Some Australian women were on our flight with us, and said that Livingstone has not changed one bit since they were here 30 years ago. I would venture to say that that could be true for the last 100 years.
We are staying at the David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa, which is a bit of rustic luxury on the banks of the river, overlooking the Long Island Game Reserve. It is named after Dr. Livingstone, the one from which we get the phrase "Dr. Livingstone, I presume". We arrived and had a lovely lunch on the balcony while the rain poured down all around us - it was great to taste some of the local cuisine, my favorite being a vegetable dish made of pumpkin leaves, similar to creamed spinach. I am surprised at how good the food is here - and although it is not cheap (about $75 for lunch for 2 including tip), it is well-prepared and safe to eat.
The highlight of our afternoon was the sunset cruise along the Zambezi. We were right near many schools of hippos, floating in the muddy water and blinking at us with their dark eyes. I have heard many stories of their aggression, but we did not get close enough to spark it. I was delighted with their huge snouts and tiny flapping ears, and the size of the adults compared to the babies. We also saw many birds and a lone crocodile cruising for his supper.
Mosquitos are an issue here, and malaria was what drove the first white settlers away and to other lands. We sleep with the doors shut to keep out insects and monkeys, and spray ourselves to further discourage visitors in the night.
It is amazingly peaceful here, as I am writing in the early morning surrounded by the sounds of animals and humans getting ready for the day. I can't help but feel like an early traveller who has suddenly found herself in the middle of an untamed and beautiful paradise. You can feel the hardship of life here, but also the relaxed attitude with which the local people approach it. It is exotic, tropical, and slow-moving, and very simple. I could definitely use an extended stay at a place like this.
