October 19, 2014 Sunday. Bright eyed and eager after a most welcome night's sleep in a big soft bed, off the bumpy, noisy train, we met this morning for a two hour hike to see the famous falls. This is the end of dry season, so the falls are about half normal size, still impressive, and still sending out plumes of mist that left us damp and happily a bit cooler than when we were dry. We are told that during wetter seasons we would have needed rain gear because of the heavy mist. John and I had chosen the most benign activity available to us, but there was a big range of things to do including bungee jumping off the bridge, white water rafting, wading across the top of the falls to a rock where you could peer straight down, helicopter rides and even an elephant ride. This would be a beautiful place to spend a week with a young family before moving on to a game reserve for several more days, as we are about to do. This time of year, we saw almost no bugs of any kind, and the reserve we are heading toward is in a malaria free zone, so this has been a wonderfully pleasant trip with none of the concerns raised by the raft of immunizations we were required to have. All the local people we have met have been friendly and welcoming, too. The only minor annoyance is the ubiquitous hoard of people begging you to buy their wares, and who can blame them for that?

Click for larger picture to see adventurors creeping across the top of the falls

Here they are on top of the falls! The last in line is one of the bartenders on the train enjoying a day off.

Local birds enjoy the heights and sights, too.

And so do some local monkeys.

These percussionists made wonderful music during lunch at the hotel.

One of the comfortable lobbies

The Victoria Falls Hotel

October 18, 2014 Saturday. We have spent the last 24 hours rolling slowly over bad track, sitting still waiting for other trains, or roaring along to try to make up time. Right now, we are at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, waiting for a new engine to be attached. Then we will roll for about 15 minutes until the entire train is on the bridge over the Zambezi River. We are not legally allowed to stop there, but Gareth tells us that all 72 "engineers" on board will be allowed to disembark to inspect the wheels and, oh yes, take some photos. As soon as we finish crossing the bridge we will arrive at Victoria Falls where we will again disembark, this time for our overnight stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel and related activities. We have been told to take our insect spray, so this is the real start of the part of the trip for which we have all been taking our malaria pills.

The train on the bridge where we conducted our "inspection"

  

Engineers inspecting trains on the bridge must be common. They were ready for us!

The Victoria Falls Hotel from the bridge

Our first glimpse of the Zambezi River

Later. Well, 15 minutes turned to 40, but at last we got our pictures, including one of a daredevil bungee jumper leaping off the bridge, and eventually really did arrive at the hotel. What a treat! It was built in 1904, is completely up to date but loaded with colonial charm. Our room seemed huge, with plenty of space for two double beds (complete with mosquito nets of the sort I always dreamed of having when I thought being a princess would be a good thing), a couch, dresser, desk and bar, as well as a huge bath with a claw foot tub, roomy shower, and period black and white tile. After our cramped train compartment, the Victoria Falls Hotel seemed like heaven. In fact, most of us would have loved to stay on. We heard later that a few people actually did leave the train there and apparently a few new people have arrived for the Victoria Falls to Pretoria leg of our journey.

Better him than either of us!

The front of the Victoria Falls Hotel

In the foyer, we are reminded the hunt for "big game" has a long tradition here

On our way to lunch, we meet a wart hog on the lawn

The bridge from the hotel lawn

Sleeping on the train--the couch converts to a bed and the ladder provides access to the upper bunk

Sleeping in the hotel.  Ahhhhh.

Our very efficient train bath

I want more than a tub...

The shower on the train. Really, it's perfectly fine!

And here's the shower in the hotel--better than fine. 

We had time for a buffet lunch and a short rest and then convened for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, which divides Zambia from Zimbabwe. 

At the river, we were greeted by dancers...

...and a witch doctor!

Just being out on the wide, peaceful river was fun...

...but then we saw hippos in the river--mostly just eyes and nostrils, but HIPPOS!  

 And then we saw two or three elephants standing on the bank, soon joined by more, each bigger that the last, until there were at least a dozen. Slowly they entered the water and enjoyed a cooling bath. Then all of them lined up to swim across from one country to the other, no passports required. It was a rare treat to see this and all of us were thrilled. 

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The sunset was beautiful, but paled a bit in comparison.