Death defying weekend

After the week of long days spent surveying, we planned a stay in Livingstone to take part in some of the adventures that one can do in the “adventure capital of Africa”.  Saturday was Lion Encounter (across the border in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe) and Sunday was Devil’s Pool, back in Zambia.  “We” means me, Kat and my new BFF John Peters, EDC lawyer par excellence and a founding member of Team65.

Lion Encounter involves first patting and then going for a walk with two one year old female lions.  They weigh about 50 kilos each, so they aren’t huge, but it still looked pretty intimidating!  When we got to the office, they told us that there was some confusion about the group of 21 people that was to come with us, so we would be having a private tour, just the 3 of us – what luck!  The operation is a conservation and re-introduction program to try to save the African lion population, which is estimated to have declined by 80% in the past 20 years!  They say that by 2025 there may be no lions outside of private reserves. 

A 15 minute drive outside of Vic Falls and we were being given our safety briefing and off to meet the lions.  Since a picture tells a thousand words, I’ll stop writing.

It was an amazing experience to be able to interact with these huge cats and live to tell the tale.

Next stop was the Victoria Falls Hotel for a very colonial lunch 

before heading to see the Falls from the Zimbabwe side.  During the dry season you can really only see the biggest falls from that side – and we also got a close up view of Sunday’s activity – Devil’s Pool, where you bathe in a small natural pool right at the top of the falls!  Were we really going to do this????

We got up full of energy Sunday, made the short drive to the Royal Livingstone Hotel (again, colonial luxury but this one on the Zambian side) for the pick up by boat for our adventure.  After signing the standard waiver of all legal rights, we zig zagged across the Zambezi straight for the top of the falls!  We beached on Livingstone island, walked across it, changed in to swimsuits and were off with nary a safety briefing.  We clambered over rocks (that looked volcanic – I was very glad to have my Keen sandals), swam a short distance across the river (you had to swim on a diagonal because of the current) and then again climbed over rocks to the top of the falls.  Before we had any chance to re-think it, we were in.  Kat first, then John, then me, then the other 4 in our group.  We sat right on the edge of the falls and despite swearing we wouldn’t, we all did the Superman over the edge.  It’s a sheer 100m drop straight down.  People were waving at us from Zimbabwe.  It was one of the biggest thrills of my life for sure – tough to slow the heart down after that.  

If the photos aren’t enough to do it justice, check out this video.  Devil's pool video

After some more walking around right at the top of the cliff, 

we were served eggs Benedict in a tent and then whisked back to shore.  After a drink in the hotel bar with some Australian Lions Club members, 

we made one last stop at the crocodile farm to end the weekend with a bang!