Thursday, April 2, 2009

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009 - VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE TO DULLSTROOM, SOUTH AFRICA

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009 – 79/65 - VICTORIA FALLS TO JOHANNESBURG AND DRIVE TO DULLSTROOM, MPUMALANGA, HIGHVELD, SOUTH AFRICA

We are up and eating breakfast on the veranda to the roar of the falls by 7:30AM. It is a full English breakfast and is very good considering the problems. Our driver meets us at 8:00AM, takes us to the Park gate and waits while we walk the rest of the trail down to the bridge. The mist is so heavy it is like walking in a heavy thunderstorm, but every so often the mist clears and we get glimpses of the Rainbow and Horseshoe Falls. These falls are huge and beautiful, but the layout of Iguassu Falls makes them more impressive even if the water volume is less. I am glad we made the effort to come to Victoria Falls though; it has been quite an experience! We spend about an hour looking and getting wet and then head back to the hotel to dry off and check out. The flight leaves at 12:30 and we must be at the airport 2 hours ahead.

We arrive just as everyone else does so it is a slow process checking in. The computers are down…surprise, surprise… so everything, all seat assignments etc., must be done for everyone. We finally check in and go through security just as the once daily SAA flight arrives. Dick has to go back out with the agent to see if our missing luggage arrived. Thank goodness, it does, so he checks it in and goes back through security just as we begin boarding. As we walk up the steps to the plane a young man comes over and tells us, he personally put our errant luggage on the plane just now! We arrive back in Johannesburg on time at about 2PM. In less than an hour we have cleared immigration, picked up luggage, rented our car and are on our way to Dullstroom and the Highland Rose B&B. It is a two and half hour uneventful drive.


This is one of the least expensive places we booked and Carolyn was a little concerned about it. It turns out to be fine; an old turn of the century farmhouse with various out buildings--now guest cottages that are well maintained. Much to our delight, we find the B&B does dinner. Since it is after 5PM when we arrive, we opt to eat there. The meal is very well done and only 150Rand ($15US) per person, with a nice bottle of white wine for 85Rand, ~$9US. Our hectic two days have caught up with us and the service is a little slow so we go back to the room before dessert is served. The hostess knocks on our door a few minutes later, most apologetic and brings our dessert to the cottage.

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