Bungeeeee!
Added on Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor
Bungeeeee!
After Divava we moved on to Namushasha Lodge also located on the shores of a river in the flood plains - in fact we had to turn back from the normal track to the lodge as it was under water, and take an alternative. A sunset cruise to see the hippos and crocs, baboons and amazing flowers and plants - I think the river was called the Kwando. This lodge wasn’t as posh as some of the others - but it was just really cool. It had something about it - I suppose it was just so authentic. Loved it - but you wouldn’t really want to go swimming there!
We were all getting a bit excited, yet sad as we knew we were coming closer to the end of the adventure. We had a border to cross, into Zambia and Su had told us already that this would be more ‘African’ than the Namibian one was! She wasn’t kidding.
You could get confused easily enough - this document, this paper, this stamp, this tax, that tax - even an ‘eco’ tax! Each document and each tax had to be queued for and if you got one wrong - then you were off again to get in another queue. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve been in a lot worst places, particularly in and around Russia.
This was actually good fun - we were all in good spirits and the customs and police officials were pretty friendly and chatty. At one stage Ross Noble offered the bloke “…anything, you name the price, just let me in now, go on, go on, here take this…” - we laughed, until Billy pointed up at the massive sign above the officials head “Any attempt to bribe or corrupt an official will result in a severe prison sentence”. We stopped laughing!
The border was called ‘Katima Mulilo’. One odd thing about it was that you could easily miss it and head into Zambia illegally ie. Just ride straight past it - as one of our riders did. Once in Zambia the roads at first appeared good, all tarmac and pretty straight. However we soon learnt that it was all a mirage. No sooner had you started to relax and take in the views, out of nowhere there came a string of enormous potholes - and I’m talking big and deep. These could really send you home early. One rider took the lesson for all of us - as we caught up with him and found he had a square front wheel! He’d actually experienced a step onto a bridge, in the road - where the engineers were out by about a foot! Luckily there were only a few kilometres to go - literally, Victoria Falls was spitting distance - and he limped on.
This was it, we’d done it! We’ve ridden over 5000 kilometres and we’re here all safe and sound with lots of tales to tell. We rode through the massive compound gates into the luxurious Zambezi Sun Hotel - teaming with baboons and verbit monkeys and even a few zebra. We really felt great. We’d certainly had our adventure - I was so pleased for everyone.
We were warned by the staff that the monkeys were mischievous and to avoid feeding them etc. They even had a member of staff - in uniform, whose job, armed with a military catapult, was to stroll around the grounds firing stones at the monkeys to keep them out of the bar, the eating areas and the gym (they were very fitness conscious!). It was quite amusing watching the action and sometimes the counter attacks! But get this, a monkey actually knocked on the door of one of the rider’s rooms and stole the sugar - I swear, he knocked on the door, the door was opened and he ran in, stole the sugar bowl and exited pulling the door shut behind him, without even a thank you.
In the night we had a great meal and said our goodbyes to the riders. Many of them had booked a few extra days for ‘holiday’ time - so we did bump into each other around the tourist sites. It was particularly sad to say goodbye to Ross - as he had to get back for some TV work - what a great time we all had together.
Of course, I’d told everyone that they had to do the Bungee - The Bungee, probably the most famous jump in the world, straight off the border bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Not many decided to do it! So Billy and I had to. I’ve done it twice before and love it. Billy was absolutely pooing himself - but he was determined not to be outdone. I was getting rigged up by the Bungee team, while Billy was doing his Franco Zephirelli producer / director piece with our cameraman, Peter. Can we get this shot, that shot etc, I heard him in the background.
Meanwhile, I just got on with it - checking the straps, checking the rope. They ask you your weight and then write it on your arm in felt tip - then take a picture of it as evidence that that’s what you told them you weigh. With Bungee, your weight is extremely important - obviously! But apparently some women actually lie about their weight - hence the evidence! Then they led me to the edge of the platform, toes clinging over the metal checker plate, with the guys hand just holding you back - “3, 2, 1 Bungee” he shouts and gives you a gentle little push forward, in case you change your mind, and off you go. Thoughts fly in and out of your head - mixed messages of wow fantastic and oh my god!
While I was bouncing up and down, Billy was frantic. Whilst he and the cameraman were discussing shots - I’d jumped! They missed the shot completely. It takes about 10 mins to climb back up to the top, whereupon I was met by Billy asking me would I like to jump one more time - yes - one more time! He was told to go away… or words to that effect.
The bikes were being prepared by our team to be presented to the new bunch of riders - ready to head back to Cape Town. A return trip totalling 10,000k’s - wow, what a way to spend a few weeks.
Next day we (Me, Billy, Su and John) moved out of the luxurious Zambezi Sun Hotel to a smaller lodge camp along the road called the Maramba River Lodge - a simple place but great fun - mainly due to the number of adolescent Bull elephants who mischievously chased us around the camp most evenings. Elephants are certainly not the cuddly Disney types that we are led to believe over in the west. They are increasing in numbers in this part of Africa and are forever encroaching on the locals living area, damaging property and crops - and sadly, killing a significant number of local people.
This was the end of our upward adventure to Victoria Falls. My diary isn’t comprehensive - and there’s a lot more to tell - but not enough time!! I hope you liked reading the antics of our group. We are now in the throws of planning the next trip, which leaves Cape Town on 23rd August, with the return leaving Victoria Falls on the 11th Sept. If you would like to find out more about it - check out my website at www.charleyboorman.com
All the very best, and keep the rubber side down!
Charley x
