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Our Route through ZAMBIA. Covered approx. 1300km on the motorcycles.
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Jan. 26, 2008. We entered Zambia from Malawi at the Mchinji Border Post.
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Our first night in Zambia we are the only ones to camp at Mama Rula in Chipata. |
Jan. 27, 2008. Again we are in the midst of the rainy season in Zambia.
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Bridges are washed out on the main highway to Lusaka. |
The detour roads to temporary bridges are a challenge. |
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Especially on tires with not much profile left... |
... it is like riding on ice. |
Mike takes Ruby's bike through as well. |
Continuing on our ride we were glad that this Luangwa Bridge was still intact,... |
... as there would have been no alternative to cross the large Luangwa River. |
As the rain did not let up and our tent still wet from the previous night, we took a chalet at the Pioneer camp, ... |
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... located just outside the Capital, Lusaka. |
We did blow our budget on the honeymoon chalet ($60.00/night normally $120.00/night),... |
... but what a beautiful place. |
The next day we rode all the way to Livingstone to visit the VICTORIA FALLS. |
Jan. 29, 2008. We visit the Musi-O-Tunya National Park on the Zambian side. |
The path is even closer to the Victoria Falls on the Zambian side than on the Zimbabwe. |
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Massive amounts of water make their way over the falls in the rainy season.
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The thundering noise of the water as it hits the bottom drowning out any other noise. |
We are in awe of the sheer size. |
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A bridge leads us to an island for an amazing view of the Rainbow Falls and Eastern Cataract. |
Even our motorcycle rain gear can not withstand the amount of spray that engulfs us. |
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A view of the bridge that is located between the Zambia border post and Zimbabwe border post. |
Mike stands only meters from the edge of where the waterfalls drop. |
To get a full appreciation to the sheer size ... |
...we take the 1/2hour helicopter ride with Batoka Sky. |
Our view upstream of the Victoria Falls, as the Zambezi River spreads out. |
The spray that comes of the falls (it is not smoke from a fire). |
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Looking back at the Zambezi River, it has been one of the worst rainy seasons in history. |
What a spectacular view of the falls,... |
...as the spray rises... |
...and the sun appears and forms a rainbow. |
A view downstream of the falls as the river makes its way through the Batoka Gorge. |
We encircle the falls a view times. |
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A closer look at the bridge that leads to the Zimbabwe side of the falls. |
From the falls we fly out over the region, a local village with mud/straw huts,... |
...and drop down into the Batoka Gorge. |
The Bell 205 Jet ranger Helicopter winds its way through the gorge. |
We are only a meter off the river as we fly through... |
... Luckily we seem to have a very good pilot. |
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One last look over the ever expanding waters of the river. |
We park the motorcycles on the Zambian side and exit Zambia and pay for a visa into Zimbabwe. |
The Zimbabwe Border Post is only a couple of hundred meters from the bridge this picture is taken (the boiling pot). |
Entering the ZIMBABWE Victoria Falls National Park. |
The David Livingstone Monument. |
Steps lead down to the Devil's Cataract ... |
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... with a great view. |
The walking path leads past Cataract Island,... |
... to the Main Falls,... |
... at which point we still remained fairly dry ... |
... continued through the rain forest ... |
... to the Rainbow Falls. |
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Here we did not stand a chance of staying dry. |
The Nikon SLR was securely wrapped in a kind of waterproof bag and ... |
... for these shots we used our waterproof point and shoot camera.
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There is no fencing to protect you from going off the edge. |
The skull of a hippo we believe. |
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