Livingston and travel

 Monday morning we headed to Livingston with George driving. First stop was the lab to get our Covid tests for travel.

Second we were dropped off at the local museum for a few hours of learning:

Early man in what is now called Zambia, history of the people, an exhibit on Dr. David Livingston [included letters he wrote, books, a medical kit of his, other items he owned], history of Zambia's fight for independence, and a section on local animals and plants.

Then we headed for a bit of shopping...40 or so small shops full of local items to buy: paintings, drawings, cloth, clothes, key chains, wood and stone carvings of animals and people, animals made of beads and copper wire, jewelry, rugs, bowls......

Lunch before we headed back to the lab to pick up our results and needed travel papers.

A quick trip up a large, old baobab tree!

Then the highlight of the day, Victoria Falls! 

Being at the end of the rainy season this is one of the best times of year to see the falls.

We walked a short path above the falls; then over the Knife Edge bridge-glad to have hiking boots on, we got soaked but dried out mostly during the rest of our walks.

The path to the boiling point was closed but we walked the other path that borders the international border with Zimbabwe, where baboons were hanging out. 

Then we enjoyed a great sunset on the drive back to Zimba. 

After a good night's rest we finished our packing and headed back to Livingston, this time to the airport.

The flight to Lusaka took just over an hour. We visited a bit with the Bishop [national superintendent of the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church in Zambia] and then were dropped off at the hotel where we enjoyed a late lunch/early supper.

Wednesday, up early and back to the airport for our flight to South Africa. 

Then a few hours waiting for the shuttle back to eSwatini.

About 5 hours for the shuttle ride and border crossing. We enjoyed the view of South Africa: Johannesburg, fields of corn, beans and pasture, at 5,000-6,000 feet elevation it often looks much like the midwest USA.

For Cory it was like being in a National Park looking for animal or bird sightings, but instead noting the mix of tropical and temperate trees like paper birch, ash, sweet gum, weeping willow, poplar, peach, etc. 

Nearing Eswatini we saw large plantations of fast growing pine, eucalyptus and acacia, and many trucks hauling logs.