[4] The African Queen

Jim and Ruth
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Wednesday was mostly a travel day and after breakfast at the Airport Grand we made our way back to OR Tambo International airport for the short flight north to Livingstone, Zambia – home to Victoria Falls. Upon landing and stepping outside for our walk to the terminal we instantly noticed the subtropical heat and humidity – quite a change from the late spring chill in South Africa. After a quick trip through customs and immigration we soon were in the care of Matteus from Thompson Tours and his van carrying us through savanna-lined roads into Livingstone and onto the Zambezi Sun Resort Hotel. Livingstone sports a wide variety of dwellings from well-built homes with fences and beautiful flower gardens to villages of grass huts. There were no shanty-towns as in Soweto and many of the buildings look the same as they might have looked twenty or thirty years ago. Livingstone relies heavily on tourism from nearby Victoria Falls, truck route trade, and nearby copper mining for the economic well-being of its 100,000 residents.

The African Queen
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As we entered the gates of the Sun International Complex, home to the Royal Livingstone 5-star hotel and the Zambezi Sun 3-star hotel, we were instantly transferred to a much different world from that we had seen in Livingstone – a world more like a Western Resort with paved and brick-lined paths, manicured lawns, and ornate gardens, all remarkably clean. Our van was met by four Zulu dancers in authentic garb chanting and drumming what I suppose were authentic rhythms. The staff dressed in colorful uniforms with women donning blue dresses of a uniquely African print and the male porters in formal vests and the waitstaff in jackets. The Zambezi Sun complex contained a main one-story building with reception, gift shops, business center, meetings rooms, and a restaurant. Rooms were contained in four two-story dormitory outbuildings of about 50 rooms each. The dormitories were arranged so as to create a central courtyard surrounding the crystal clear pool, amphitheatre, and outdoor restaurant along with spacious lawns.

I need a lift - going my way?

Josh and Jane
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We had little time to enjoy our new accommodations as we soon had to assemble at the Activities Center for transport to the dock of the African Queen and a sundowner cruise. Following a short ride that included us standing by the side of the road waiting on another bus for a few minutes as our van experienced a breakdown, we arrived in plenty of time for the trip. Now when one hears ”African Queen” images of a small, wood, open-bow, steamboat ferrying Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn around East Africa in pursuit of Germans naturally come to mind. This African Queen is a little different – this boat is a triple deck 70’ catamaran with teak and beech wood and brass furnishings that can hold 120 passengers attended by a waitstaff serving appetizers and refreshments complete with modern restrooms. By some fortuitous congruence of fate, we were privileged enough to be assigned quarters on the private third deck – the Captains Deck. With no other passengers around our group of six enjoyed an exclusive bird’s eye view seated on the most comfortable of wicker furniture serviced by a dedicated attendant for beverage and foodservice. The Captain’s station is in the corner of the deck and he made his appearance before cast-off and was pleasant company for the duration of the trip.

Joey and Becky
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We traveled from our moorings some three to five miles upriver (above Victoria Falls) through the Mosi-Oa-Tunya ('Smoke That Thunders') National Park. Along the way we took in sights of hippos in the water and warthogs and antelope in the forest. Large termite mounds on the ground and vervet monkeys in trees spotted the shoreline as we made our way upstream. Soon the African Sun began its marvelous descent and we were treated to a spectacular light show as the sky turned all blazes of yellow, orange, red, and purple. The orange sun sat low in the purple darkening sky as birds passed in front to create the most idealized of African tourism images. It was truly amazing.

The Mighty Zambezi
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When the sun had finished its daily show, the Captain turned about and raced back for the dock. We disembarked, mounted a transport bus back to the resort and dined on some American fare at a Zambezi Sun restaurant.