Abu Dhabi to Livingstone
Our flight from Abu Dhabi to Jo’burg was at 2am. Our transfer was running late and then we waited patiently for numerous Etihad staff members to arrange for our luggage to go all the way through to Livingstone which would save us in Jo’burg. The 90 minutes it took to organize this meant that we only had time to go straight to the plane and we missed out on a massage in the new Etihad lounge. I was thankful for our upgraded business class tickets so we could all grab a bit of shuteye during the 7 hour flight.
We arrived in Jo’burg on time and transferred easily to our Livingstone flight courtesy of the VIP transfers I had arranged. I was petrified we would miss our connecting flight and through some research saw that a VIP transfer was a great way to get through customs quicker. After clearing customs Mum and I spent some time shopping in Jo’burg Airport, which has some fantastic shops for African souvenirs and dad went to the lounge to grab some breaky. We met up at the gate and boarded our BA flight to Livingstone.
On arrival in Livingstone we were confronted with only two immigration workers processing a full flight of tourists, which meant that we had to wait for 90 minutes to get to the front of the line. We went to retrieve our bags and immediately I noticed that both my parent’s bags had been broken into. Both of their zippers and locks were cut open and the contents of my dad’s bag had been moved around. They were both pretty upset but at that stage I just wanted to report the incident and get us to our b&b to understand what was taken. BA were very good with the handling of the situation and we left within 30 minutes with a warning to wrap our bags whenever we were flying through Jo’burg Airport.
With this warning we left for Gloria’s Bed and Breakfast close to the centre of Livingstone. Our transfer was done through the owner’s husband and paid in US$20. On arrival we were shown to our 3 person room with a bathroom which thankfully had air con. This was important because the air was hot and heavy with humidity. The room was clean, a good size and suited our needs nicely with a queen and a single bed. I had decided to try and save money on accommodation in Livingstone so we could splurge during other parts of our trip.
We settled in, went for a swim and then spent the afternoon/evening at the Royal Livingstone Hotel for sundowners and dinner. This was a great opportunity for mum and dad to see the Zambezi River and their first African sunset.
Where We Stayed - Gloria's Bed and Breakfast, Livingstone, Zambia
Gloria’s Bed and Breakfast, Livingstone – triple room $70/night. Clean, safe and comfortable. Simple b&b for a great price in Livingstone. Transfers offered by the property and they are happy to arrange tours. The city centre is walking distance but a taxi is easier.
Victoria Falls would require a transfer and costs US$20 to enter. It is best to rent a poncho to protect you from the spray from the waterfall and to protect your belongings. Make sure you have a waterproof camera or something to protect your camera due to all the spray from the falls. Make sure you wear good footwear because the steps and walkways are very slippery. The Victoria Falls Bridge can easily be walked to from the entrance to the falls and takes about 15/20 minutes. You can partake in bungy jumping and ziplining at the bridge and there is also a café but not sure what the opening hours are.
