These are as few of my favourite things.

Julie Andrews listed them off as Maria in the Sound of Music.

I’m sorry that this post has been a few days coming. Between very bad internet, being super busy and still not feeling great, it has been a challenge to get the laptop open and get writing.

On Tuesday morning Will and Emma arrived safely into Johannesburg from Hong Kong after a wet, but fun, couple of days there. We found them easily as they came through Immigration, then we moved to the departure area to check in for our flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

We had allowed four hours between their arrival and our departure given we weren’t confident how well things would run-to-time. Thankfully, we were proved wrong and had plenty of time for a typically airport-expensive breakfast after we passed though security and outwards Immigration.

Our seats were in the front part of Economy on the South African Airlines flight, and there were only about 30 or so people who got off the plane before us. We had been given immigration forms to complete before we landed, which were checked (glanced at) no less than four times before we even reached the Immigration area!

When we did get to Immigration there were four lines – we joined the line for those countries that need a visa but don’t need to get it before you arrive. Even the countries within that list have different amounts to pay, ours being $50 US per person for a multi-entry visa, which we needed as we planned to visit both Zambia and Botswana while we were here.

Our queue, at this stage, had about half a dozen people in it. Each transaction for payment of the visa, handwriting the visa document then sticking it in the passport, writing the receipt and then hand-transferring the information onto another document and took at least 5 minutes per person. After the wait for ours to be completed I glanced back, and the queues were as far as the eye could see! I think some IT equipment and training could be helpful here!

The lovely Brighton, our driver while we’re in Victoria Falls, was waiting to pick us up and drive us to the Airbnb I had booked. It’s a simple 2-bedroom apartment, but has a full kitchen and laundry, a bathroom with a big deep bath and a small outside garden area. Unfortunately, only the main bedroom and downstairs living area has aircon, so Will and Emma’s room was pretty hot. My sympathy for them soon turned into lived experience when the power went off! The lights and power points use solar, but the other main items (aircon, fridge, washing machine) use town power that needs to be regularly paid for, and even then, only works for certain hours each day.

After check-in we visited the local shop for a few supplies and then went into town for dinner at the lovely Cassia Restaurant, which is part of the iconic Ilala Lodge, very close to the falls. We shared some Crocodile Fritters with lemon Aioli to start (surprisingly delicious) then Dave had oxtail with sadza (boiled thick cornmeal) eating it in the ‘traditional manner’ (with his hands); Emma enjoyed a lovely creamy chicken breast; Will, Beef Bourguignon with polenta and I had a tender and very tasty Springbok shank with mash. We then headed back to the accommodation for what then turned into a very hot and restless night!

Our first adventure in Zimbabwe, and so far, the favourite thing I have done this trip, was a helicopter flight over the falls. Oh wow. What an amazing experience! This was my first ever helicopter ride and what a place to do it! We had 20 minutes flying over the spectacular falls, where the spray rises up to about 400m as the water tumbles at a rate of about 300 cubic metres per second. Thats a lot of water!

Brighton then took us to the border crossing which is right next to the falls. He handed us over to another driver (Mr Sau) who then helped us through passport control out of Zimbabwe and then into Zambia. Livingstone is about 12km from the border, and is Zambia’s 4th largest city, with about 180,000 people. Mr Sau drove us around the town for a look and then onto a restaurant for lunch. We saw some impala and elephant along the way and even saw some zebra when we stopped for a delightful Pimm’s Cup cocktail at an upmarket lodge beside the Zambezi River.

Last stop in Zambia was the Livingstone combined Railway and Jewish Museum, which coincidentally Dave had visited on the exact same date last year. Dave had promised Debora, the museum guide, to come back with his family, and true to his word, here we were! She was very excited!

Our day finished with the perfect evening, a sunset dinner cruise on the Zambezi River. A spectacular ruby red sunset, lots of hippo sightings, and the most delicious meal in Africa so far. What a wonderful, wonderful way to finish our first full day in Victoria Falls…

Have any of you ever travelled with your adult children? The woman from Dubai we met on the food tour in Mauritius told us that travelling with her children is the best thing she could possibly think of, and I totally agree. Last year Victoria and I visited New York together which was fabulous and this trip with Will and Emma is shaping up to be one of the best experiences I have ever had. If I had to choose my very favourite thing to do in thew whole world it would be to travel with my kids (and partners). How lucky am I that I get to do just that!

Quick Poll on: FAVOURITE COUNTRY TO VISIT

Dave: Ukraine (!!!!)

Will: United States

Emma: I’ll wait till I’ve been to more before I decide (she’s up to 68!)

Me: Spain. 2025 Maybe?

Last pic for the day… my VERY favourite son 🙂