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Saturday 23rd February
I woke this morning after a good nights sleep. I hardly woke last night and I didn't even hear the girls opposite me go to bed (they were the dressed up ones drinking last night). It was also a cooler night again. I was clueless of the time when I first woke, but I heard the lads in the room say it was 7.30 and I dozed after this for a while, before getting up and dressed. I went out to have breakfast, where I finished my cereal, had bread and peanut butter and a glass of milk. My bread was getting slightly more mouldy but I was still trying the plough through it. After breakfast I tidied my things together (as best I could with people still sleeping), took my pills and got ready to go to the Falls. I had half an hours spare, so I tried to catch up with my writing...this was a slow process, especially as I was about 10 days behind. Just before 10am I got ready to go to the falls and sat with the Swedish girls waiting for the bus. Around 5 to 10, an American came asked if we were waiting for the bus. The Swedish girls mentioned a very camp man they met last night, I assumed this was him! The bus arrived and we all climbed in. The American was chatting to the Swedish two. It was only a 10min trip to the falls entrance. Just as we were about to get off the bus the driver warned us about the baboons and also about getting a taxi back (and the cost). We went through the entrance and paid our fees. As we headed to the park entrance again we were greeted by the baboons on the side of the path, but they weren't interested in us. As we signed in the book at the park entrance (we all signed in separately), the Swedish girls and I commented we didn't even know each others names. So although a little delayed we did our introductions, they were Julia and Sophie. We signed in with 2 other people from the bus (one was the American) and so we stuck together around the park and for the taxi ride home. We started off in the park the side I didn't do last time which was good. We started off by walking towards the bridge. As we started off on the path we had to walk past some baboons, one massive guy sat right next to the path, Julia was walking in front on me and I was at be back. The first 3 walked past fine but as Julia tried to walk past he went for her bag, I didn't know what to do so ran past and joined the others. Luckily the baboon did not get away with the bag as Julia put up a fight and a park worker same shooing over with a stick. It all happened so fast, but I did feel bad just running and leaving Julia to fight the baboon. We carried on walking the path. This side have a lovely view of the no-mans bridge and the plunge pool (boiling point). We arrived at the end if the path so simply turned around and walked back. When we got back to the start we decided to go down to the boiling point, this was a decent down around 600m to the level of the plunge pool. It was a steep decent at times and it was mainly stone steps. Maybe worn out flipflops were not the best idea as it was slightly tough and I did lose a flipflop twice. It felt like we were walking through a jungle, as it was sensed trees and lush with plants. We crossed a couple of streams. At times when you look up on the walk down, you could see the finest of mists falling, created by the clouds of water created from the fall, but the mist was so fine you couldn't feel it at all falling. It was a surprisingly tough trip in the heat, but we reached the bottom. It was worth the trip, the pure force of the water as it came from the fall, the water swirled and swished around the pool, looking like the water was all trying to fight each other. After spending a good few moments at the bottom before we started the ascent. If I thought the way down had been tough the way up was so much worse, it wasn't necessarily the actual climb but the heat. As we climbed I was actually dripping with sweat after 2mins. At first it was a steady incline but then it picked up. We stopped about 2/3 of the way and I was glad to see I was the only one who found it warm work. After a quick stop and a drink of water we confined up the final part of the climb. There was a good relief when we reached the top. We then made our way to the bridge and the soggy section of the park. As we walked along the path, we can across a family of baboons sitting across the path with groups of tourist stood either side watching intensely wondering if they could possibly pass. In the group there were 2 young babies, some larger ones and some that were in between. After watching them for 5mins, moving around, starching and climbing each other, on baboon must have said something as another snared at him and chased him away, with the rest of the baboons following suit. The path was now free. We made our way down towards the falls and put on our wet weather gear...yet again I was a yellow banana. This time I took my GoPro with me so I could attempt to take some photos in the clouds of water. We walked in and out the view paths watching the almighty force crash down creating the roar. For some reason, weather the river was more full from water coming down the river or my memory had tamed the falls, but it seemed to be more powerful, strong and fuller than my first visit. We crossed the bridge and truly got soaked, the water coming down would go in waves of being heavy and then light, warm and the cold...the changes were so quick and so remarkable.
Once the other side of the bridge we walked along the paths watching the water fall. You would stand stating at the clouds not being able to see the falls due to the clouds it created, but then as you starred all of a sudden the cloud would become thinner and you would catch slight of the marvellous falls and the water crashing down. I was thankful that this group did insist on going down and investigating every path. I had done that previously and a good as it was, I was very warm under the poncho and didn't want to see all the same views again. We headed back across the bridge fighting the water and back to the dry side and dry area. We de-waterproofed ourselves and continued the walk. I had seemed to remain the driest, whilst the others were literally drenched. Luckily it was another hot day so clothes were likely to dry quickly. As we walked up to the top of the falls the sun was beating down. As we reached to top and saw the whirl pools at the top, again I felt like there was more water. We didn't spend overly long here, but I managed to sit and just watch the force and power of the water before it fell to it'd impending doom. Once we had finished this section we left the actual park. Julia and Sophie mentioned about seeing the little curio market outside the park, so whilst they started looking I visited he information centre with the other two. I read the information about how the falls were forms and som of the statistics about falls. It is alarming the difference there is between the high and low season and the amount of water flows down the falls. Once I was finished I had a little look down the market, only venturing into one or two shops, there was nothing that I wanted or needed so it was easy to walk on through. Once we had all finished looking at the stores (we also chatted with the lady that joined our trip, she was a French doctor who was on her last leg of a years trip), we headed to get a taxi together. A man came up and offered us a lift, we quoted 40 quata, which wasn't a bad first offer, but the tench lady (again we never did names) said a share taxi was 6 each, after a little hesitation he agrees to take all 5 of us. We assumed as he knew there was 5 of us he could fit us all in his car, alas 1 in the front 4 in the back. Sophie (the shorter of the Swedes sat of the French ladies knee...I suppose it's one way to get to know each other. After the short ride home we were back at the hostel. It's was around 1.30am, so I had some bread (getting mouldier) and peanut butter with a glass of milk for lunch. Julia and Sophie came to join me and we chatted until about 2.15pm, when they went off to a market to get some fabric and I went off the read some of my book before I went to Olgas. I got changed to go sit by the pool (put my bikini top on) and went to sit out in the sun today. It was warmer today and there were no clouds to break up the sun and provide rest from the sun's blaze. I failed at reading and after 20 mins I drifted off into a slight uneasy nap. It wasn't the best nap I've ever had, and I woke up at 3.45pm feeling rather groggy. I managed to force myself to get changed and arrange myself ready for Olgas. I left the hostel around 4pm, so I would be ready to chat to mum, Granny and Grampy Jack (as we had previously arranged). Previously I had felt comfortable walking around town, but that afternoon a man tried talking to me (that wasn't unusual), but when I didn't reply he kept on talking whereas most would stop talking. He carried on talking and following me across and down the road. He fell back a bit but then caught me back up, tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I was mad as I didn't reply and kept on talking, I started feeling nervous, I knew I could pop into the petrol station if I needed too. But I was now walking in front of him, but keeping my eye on the distance. When I turned right to my relief he walked straight on. That afternoon I sent some emails and messages and spoke to my grandparents. I was really lovely to speak to them and hear their news and to see them. I took my headphones today so I could hear clearer. The connection was a little sketchy at times so it cut out but we had a good chat for 20mins and it was lovely to see Granny Jack looking well. After the call I spent a while sending messages and reading the news. I was about to leave around 6.30pm, when the British lady from 2 days before came and sat down. She said she wasn't feeling much better, although she looked better. We sat and chatted for about 30mins before I left as it got dark and I didn't want to leave it too late to get back. I paid for my cup of tea and headed to the supermarket opposite my hostel. I brought some apples, yoghurt, a scone and some mini little biscuits. On the walk home I was very hungry so tucked into my scone. As I turned at the museum towards the hostel, I noticed a man staggering around and then 2 security guards (for the tourist centre), I took a route closer to the security guards as I felt for some reason unsure about the single man roughly dressed. Too my reassurance one of the security guards walked with me and talking to me until I reached the hostel, I don't know if this was related to the other man walking about but nether the less I was pleased. To my amazement when I got back to the hostel they were showing the England vs France Six Nations game. I had missed the first 30mins and England were losing 6-10. I sat down and watched the first half whilst I finished my scone. I spoke briefly to the man opposite me who had just arrived from Brazil. At half time I went to make dinner, I was cooking pasta to mix with my left over vegetable mix from yesterday and I added in some tuna. I also finished my milk (it was nice to drink something other than water). It was ready within 5 mins of the second half starting (to which England were now 12-10 up). I had met the French lady cooking her dinner at the same time and we spoke a little about rugby. I was going to sit with her but then I wouldn't have been able to see the screen properly. As I sat and watched the rugby over dinner I started talking to 2 Canadian lads who were struggling to under the rules. We chatted for the last 10mins of the game. One was over hear working and the other was visiting, and they had come to Livingstone for the weekend. After the game was finished I went to write my diary and charge my phone. I also finished off dinner with an apple and some yoghurt with biscuits in (I then finished the biscuits). I struggled to write as I felt very sleepy and 3 Americans were chatting behind me and kept distracting me. I sat for a while in a bench and then moved to the cushions. I started to fall asleep around 10.30pm, so I addicted defeat and went to bed.
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