The bus arrived in Livingstone at a little past 3 in the afternoon. As soon as we entered the terminal, a lot of men were shouting at me as I looked out from the bus window. Turns out they were all taxi drivers. Most of the people on the bus had friends or family picking them up, so there was a mad rush for travelers who had no prearranged transport. Yup, that group included me. I was one of the last ones to get off the bus, and apparently I was the last one with no prearranged transport. So everyone was literally fighting over me. Everyone was shouting at me to ride with them. Each one was saying they had the better car. Two men were actually threatening each other, and they were on the brink of having a boxing match right in front of me. Jesus, so that was how girls feel when guys fight over them. lol. I really didn’t know who to pick, and i was afraid that if i pick one driver, the others would gang up on him. I was contemplating not taking a taxi and just walk to the hostel when suddenly a man grabbed my bag and ran. I was immediately alarmed and ran after him. All my clothes were in my backpack! Turns out he wasn’t going to steal my bag, he just put it inside his car and told me he’ll drive me to my hostel. Quite a sneaky way to get passengers, but I have to admit it worked. As we left the terminal the other drivers were shouting expletives at him, i thought they wouldn’t let us pass.

I booked just a week at Livingstone Backpackers even though I would be staying at Livingstone a little longer than that. If i didn’t like it there, I could easily find another hostel in the area and transfer. I was choosing between it and Jollyboys. Young backpackers usually stay at those two hostels. I chose Livingstone Backpackers because one of the travelers I met at Lusaka was praising it to high heavens, so i thought I’d give it a shot. As soon as i entered the compound, i was so glad I did. I mean look it! It has such a chill and relaxed vibe, i could imagine living there for months!

The common area is huge. Besides the pool, there’s also a climbing wall. There’s a bar by the pool where a number of locals and travelers staying at other hostels hang out at night. Understandably it can get noisy at night so i wouldn’t recommend this place to those people wanting peace and quiet. You can book practically any activity in Livingstone at the activity center. A lot of activities are on the expensive side, but there are cheap ones that you can do. I just booked a dorm room which was pretty basic, but I wouldn’t hang out in the room anyway. Yeah it’s kind of a mess, but anyone sharing a room with three other guys would expect that lol.

I didn’t get to bond that much with my room mates though. Turns out they were part of a large group, and they were gone most of the day doing missionary stuff. Good thing the son of the hostel owner was this really cool guy and I ended up hanging out with him and his friends. I also met a lot of volunteers and travelers at the hostel bar, so not being able to bond with my room mates didn’t matter much since I was able to make a lot of new friends. It’s just a bit odd that i shared a room with three other guys for a couple of days and I didn’t end up being close friends with any of them lol.

I wasn’t in a rush do to things in Livingstone. I went there to relax after all. But I immediately reserved a spot on the Devil’s Pool tour. No way I was missing out on that, i heard that tours get full even in the low tourist season. Devil’s pool is a shallow area by the edge of Victoria Falls. When the water is not that high and the current isn’t that strong (during the dry season), people can swim in the area. That’s one of the positive point about visiting Zambia during the dry season. The falls may not be as overwhelming, but you do get the chance to swim near the edge of it. That’s a one of a kind experience and I didn’t regret spending $150 USD for it. A boat will pick you up at Royal Livingstone Hotel. It’s such a fancy place, i was actually embarrassed to go in because of what i was wearing– a tank top, boards shorts, and an old pair of flip flops. There are lots of giraffes just walking around the hotel premises, that was quite a sight lol.

A group is only allowed to spend about 15 minutes in the pool, but I got to take lots of great pictures. Everyone i know back home got really envious. lol. Lunch was superb, well worth the hefty price tag. There are cheaper options for those who are on a budget. I guess going to the pool was expensive because of the four course meal that they include. Going in the afternoon for tea is way cheaper, so does going in the morning. I have no idea what meal they serve during those times. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just tea and crackers. lol.

Another activity that I joined was the so called booze cruise. There are lots of sunset cruises in the Zambezi River, but most backpackers avail of the cheapest one. There’s unlimited food and alcoholic drinks, so there’s a party vibe going on considering the young crowd– hence the term booze cruise. You get to see a lot of hippos on the river, and there are lots of crocodile sightings on the river banks. One group saw a parade of elephants, unfortunately I wasn’t so lucky. I was so hungover on the day they went so i was unable to join them. I still had fun though. Who wouldn’t when you’re in a group of rowdy kids with unlimited access to alcohol. lol.

Most travelers just hang out at Victoria Falls park because you don’t pay any entrance fee. And most hostels offer free shuttle service to the park every morning. Within the vicinity there are lots of activities, most of em cost an arm and a leg. Victoria Falls is the epicenter of tourism in the area so naturally activities are expensive. Each activity would cost about a hundred bucks a pop. The most popular one seems to be bungee jumping at the bridge. Helicopter and micro flight rides are naturally much more expensive– when I asked how much, they told me $300 USD for 15 minutes. Ouch. No thank you, i’d rather view the falls from below. lol.

On most days i just stayed at the hostel hanging out with new friends. We went out almost every night, and i have to say night life in Livingstone is different, but just as fun. Locals were remarkably friendly, and you’ll get used to the rhythm of African music after a while. A few days before I left there was this full moon party by the river. Going down the gorge to the camp site by the river was quite a chore, but the sights made it all worth it. That was such a fun night, almost everyone got drunk lol. Going skinny dipping was a bit awkward though because of the full moon, but you only live once right? So to hell with being bashful. hah.

Livingstone is also near the border of Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia so you can easily cross to those countries if you decide to. A lot of people simply cross the Victoria Falls bridge to Zimbabwe. I was on a cab then and he offered to take me across the bridge. I told him I didn’t bring my passport so I can’t. He answered “I am your passport!” He just talked to someone at the immigration office and we crossed the bridge. lol. Simple as that. I just gave him a tip for taking me to another country. A lot of tour operators also offer Safaris to Botswana. You can just take a day trip or spend a few days there. You get to see a lot of graphic stuff. One group actually saw lions attacking an elephant giving birth! Man, that’s definitely not a sight for the faint of heart!

If it’s not evident yet, i absolutely loved Livingstone! And yes, i would definitely go back! Every now and then you’d come across a place that you wouldn’t mind visiting again and again, and for me Livingstone is one of em! Victoria Falls look so much different during the wet season. There are also loads of activities that I wasn’t able to do. I also gained a number of friends who are based in Livingstone. All these are reasons for me to go back. I’m not sure when, but i definitely will!