Mosi Oa Tunya

Victoria Falls is one of the largest water falls in the world. It is located on the Zambezi river and marks the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are astonishing, with 2.4 million gallons of water per second, surrounded by lush greenery. There is also immense power generated by these falls, and recently both Zambia and Zimbabwe have been harnessing some this power with the use of dams further down the Zambezi. We stayed on the Zambia side, in a town called Livingston. I would suggest staying on this side, especially if you go while Zimbabwe is still in political and economic turmoil. Anyway, we stayed at the Royal Livingston Hotel. It was a really nice hotel, beautiful and fun, but very expensive. There another hotel in the same gated area, next to the Royal Livingston, called the Zambezi Sun. (Don't be fooled when comparing the websites, the Royal Livingston is a nicer hotel in person.) The Sun is also a very nice hotel, but slightly cheaper.

After entering the front gate there is about half a mile of trees grass and roadways where African game, such as zebras, giraffes, and monkeys run free.

They also have a swimming pool that looks out over the Zambezi River, and a deck right on the water for drinks and snacks. You can actually see the mist coming up from the gorge from the hotel, it's pretty amazing.

Both cities in the vicinity of the falls, on the Zimbabwe and Zambia side, depend on Victoria Falls to survive and thrive. However, there is a lot to do to fill the time while you're there, more than you'd think. Of course you can just take a walk down the concrete path to see the falls, but that's definitely not the only way. For starters you can always get a day visa to view the falls from the other side. (This was the view we saw from the Zimbabwe side.)

If you have the chance to see the falls from the air, it is really an amazing thing to do. There are a few helicopter day trips, which you can find either online or through a hotel. We actually flew in on a 5 person private plane, and our pilot was nice enough to take the scenic route above and around the falls. The views from above are extraordinary, and from up there you can see much more of the winding Zambezi River, and you can see how expansive the gorge really is.

There are trails all around the area, some of which end with great views of the falls. Another intriguing thing to do was a guided tour to the edge of the falls, where the group sits in the pools at the top of the falls. Our family had thought about doing this one, but it seemed a little dangerous. If you are looking into it, I would ask guides about safety procedures. One of my favorite things that we did was go bungee jumping (which I wrote about in a previous post, so check it out!). There are safari opportunities not too far from town, even a Segway Safari. You can also ride elephants on the Zambia side, before the falls, or go rafting below.

If you want any souvenirs or gifts to bring home the Victoria Falls Market on the Zambia side is a great place to go. There are about 50 venders selling all sorts of hand made wooden pieces, stone, and other decorations. So make sure you bring some cash, but also some souvenirs from home! The vendors will actually trade items from other countries or useful things, like soap and pens. I was able to get a wooden bowl with a pair of old socks and a few hair pins. If you forget to bring things, you can always grab some extra shampoo or a sewing kit from the hotel and trade that. Be absolutely sure to negotiate. They jack up the prices expecting to bargain, or waiting for dumb tourists to buy things at escalated prices. It was quite a culture shock, but I had a lot of fun.

We only spent a couple of days in Livingston, but I really wish it had been more! There are so many things to do and see. The area is beautiful, and if you're lucky enough to go, don't take any of it for granted.

WiFi now Airborne

I recently flew on an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Laguardia, where I was surprised to see there was wifi on the flight. As I boarded, dreary from travel, I spotted a little sticker on the side of the plane that said wi-fi onboard. I had heard about this new addition to flights across the U.S., but this was my first opportunity to try it for myself. As soon as we reached cruising altitude, I opened my laptop and after charging $10 to my credit card, I was browsing the internet, with absolutely no delay. It really made the flight time feel like nothing.

Airlines that currently offer wifi (on some of their planes):

Alaskan Airlines

American Airlines

Delta Airlines

JetBlue

Northwest

Southwest

United Airlines

Virgin Airlines (they have wireless on all of their planes)

Here's hoping all airlines and airplanes are soon equipped with wireless internet soon!

Just take a second to adjust

I'm finally home after spending a few months in Italy, but on the way home I stopped in New York City. The time difference from Hawaii to Italy is 12 hours, and to New York it is 6 hours. So I have had to deal with some massive time differences and hours logged on the plane. I've found when you're adjusting to the time difference, there are two key things that help immensely. One, stay hydrated. Drink lots of water, this will also help you stay healthy while you travel. This will also help with the dehydration that usually comes with aircraft travel. And two, expose yourself to the sun. Your body will realize it is daytime and you're meant to be awake, and it will help you wake up.

Home Sweet Home

I may live in Hawaii, and take it for granted most of the time, but I definitely appreciate the fact that it is a prime vacation destination. So I will be happy to give my reviews of the best and the worst of the islands, for those of you who are not lucky enough to call them home. I reside in Honolulu, which is on Oahu, the main island. But this is about the only island I am very familiarized with. There are so many great places to visit while you're on Oahu, but here are the 5 absolute musts.

1. Waikiki Beach- This beach sprawls for a mile or so, lined with hotels and tourists. It is one of the most crowded areas, but also one of the most famous. It is a great place for people watching, sun bathing, and a dip in the water. If you want to take a break from the beach, you can always duck into one of the hotel restaurants, or walk the strip, which is lined with restaurants and shops. Waikiki is fun, day or night, for any age.

2. Hanauma Bay- This bay is a state park, that charges admission for non-residents, but is well worth the fee. The bay is very calm, and filled with fish. It is a great place for snorkeling, and I guarantee you will see wildlife.

3. North Shore- It is always a bit of a trek to get to the North Shore, but well worth it. After about driving for 30 minutes, you find yourself driving on a two late road, with pineapple and sugar cane fields on either side. After about another 15 minutes, you reach the town of Haleiwa. It is definitely a good idea to stop here, mostly for shaved ice at Matsumoto's. Then hop back into your car and head down to the beaches. My two favorites are Waimea Bay and Shark's Cove. Waimea famous for its huge waves and host of many surf competitions during the winter (but don't go swimming if the waves are too big! It really is quite dangerous). And don't be fooled by the name, Shark's Cove is just a bunch of tide pools, and I have never heard of a shark in there. It's great for snorkeling or just exploring.

4. Ala Moana- This is the largest shopping center on Oahu, and claims the label of the biggest open-air mall in the world. It is home to a Macy's, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom, along with all of the main designer stores and many boutiques. There is also a stage in the middle, where you can sometimes take a break from shopping and listen to anything from an orchestral group from Japan to Local kids playing ukulele, or watching a teen dance team preform.

Orchids

La Mer

5. Orchids and La Mer, at the Halekulani Hotel- This is one of the nicest hotels on the island, and my personal favorite. The Halekulani boasts two restaurants, and both are excellent. Orchids is on the first floor and its menu is filled to the brim with Pacific Rim type foods. If you eat here, I would definitely try the Opakapaka or Mahi Mahi. The mood is relaxed, you will often see the locals in aloha shirts (yes, the men here really do wear those out!), and there is usually live Hawaiian music playing on the nearby stage, or they have it resonating out of the speakers. La Mer is a French restaurant, and might very well be the best on the island. The Lobster Salad for appetizer is a must, and the chocolate soufflé (but don't forget to order it during your dinner, because it takes 20 minutes to cook). It is a bit stuffier up there, and jackets are required for men. You really cannot go wrong with either restaurant, it really just has to do with your person preference.

Fujiyoshida

Fujiyoshida is the base city of Fujiyama, or Mt. Fuji, Japan's highest and most famous peak. Only a short train ride outside of Tokyo, it is a charming little town where views of the mountain are almost unavoidable.

If you do are the type to accept the challenge, and climb Mt. Fuji this is where you'd start.

This is a traditional tori, or gate, that you would pass through at the base of the mountain on your way up. Or you can opt for a shorter journey to the top by driving about half way up (to station 5) and hiking from there. Then again, if you're like me and hiking Mt. Fuji poses no real interest for you, you can always just drive halfway up for a short walk around, an ice cream cone, and a few pictures of the great view.
Despite the small town size there are other things to do than just climb Mt. Fuji. They have a ropes course with zip lining, an amusement park, short walks and hikes, and sight seeing. The portrait above is the view from one of the platforms at the ropes course.

The Fujikyu Highlands amusement park is home to one of the world's best roller coasters.

And the small city is filled with traditional buildings and cultural gems.

Bungee!

So maybe it wasn't the smartest idea to leap off a Bridge in No-Man's-Land, between Zimbabwe and Zambia, but it just had to be done. Looking up from the Zambezi river, it didn't look all that high...

But it was far more terrifying from the bridge. By the time I was over there, and had convinced my dad to come with me it was really too late for me to back out. When we were buying our tickets they said there was a great deal if you wanted to do all three of their "activities", or perilous leaps toward impending doom, so we opted to take the deal. We decided to warm up with the zip line across the gorge. While it was pretty high up, and a long distance, it really wasn't very scary. Honestly, it was more exciting than anything else.

That's me, right in the middle there. My father then followed suit. After the zip line warm up, it was time for bungee!

Maybe thinking it would provide reassurance, my dad asked for their success rate, "Have you ever had any accidents?" And the reply we got was a cheerful, "Not yet!" My stomach flipped. I don't know what kind of answer I was expecting, maybe, "We are very cautious and provide secondary and tertiary precautions." Then again, I guess I forgot that I was literally in between two African countries, one of which is going through political and economic turmoil. So I assessed the situation on my own. The first bounce should least break your fall and you shouldn't hit the water too hard. However, I also concluded that if something does go wrong, and you fall into the water below (given you survive), you still have to watch out for the crocodiles swimming along the Zambezi. Anyway, I summoned every last gut I had and stepped into the harness and out onto the platform. The harness wasn't great, I won't lie. It was just a few strappy nylon ropes configured around my body in the most unattractive way one could think of, but I figured it might work. I had refused to watch any of the videos prior to my launch in fear that they would scare the last ounce of bravery right out of me, so I didn't know what to expect next. They had me sit down on a bench as they wrapped up my feet, because apparently you bungee jump upside down, only connected by the ankles. This little bit almost made me back out, they took four ratty old dish towels, which looked like they belonged to my 80 year old grandmother when she learned to cook, and wrapped two around each ankle. At this point I needed some reassurance, so I looked up only to see my dad with his head cocked, brow frowned, starting at my ankles, exuding nothing less than sure terror for letting his only little girl leap about 80 feet, not knowing if she would bounce back up or not. So I realized I definitely wasn't going to get any help there. Meanwhile, my ankles were bound together with a thick nylon rope and tied it in a knot, yes a knot. Then they finally attached me with a little carabiner to the bungee chords. There was one for my ankles and one for the harness strapped around my body, they said the second was for precautionary reasons only, but I was kind of wishing that was the main one.

Finally, it was time to actually jump. At this point they say that if you don't jump after they say 5...4...3...2...1...BUNGEE, they push you. So really my best option was to jump. I couldn't look down, it was all to surreal, so I just leapt off in a perfect swan dive, so I was told later. I could have swarm I waited a good 4 to 5 seconds before I started screaming my head off, but I was also told later that it was indeed only a second after. Suddenly, I felt to bungee tighten and I was being pulled back up. The first bounce was pure relief, I had made it, nothing broke, and I wasn't falling toward the crocodiles! However, I had very different feelings toward the next 15 bounces. My brain was filled with thoughts of keeping my ankles flexed to make sure I didn't slip out, to how sick I was about to get, to I really should been enjoying the situation because the view was phenomenal (despite being upside down). About a few minutes later than I would have preferred someone came down to get me, and they pulled me up. I couldn't speak for about 10 minutes after, the adrenaline was rushing, and so was the sweat. I think I was more terrified after the experience than before or during. So when they asked if I was ready for the their "activity" I just laughed uncomfortably and walked away.

Travel Accessories

Noise reducing headphones are key when you're flying. When you don't hear the noise from the airplane it makes the flight much more pleasant, and I'm convinced embark on your new adventure with more energy. I'm a big fan of the Sony headset, but Bose are good too. Earbuds are also good, and my favorite brand of those is Audio Technica. They save space, but are less comfortable and don't block the noise out quite as well. The each of these headset goes for about $400, but the earbuds are about $150. However, there are plenty of different brands out there, so you can just google noise reduction headphones and you will find lots of comparison sites.

A Kindle is a great gift for any traveler, or a treat for yourself. You can download reading books, magazine subscriptions, and guidebooks. The new kindles even have international wifi, so that you can download a book as you sit at the local cafe waiting for your cappuccino or waiting in the Brussels airport waiting for your flight to Rome. This way you save space and weight, which is always important when you're traveling around. And if you decide to go to an unexpected place while your abroad, one more guidebook is just a click away. The current price of a Kindle is about $260.

I have not had the pleasure of experimenting with the iPad (which run $500 and up), but from what I hear it is very similar to the kindle, but has way more going on. Somehow, though, I think I like the kindle better, because it don't get tempted with the distractions of technology, and I get to just read my book. After years of the successful Kindle, other tech companies were bound to make copies, so there are also all of those options out there.

However, I must admit, it takes some getting used to. There is just something about holding a book, and flipping the pages that is hard to forget. So, personally, I would travel with a kindle, especially on long trips when I will have lots of time to read. But opt to purchase hard copies when I have room to spare.

Tip for Smartphone Users:

There are many guidebook apps that you can download for your phone. Most of them cost money, but there is an app for blackberries called quintessentially that is completely free. And it's an app that gives you short guides to cities all around the world. It definitely cannot replace a guidebook, but would make an excellent quick reference tool while traveling. They may have this app for iPhones as well, but I'm not sure.