With my final days in Africa swiftly approaching, I settled on Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for one last jaunt before returning to London for an Indian visa. Drawn by its status as a Natural Wonder, my decision was made final when VY found unusually cheap tickets from Fly Africa, a new and little known budget airline.

Tickets booked, bags packed and visa to be sorted on arrival, I made my way to the airport not knowing whether I had become the latest victim in a Nigerian scam, or worse, would be flying on a plane held together by bubble gum, scotch tape and faith in the Almighty.

My plan was to stay in Victoria Falls for four event filled days, during which I’d visit:

• Victoria Falls on foot (Zimbabwe and Zambia side)
• Appreciate the Falls by microlight (enthusiastically endorsed by VY)
• Day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana for some game viewing
• Tempt fate with a visit to Devil’s Pool
• Visit the David Livingstone museum

Arriving at the prosaically named Victoria Falls Backpackers, I was sorted out by Mrs Bean, a no non-sense lady with a mind tuned to quick calculations and efficient planning. Within twenty minutes of depositing my rucksack, she had my trip organised, booked and paid for; vouchers written, pick-up/drop-off arrangements made and of course, hefty commission levied. I later confirmed over drinks while on a Zambezi sunset cruise, that most money in the backpacking business is made not from lodging or even food and drink, but from arranging activities for captive guests and charging commission. Everything from airport transport, to visa arrangements, to day trips carry a “deposit” which gets neatly swept into the bank accounts of hostel owners.

With a relatively packed schedule, I immediately set upon exploring the small town of Victoria Falls which comprises a single T-intersection of about 100m each way. From supermarkets to gas stations, banks to restaurants, tour operators to small shops selling keepsakes and knick-nacks; everything is crammed around this 200m of pot-holed riddled asphalt.

The first time through, it takes about 1h to navigate, not because VicFalls is especially large, but because at every turn one is set upon by fortune hunters, hustlers, sales men and charity cases. Every sensibility is appealed to; hand-carved Big 5 for those with a love of useless tat, billion and trillion dollar Zimbabwean notes for those keenly interested in history and economics, stories of hunger and poverty for the bleeding hearts and offers to arrange all manner of excursion for the lazy. On one walk back from Zambia, I had an amusing engagement with a particularly persistent young man whom, after failing to sway me on the investment merits of going long Zim dollars (“Mister, just look at the numbers. 500 BILLION for only 5 US dollars!”) tried to appeal to my sense of charity (a fool’s errand if there ever was one) by asking me if I wouldn’t mind parting with my jeans and Converse right there and then to “help him out”.

Bouts of hyperinflation has forced Zimbabwe to adopt the USD. Here, some notes in circulation set against a newer ones I brought

One has to admire their audacity. You don’t ask, you don’t get. There’s a lesson about boldness and initiative in there somewhere.

My second day was what Mrs Bean called my “Zam Day”; 12h of back-to-back activities on the Zambia side of the Falls. 6:30am pick-up at the Zim/Zam border for a 9am microlight flight, followed by a swim in Devil’s Pool atop the Falls, then some self-education at the Livingston museum followed by exploration on foot of the Falls themselves.

Flying squirrel suit!

The microlight flight is a pricey but a completely worthwhile experience. One dawns what I would describe as a flying squirrel suit (presumably for warmth), before being buckled into a plastic bucket affixed onto an exposed metal frame with tarp attached overhead and a lawnmower motor strapped to the back. But you’re given a bright red helmet so it’s OK.

I did not take this picture but it's fairly representative of what views are on offer

After a nerve wracking take-off, it takes about 15 seconds before you forget your predicament entirely, awed by a broad prospect of water, greenery and wildlife. Herds of elephant, antelope and buffalo appear alongside towers of giraffe grazing the treetops. You’re then flown over the Zambezi, which fans out underneath you before disappearing over the Falls; throwing up a cloud of rainbow trapping mist and thundering loudly all the while. It is, without a hint of exaggeration, breathtaking. I opted to not buy the pictures since they can never do that experience justice, and at $25, are a complete rip-off; blurry pictures of a behelmeted flying squirrel that could frankly be anyone. But the rest of it, money well spent for a 15-minute experience. I’ve spent much more for much less.