Kmart 15-litre DrySack

I was excited to see that Kmart sells this dry sacks, which are perfect for outdoor activities, camping and to keep an emergency kit at home. This bag is made of good quality sturdy waterproof plastic and has sealed waterproof seams. The top seams roll down and then the attached buckle keeps all  tied together creating a carry-on handle. 

 

The Velcro part is just one side of the Velcro, so to speak. It doesn't stick together. I think this is how it's supposed to be, as you have to roll down the two seams. However, this doesn't completely seal the top part of the bag. Said differently, it doesn't prevents water from entering the bag if, for example, the bag falls on a river, lake or the ocean. This is just a guess, as this hasn't happened to me. On the other hand, the material allows the bag to float, or so does the makers say. 

 

The product page says that it comes with a carry strap seam, but the band is not provided. The product page photos don't show the strap either. The strap is only provided with the 20-litre pack and is missing on other sizes, like this one. That's Ok, you can reuse any band you have from old bags or backpacks, but the information is not truthful.  

 

Excellent value for money.  

 

USEFUL INFORMATION

Capacity: 15 litre.

Material: 190T polyester taffeta. 

Measurements: 50cm (H) x 23.5cm (diam) 

Product weight: 0.13kg 

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Batoka Sky (Livingstone, Zambia)

Batoka Sky
Livingstone, Zambia
+ (260) (3) 320 058
Website
I had a 15 minutes micro-light flight early in the morning with these guys and I had a ball - truly, an unforgettable experience.

The company is very well organised. They pick you up and drop off from your hotel and take you to the aerodrome. You can pay at their office there if you haven't booked online, and cue for your turn to ride the micro-light. There is an outside seating area, really lovely, facing the take off area. Before getting on the flight, you are provided with a padded overall to protect you from the cold up there, and a helmet once you board the machine. You have to remove any scarf and should not wear loose shoes. 

The young hot sweet pilot who took me to the sky was great. The take off and landing were extremely smooth, nothing compared to any other flying adventure activity I have done. No bumps, no noise. Just posing the machine lightly on the ground as a bird would do. 

The flight itself was amazing. Seeing Victoria Falls is a experience difficult to forget, but doing so from a medium distance and above them, up in the air, is just awesome. One enjoys the splendour of the Zambezi River and the Falls themselves, and the canyons that the Zambezi created after the Falls, which are equally spectacular. Not only that, you can easily spot hippos, elephants and other big animals on the river shore or just inside it. The pilot will give you a tour around and across the falls, an point to you anything noticeable. 

I love this sort of flights. If you have height freight, this might make your guts churn a bit, but it is really worth the churning!

Bad news - you cannot take your camera with you. Good news - your flight is photographically recorded, and you can purchase the photos after the flight, for about 20$. You are provided with a set of photos in two folders. One contains photos of the Low and High Falls, and the other photos of you, awesome traveller, being photographed up there. To be honest, not taking your camera allows you to enjoy the flight to the fullest, so it is a great idea. The photos in this entry provide all from the CD I got.

I think the 15-minute flight is enough to see Victoria Falls in winter. Things change in summer and the Zimbabwean side of the Falls has more water, so you might like extending your flight 15 minutes more and crossing to the other side, or just going to Zimbabwe and do the flight there. Still, there is a huge difference in price.

The offices are also a shop, and they sell cool souvenirs and postcards. The buildings at the aerodrome are beautiful, made in traditional architecture style.

All the staff were lovely and very helpful.

TIPS
> Book this activity as part of a pack including other activities (like the sunset Zambezi cruise and the tour of the Falls) and you will save tons of money.
> If you are doing the activity in the Zambian winter in the morning, take warm clothes with you, as the wait can be long and it is freezing cold there. Amazingly enough, the weather was warmer in the air than in the ground, where we were all freezing.

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