Victoria Falls

In November of 1855, Dr. David Livingstone said, "Holy Shit!"  He was the first European to lay eyes on Victoria Falls.  The locals here call is Mosi-oa-tunya (The Smoke that Thunders).

The Falls are neither the highest (354+feet) nor the widest (5600+ feet) in the world, but those combined measurements result in the world's largest curtain of falling water.  In the rainy season, just over 5,000 cubic meters per second can come thundering into the gorge.  Holy Shit is right!

But even though we're here during the Spring (heading into the dry season), and the water curtain is more like vertical blinds, the Falls still amaze.  I guess you have two choices...you can come during the rainy season and feel the full effect of the falls - solid sheets of rain in the forest and the thick mist rising from the gorge, or you can come during the dry season and see the beautiful gorge, get a light misty shower from the crashing waters, and imagine what it would be like at full force.

I googled this picture to show you what 5,000 cubic meters per second looks like.

Casper, our guide, led us on the mile-or-so walk that the parks system has put in place to maximize viewing.  It was littered with school field trips, bus loads of golden-year tourists, and adventure travelers.  

As we began the walk through the dried-out rain forest, we could hear the falls in the distance...a low rumble, like conversation in an auditorium.  It was a hot day, and by the time we got to the Zambia Bridge, we were sweating.  

But just past the bridge we began to feel an ever-so-light mist, cool and welcomed.  Casper told us that during the rainy season, we would be in full-on rain and spray from the Falls.  Finally we turned the corner and got our first look.

Well, it IS dry season.  

This is at the far eastern end of the gorge.  It gets better.

Hard to see the beautiful pool at the bottom.

At the bottom, rushing through a narrow chute.

Some warthog butt

Definitely different than in the rainy season, but still...

Can you imagine this at high season?

You can hear the thunder - in just this one little part.  The roar at full force must be incredible.

Guinea Fowl Moth

We capped off the tour with a drink at the Victoria Falls Hotel.

I can't even imagine David Livingstone's thoughts as he viewed this wonder all alone.  I'll bet he couldn't wait to tell Henry Stanley.  Turns out that Livingstone loved Africa so much that we asked the locals to bury his heart here when he did.  They granted his wish.  Yep.  Livingstone's heart will always be in Africa, and the people of Zambia and Zimbabwe will always revere him as the discoverer of one of their most precious jewels, the Victoria Falls.