The Smoke that Roars

We've decided to tack one more African country onto the end of our trip and Zambia won, mostly because its tourism capital, Livingstone, is the gateway to Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world.  Leaving Horizon at daybreak (5am) we make it to Jo'burg's O R Tambo A/P, drop off the rental car and board a 10:30am flight to Livingstone.  Arriving in Livingstone A/P - only slightly larger than that of Grant County, NM - we're met by Laurent, our host for the next five nights at Tabonina GH.  It's lovely, abounding in greenery including a cashew tree and a guava tree, both of which drop their fruit at regular intervals.

After unpacking and a brief lie down, we decide to explore the town.  This is totally, radically different than anything we've seen in South Africa.  At the risk of sounding glib or naive, this feels like the 'real Africa.'

We are the only whites walking to town and pass numerous signs like this one.  After walking for what seems like miles, we get to town and finally find an Italian restaurant where we have a lovely early dinner and learn that the owner, Stefano, is from NE Italy.  He urges us to return the following evening for native singing and dancing starting at 19:00.  

Next morning we're up bright and early, destination the Falls!  Laurent calls for a cab, and we meet Lawrence who ends up being our own driver for the rest of our stay.  Absolutely delightful guy with a big warm smile, delighted for the fare and to meet Americans.  It's about a 20" ride and we can hear the Falls before we've even entered the park.  The natives called them mosi-au-tunya, the smoke that roars, and in minutes we see why.  Wow oh wow!!

We wander along the eastern side of the Falls for hours, absolutely in awe of the views and this isn't even high water!  High water and the Falls in their full glory will come in a couple of months with the rainy season.  

This is the Devil's Pool and there is a very strenuous hike down to it - we don't even consider doing it!  

Rainbow Falls, so aptly named.  I think the rainbow is ever-present.  

Victoria Falls Bridge over the Zambezi; the left side is Zambia, the right Zimbabwe.  This is a singular engineering achievement culminating in one of those inexplicable events.  The parts were assembled at a bridge company in England and shipped to what was then Rhodesia.  When the last center girders were installed on the evening of March 31, 1905, they were 1.25 inches too big!  By the following morning, they had contracted and slipped easily into place.

Again, we're almost the only whites, and all the blacks we meet are warm and friendly and offer to take our photo including this one in front of the statue of David Livingstone.  

And this group who insisted on having their picture taken with us after we offered to take a photo of them

Again, we've been blest with perfect weather - no rain, just the mist of the Falls - and perfect temps for our long walk.  On our way out, we're accompanied by a family of monkeys who seem to multiply as we get closer.  Fortunately, they seem to have little interest in us but we take off our glasses and quickly pocket the camera - just in case.

Glorious day - breathtaking scenery!  And Lawrence is waiting for us when we leave the park.  We're too tired and overwhelmed to even think about singing and dancing so we stop for take-out Indian on the way home - perfect end to a wonderful day