I would like- no love to include the videos and the photos I have taken of this day but I have found linking and uploading in the blogger app to be problematic at best and impossible at worst. I will do a special pictures and video blog once I am stateside.
So we rose early to a pleasant breakfast at the Safari Club and met the shuttle that was going to take us to the Falls.
Two women, one older -definitely American Tourist and the other younger -possibly her tour guide boarded the bus and immediately and loudly discussed how the older woman was headed into town to buy Zimbabwe currency. I thought this was odd since the tourist woman seemed to be clutching a wad of US bills and talking about buying it off a young man on the street. The two women got off the bus at the first stop which was just inside the town and a man rushed over brandishing some Zimbabwe money. I did not give it much thought as we continued on our way to the Falls Park.
Arriving at the park the driver asked if I had brought a rain coat or umbrella, puzzled I said no as Mother laughed and told me she had forgotten all about the spray from the Falls being like heavy mist or the front row seats at Sea World. The driver said "no worries" and that I could rent or buy one from a vendor across the street from the park.
Once we had disembarked I found that the rain coat rental vendors were out in force showing off their yellow, blue and brown rain coats. I asked the yellow rain coat how much, he told me $3 US. I looked at the other vendors but all they did was wave their rain coats. I waited and they waited.
"So, you don't want to offer me a cheaper deal." I asked.
Nope, not a one. no real competition. So I collected the largest one the yellow rain coat man had and was informed to pay the rental when I got back.
Then another vendor ran up wanting me to come to his stall to buy his wares but I told him I would when I returned.
Let me say this, One souvenir vendor is seldom different from the other 20 or from the duty free ones in the airports. Albeit these would be cheaper but then I would have to lug even more stuff through customs and around South Africa for 3 weeks so no either way.
Then Mother and I entered the Victoria Falls National Park (which is fenced and gated). $30 US each for entrance, they do take Visa.
Mother elected to spend her time at the shop and cafe since it is quite a long stroll 120 meters to the actual Falls and I had just under an hour to do it in.
So off I hoofed it to the Falls and Wow, nothing on earth compares.
I went south down the Falls trail in order to escape the multitude of tourists (mostly Europeans -as it turned out) and managed to get some quiet (if thunder is quiet) and started taking pictures with my cell and Mother's camera. It occurred to me to take some video on my phone and I have to say that was worth every second.
The Zambezi river basically falls in several places down a crevice into the ground and then flows out a vast river gorge on it way. One has to stop and recognize that the rupture crevice had to happen from something seismic where it preceded the river or not. I mean to take some time to study this place when I get back stateside since it intrigues me. Did the Zambezi come before or after the "Falls formation?"
I ponder these things as I walk along the trail on the opposite cliff from the Falls itself.
This place is called "The Smoke that Thunders" by the natives who first discovered it way back when.
It takes a moment for me to remember the rain coat so I put it on without thinking only to discover that it is like 5 sizes too small, so I take the coat back off. I don't need it in the end since the smoke aint falling on me this day.
Later as the white tourists crowd in on my peace to pose for pictures while not really looking at this phenomenal show of nature and creation. I leave them as they ignore the safety signs and stand on rocks and such to chance the fates with the sheer drops into the river gorge and certain death all in the aid of being idiotic tourists, I hike back to the spot where Dr. David Livingstone first came out of the bush and rain forest to set the first European (white) eyes upon the majesty that he would call Victoria Falls after his Queen and say the immortal line "Scenes so wonderful, must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." back in 1855. I pause to look up at his statue and then do an american selfie just to prove I was there since no one is around to puzzle out my strange accent.
I notice the dugout canoe and do the Japanese thing with it.
I walk down to take one last gaze at the Falls in wonder of it all before walking back to the gate.
Later, with a new safari hat in hand I return the rain coat, pay my $3 and tease the vendor about how I should get a refund since it did not fit.
He does not get the joke.
He does offer to sell me about 1/2 million in Zimbabwe currency for 30 Rand, when I tell him I do not have any Rand with me, he offers it to me for $20.
I laugh and tell him 30 Rand is $3 US, he doesn't believe me. I shrug and tell him it's his loss.
We catch the bus and return to the Safari Club to get ready for the flight back to South Africa.
We end up waiting almost 45 minutes for the plane which is pretty empty. I am glad since I had to stand the entire wait. This is hard since I am still so out of shape for standing in an un-airconditioned airport.
As we fly out of Zimbabwe I look back at the Smoke around the Falls and wonder if I will ever be back again.
and that's Traveling according to Mike.
Although when I do start the official travel blog I wonder if Travels with Mike or Mike Abroad would be better?
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