When Water Thunders: Victoria Falls.

I don't believe in "bucket lists". For many reasons, actually, one of which being that you never know where life will take you. Bucket lists can box you into what you think you what your life to look like, but what about all the other possibilities you don't even know exist! Case in point: Victoria Falls. 

For me, in all my life, I never thought about going to Vic Falls (as the Zimbabweans call her). I've heard it mentioned as a possible destination by many of my fellow fellows and thought to myself, "Ya, that sounds cool." But when the opportunity came to venture south to Southern Africa, I was stoked. If I were to have a bucket list, Victoria Falls would be on it. 

We spent the first few days in Harare (post to come) and then flew one hour north-west to the Falls which lie on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border. We stayed in Vic Falls town on the Zim side and had a glorious 3 days touristing around the sights and bleeding money (so expensive thanks to zero economy....) It was amazing.

I'll never forget the first glimpse we had of the Falls. We paid our 30$ entrance fee into the park and meandered down the well-maintained rock path, following the sound of water rushing. We turned a corner, and there she was! Victoria Falls! I was excited like a kid at a circus. My heart raced and I couldn't wipe the goofy grin off my face. She was as magnificent and spectacular to behold as I had imagined. Worth every penny and hour in the airport. 

We went at "high tide" time when the water is really high and strong, thus there was a lot of smoke and water flying from the tops of the Falls. While walking along the trail we got soaking wet at the end as the trail bent closer to the Falls. The local guides kept saying "It's raining," which made me laugh. 

After walking along the Falls we walked across the Victoria Falls bridge which is an architectural wonder in itself. The bridge links Zimbabwe and Zambia, so we had to get immigration passes to walk the bridge and have a coffee in Zambia before walking back. How fun. To be having coffee in Zambia and walking home to sleep in Zimbabwe. That never would have made my bucket list because I couldn't have made it up if I tried. 

I kept thinking to myself that Victoria Falls has been flowing with such power and majesty every day of my life. And she will keep flowing, tides rising and falling, for all the days that I will live. I could have missed it, but for one day of my life I got to bear witness. It was very existential to think about all the wonders across the world that are existing every day. Amazing natural wonders doing their thing. And hopefully our paths cross at some point, to see some of the beauty of the earth between the "normalcy" of human life. 

Thanks for the glory and wonder, Vic Falls. 

Warthog, Impala, and Beef 

Drumming at the Boma

Zimbabwe: Africa's Paradise 

"You are now entering Zambia" 

My friend Rebecca (ELF Namibia) and I

walk slow. xoxo