Zambia - On the banks of the Zambezi River
As we flew into Zambia, we could see the mist rising from Victoria Falls. On our arrival at the small airport, near Livingstone, we were met by a children's choir, from a local school, singing African songs. The boys & girls were neatly dressed in their brown and white school uniforms, and sang beautifully, first in harmony, then in a "call and response" style. A young woman solo-ed and the chorus answered. They were amazing. It was a lovely welcome.
Zambia looks more like what I pictured Africa looking like. Its drier and grassier than S. Africa, The soil is red, too. The city of Livingstone is quite small. Our hotel is a small drive away, and situated on the banks of the Zambezi River, a four minute walk to Victoria Falls. Its also located in a game park, so zebra wander the grounds, and vervet monkeys wait to snatch your food. I loved sitting on the large deck, under the trees, next to the river, with the mist of the falls rising in the distance. This hotel had the loveliest grounds, since I love the river. It was after the rainy season, so the water level was high.
Once we checked in, we headed for the falls. There's a trail of stones, around the falls, with lookouts for great views. Ponchos were handed out, since the force of the water gong over the drop creates huge plumes of mist, which rise, condense and rain down again, in torrents. We walked over a brige, spanning the river gorge, in front of the falls. The deck and railings were very slick with algae, since its always wet. I was a tad nervous in my slippery flip-flops, but it was quite an adventure to be in the mist and spray, across from the thundering falls. Sort of a total sensory experience. From the opposite side of the walkway, we saw an intensely colored 180 degree rainbow spanning the falls. A little farther on, we saw the train trestle to Zimbabwe, which is also the site of the world's 3rd tallest bungee jump. Three of the European men actually jumped - Insanity.
Random fact: The Zambian name for Victoria Falls is Mosi-Oa-Tunya, which means, "the smoke that thunders."