After passing out (not really, but it felt like it) and sleeping for almost 12 straight hours, I awoke to Kathleen feeling lousy and telling me I should go and grab some breakfast. That was when I discovered it was an outdoor restaurant and freeeezzzziiinnnggg. I had a piece of cold toast and a cup of lukewarm tea. That got me through to lunch. On the way to breakfast, I did get a chance to catch some photos of the spray rising from the falls with the rising sun behind it. Here’s a few to start the day. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. And PLEASE…don’t look at my photography on a phone. Please…
After my quick shots and the tea and toast, I was off to the walking tour of Victoria Falls in the national park. We had a great guide, and he took us along the trail that has approximately 15 lookouts, each with increasing amounts of spray. It is a beautiful waterfall that you have to wear a poncho to tour. I can only imagine how much spray there must be during the rainy season.
Here are the photos I took along the walk. I am not thrilled with them because, basically, the water/spray looks white, the sky looks white, and everything else is black. BORING…but you be the judge.
Lunch was on our own, and Kathleen was feeling better, so when I returned to the hotel, we went to the other outdoor venue and sat in the hot sun, getting warmed up. The food was okay, but I only ate half of the burger and left the other half of my fries. That tells you how lousy I was feeling. But we were both up for the next part of the day.
HELICOPTER FLIGHT OVER THE FALLS!!!
Now for the GOOOOD part. In the afternoon, we had planned a helicopter flyover tour of the falls with Zambezi Helicopters. It only flies for about 12 minutes, but it does a very cool loop over the falls that lets us see everything. And I was thrilled with the photos AND VIDEO I got. Away we go. Quick note: we could have booked the same flight through AMA, but it was about $100 US more, so we booked it ourselves. I called AMA and asked when we would need to be back. They told me 4:00 pm for the evening cruise on the Zambezi. When Delia announced 3:30, we were afraid we would miss the cruise…but we just made it.
Before watching the videos, please adjust your sound level to a comfortable setting. Helicopters are REALLY LOUD. Did I mention this was our very first ride in a helicopter? It was. Smoother than silk.
That’s the first video. Here are some still shots that I love. Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. And PLEASE…don’t look at my photography on a phone. Please…
Here’s the second video. Thankfully for you, they are very short. Again, adjust your sound. Turn it down.
This was one part of the trip that will definitely stay with us. After the ride, we raced back to the hotel, and we got there with three minutes to spare before we were off for a dinner cruise on the Zambezi River above the falls. While onboard, we heard a very interesting lecture about the explorer David Livingstone from one of his biographers, a long-time British guide.
Of course, when you are on the Zambezi River at sunset, you have to take a photo. So, here’s my last shot from a very long day.
Tomorrow: On to Johannesburg!
The most impactful place I’ve been to, where I was completely awestruck, happy, and moved, is Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is probably the most beautiful and romantic place in the world. — Hill Harper