VICTORIA FALLS - FALLS TOUR AND FLIGHT OF ANGELS

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After another excellent breakfast buffet looking out over the watering hole, and with a full view of the beautiful pool area, our day started with a morning tour of Victoria Falls. We were complaining a bit about why we had to get up early to go if we had all morning, but we realized later on that we had been lucky to have the falls all to ourselves when we saw how many people were coming in, as we were getting ready to leave.

When we got to the park, the market across the street was in full swing. By then, I was becoming used to be called Mamma by the vendors peddling their wares. Active also were the resident baboons, already busy tearing at and turning over garbage cans.

We were given a brief description of the lookouts for the different areas of the falls. There are two islands at the tops of the falls that are large enough to divide the curtain of water. The main streams are named the Devil's Cataract, the Main Falls, the Rainbow Falls (the highest) and the Eastern Cataract. More important, we were handed over heavy raincoats to wear during our visit. The spray can feel like a heavy rain at times, as I found out for myself.

While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, the Victoria Falls are classified the largest, based on its combined width of 5,604 ft. and height of 354 ft. resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water. The Victoria Falls are roughly twice the height of Niagara Falls and well over twice its width.

When you are standing across from it, it is very understandable that the native name for it is the smoke that thunders.

I found myself almost mesmerized by it, and unwilling to avoid looking at it even when I was being plummeted by the wind driven spray. I have never seen more beautiful rainbows, and some right in front of me.

The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 1,300 ft. and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 30 miles away. During the flood season it is impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Since we were visiting in June it wasn't as bad, but as we progressed towards the Eastern Cataract the spray got heavier and we were drenched, and visibility was more difficult.

Finally we reached the last lookout, where we could see the bridge on the Zambia side that we had seen the previous day. Another glorious rainbow bid us goodbye for the time being.

Back to the hotel, to sit on the veranda of the Buffalo Bar, enjoying a light lunch, a delicious Buffalo Sunset cocktail, and watching the animals at the watering hole.

Our hotel has a program of preservation for vultures. It appears that the vulture population is decreasing tremendously. We were told that they fall victim to poachers who do not want their presence to alert authorities, and also die from eating animals that have been poisoned. Vultures perform a necessary function by eating everything that's left of dead animals so, to keep them safe, the hotel does a feeding at 1 PM daily, which attracts hundreds of vultures of assorted species.

As I watched I also wondered how effective a solution this is. Yes, they are keeping these vultures safe, but the vultures are also not performing their function of cleaning up. I guess my logic got in the way of really appreciating the gesture.

Anyway, shortly before 2 PM we were picked up and taken to the Zambezi Helicopter Company for our Flight of Angels over the falls. I was a bit nervous, specially when they started doing the preparations for the flight. There were four of us, and we had to get on a scale so they could plan the weight distribution on the helicopter. But soon we were seated in the helicopter, our seatbelts were tightened, and we were off into the sky.

Looking at the falls from the air is a totally different experience. From the air the whole width of the falls is exposed, with the islands upstream, and the continuing river. The flight doesn't take long, but the experience was worth the high cost. The view even distracted me from the panic of wondering if we had lopsided weight on the helicopter every time we sharply banked to one side, and I found myself quickly scooting to the other side as far as I could.

It seemed like in no time at all we were back on the ground and on our way back to the hotel.

Later on, as I watched the stream of animals arriving at the watering hole, I couldn't help feel depressed thinking that the next day we would be leaving all these wonderful experiences behind.

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Photos

Hotel
A little visitor

Victoria Falls Park
Not much bothered by us

Falls
Looking for breakfast

Falls
Rainbows everywhere

Falls
Livingston