2014年1月26日日曜日

Africa No.9 - Beauty and the Beast / Zambia




Victoria Falls is one of the biggest falls in the world; the highest feet of 360(108meters), the second highest width of 5604 ft(1708meters, the widest is Iguazu Falls).
Just to think that there is a huge ground crack on the earth along with the bank of Zambezi River in between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and that this great waterfall was originated from this crack. I was totally overwhelmed.

(Getting to Lusaka)

I came in to the capital of Zambia, Lusaka, taking a whole-day bus from Lilongwe of Malawi. Crossing the vast plain of Zambia kept me reminded that I was travelling this huge continent, Africa.
Next day I took a half-day bus from Lusaka to Livingstone, the small gateway town opened for Victoria Falls. I pitched a tent in the backyard of a random backpackers’ hostel, had some local meat in the restaurant, and spent one chilly night thinking about the touristic sight which was waiting for me.
That was in the middle of May which was going to drag southern part of Africa into the winter season. I had to notice that I was coming down south, which meant that it was getting colder.

(Zambezi River)

Zambezi River was spacious as well. This river is the 4th longest in Africa flowing into Indian Ocean. I went on to the river cruise with a friend visiting me from Japan, enjoyed the river view of jungle-like river bank with hippos and birds. I was gradually getting ready for the waterfalls.

Then it came. Crossing the border to Zimbabwe side, the entrance of the national park was rather simple. We rented poncho-style rainproof and got in to the paths of the park which lead to the edge of the waterfalls.
Rainproof? Yes, we need these ponchos for sure. As we are walking by the trail, the open patch appeared. That area was decorated with the white splash and this splash turned out to be the droplets of the falls. Some vast water curtains were spraying water to us. We realized that we were on the edge of the Victoria Falls.

As we got closer, the roar of the falls got bigger and the water spray got harder. It was just the same as a drenching evening shower. We got so soaked and understood that the rainproof was important but not functioning enough to cover us from the waterfall attack.
Wild and splendid. Those were two first impressions that I had on this massive flood-like falls. Then we left this national park, Zimbabwe side.

(Getting soaked)

Delicate and gorgeous. These were the second impressions on the Victoria Falls I had from the Zambia side, and from above.
From above? Yes we took micro-light crafts. It was simpler and more open than a helicopter. A guide even let me fly this craft for a few minutes. We took off the ground covered with the brown soil and this craft sharply blast off into the air. Soon the ground decorated with forest and zebras came below my eyes. It was literally a bird’s-eye view, and I got confused myself with a bird.

(Flight over the falls-1)

There appeared the Zambezi River flowing about, and the line of road crossing the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. A bridge located in between these two countries was there as well. I was recalling the memory of experiencing the bungee-jumping from that bridge into Zambezi River. (It was 110meters high, I was frightened to death for the first few seconds, flew in, felt like I was floating in the world of non-gravity. Such a unique experience but this was another story.)

Flying up and jumping down were totally different experience. As we flew up things started to show their wider selves. Everything I saw was connected to each other, embracing the waterfalls as well.

(Flight over the falls-2)

The wild Victoria Falls turned in to fragile vapor wafting around over the ground crack. Along with the crack water of the Zambezi River was slipping off in a gracious way. They even created some rainbow arches. Colorful, vague and grace. I gave a sigh over the beauty. I was almost weeping to witness this beauty after a day I witnessed the wild abandon of the same nature.
I wanted to stay in that moment for good. I knew I would miss this 15-minute-flight so much, but I had to come down to earth. So we landed.

Beauty and the Beast. This wonder of nature has dual character.

(Flight over the falls-3) 




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