Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." ~John Muir

Nicki:

Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day, as per usual. We had coffee and hot chocolate out on our covered patio, looking out over the Zambezi River, then we met Mel to take us out for the day. Our first event was a helicopter ride. I was worried about my mom doing this, because she is afraid of heights, but she was a trooper and marched right up to that chopper. Then the pilot told her to get in the front seat, and she looked at me like she might lose it. But she climbed right up there and honestly, totally looked the part of copilot. It was my very first time in a helicopter, and I didn't really know what to expect, but it was so much fun! The pilot took us over Victoria Falls and down the river a bit, giving us an amazing vantage point of the Falls and all the cataracts that make it.

Be warned: you are about to start seeing a lot of rainbows.

After our exciting helicopter ride, Mel and Charles, our other guide/driver, took us to go walk over Victoria Falls. We got sidetracked at the entrance, however, because there were baboons all over the place, stealing food from the passing vendors and playing around in the trees. 

There were two pretty young baboons that I was particularly intrigued with. This was their attempt to break into the public showers. I'm so glad I wasn't inside that building. I might have needed another shower after seeing two baboons climb into my shower window.

I didn't think it was very cool of the first baboon to ditch his buddy. What ever happened to no man left behind?

Anyway, when we walked into the gates to Victoria Falls, we saw some monkeys (Not baboons. Monkeys.) Mel told us that they are even meaner than baboons. She told us that one time, a monkey chased her across the lawn of the Royal Livingstone Hotel, where we are staying, in front of all the guests. I think she's my spirit animal. 

I tried to be very polite to this particular monkey that I showed above. He seemed like he shouldn't be messed with, so I made sure to call him "sir" and say "pardon me" whenever I walked by him.

It's kind of hard to see in this picture above, but there is a monkey destroying a juice box and getting high on sugar below and to the right of the sunlight.

Now, it's very important that you read this disclaimer before looking at the next picture. It is an INAPPROPRIATE PHOTO. I was recently told that blue balls was not a real thing, but apparently it is for monkeys.

There you go. Just for shits and giggles. Hope you aren't offended. Also, that monkey has a mustache.

So after we walked away from the monkeys and baboons, Mel and Charles explained the history of Victoria Falls to us. If you look at the Falls, you can see many gorges that the water falls into. The furthest gorge is where Victoria Falls originally was, and the water pressure and tens of thousands of years have caused five gorges to be constructed over time. Right now, there is a sixth gorge being formed, and that is right now called Devil's Cataract. 

You can kind of see the gorges in the picture above, in the top half of the picture. The river zigzags through them. 

In this picture, you can see Devil's Cataract in the top middle area. It is digging into the Falls, and should form a new gorge in about 5,000 years. It has already created a fault line that goes all the way back to our hotel. I find this place so fascinating. It is no wonder that it is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Once Charles and Mel explained the history to us, we started walking along the banks of the river, and took some fun pictures. Warning: you're about to see more rainbows.

And this is David Livingstone. He's pretty cool, I guess.

Then we started our treck across the Falls.

I could not believe not only how intense the water was that was falling, but how powerful the spray was that was coming back up. We could actually see full drops of water coming back up, probably going about 30 mph. It was crazy. 

Mel told us to wear flip flops, which makes sense because you don't want your sneakers getting wet. But she also made us put on rain suits. I thought that was a little overkill. Looking back on it, though, I am so glad I wasn't one if those miserable tourists that looked like they just had the worst Splash Mountain experience of their lives (or maybe the best, if you look at it differently). 

Mom wasn't a huge fan of me photographing this moment. I don't know about her, but I felt my most attractive while wearing that green get-up.

So we started walking across the Falls. It was one of the most fun things I've ever done!

It was really fun to take that panorama shot. I had to do it quickly though because my camera was getting soaking wet. 

We were very happy to get those rain suits off, but I would gladly put them back on to experience Victoria Falls again! 

After the Falls, we went back to the hotel for lunch and a little downtime. At 3:00pm, we were picked up to go on an elephant ride! My mom tells me that I rode an elephant at the Orange County Fair when I was little, and we have photographic evidence, but I don't remember it so it doesn't count. Again, it was one of the coolest things I've ever done. My elephant's name was Mary, and she was the matriarch. She is 22 and loves to eat, so I'm pretty sure that she and I are on the same wavelength. My mom's elephant, Boniface, was the biggest male and was of an intimidating height. 

Clearly, my mom styled her hair like that.

This is my Mary. She posed for me after I got off of her and fed her some treats. I officially want a pet elephant. Sorry dad.

When we got back to the hotel, we went and had a cocktail on the deck down by the river and watched the sunset. 

In case you couldn't tell, that cocktail stirrer has a hippo on it. I kept it.

Then we went back and both took showers, because we smelled of river water and elephant, then went and had. Nice dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Today, we are off to spend the night in Johannesburg. Tomorrow, we connect by air to Nairobi, and then we start the bush safaris.

Cindy: 

We had breakfast on our patio outside of our room!!!  Had to watch out for the baboons and make sure that we protected all food - an african adventure to be sure.  

This next part of the journey I personally have been concerned about - if you don't know, I'm not very good with heights.  This morning we take a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls.........hummmm..............

Ok, this was so much fun!!  I was scared to death when they put me in the front seat next to the pilot.....really!  Both Nicki and I got a little scared when our pilot took off.  Then, we were totally distracted by the beautiful views and the pilot descriptions of the river and it's formation.  We then flew over the falls - absolutely incredible.  So much water, so much power, so beautiful.  Then we flew up the river where we went on the cruise last night - we saw 2 elephants that Nicki got pictures of as we've figured out that her camera takes better long range pictures than mine - so that's her job.

Then we walked the falls - we were drenched - so much water - so beautiful.  Seriously wet after this excursion - but we had a very rare sighting.  According to Mel when we spotted the Schalow's Lourie in the rain forest along side the falls.  Nicki's got a couple of great pictures for this sighting. 

After watching the monkeys and baboons at the boarder for awhile, we returned to the hotel for lunch.  We had about an hour after lunch to relax before we were off for our Elephant ride.  I got to ride Boniface - he was HUGE!!!!!  Very gentle though and loved following Nicki on her Elephant Mary.  Mary was quite nice to Boniface and kept breaking off branches for him to pick up and eat from.  We also saw some very calm Cheetahs at the same reserve, and they were so beautiful.  

Back to the hotel for a cocktail on the river deck, and then get ready for dinner and back to the room for another great nights sleep.  Tomorrow we are off the Johannesburg for the night and then off to Nairobi on Wednesday.  These will be our last big flights until we leave for Paris.  More tomorrow........