Victoria Falls

Pre our trip to Victoria Falls at a barbecue I managed to find a bouvier puppy! 

While in Zimbabwe Steven and I had the chance to take a three-day trip to see Victoria Falls and it was the only time we got to spend on our own.  I knew nothing about Victoria Falls except that it was a large water fall, I had no idea that on one side was Zambia and the other Zimbabwe and I didn’t know I had been staring at the Zambezi river till many years later, such was my interest in geography.  

We arrived at a rather wonderful Hotel that sat literally beside the falls, surrounded by the wilderness of Africa, my main interest being the animals, the vervet monkeys and the amazing coloured birds.  We sauntered down to the large swimming pool on the first day both carrying a large packet of crisps.  I remember this because the sweet little monkeys covered the whole area and became our new best friends, something to do with the crisps we had.  While I lay on a pool lounger I enjoyed throw crisps out to these friendly little chirpy monkeys.  I began commenting on all the different ages and loved the baby ones and found the obvious character differences fascinating.  Some were very bold, some more cunning; I became absorbed in studying their little hands and cheeky faces.  Steven was not happy about me feeding them at all, he said they were vicious and discreetly moved his lounger further away from me. 

But I was in agreement with a German boy of about 10yrs who was also feeding my new friends.  However, I was more methodical and portioned out my crisps fairly, giving the baby monkeys nice big crisps and big daddy monkeys less.  I accidentally gave a big daddy what I thought was one too many crisps so without thinking I bent down to retrieve a few back for some of the babies.   Well!  Big monkey was LIVID, I mean really livid with me.  Apparently monkeys don’t have a sense of fair play. Suddenly I was staring at huge teeth and a screaming vervet monkey that came charging at me.  Luckily I had been standing up at the time, not so lucky for the German lad was that he was standing next to me.  We did the only thing open to us and both jumped into the pool, swam around a bit till big daddy monkey had stopped yelling at me in a “do that again and I will kill you” fashion.  Steven was now behind some windows inside and also livid with me for putting his life in danger. 

Vervet monky - sweet aren't they? Not!

I am no longer keen on monkeys.

Just before I found the giant tortoise 

The following day Steven and I walked to Victoria Falls, this involved a great path in and out of a kind of rain forest grown up from the continuous spray of the Zambezi as it plummeted over the cliff edge.  I would say that 80% of the tourists there were German at this time, the rest were Americans, think we were the only Brits.  

Walking towards the falls and the big cobra

Steven

While walking along I noticed some Germans all gathered around and staring at a patch of grass so we joined them, it was then I spotted what they had noticed which was a huge Cobra sliding along, head up and clearly trying to get away.  I happen to love snakes!  Did my normal thing on seeing an animal of interest and moved much much nearer to get a good look, Steven did his normal thing by moving much much further away, this time he didn’t even turn around, he actually began backing up all the time telling me to come away.  But I was too fascinated to listen. He then shot forward to suddenly be at my side and handed me his sunglasses then shot back again.  In my naivety I thought “That’s sweet he thinks I might get sun burnt, a little mental but a nice gesture” then from a distance he demanded I put them on and when saying I was fine thanks, he began jumping up and down while telling me that cobra’s spit and if any got in my eye I would go blind and they can do this from 6ft away and as I was now only 4ft away from the snake I should PUT THEM ON.  Nice.  I obeyed. 

Didn't take a picture of the cobra but Steven did take this of me in a zoo where I asked to hold a file snake

Found a giant!   

What were my initial thoughts once coming across Victoria Falls? Terrible disappointment that’s what.  I was expecting to look up and see a huge waterfall of  huge stature rather like Niagara Falls but this is not the case with Victoria Falls.  It’s a long long crack in the land and at the opposite side the Zambezi river plummets down.  You are level with it.  Victoria Falls has a cannon below and its splendour is in it width not height.  I remember saying, “Is this it??”  Now I look back at the pictures and I am older I can appreciate the spectacle. Also, the noise, its so noisy, you can’t really have a conversation although we tried.  I climbed over the suggested barriers (I say suggested as they weren’t defined only by the odd boulder) and sat there staring out in a dream like state, water is very mesmerising. Steven was talking but I honestly couldn’t hear what he was saying but to be polite I said yes in what I thought was the appropriate places and he seemed very happy.

  

Victoria Falls from our side 

We hired a plane plus pilot to see the falls from the air, now it looks impressive! 

The next day we hired a ranger to take us out in his jeep for the day to the bush to try and see some animals.  We knew our chances were slim regarding creatures like lion because we were there in the rainy season this meant there were an abundance of water so no nearly dry water holes to stake out for lions or us.  However of we went with a rather attractive South African who did his level best to make our tour of some bushes, some sand and some trees interesting.  We did see some animals like elephants; zebra and kudu if you squinted you could just make them out.  South African apologised on behalf of the beasts, which was nice.

What was the most interesting thing about this little trip to Victoria Falls was on our return to Harare, that night while at the Jones bar Steven told everyone we had got engaged.  I said, “Have we?”  Apparently that is what he had been asking me while I was starring at the falls and I had said yes apparently. And that children is how and why I got married!  

Celebrating our engagement

Beryl and Bishop at their bar, eccentric people!