“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
(Margaret Mead,  U.S. anthropologist)

The fire red sun slowly disappeared; sizzling as it hit the Mighty Zambezi River.   Elephants drank at the river’s edge as large water fowl slowly winged their way home.  Frogs and crickets harmonized their nightly chorus.  Fireflies flickered.  Sitting along the shores of the Mighty Zambezi River, the ‘Smoke That Thunders’ roared.  Less than 500 meters upstream from the lip of the falls hippos bellowed and crocodiles splashed, oblivious to the peril awaiting them for straying too far from their territory.  Soon this wide meandering river drops over the edge of the world into the abyss of Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls has been called the Seventh Natural Wonder of the World and is unquestionably one of the most majestic waterfalls on the planet.  One million liters of water per second pour over the 1.7 km (1 mile) wide strip in the Zambezi Gorge.  Rainbows encircle the spray as a thunderous roar escapes from the chasm 108 m (324 feet) below.  Hiking the rim of the falls we were able to soak our feet in the slow river as it casually told us “so far so good.”  Far below, our hike led us past magnificent views of the falls, blessing us profusely with spray as we gazed over at neighboring Zimbabwe.  The majesty of Nature.  This is a place for your ‘bucket list’, (a place to visit before you kick the bucket)

David Livingstone, a true explorer, first set eyes on Victoria Falls in1855 during his epic journey down the Zambezi; thus proving that flexibility is paramount in exploration.  Still revered by Africans for his life’s mission of ending the horrific slave trade, he returned again and again to the continent he loved.  In search of the source of the Nile, Livingston ended up on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in 1869.  With failing health he pushed on, even though several of his partners abandoned the mission; making claims of the unbearable hardships they faced traveling overland.  Livingstone dropping out of sight sparked the interest of the international community and the New York Herald proposed a publicity stunt; sending Henry Morton Stanley off into ‘deepest, darkest Africa’ in search of him.  Money no object, Stanley left from Zanzibar with 200 porters.  His search eventually led him to Ujiji near Lake Tanganyika in 1871, where he greeted him with the famous line, “Doctor Livingstone I presume?”  Not a bad guess considering he was probably the only European in the area.  Stanley tried to convince Livingstone, due to his failing health, to leave Africa but he refused; instead pushing on with his quest.  He died of malaria in Zambia and his body was carried for thousands of kilometers by his followers and now lies in Westminster Abbey in London, far from his beloved Africa.

Stepping back in time and dreaming what life was like at the turn of the century we visited the Royal Livingstone Hotel.  Sipping a drink along the river’s edge, the Falls roaring in the distance, followed by a candlelit dinner on the veranda it is a perfect ending to a day of hiking the Falls.  Walking from ‘Maari Safari’ we encountered curious giraffes and zebras watching us watching them.  One never realizes just how tall a giraffe is until you are face to face with them.  Well face to chest with them that is.

What strikes you when driving over the border from over crowded Malawi into Zambia, the most thinly populated country in Africa, is the wide open spaces.  Your body lets out an instinctive sigh of relief and you breathe easier.   Zambia is a country where they walk lightly on the earth, remembering their animal friends and refusing to pollute the environment with GMO.   It is possible to drive for hours without seeing more than a couple of small villages.  Remote with stunning scenery the whole country seems to be a wild park.  Skirting Luangwa, Kafue, and Lower Zambezi National Parks we were treated to scenic wonders and passing animals.  Reminding us of camping in the Outback of Australia, Joseph once again just pulled off the road and drove down a side dirt road until we were literally the only ones for miles.  We spent many wonderful days just luxuriating in the stillness of Nature; occasionally visited by a passing animal or villager walking to town.  We met Robert, a farmer, who took us looking for tourmaline and crystals in a near-by hill.  Later we walked to his family home and met his lovely new wife and son.