SUNDAY 13TH - OUR FIRST FULL DAY

We feel as if we are really under way with our tour now. We started the day by being introduced to “The Beast”. And a beast it truly is but it has a seating capacity of 22 and there are only 10 of us including guides so we should be able to comfortably spread out. As you would expect, it has the suspension of a truck but the seats are quite comfortable. An intriguing aspect of it is that the passenger compartment is completely isolated from the driver's cab.

 

The morning was spent doing a walking tour of the falls. Fortunately, the water level is relatively low, being the dry season, which means that the spray is much less than it might be and the falls are visible. In periods of higher flow, we are told that all one can see is spray.

This afternoon, we did the obligatory helicopter ride which not only gives a spectacular view of the falls but demonstrates how the falls have gradually moved upstream carving out a gorge in the basalt rock over millions of years. We are in Zimbabwe. The river forms the boundary between it and Zambia to the north.

We are told that the Victoria Falls are the highest, Iguazu Falls are the widest and Niagara Falls have the highest volume of water going over them, so they each have a claim to fame.

Today we had our first contact with the local animals in that a group of warthogs and vervet monkeys were entertaining themselves (and the tourists) beside the walking track at the falls.

Yesterday we saw some baboons in the distance and we are told that there are elephants and hippos around here but we haven't seen any yet.