Victoria Falls: The smoke that thunders!
At the edge of Victoria Falls, Zambia, held in place by the guide. Another step and it’s a sheer drop … twice the height of Niagara Falls. It looks like I’m sprouting wings and getting ready to fly.
The Victoria Falls is 1.74 kms wide with about 1.2 km on the Zambian side and the rest on the Zimbabwean side. It is 111 meters high. It’s impossible to see the falls in one stretch except as an aerial view.
The Lazi speaking people call Victoria Falls Mosi-Oa-Tunya, while the Tonga speaking people call it Shungu Namutitima. Both translate to “the smoke that thunders”.
David Livingstone saw Victoria Falls for the first time from this edge [above]. Now known as the Livingstone Island, one can look down upon the magnificence of the falls without any barriers.
At the height of the season, the entire length of the falls will be covered in gushing waters and the island is mostly under swift flowing water. During summer, the most daring can swim in the Devil’s Pool [right] at the lip of the falls and peer down!
Bungee jumpers jump off the bridge [below] above the Zambesi river. The bridge also connects Zambia with Zimbabwe. There was an incident where the bungee broke; the jumper fell into the alligator-infested waters, and managed to swim to safety with a few broken bones!
