The Falls
There are all of two ferries shuttling livestock, semi-trucks, and people from one side to the other, and they seemed to be barely surviving the croc-infested waters of the Chobe. Luckily, the ride from Botswana to Zambia was short and sweet. After making my way through both countries' borders, I managed to stumble into a shared taxi on its way to Livingstone. The taxi driver was a young local, enthused to share knowledge of his country and the political climate surrounding it. The others in the car chimed in occasionally, all echoing that they loved Irish people. I had no idea Zambia was commonplace for the Irish to visit, but I had a surprise waiting for me at my hostel in Livingstone.
Upon arrival to my hostel, I was taken aback at the receptionist being slightly bemused at my passport. I was then greeted by over twenty other Irish people, all medical students completing their electives in the hospital in Livingstone. It was a home away from home, but I'll get to more on that later.
Livingstone is known throughout the world for one major natural wonder: Victoria Falls. I wanted to get the most out of this incredible waterfall, so I decided to experience the Falls from its two different sides, Zambia and Zimbabwe. As it was early morning, I opted to get the Zimbabwe side over with first. After making it through several individuals trying to sell their infamous billion-dollar bills, I paid my visa fee and entered Mugabe's country.
I had previously heard that the Zimbabwean side was not as close to the Falls as the Zambian one and that I did not need to hire a poncho. That was a big mistake! From viewpoint to viewpoint, I continued to get drenched by what seemed to be the Fall's own weather system. The sight of all of it was draw-dropping, though, and I took in every view available to me. As it approached late afternoon, I ventured back into Zambia to get even closer to the Falls. This time, I made sure to take a poncho with me. It was well worth the investment!
The best and final experience I had at the Falls came the following day when a group from the hostel elected to take the Angel's Pool tour. Second only to the infamous Devil's Pool, Angel's still provided the adrenaline to last a couple of days. Situated right at the edge of the falls with about a meter to spare, the pool provided an exhilarating experience. Our guides were standing on the actual edge, keeping us at bay in the small, jacuzzi-like pool right behind them. The roar of the millions of gallons of water was deafening, and we were obviously soaked from the spray from below. After taking a few pictures posing on the edge of the waterfall, our guides took us back to safety.
These experiences often seem dangerous and frightening, but once I was on the edge of the waterfall, fear completely fades away. I've tried to say yes to everything on this round-the-world adventure. So far, it's paid off.