Victoria Falls

Taking a zipline through the Victoria Falls gorge.

Riding an elephant and going on a safari!

A view of the falls from the Zimbabwe side.

Up close to the falls on the Zimbabwe side inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.

A view of the falls from the Zambia side.

A view of Victoria Falls from the microlight.

Standing at the top of the falls at Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zamiba.

                One of the premier sites of Africa is Victoria Falls.  This falls is a section of the Zambezi River sitting on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and is one of the three major falls in the world (Niagara Falls on the New York/Canada border and Iguaçu Falls on the Brazil/Argentina border are the other two).  While it is not the widest or tallest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls is the largest fall when taking into consideration height, width, and average flow. 

                Victoria Falls was founded by David Livingstone in 1855 during an expedition to the center of Africa, and named them after the current queen of England, Queen Victoria.  There were rumors of the falls prior to Livingstone’s discovery, and afterwards people refused to believe in the existence of a fall of such magnitude.  On the construction of the Victoria Falls bridge in 1905 (initially constructed to exploit and transport minerals north of the Zambezi), access to the falls became much easier and the tourism era began. 

                Today you can bungee jump, gorge swing, zip line, abseil, micro light fly, take a helicopter, whitewater raft, canoe, and ride elephants in one of the best adrenaline locations in the world.  I was at the falls during the peak flow of the year (mid-May) while low flow is in mid-November and flows at only 4% of peak flow conditions.  Unfortunately, you cannot go to the famous Devils Pool (where you swim at the edge of the falls) nor go whitewater rafting this time of year due to the high water levels.  I ended up zip lining, abseiling, taking a micro light flight, and elephant ride safari during my four days on the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides of the falls. 

Victoria Falls statistics

Height:                                 360 ft

Width:                                 5,604 ft (just over a mile)

Average flow:                     287,606 gallons/second

Peak flow:                            792,461 gallons/second               

Great Zimbabwe

The entrance to the king's complex on the hill.

A view of the great enclosure from the king's complex.  From here the king could see his kingdom and all his wives.

The Zimbabwean flag.  Notice the bird on the left.

The king's court.  Can you see the bird in the rocks?

How about now?  This is the bird represented on the flag.

The faux granary showing the wealth of Great Zimbabwe.  It's now Zimbabwe's greatest icon.

Hanging out on the wall of the great enclosure.

                When you think of monuments to ancient civilizations in Africa, what comes to mind?  The pyramids of Egypt would easily be first, then maybe Timbuktu in Mali, but what about Great Zimbabwe?  It’s a long forgotten ruin that more than deserves recognition for the civilization and ability to teach us about ancient Africa.

                In 1980 Southern Rhodesia changed from a British colony to an independent country.  In search for a new name and symbol, they looked to the ancient civilization in the center of the country.  Zimbabwe means “house of big stones,” and Great Zimbabwe symbolized this with massive stone walls and civilization.  Furthermore, the bird symbolized on the Zimbabwean flag comes from a stone crafted bird found in Great Zimbabwe in addition to stones in the King’s judicial court in the form of the bird.  Despite this deep representation of Zimbabwe, few Zimbabweans ever travel there.

                The greatest era of reign for this ancient civilization was from the 11^th to 16^th centuries.  Due to seasonal winds and greater abilities to travel exceptional distances, traders from all over the world landed in ports in current Mozambique to trade with Great Zimbabwe.  This impressive feat of trading with sea faring vessels despite their location far from any port is only shown in one other place in Africa (Axum, Ethiopia).  From the coast goods would be brought into Great Zimbabwe, which in turn would be traded for goods to be sent back to the ports.  The results are astounding: pottery, tools, and beads have been found from Portugal, Persia, and China.  These cultures were interested in Great Zimbabwe’s two greatest commodities: gold and ivory.  As a result Great Zimbabwe flourished and became the greatest sub-Sahara African ruins that we have today.

                The ruins are basically divided into two areas: the king’s hill complex (perched high on a hill overlooking the rest of the structures) and the great complex.  Between these two areas there is evidence of education, iron smelting, a court of law, and congregation area to discuss issues with advisors.  In a sign of wealth (a la the Tower of Pisa in Italy), Great Zimbabwe constructed a fake granary which still stands as the premier symbol of Zimbabwe. 

                I took a two hour tour of the ruins with a Zimbabwean guide.  We battled the heat and baboons to explore the grounds, but the effort was worthwhile. 

Namib and Kalahari Deserts

The Namib desert outside of Swakopmund, Namibia.

Sandboarding in the Namib Desert, Namibia.

Quad biking is actually really fun out in the desert dunes.  Namib Desert, Namibia.

Catching the sunrise on Dune 45, Sousselvei, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia.

Atop the Sousselvei Dunes, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia.

One of the many dunes in the Sousselvei, Namibia.

A fisherman piloting a mokoro in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

Cruising in a mokoro in the Okavango Delta, northern Botswana.

            The desert is a cruel and unforgiving place.  It’s also where a nation, Namibia, sits between two of the largest deserts in the world.  The west coast of Namibia is the sand dune Namib Desert which houses the world famous areas of the Sousselvei and Skeleton Coast.  To the east is the bushier Kalahari Desert.  This arid Kalahari plain extends from northern South Africa to the Congo border, and from Namibia to Botswana. 

            Look on a map of Namibia and you won’t see many settlements.  There is a reason: no water.  Namibia is (along with Mongolia) the least densely populated country on earth.  Coming here from Rwanda was a night-and-day situation.  Here is a land of vast stretches with nobody around.  In fact, on my drive from Swakopmund to Sousselvei (five hours on a gravel road) I came across one building: a gas station with no gas.  Now look at a map of Botswana.  Most of the country (with the exception of the east and south border areas) has very few settlements due to the Kalahari Desert.  It’s no different than looking at a map of Nevada.

            Undoubtedly the most famous part of Botswana is the Okavango Delta.  The largest inland delta discharges all of the Okavango River water into dry salt pans in the middle of the desert (this was the area that Planet Earth filmed their first hour of the series).  As a result Botswana has some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the world.  Traveling in a mokoro (carved out wooden boat), you rarely encounter water deeper than a few feet.

            The past two weeks have been a journey of going through these two deserts in search of their best activities and most scenic opportunities.  Enjoy the photos.

Interacting with animals

Playing with two white and two tawny baby lions (all 6 months old) at Seaview Park near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. 



Playing with two baby tigers (age 3 months) at Seaview Park near Port Elizabeth, South Africa.



At a bird sanctuary at Cango Park in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Playing with adult cheetahs at Cango Park in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

With three baby white bengal tigers (age 4 months) at Cango Park in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Feeding ostriches at the farm in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.



Riding an ostrich at the ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Getting into the shark cage in Shark Alley near Cape Agulhas, South Africa.
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A shark showing off in Cape Agulhas, South Africa. 
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A 15 foot great white patrolling near the boat at Cape Agulhas, South Africa.
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A great white going after the bait at Cape Agulhas, South Africa.
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A picture from the day of shark diving courtesy of Marine Dynamics.  You can visit their site and book a trip: http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A typical shot of the sharks going after the plastic dummies.  Courtesy of Marine Dynamics:  http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A breach while going after the plastic dummies. 
Courtesy of Marine Dynamics: http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/



             This is Africa.  The animals are everywhere, with game viewing opportunities in every country of every type.  Gorilla watching in the mountains, houseboat safaris, bike safaris, game reserves, or just a plain ol’ safari in a Land Cruiser.  However, what if you want to get up and close (or even touch) the animals of Africa?  South Africa, with a great tourism industry, is the place to do it. 

            There are several places along the route from Johannesburg to Durban to Cape Town that give access to interacting with lions, ostriches, giraffes, elephants, and sharks.  You can even do a safari while riding an elephant.  As South Africa touts itself as a great outdoor tourism destination with plenty of hiking, biking, surfing, swimming, etc, (see my previous blog post for an example) the animals just add to the “outdoor vibe” of Africa. 

            Interacting with these animals can be surprisingly cheap given the exclusivity to these rare species.  Going to ride ostriches and walking the farm only cost $8, while petting tigers and lions at Seaview (near Port Elizabeth) cost $30.  However, the shark cage diving cost $200.  The shark cage dive was a real well done operation with a 1,050 horsepower boat, breakfast, lunch, and nice amenities along the way.  These are great, once in a lifetime opportunities that are unique to the area.  Enjoy the photos.

Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa

Looking out onto the KwaZulu-Natal.

On a ledge near the Amphitheatre.

Jumping into a pool at the beginning of Tugela Falls.  Yeah, it's cold.

Sentinel Rock which forms one end of the Amphitheatre section and signals the beginning and end of our hike.

The Amphitheatre section of the Drakensbergs.

                The Drakensberg are a famous mountain range in Africa for their sheer cliffs and dramatic views.  Bordering Lesotho to the east, these mountains made a formidable barrier thereby allowing the country to establish a kingdom away from Shaka and their pillaging/destroying path. 

                This area reminds me of the American southwest in its color and Grand Canyon in scale.  The second tallest waterfall in the world, Tugela Falls, is located near the Amphitheatre section and measures over one kilometer long.  The Amphitheatre section is a gorgeous half circle of cliffs overlooking the Drakensberg. 

                There are several popular hikes in the area; however, most of the trails are confusing and highly recommend the use of a guide to ensure not getting lost.  There is a popular rock climbing contingent in the nearby towns and many climb some of the highest cliffs in the range.  Fear of heights is not recommended when walking in this range.

                I took a guided hike up a ravine to the top of Amphitheatre and across the range to the top of Tugela Falls where we dangled our legs over the edge.  After swimming at the top of the falls, we descended (via a crazy ladder system) vertically back to the car.  A long day but well worth it.  The Drakensberg are a great destination and gorgeous area of southern Africa.  Enjoy the photos.

Leaving Rwanda to travel the world

           

              As of March 27 I am officially unemployed.  My company’s contract has finished with the Kigali Convention Center in Kigali, and I’m awaiting a new contract to work.  Until then I’ll be traveling around the world.  I’m traveling overland through Africa, starting in South Africa and finishing in Greece.  Afterwards, I don’t know where I’ll go from there.  A lot depends on the weather.  For now, here is where I will be traveling (in order):

South Africa

Swaziland

Lesotho

Namibia

Botswana

Zimbabwe

Zambia

Malawi

Mozambique

Tanzania

Kenya

Ethiopia

Sudan

Egypt

Jordan

Syria

Lebanon

Turkey

Cyprus

Greece

            I’ll be keeping blog posts along the way of the countries I visit.  The next post will be on the Drakensburg Mountains, so stay tuned.  There’s so much more to see…

The Rwandan King's House

The king's house.  The white concrete strip was the area that people approached but did not cross.

Inside the king's house.  The area behind the boards is the king's bed.

Kat happily displays the beer maker's collection for the king inside the beer maker's house.

The king's cows inside their stable.  The horns are the signature aspect of the king's cows. 

The caretaker of the cows.  The cow's horns are hollow. 

I'm playing with the baby calfs that will soon become the next adult cows of the king. 

            Prior to the independence of Rwanda and the establishment of an elective independent government, Rwanda had a king that worked in concert with the Belgian colonial government.  The king did not live in Kigali or the university and large city of Butare, but rather in the town of Nyanza.

            The king’s house had a fence that surrounded the house, whereby all members entered but could not cross over the white threshold at the entrance of the house.  There are leaf panels inside the house that allow people inside the house to look out, but not allow people outside to look in.  There is a large bed with separate entrances for the king and his wife.  However, the best part of his life lay outside the house.

            The king had a personal beer maker that was responsible for all of the king’s supply.  Furthermore, he had a milk girl that did nothing but provide milk for the king.  These two people were virgins and could never marry, as to be in a relationship would be a conflict of interest (and potential poisoning of the king’s supply) to the king.  With such a sensitive nature as the king’s drink, upmost loyalty was required.

            Cows are always a prestige of Rwandans, and the king’s supply does not disappoint.  He had personal caretakers that sang songs to the cows, which in turn would turn the cows in to a trance.  During ceremonies these cows would be displayed to show the king’s wealth and power.

            We visited the king’s house during one of my final weeks in Rwanda with Kat.  Our personal guide showed us around amid a looming major storm.  Enjoy.