The Cloud That Thunders

The building behind Tien is the entire terminal for the town of Victoria Falls.  There were two immigration lines.  Mum and I carried U.S. passports and our line charged US$30 for visas.  Dad and Tien carried Singapore passports and no visa was required.

Kuan and Serene flew in from their home in Beijing.  So good to see them again!  Our accommodations at Victoria Falls Hotel was the perfect meeting point.  This Edwardian-style building of 161 guest rooms was built in 1904.  Game mounts hung on the walls of the stairway.  It's a beautiful, gracious hotel.

Our traditionally decorated room faced Victoria Falls.  In the local language Victoria Falls is known as mosi-oa-tunya meaning the cloud (or smoke) that thunders.

As seen from our room the bridge in the distance connects Zimbabwe with Zambia over the Zambezi River.  We didn't walk that far.  White spray appears cloud-like near the left of the bridge.

Tien, Serene, Kuan and I enjoyed ourselves on the hotel grounds while Mum and Dad rested.  Later, we walked the short distance to Victoria Falls National Park.

Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  It is 1.5 times higher and twice as wide as Niagara Falls.  It was impossible to capture a full view.

The Zambezi River was at full flood during this time of year and water moves powerfully downstream.  Spray from water movement was visible from the airplane as we approached.

One can't help but get wet.  The spray in the air is unavoidable, goes far over our heads and moves in every direction.  Some parts of Victoria Falls National Park have become a rain forest from constant moisture.  The guide who met us at the airport gave us a great tip:  Use the shower cap in our room to protect our cameras.

At nearly every lookout point, there was a rainbow, sometimes two.  Water erosion over two million years created deep zigzagging chasms.

I rented a brand new slicker and flipflops for US$3 near the entrance to Victoria Falls.  It was worth every penny, even if I looked silly.

With the bridge in the distance, this view of Gorge #2 shows the depth of erosion.

This life-size sculpture stood guard near a restaurant overlooking Gorge #2. Visit www.kerrybradfordartist.com.

Warthogs cleverly kneel on their front legs to graze, sometimes walking on their knees to get to the next sweet spot.  There were several on the path from the hotel to the Victoria Falls.  These were female.

This male warthog was near the entrance to Victoria Falls National Park.  Two sets of triangular warts distinguish him from females with one set.  The warts are a delicacy but we didn't get to eat them.  This boy was so ugly he was cute.  I love warthogs.  Cool haircut too.  One of our guides taught us that a group of warthogs is called a sounder.

For dinner, Tien ordered the Herb-crusted Warthog fillet.  I had the Venison goulash pictured below.  Happy!

Zimbabwe government abandoned currency in 2009.  They use U.S. dollars, South African rand, Botswana pula, pound sterling and the Euro.  After dinner, Kuan tried to purchase a hundred trillion note, but vendors asked too much.  Notes are sold as souvenirs now.

Animals we saw during our stay: baboons, warthogs, butterflies, Livingstone's turaco (bird), bushbuck deer, and elephant dung (not really an animal, is it?!).