Victoria Falls

After the safari in Botswana, Kate and I went back across the border to Livingstone and spent a day at Victoria Falls. It was dry season so there wasn't as much water as usual. But it was still spectacular and we got the idea. In wet season you can get soaked from a mile away!

One morning we took a tour to Devil's Pool which is a little pool at the very top of the falls on the Zambian side. First you swim over to this rock island. The current is strong but there is a rope to hold onto. Then you jump from the rock island into Devil's Pool. You can't see it in the photos but there is a rock wall underneath the water forming this little natural pool that prevents you from going over the edge. The water was incredibly warm.

We jumped in! It was a big stretch for me since I'm scared of heights. But it felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

We don't have many great photos in the pool because our guide was really excited about being in the pictures. We didn't realize it when we were there - I think adrenaline had taken over. But later looking at the photos Kate and I just died laughing at our new "boyfriend" and his enthusiasm. Sorry for this photo Kate - it is not our best. But it really personifies our crazy friend.

It was a beautiful experience and a really fun 24 hours at one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. After the Devil's Pool we ate eggs benedict and scones with coffee at a little outdoor patio looking over the falls and watched while the sun came out and created rainbows over the water. Breathtaking.

~A

Photos from Botswana Safari

Home has never felt so good. I got in last night after 25 hours from Addis - Frankfurt - Denver. Thought a lot about bringing baby home on that route in economy class. Ugh. Can't fathom how hard that will be right now.


I have some long posts prepared about the trip. Particularly my time in Addis. But I feel like first I want to celebrate the safari and Victoria Falls. It was such a fun 3 days, overshadowed really by all of the work and emotional stuff later. These photos deserve a post of their own. And Victoria Falls will also get a post of her own.

So. Botswana. If you fly from Nairobi in Kenya to Lusaka in Zambia you can catch a tiny plane on Proflights Zambia to Livingstone which is located very close to the Botswana border. We had a van take us over the border to Botswana (about an hour drive and 5 minute ferry ride) and were met in an open air safari jeep. We stayed at Chobe Marina Lodge which was very nice and it included as many safaris as we wanted to go on into Chobe National Park.

Kate and I took an early morning safari both mornings we were there as well as a late afternoon sunset boat safari. It was awe inspiring. I love animals. I loved seeing them in their natural habitat. We saw every animal you can imagine: elephants, giraffe, warthogs, impala, kudu, crocs, cape buffalo, hippos, vultures, baboons, guinea fowl, tons of gorgeous birds, a leopard, a lion (from to far away to photograph well), and probably more I
can't think of now.

Sunrise over Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Impala butt.

See the birds enjoying the ride?


Elephants swimming. They swim in a formation where they hold the tail in front of them and keep the baby protected inside a circle of mothers. They are fast swimmers!

Jogging along the island to their swimming crossing over the river.

My favorite photo. LOOK at baby hippo carrying his stick in his mouth!

It's hard to see but there is a crocodile laying next to the ellie's back left leg and a hippo swimming towards him in front. A perfect scene. I couldn't get enough.

There were moments when it seemed like the safari operators must have thought of The Lion King and then just planted animals along the way. Timon and Pumba were warthogs right?

Baboons are sort of the pests of Africa but this baby was so sweet looking.



Cape Buffalo. Apparently more dangerous than elephants, rhinos or even lions. We got close. There were a lot of them. They looked very very lazy. But I guess they are deceptive.

~A