Victoria Falls Bridge

Two days ago we flew from Botswana to Zimbabwe to stay in the tourist town of Victoria Falls. Soon after arrival, we walked along the 16 viewpoints of the falls. At one mile wide, it is the widest of the big three waterfalls (Niagara and Iguazu are the other two). It is nearing the driest time of the year, but the flows were still impressive.

That evening, we were hosted in small groups by several families for dinner. We, Nance, Sande and Dottie really enjoyed our visit with this very modern family, not at all like the village visit we had earlier in the trip. The mother used to be a teacher, but as the Zimbabwean government changed, it eventually became impossible for her to make a living teaching to contribute to their family income. Now she buys or finds items to sell in a market. She calls it hustling. Her husband is a whitewater rafting guide and was away in South Africa. We met her two daughters—15-year old Tyra and 25-year old Kimberly, and her 28-year old son, Troy, his fiancé, Praise, and their one-year old son, Sia. Kim is a software developer, Troy is a waiter, Praise does event planning, and Tyra is a junior in high school and got a little help with her Chemistry homework from Sande and Darryl.

The next day, we took a tour of the historic Victoria Falls bridge across the Zambezi River, which divides Zimbabwe and Zambia (formerly Northern and Southern Rhodesia). The tour started with a presentation by an actor portraying the bridge designer and chief construction engineer, Georges Imbault, a 22-year old Frenchman at the time he was hired on in 1903. He set the stage for us to understand what a feat of engineering this structure really is. It was fabricated at a steel factory in England, then shipped to Mozambique, and then transported by rail to Victoria Falls and put back together. The bridge was constructed simultaneously on each side of the river. At the end of a hot day, as the two sides were ready to be joined in the middle, it was found that they overlapped by about 1¼ inches and could not be riveted in place. Bad news! However, in the morning, it was found that the bridge had contracted in the cool of the night to exactly 1¼ inches, and the two sections were quickly connected.

Soon it was time for our “inspection” of the bridge. Once suited up in harnesses with cable carabiners, we walked across the catwalk on the underside of the bridge, staying clipped into the cables all the while, and getting to see all of the details “Georges” pointed out. After reaching the Zambian side, we climbed up to the roadbed of the bridge and walked back into Zimbabwe (no passports required). A good tour!

After lunch at the lush grounds of our hotel, we went in search of some handicrafts to bring home. After so little business for the past two years, the merchants are pushing their wares perhaps more aggressively than usual. It was a bit stressful, but we managed to find a few things we liked.

Soon it was time for our sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River. The hippos were gathered in large groups, getting ready to head ashore to graze for the evening. But first they had to show us who’s boss by opening their mouths WIDE!

Starting tomorrow, we head to the UK for a few days to break up the long trip home. It’s been fun sharing our African adventure with you, thanks for following along!Read more