After our jaunt through Chobe Elephant Park, we continued our drive to the Zimbabwe border. At passport control we had a short wait to get our Zimbabwe visas and then continued on to the town of Victoria Falls. We ate dinner in town and then went to bed early to rest up for white water rafting in the Zambezi gorge. I was nervous as all get out to do this adventure. I had white water rafted years before on the Colorado River and the memory of those crazy rapids haunts me still. I really wanted to pass on this adventure, but I also didn't want to miss out on the potential for some fun and beautiful views.
We were picked up around 7am and given a very thorough safety talk from the rafting company. We learned that the Zambezi river is the 4th largest river in the world and is about 2,700 kilometers long. It travels through six countries beginning in Zambia and ending in the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. There are numerous waterfalls along the way, including Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in the world and gee, just a few short kilometers away. What that implied, to me anyway, was that there was a lot of water rushing around and, oh my God, I would be in it in a tiny little raft! What was I thinking?
Our guide's name was Colgate - likely owing to his bright toothy smile but for me, his name calmed my nerves and I took it as a good sign. Colgate University is my alma mater and is in my hometown. I figured with a name like that, nothing would go wrong! It was also immediately clear, that as nice and easy going as these guides were, our safety was serious business and they were extremely professional about their work. Along with Colgate, we would be guided down the river with James, a tall lanky quiet man with a dry wit. A deep scar down the side of his face, repaired in the old style belied a back story that I was not privy to. James did say that he had been rafting down this river since he was a kid and since he would be the guide in my raft, I felt like I was in good hands with someone who really knew the meandering ways of this river. A young man named Actor was in a kayak and was our "rapid spotter" and also had the first aid kit in the unlikely event that we would need it (fingers crossed!)
The trip began with a very steep and arduous hike down into the gorge with about 20 of us who had signed up for the trip. Thankfully, I was not the oldest nor the slowest. We picked our way down the side of the gorge over roots and rocks working up a good sweat in the hot sun. It had not occurred to me that the rafts would also need porting down to the river until a few very quick-footed able bodied young men when zipping past our clumsy group shouldering the rafts and kayaks and paddles. For them the hike looked like a cakewalk! For me, the good thing about the tricky trek down the path is that the concentration needed to keep a sure foot made me forget my nerves over being on the white water.
Down at the bottom, we scrabbled over huge smooth rocks to get to the water's edge. I paused, and looked around - WOW! We were in the most beautiful gorge lined with towering walls of black basalt. We had come down many, many meters to meet the water and the view from here was stunning.
We piled into our rafts - I opted for the raft that would be steered by James. My Drifters tour mates chose the paddle yourself raft. Initially we floated down the river to the first small rapid. Successfully navigated (thanks James!) and feeling exhilarated, our raft of "nervous Nellie's" began to relax and actually enjoy ourselves. Through the course of the morning, we went through 11 rapids - with names like The Terminator, Washing Machine and Oblivion you can imagine what we still had in store. Although my fingers were raw from gripping the ropes the ride was extremely exciting and I especially enjoyed jumping in the water, catching the current and floating down the river.
I was very pleased with myself for not chickening out on this adventure. It was super fun!
Of course, once the rafting part of the trip was over, we had to hike back UP the gorge. It was hellacious. The funny thing was the guys who had taken the rafts down were now taking the rafts up, and just as sure footed and quickly as they had done on the way down. They would sprint by and tell us "just a little bit up". Or if we asked how much farther, they would say, "just around the bend". Somewhere about two-thirds the way up, I was cursing myself for not following through with my annual exercise regime.
Once up top, we were rewarded with the most delicious BBQ, salads and sodas.
The drive back to town over a bumpy dirt road was enjoyable as we rode past villages comprised of tidy thatched roof structures surrounded by jagged wood fencing. Children dressed in their school uniforms waved and shouted hello to us as we passed by. It was my first real glimpse of regular life in Zimbabwe. Colgate pointed out his mother's house in one of the towns, explained to me that the women and men slept in separate buildings and the center of the "home" was the kitchen building where all the activity really happened. We talked about the time he worked in Colorado and about the spider bite that nearly killed him and ultimately required a large skin graft on his leg in order for it to heal. I was warmed by the openness of Colgate and the rest of the team that took care of us this day. As much as this was a rafting trip, for me the true highlight was hearing the stories from the people who had grown up in the area.
I won’t hesitate to brave another rafting trip like this as long as I am in capable and knowledgeable hands.
Victoria Falls, The Smoke that Roars.