Victoria Falls: The Rainy Season Natural Wonder of the World

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, during the rainy season.

There is sooo much water, it's amazing.

Look at how different this same spot looks in the dry season.

No painting or photo I have seen of Victoria Falls has ever captured (in my opinion) the jaw dropping awesomeness of seeing it in person.

It literally takes your breath away.

This spot looks so different in the dry season!

The Falls need to be added to your bucket list of places to visit. Right now.  Actually it should have been done yesterday.

The Falls from town.

How insane is that amount of water?!  It is so cool.

You won't be disappointed in a visit.

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Snapshots from the Air: Elephant Safari Style!

Why, hello, Jake the Elephant.  It's nice to see you again.

I recently took a safari...while riding Jake....in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

What a different perspective a safari is from on top an elephant!

See that wisp in the middle?  That's Victoria Falls from over 10 kilometers away. Insane.

I love, love, love the clouds in Zimbabwe.  This is still my favorite cloud shot while here, actually while in Africa.

Jake was the lead elephant..he apparently likes to leave the rest of the group in the dust.

Isn't Jake beautiful?

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How'd you spend Christmas? Me? Oh, I rode an elephant...

While celebrating Christmas in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, I met this guy---

as in Jake the Elephant.

I spent the Christmas holiday riding an elephant!

(That's not Jake in case you were curious)

It was a really cool experience once I got my mind around the fact that it was an elephant I was about to ride.

But then when I looked down for the first time all I could think was: holy crap, if I fall from this height next to a multi-ton animal....

What it looks like from above Jake the Elephant while he eats!

Couldn't resist...not often you're looking down at the tush of an elephant!

Jake.  Isn't he a beauty?  He was in his mid-20s.

The trunk and skin of an elephant: amazingly coarse!

I went in skeptical about riding an elephant, but it was an amazing experience I'm glad I did.

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A Victoria Falls Christmas (Part Deux)

A Christmas in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, at the height of rainy season is quite lovely!

There was soooooo much water and mist, it was insane! I was drenched through my poncho!

So different than during the dry season.

And what says Christmas day more than Zimbabwean youth posing like Usain Bolt.

(Seriously, it's apparently the thing to do, pose like Bolt. 

Everyone was doing it. Literally. To the point of absurdity.)

Isn't a Christmas Day wonder of the world just beautiful?

A Christmas day afternoon tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel.

Too bad this didn't come out better (the joys of a waterproof point and shoot camera!) but isn't it adorable?

Santa made a visit, Zim style, on Christmas morning!

And what can be a better sign of Christmas traffic than a Zim hanging out the front door of a bus

while going circa 100 kilometers/hour?!

And, this, this, this may be my favorite photo I've taken in Africa. EVER.

It captures so much of traveling on the continent: an old truck; an old truck overflowing with random stuff;

an old truck overflowing with random stuff with people popping out of every nook and cranny;

and the cherry on top: the people fast asleep at 120 km/hour.

And scene.

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A Victoria Falls Christmas

Lucky me: I got to spend Christmas near one of the seven natural wonders of the world: Victoria Falls!

And Christmas Eve rang in this stunning sunset (I may have a thing for sunsets...)

A glass of Bordeaux and this view from the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge = an excellent evening.

Victoria Falls, as seen from the Victoria Falls Hotel.

Check out how different this looks than when I visited it in the dry season.

So much more water this time!

Was so excited to see Christmas decorations up at all the lodges.

Very different than my Christmas in Dakar!

Amazing how much more water there is the rainy season (more rainy season photos to come!)

Merry (late!) Christmas!!

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The Imire Giraffe

The giraffe at the Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservation in Zimbabwe.

Watching a giraffe eat is just so cool!

Isn't she beautiful?

Giraffes always make me think of my wonderful niece who loves, loves, loves giraffes!

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