Mosi-oa-Tunya
The smoke that thunders
As I drove on a small hill, I noticed a huge cloud of white smoke rising from the misty horizon. Unlike typical smoke to rise through the thin air and the sky seems to drive the smoke into the air then finally seemed to settle on the land.
I traveled over 10 miles closer than the smoke began to shine like a rainbow. Spectra of color began to appear and vanish, while the bright spotspulse like a thousand lights. The sight of the glittering cloud was so charming that I did not realize £ 10,000 elephants crossed the road in front of me.
I slammed on the breaks, screeching to a stop the truck. The frightened elephant turned his body towards me. He has bent the ears on the sides of the head with its enormous size. He trumpeted loudly, as he swung his trunk back and forth in anger. Threatened by my sudden appearance, has taken on thisdefensive position to scare me.
I kept my stay on the floor where I left off. After a few quick flaps of his ears, the elephant got the truck and held his head high above the ten-meter shoulders. Then he looked down on me its giant tusks of six meters in length, each tusk must weigh more than € 150.
I noticed the elephant was "right hand", because his right tusk was shorter than his left, which used to be worn more often say.Unfortunately, that almost knock on my windshield.
The elephant lifted up his nose in the air and started sniffing my car. An elephant's trunk contains nearly 150,000 muscles and nerves, is endowed with great flexibility and sensitivity. Without bone, the strain with two fingers as points are provided at the end.
An African elephant can reap the benefits of the size of a marble and break a 12-inch large branch from a tree. These elongated snoutprovides a means to smell, breathe, touch, eat and drink. During the dry season when water is low, an elephant is to dig a hole and tap with the help of his tribe of underground springs. The trunk also acts as a tube, for a drink or a sand bath. A coating of dust or mud on the skin, repels insects and sun.
In the past, many people dig the skull of an elephant, and I think it was the skull of a cyclops, a forum to facilitate the elephant's trunk has been mistaken for an eyeOutlet.
In examining the elephant's trunk to my car as carefully as if he had a mind of its own, has started, I began to crawl slowly on my truck to show mild aggression. This is something that needs to be an overzealous animal that has the ability to tilt your truck did. As I slowly forward, scattered ears of the elephant and took a stance the store. This massive wall of muscle, six feet above the hood of our truck was the ultimate form of intimidation.From ear to ear, was wider than the truck.
As I stared at her, his fangs inches from my windshield, and the heavy breathing of his tribe fogged our glasses. As the largest land animal in the world, you might think, its enormous size contributes to a sense of trust, but does not work. If most elephant man threatened with a charge, are bluffing, especially males. Male elephant encounter while walking in the bush, you can usually avoid a charge with agood deal of shouting and waving their arms. Believe it or not, sometimes just a stick to throw an elephant aggressively sends them running in the opposite direction. Not that throwing a stick never hurt an elephant, is very similar to throwing a pencil on a man. But the effect only of a ridiculous man throw something at them is enough to confuse and discourage further aggression.
But the case is very different from the encounter with a female elephant, especiallywith young people. Do not try to throw the stick approach with an elephant mother. You can track you with the stick you just threw and.jam, where the sun do not shine .. Like most animals, including humans, mothers can protect their young very unpredictable and aggressive. But if you think about it, are predictable: You know, they'll kill you. As you can tell the difference between a male and female elephant? Let's just say if you see a manElephant, "it" is obvious.
As I continue to tip the elephants away, he started again. Then, with an amazing amount of grace and speed, are dragged into the street and in the bush. I was looking around for a few minutes to pull the suitcases stuffed with dry leaves and prickly in the mouth. Every so often he turned his head towards me and give earflap aggressive and shaking his head, only to say he has not forgotten that I was there. Thenafter that slowly disappeared into the dense bush, I sat down on the glittering road to the cloud.
About half a mile behind the elephants, I pulled the car on the side of the road and walk along a narrow footpath. When my feet touched African soil, a cloud of dust into the air warm and dry. The sun baked the ground radiated heat like a furnace, so that the hundreds of small lizards dart across the floor, panting like dogs to find the smallest shadow of shadows. Thesurrounding land had dried up, the scattered bristly tufts of dry grass crunched under my feet, and the surrounding vegetation looked more like a grudge for thirst.
I have followed this path thin sand that wound through the thin grass. This has led to a patch of dense jungle that seemed to wear the glittering cloud. I began to hear a faint rumbling in the distance and got louder and louder as I approached the jungle.
Soon I heard a roar was constant.Then, in a single pass, I stepped into a lush jungle. The change in my environment was so extreme that in a moment I stood in the way, my left foot touches the bone dry sand and brush, while my right foot was amplified in a lush rainforest. It was as if I were on one side in a photo album and went from one picture to another.
Leafy green vegetation grew in the sky, so closely interwoven that it seemed as if a giant couldand lift through the rain forest as a whole basket.
A cold mist falling steadily fallen from the sky and the water would collect in the forks of trees and small ponds. Around these pools of water in miniature, the small collection of colorful birds to drink, wash and clean their feathers.
The birds in this micro-gleaming jungle, as the sun reflects the fog that is collected on their feathers. Suddenly, a monkey jumped out of a meter tree and landed directly in front offrom me. He sat on his heels and looked at me with curiosity, deep, almost as if trying to communicate with his spirit. He turned and began walking on the road. As if as a tour guide has gone before me and every now and then turn around to see if it was after.
Soon the monkeys, and I was wet from the mist and the roar was so overwhelming strong wet as a freight train. As I made my way through the fog of monkey showersjumped on a low branch, and I walked beside him. The roar shook the ribs and the thick cloud of fog churning, shouted one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls,
The largest curtain of water on earth, the tribe lived in Zimbabwe during the 1800.s Kolovos named Victoria Falls, Mosi-oa-Tunya - The smoke that thunders. A big miles, the Zambezi River Victoria Falls fuels.
Suddenly transformed this tranquil glassy river by force, as1,600 million cubic meters of water per second (yes, per second), creating an explosion 300 feet of water still falls below the pool. Vibrates the skin or your soul trembling.
In each direction, rainbow faded in and out. Blowing mist filled my eyes with water and washed my clothes, while a hurricane is exploding spray hundreds of feet up in the air, the attention of everyone within a radius of 25 miles.
In thousands, 650 miles long,Zambezi is the fourth longest river in Africa. Cross eastern Angola, western Zambia, the border is in the north-east of Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe and separates. Then crosses central Mozambique, where he branched out into the Mozambique Channel.
I had a great dilemma in writing about Victoria Falls. The human mind is too limited to translate just like drama and beauty. A language that can fully describe what your eyes see, does not exist. Belittling wordsVision.
The view of Victoria Falls is mesmerizing. Their explosive roar stuns forcing all calls to watch in silence, inhaling the smoke, and take their beauty. We invite all of your attention and there are more than willing to give it to her.
In a few seconds in Victoria Falls, the beauty and power of the image, the passion in the soul, which would take years to develop between two people. If you leave, "Victoria", it feels as though you're always walking a corecompanion. He wanted to leave to take them home. There is a desire to meet with you always heard, but never did. There are no words for this "Queen", which is called justice, and I will not try.
I stared at him as long as I could. I started to lose track of time, so I reluctantly look to me, "Victoria", and went to his board towards the border with Zambia.
When I passed my friend monkey, I told him: "Come, let's go to Zambia." The monkey looked at me with a little 'Aggregate head tilted, her hair falling out with the fog, making it look like a punk rocker. Then he slicked back his hair with both hands, as he left a greaser look 1950.s.
While continuing its smooth back "to do", I went along a cliff path depend on the brink of the falls, but the monkey is never followed. I'm sure he believes there is no better place for him is, what it is. He's right.
After a brief walk, I crossed a small border post of customs agentswilling to see my immigration documents. After having my passport stamped, I went to Zambia.
From this position, you have to give an old iron railway bridge Zambia. The Victoria Falls railway bridge was completed in 1905, and quickly became an important trade route between the two countries as well as hosting many covert operations during periods of political unrest.
The bridge has helped kickstart Victoria Falls tourism sector, which has grown from year to year. It 'was not onlya major shopping street, there is currently a tourist attraction. The bridge is home to the highest commercial bungee jump in the world. For about $ 100, you can bungee jump, 350 meters above the bridge over the Zambezi River. I never had the desire to pay to jump off a bridge perfectly stable, so I went to Zambia.
Looking deep into the gorge of the Zambezi River, I noticed that when the cord always broken, the hippos and crocodiles have a field day. I'Safe for years to see the people "fall" of the bridge m and then miraculously recovered briefly in the spring air before hitting the water has the hippo and crocodiles meeting under the bridge in hopes of a "technical mess". After the jump, bungee jumper in a small boat lowered and brought to shore. Then you must climb a steep cliff to get back on flat ground, so that the recovery is more insidious than the jump.
I walked along the railroad bridge in Zambia, where we metfour young boys to deal with local ice buckets full of five-gallon filler taste.
"Hey Boss, you want some 'ice?" asked one of the people of Zambia.
"Let's see what you have," I replied.
Immediately all the guys sitting on the railroad track and broke the tip of their buckets, and between your knees. After an effort fair, she bathed her eyes and showed their collections. Each of their buckets were scattered, half-frozen blocks of fruit juice, all filledfloat cast in a medley of flavors before. The filler, the buckets would have originally held more appetizing, but I have either a block of ice, to recognize their efforts.
So I went with the boy companies, one of them said: "Thank you, sir, my name is Osborne, if you ever need ice in the future, look for me."
"I'm going to Osborne, and keeps up the good work." I replied as we started walking the tracks in the opposite directionDirections.
After a walk pretty quiet along the border with Zambia, I returned to my car in Zimbabwe. So I decided to drive into town of Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls has turned into a tourist spot. Twenty-five years ago, Victoria Falls was a little 'less than 100 permanent inhabitants of Europe. Now the streets are full of Europeans, and souvenir shops, tour guides and vendors.
As I drove into town, I almost forgot I was in Africa. The city seemedno different from any American tourist. As one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world offers many opportunities for the few people in the tourism sector. But it does not offer solutions to many of the social problems in Zimbabwe.
In Victoria Falls, and all of Zimbabwe, poverty is a problem of extreme. Minutes after I parked my truck on the road begging, groups of sick people swarmed around me for food or money.
This is always a difficultSituation in the face, especially when children ask for alms. I had enough pocket money for them to retire. But if you are seen handing out money freely to strangers, you can get into serious trouble, especially if it takes money to give. In situations like this, keep an eye on people in need, while we are close to them, then when I'm ready to go, I discreetly give them that extra money and food, I can not, so quickly.
In addition to a life ofPoverty, Zimbabwe's involvement with the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. The average income in Zimbabwe is less than $ 1,000 dollars a year. But the "average". is not average. There are few medium-sized citizens of Zimbabwe. It seems that the people of Zimbabwe have all or nothing.
Unfortunately, AIDS is increasingly weak Zimbabwe's economy is already in distress. After the highest rate of AIDS infections inthe world, one in four adults in Zimbabwe with the virus that causes AIDS afflicted. Two thousand five hundred people of Zimbabwe a week from the disease, and this number is expected to grow rapidly die in the next ten years. Zimbabwe, AIDS is not only big problem that they have a serious epidemic of orphans. Currently one in five children in Zimbabwe have lost at least one parent to AIDS.
While the people gathered around me, I am made to understand the adult beggars,were not getting anything. And 'healthy, sometimes make a "hard" in front of an anxious adult beggars, or they can be very pushy and demanding.
When I started talking to children who wandered looking for adults to seek other sources of income. The specific behavior of adult beggars can illuminate, asking why they are released. The nice polite beggar has suffered a lot of stress and generally makes the most of their depressing situation. The beggars, the actionpushy and demanding, often people are too lazy to find a job and would be much better to ask for work. But these rules do not apply to children, invasive or not, I'm just scared, and fight for their lives every day.
I started talking to a girl and her two younger sisters. All three seemed little rag dolls' neglected, ragged clothes hanging over the little big of them. I asked his name and the oldest girl said:
"My name is Kambo. These are mySisters Mudiwa and Chipo. "
"Why do you need money, your mum and dad work?" I asked politely
"No, sir, can not work, my mother and my father is dead."
"I'm sorry to hear that. When I am dead?"
His little face was sad, depressed, as she replied: "My father died two years ago, and my mother died last year."
"How old are you?"
"I think I'm nine," and after a long pause, he added,
"Mudiwa is seven, not six, and five Chipo, I think."
"When yourBirthdays? "
"I do not know."
"None of you know that your birthday?"
"No."
"As soon as I can remember my mother saying that Chip was born in the summer, but I do not know when."
"Who cares about you and your sisters?" I asked.
"I know." Proudly replied with a smile.
"Where do you live?"
"Anyplace we can sleep where no one bothered us."
"People worry so much?" I asked with great concern.
"Yes, all the time. But it's always bad peoplethat concerns us, is never beautiful people pay attention to us. "
"Why do bad people bothering you?"
"You try to make our food, blankets, and sometimes try to take us harm. Sometimes, when I cry, run away."
It 's sad to think that only his perception of "beautiful people" people, are ignored.
"You and your two sisters who live alone in the street for the past year?"
"Yes, sometimes when it is so cold at night, we hug each other to maintainhot. "
"You have family, grandparents, uncles, aunts?"
"No, they're all dead."
I wanted to ask how his family died. I suppose that most of them died of AIDS, and grandparents of age. The average life expectancy in Zimbabwe is only 37 years. But I noticed, with the looks on their faces, who spoke of his parents was too painful for them, so I never asked.
"Our family is the three of us." Mudiwa said.
"These are the three musketeers." Ireplied with a smile. And they all answered politely: "Yes", not quite sure what I was talking about.
I told them I wanted to take a look around the city, but I want to see before you go ..
"We will be there," he promised with a grin. I think that surprised that they give me so much attention. "See you soon," I said and stroked the three of them easily on the tips of his curly head. When I left, crossed the street and thenkeep in a dark alley, hidden from the sun.
Needless to my walk through the town of Victoria Falls to say was pretty depressing. This is a real holiday paradise, but it can be an inhabitant of hell. Tucked away in an amazing beauty of Victoria Falls, is also there to keep the harsh realities of life. Every night this lonely abandoned children put in the dark and dirty streets of this beautiful city, only to wake up the next morning alone
and hungerpebbles unnoticed into the grooves of a Ferrari pedal engaged.
During the exploration of ultra-modern shops and tourists, who thought in their luxury cars, I read on the situation of the girl. I must admit, it was our first thought
draw and take them home with me. But when reality set in I decided to give them money, just for her in the coming days to handle a little 'easier.
I designed a plan to safely get the money for them. If children in this position, money,not sure, go hand in view of the adults in their same position. Unfortunately, there are some people in this world who are just "bad" when they see a child with money, they steal, and maybe do a lot worse for the child. Predators live among the civilians and the wild.
My plan was to keep them safe from the possibility, at least until they need money, then it would be to hide them. I had to convince me that my new friends just won enough"Street Smarts" during the year, homeless and alone.
In Victoria, if there is an old locomotive "parked" as a memorial in what appears to be the "town square" are. I put a generous amount of money in a brown paper bag, crumpled it up to look like trash thrown away, then hid under the locomotive. Then I went to the car and I cried during the three girls. Just as I suspected, when he began to exit the alley, alert an adult like a hungry beggarLeone, and began to follow the girl as she came to us. When the girls approached, I yelled at the man behind them.
"I did not call."
"But?"
When he began to give a false pretext for the following, I cut off his words.
"But no, go away and mind your own business."
When he turned and walked away muttering, shaking his girls
his head and laughed.
"It's a" bad person "I asked.
"Yes!" They all responded, as we all rolled eyesDisgusting.
"I thought so."
As I knelt to say my farewell, I could see some of the adults staring at us, begging to see if I give them money. I then said to the girl, "You know that I was asked in the city and found out that your birthday" today ..
"What?" she laughed, then smiled shyly covered her hands to hide the imperfect teeth.
"Yes, all three the same day but different years were born."
They continued to laugh as Ihe said. So I have a birthday present for you all, but we do not want anyone to see me write to you, so I hid. "
As I said, "I do not want anyone to see us give to you," his eyes rolled back, knowing that if the gift has been seen by others, will be stolen seconds after I'm gone. As I said, 'all moved in closer to hear "I'll tell you, I hid the gift was" to whisper. I said quietly, for fear that others could hear ..
"You know where the great locomotiveYou? "
"Yes," answered all.
"I have your birthday gift in a brown paper bag and hid it under the locomotive."
"Now listen carefully, this is what I should do unto you."
"After saying good-bye, back in the alley, where you sit in front, when someone asks what we are talking about, for example, I was asked for directions to go. Then, after a few minutes walk of the locomotive and will receive the gift. Remember is in a brown paper bag, looks like garbage, butthe
is not true. I'm going to sit in the truck and wait until you are sure to get back with him. But when you return, you remember me, not to greet or talk to me, so that the others did not know that I tell you ..
"Did you mean?" I said, with a hint of seriousness to their security.
"Yes, we sit for a few minutes, then sneak past and find the gift, then come back. Ohh, and do not talk to you when we get back."
"Perfect!"
"But we can say goodbye soon now." I said. And threesmall warm hugs later, we parted ways. I sat in the truck pretending to read a map, as the old beggar approached the girl to find out why we all talked for a long time. I heard them say that I was lost and looking for directions. And when I saw the old beggar with a card that they believed.
The girls carried out my order as trained soldiers. They sat for several minutes before feeling "aimlessly" wandering driving, then disappeared behind him. Some of the adultsBeggars seemed curious, where did they go, but quickly lost interest when they found a new group of travelers to harass.
About two minutes later I saw three big smile from the locomotive. Looks like the cat that ate the Canary Islands, had a smile ear to ear, giggling uncontrollably and would like young girls. With a look of overwhelming enthusiasm on their faces, their eyes seemed uncontrollably attracted to me, why they do it, I struggled to avoid being seen. It 'wasalmost as if they needed me. While they performed my "orders" almost perfect, there was an order, as they are not followed. When they saw that the beggars were adults involved with tourists, all jumped in my truck up to the panel, the heads were in our window and whispered:
"Thank you, Rusty nice man."
"You are cordially invited dear, but do best when they see you .. I said trying to smile through her tears as soon as these little smiles. Sheknow no other way of life.
They all quickly knocked me to the obvious, but thanks again and again continue along a busy sidewalk with an extra "life steps up to become a part of the lively crowd.
It 'amazing how our planet has so many natural resources, yet we are still creating a world that is the level of happiness, security and quality of life determines the amount of thin sheets of colored paper (money) they have. Money determines ourLife. Although the girls live in one of the most beautiful areas of the world are forced to believe that nothing is more valuable than colored paper. And 'the only way to survive in their world.
But the money is owned by a mystical power to its owner. I saw this when the truck came and whispered: "Thank you". They seemed like 'modern' children. Her smile was brighter, his posture was straight, and his eyes sparkled as Mosi-oa-Tunya - theSmoke that thunders.
Several years have passed since that day, and I'm still wondering what happened to the girl. I am sure that is a question never answered, so I seek solace in the belief that my gift is one of them has made life easier.
Every time I think of Victoria Falls, the girls. "Smile to shine in my head. Since my daughter Ayla was born, I think of them more than ever. Some nights, when Ayla put in his bed warm, I wonder how Kambo, Mudiwa and chips aredoes. I'm sure they're hungry, are hot ,.... Am I alive?
