There were many things we saw and did while living in Zambia and Kenya that were hard to process – even head on; even when fully present. It was as if the actuality dial in one’s brain kept sliding out of tune, sparking dissonance: am I here or am I simply observing myself here, courtesy of an imagined translocation from the pages of some hyper-real travelogue. I mean to say, how could I possibly be taking a sundowner boat ride up the Zambezi. How had I come to this place where I never expected to be?
We were living in Lusaka, Zambia, at the time. That posting had been unexpected too, notice given only on the day we exited Kenya after ten months there. Suddenly Graham was on another short-term attachment, this time to the EU Delegation, managing the distribution of food aid to drought-stricken villages. Then one day an old school friend, en route from the UK to New Zealand, wrote suggesting he and partner make a visit, but he could only get incoming flights to Harare. OK said G. We’ll drive down and pick you up.
And so began a fantastic make-shift safari – out of Zambia into Zimbabwe – crossing the border (and downstream Zambezi) at Chirundu then heading south for Harare. Then on further south through Masvingo to Great Zimbabwe. After that a loop west and north through Bulawayo, the Matopos and Hwange National Parks and back to the Zambezi and the Zambian border at Victoria Falls. And so one evening we found ourselves on a sundowner cruise, ambling upstream between Zimbabwe and Zambia. But then again perhaps that wasn’t really me.
*
I couldn’t end this final ‘up’ post in Becky’s inspiring month-long challenge without a downstream view too. Look out! Here we go – up and over the knife edge – Victoria Falls – Mosi-oa-Tunya – The Smoke That Thunders. Way-haaaaay…
Square Up #31 A big big thank you to Becky for helping to keep our spirits up all through January
Tish Farrell 
Oh this is glorious 😍 no wonder you are pinching yourself to make sure it isn’t a dream. What an adventure
Thanks, my dear. This has been such a fun month of squares.
😊
How amazing
Beaut. That image of the fall is heart throbbing 🙂 looks like a great start to the decade
Thank you.
What a safari that was with memories to treasure. SquareUp has been pretty good too!
Great trip
Wonderful memories and photos to prove .
Yes, photos as proof. I must remember that 🙂
I love that ‘smoke that thunders’! Says it so well 🙂 🙂 Golden days, Tish!
Golden days – oh yes.
fond memories of great adventures! never been but i heard/read much about Victoria Falls. it must be really beautiful 🙂
It is an astonishing place.
Some great images.
Thanks, Pete.
An excellent way to finish the squares – uplifting I’d say!
Thank you, Jude. The squares have been great fun.
❤ Wonderful way to say good-bye to January, Tish.
Many thanks, Janet. Glad you liked this.
Looks like heaven!
Wow! I can see why you would feel a bit dissociated….but what fantastic future nostalgias you stored up then
It must have been such an experience to live in Africa! We did a similar boat trip to this when were briefly in Victoria Falls a couple of years ago, but to live in the region must have been something else entirely!
I was very lucky to have such a lengthy stay, though it had its stresses. Even so, I learned so much.
I can imagine there would indeed be some stretches – it’s such a different lifestyle to adapt to
This sounds like a dream, and as if you felt as if you were alive in a dream. How enlivening. I long to get back to Africa! Thanks for taking me there even a little. I figure I have enough blog post ideas/stories to tell/photos to share to get me to the end of May. Maybe at that point I’ll dig out my Africa scrap book and tell some of those stories.
Alison
I think it would be a very good idea to go back to the scrap book. I’d love to hear those stories!