Nearly one hundred and fifty years and innumerable Europeans later, it is my turn. I do not need to paddle a dugout or crawl to the lip of an upper island. I pay money at the entrance, walk on designated paths past a statue of the great explorer, and view the falls from the opposite rim. But, it is still easy to get a sense of his wonder, as I follow the path through a tropical forest, where everything glistens with the spray. This thick mist blurs my view as rainbows drift past my face, and a thunderous sound rises from below. It is like an earthquake, and it is by far the best indicator of just how much water is being thrown over the edge every second. The power is incredible, and I join the other tourists in taking reel after reel of film, trying somehow to capture the size, and beauty, of the falls.
When I've finished in the national park, I flash my passport at the immigration posts and head across to the Zambian side. Here there is no gate, no entrance fee, and no other tourists. Yet, the views are just as spectacular, if not more so. I climb around the side, and try and view the falls from directly above as Livingstone did, daringly crawling to the edge to peek over.
I am still not satisfied. Fortunately, the tourist industry in Victoria Falls village thrives on people like me. Livingstone's phrase that these falls were so lovely, they "must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight" has now become a catch phrase. Several companies offer 'Flights of the Angels', viewing the falls from helicopter, light aircraft, or microlight. I try the microlight. We zoom above the hippos and crocodiles that enjoy the gentle water above, and then we fly a little too close to the water itself. I get soaked by the spray, and cling onto my seat as the pilot turns the vehicle on its side. The view, though, is unbelievable. There is no way you could ever get this close to the front of the falls any other way. I feel like I could stick my arm out and reach into the water, but I am too busy clinging on. This may be the flight of the angels, but it is still petrifying.
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