The Smoke That Roars

The weather was magnificent. The road, like a red arrow, cut through the jungle. It sped towards the banks of the Zambezi River, where the border control point between Botswana and Zambia was located. After crossing the imaginary border, we boarded boats and, pushing off from the dock, sailed towards the opposite shore.
The boat was tossed and lifted by the waves. However, everything was according to the fairway. Soon we docked on the shore of Zambia. There were no customs or border guards, just crowds of black traders and money changers. We didn't need to figure out what to do next. The driver of the bus that was meeting us took care of everything; we just filled out a simple form and collected 40 dollars each. In about ten minutes, the visas were stamped in our passports. We could go.
Now, outside the window, the jungles of Zambia stretched out. It took us about an hour to reach the city of Livingstone. But we had another ten kilometers to go. Hidden in the jungles surrounding the city were several dozen beautiful hotels, also called lodges, just like in Botswana.
Our dock in Zambia, "Stanley Safari Lodge," was nestled in the dense jungle. Narrow paths among exotic flowers and plants connected ten amazing cottages with the main complex, which housed a restaurant, a swimming pool, a lounge, a museum, and other shared infrastructure.
The complex is situated on a hill. Each room is a separate chalet with unique architecture. From the facade, the building resembles a typical house. However, behind the door, the natural landscape continues. Views of the vast jungle and the Zambezi Valley open directly from the bedroom. The same enchanting views are available from the bathroom. Beautiful viewing terraces and platforms invite relaxation and contemplation. Some of these rooms are designed in two, sometimes three levels. Naturally, they come with all the service amenities corresponding to a star hotel.
As I mentioned, there are a huge number of hotels in this part of Africa. Each is a true fairy tale, a symbiosis of nature and the highest standards of comfort. The owners are mainly English, who have created a world of luxury and dreams in the surrounding reality of the aboriginals' blatant poverty. This world owes its birth and development to Victoria Falls—the greatest natural phenomenon on the planet. This world extends around, covering an area with a radius of up to fifty kilometers from the waterfall. The country has two capitals, which arose solely due to the waterfall: the city of Livingstone on the Zambian side and the city of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Both cities have international airports. This region attracts about half a million tourists a year. And this is despite the constant political and social clashes among various layers of society.
The kaleidoscope of tourist services here knows no bounds. You can visit Livingstone Island, perched on the edge of the waterfall, swim in the "Devil's Pool," and enjoy a picnic with drinks and exotic snacks. You can fly on a hang glider over the roaring waterfall or circle in a helicopter, participate in rafting through the Zambezi canyons, or indulge in abseiling. I want to pause on this entertainment. A participant in the attraction, harnessed with special belts and devices, attaches themselves to a cable firmly anchored to the cliffs on the opposite sides of the canyon. The gazebo or harness is easily controlled. If desired, you can hover over the abyss or descend smoothly while observing the flight of birds. You can, by loosening the grip, dive swiftly into the shadowy space of the canyon and land at the bottom. Naturally, before starting, one must undergo a simple course on mastering the abseiling technique.