Our goal was to see Kalambo Falls and get to the town of Kasama before dark. Kalambo River divides Zambia from Tanzania at this point. Joseph our grieving guide showed us the way. I still enjoyed driving slow and checking out the locals.
When caught with my camera I usually ask if we are on the correct road to find the falls.
The rivers in this part of Zambia are so untamed but used every day.
Finally, we found where the water finds a break in the high plateau and plunges down 772 feet or twice the height of Victoria Falls. It was 1913 when white folks first saw the falls.
We took a road (sort of) around to get a view from a distance. It is so far away it is difficult to appreciate the height of the falls. It is the second highest falls in all of Africa. In another five kilometers the river empties into Lake Tanganyika. Everything to the left or on the opposite side of the river is the country of Tanzania.
Back on the high country folks are just carrying on with their normal chores. The little valley above the falls is one of Africa's well known archaeological sites. Explorers first discovered it archaeologically in 1953. It has been determined that there has been human activity there for the last 250,000 years.
I am so thankful I don't have to bend down and wash clothes wherever I can find water.
This lady below had two five gallon buckets on her head, heading uphill to her home. (That green tint in the photo comes from the truck windshield).
This is what you do when there is no deep well and hand dug shallow wells produce nothing.
They plant with the seasons and wait for the rain and walk for water.
Cattle can sort of fend for themselves and then they are rounded up for market.
Some areas have terrific paint jobs on their homes. It tends to run in neighborhoods. The paints are all natural local colors.
We made it to Kasama by dark but the place we had intended to stay was full so we stayed across the road and had fish and chips for dinner. Not far out of Kasama the next day we found the Chishimba Falls. Kristi is sitting in front of a weir which is sort of in the middle of the three falls. Water is taken out of the river at this point and piped out to this part of Zambia. The top falls are visible in the background.
The photo below is the top or upper falls.
Then down stream are these beautiful rapids.
Finally the lower main fall that is 90 feet high. That is Kristi standing on the edge.
Below the falls the water of the Luombe River goes out to bless the lives of those lucky enough to be living below. There is a power plant nearby and the whole area is a national monument.
There is something peaceful, relaxing and refreshing to be around water.
My mother grew up in the middle of a Utah desert and she often said she would just like a little stream in the backyard to listen to and put her feet in occasionally.
Well, water seems to be a theme so we are headed west on dirt roads to another huge lake, totally inside Zambia. It is called Lake Bangweulu, and the article we read said it had beautiful white sand all around and it was a beautiful resort near the town of Samfya.
