Brandon Bosch Memorial Ride - Africa 2021

[DASKOP]

Even buses use the sand path, can you imagine being stuck behind one of those in that cloud of dust?

Then the tar road completely disappeared, and it was potholed gravel all the way. Later it was potholed tar again and I got involved in a race with one of the locals on a motorbike.

 

[DASKOP]

At last it was like a tarred highway, in comparison, which was the last section to Kazungula, but the 129 km from Sesheke to Kazungula, had taken more than 3 hours and was physically exhausting.

 

[DASKOP]

Livingstone, at last.

I set up camp, watched the sunset, had a beer and a pizza and went to bed.

Not many pictures, but I was mentally and physically drained.

Tomorrow is another day.

 

[DASKOP]

04 June 2021

It had been another fairly cold night, but I had overdressed in preparation and piled everything I could find on top of me.

Some photos of my campsite close to the river, some from the deck, where the staff are trying to keep the Water Hyacinths under control, and I left for Victoria Falls.

 

[Bliknêrs]

Dankie vir die deel. Ek het begin tot einde gelees.
Sterkte.

 

[Vuurmaker]

Jy het gevra ons moet die fotos repost,

Ek het elke post sover gelees, die emosies gevoel,

Die foto is daai een in n miljoen wat soveel meer sê as n duisend woorde

Hou asb aan om jul storie te deel......

Sent from my SM-A307FN using Tapatalk

 

[Skim]

Hello

Volg en het vanaf begin tot hier gelees - woorde kan nie beskryf! baie dankie en sterkte vir jou pad vorentoe

 

[Knucklhead/knuckey]

Purely for curiosity's sake, I would like to know, based on some messages I received, has everybody following this RR, actually read it from the beginning.

The reason for my question, the inconsistency of read reports on the photos. It, however, means something to me, you cannot grasp the essence of this RR if you did not read it from beginning to wherever we are now. I want to achieve what will eventually become clear, when I am ready to do so.

Please honour my intention, by reading from the beginning, please. I will get there, but not right now.

i have followed and read each word  :thumleft:

 

[mox]

From the beginning  :thumleft:

 

[DASKOP]

I stopped en-route to the falls to see "The smoke that thunders".

Despite the sign, there is a lot of litter everywhere.

 

[jogi_c]

From the beginning

 

[DASKOP]

Naomi, my guide at the Victoria Falls.

When I arrived, there were 2 ladies sitting at the ablutions to the left of the main entrance kiosk. I parked the bike next to them and asked about the process to see the Falls. I was last here in 2013 and my memory is not so good anymore.

They saw the sticker, I explained the meaning of it to them and I could not stop the tears. Naomi put her hand on my arm, and said it will be OK, God will make it right. Then she gave me the details. $20 US at the main gate, fortunately they had card facilities and it was ZK400.

Naomi then asked me if I would like her as a guide, and I just knew, I had to say yes.She escorted me to the next gate, keeping all the arts and crafts vendors at bay, then spoke to the armed gate keeper about my wish to put a Brandon sticker up somewhere within the falls area, which I had told her about. He indicated that I had permission to do so.

I declined the offer of a rain suit, I wanted to experience the mist and the rain in my kit only.

 

[DASKOP]

We first went to the river edge above the falls, before stopping at the Rhodes memorial statue. There were baboons, not monkeys, (what was I thinking), all over the place and I was warned that they will approach you without fear and grab whatever you have that is of interest to them.

 

[DASKOP]

The falls were in full flow, it was an amazing sight to behold. The mist became so dense at times that you could not see them.

It was wet everywhere, so I had to find another place to put up Brandon's sticker.

 

[DASKOP]

It was off to the bridge. It was like torrential rain at the pedestrian bridge.

I had forgotten to bring my Go-Pro in its waterproof cover, so we tried the plastic bag thing on my brand new Canon camera. That, obviously, did not work, but we eventually got to a place where we could take photos without the chance of ruining the camera.

At least I got some photos of actual Victoria Falls water droplets.

 

[DASKOP]

Last photos before heading to the Boiling Pot.

 

[DASKOP]

It is quite a serious, but beautiful trek down to the Boiling Pot, it is however worth it.

Naomi said that it would take about 15 minutes down and about 20 minutes back up. I had the whole day, so lets see how it goes.

On our way down, Naomi was singing songs of praise and worship all the way down. It brought a new dimension to this experience, it changed my perception and awareness of my surroundings.

I thought back to my experiences to date, people who had blessed me, people who made my border encounters go smoothly and now this. Another angel encounter to enhance my day and give me a new perspective?

 

[DASKOP]

Down at the Boiling Pot, Naomi suggested I find a comfortable spot and talk to God and Brandon.

She said that she would wait for me some distance away and that I should take as long as I need. She would wait.

And that is what I did. The swirling, churning river whirlpool, which I was looking at, felt like a physical representation of the emotional turmoil which was raging through me. The tears flowed freely and I prayed for comfort, peace, wisdom, strength, guidance, protection, acceptance and the manifestation of God's will in whatever path lay ahead of me.

 

[DASKOP]

It was time to head back, but, as much as I would have loved to place Brandon's sticker down here, there was no place and it was all too wet.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Excellent trip Daskop. I was right there in 1969 ... all of 7 years old but still remember that view like yesterday.

8)