Victoria Falls
Christmas has always been more meaningful for me when I have experienced it on the traveling road.
When I am not traveling, I become frustrated with Christmas as I see it filled with traditions and expectations that don’t really fit in with my views on life and spirituality.
I think a vast majority of people celebrating Christmas see it more for the man in the red suit than the boy in the manger who shared with us a simple yet empowering creed to live by.
For me, I’d rather just remember the creed, and forget the rest. That is why Christmas spent traveling has always been a joyous occasion for me.
There has been no mad dashing around like reindeer’s to fill the stockings and the fridge with an abundance of food that leaves you wanting to roll out the door and pass out on the front porch.
There has been no pressure of gift giving just because, but merely the gift of being present with those you love.
My motto is that “Life is all about the memories,” and I like to view Christmas as an opportunity to create cherished memories. Travel gives me the opportunity to make each Christmas stand out as unique from the one before.
The Christmas that remains the most special to me was in 2003. Craig and I were traveling in Africa for 5 months and were passing through Victoria Falls during the Christmas Week. We decided that there would be no better place to enjoy Christmas together than under the “Smoke that Thunders.”
the smoke that thunders
We were traveling Africa on a budget and decided that for this one day we would live it up a little. We were staying on the Zimbabwean side of the falls even after we were told that it was a little risky, thanks to the hideous Mugabe regime.
We found nothing but gentle, warm and kind people in Zimbabwe and had a magical time.
Christmas Eve in Australia is actually a part of Christmas that I enjoy as it was tradition for friends to get together for a few Christmas drinks. Craig and I decided we would keep the tradition of making it fun by going on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.
on the Zambezie River
We even saw Hippos
We thought we were going on a cruise with a group of other travelers, but ended up on a boat with local Zimbabwean people.
We had a really enjoyable evening chatting and drinking with our new friends, playing with their children, and getting to know more about their culture and spirits.
It ended up quite a big night for us and we were worried we may have ruined Christmas Day for ourselves. But, this was usually the way we would wake up on Christmas morning back at home anyway, much to the chagrin of our parents.
Having a Zambezie Lager on the Zambezie
Even though we felt a little dusty the next morning we went for a walk to the viewing deck overlooking the world’s largest waterfall. Baboons ran freely around us, bathing and swinging around the rainforest jungle. Simply magnificent.
A resort in the area was having a Christmas lunch and we decided to blow the budget and splurge. It was a four course buffet lunch, a couple of beers and a bottle of wine, all for $15 each, and we sat on the grassy hill beside the forest with ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ spraying her mist above it in the distance.
Christmas lunch
Relaxing and peaceful
It was pure magic.
Victoria Falls is named a Place of Peace. I did not read the plaque that stated this until after I traipsed along her ridges with the feeling surrounding me that I was walking amongst a deeply spiritual and peaceful place.
I felt connected to the higher power that created all of us and continues to live in all of us as we go about our day creating and being.
I don’t need a Church or tradition to keep me connected to that truth.
