Freedom found in Travel

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” -Henry David Thoreau, American Poet
This was the feeling i had as i embarked on this journey to explore one of the 8 wonders of the world that is Victoria falls. As i sat on a bus for 7 hours straight having slept only 3 hours the previous night, i silently cursed and wished i had stayed back in my warm bed. This all disappeared the moment i got through border control and was wedged on a bridge in no man's land between Zambia and Zimbabwe. A steep incline down the gorge that had water snaking its way to the massive falls offers you a tiny thrill. But this will be nothing compared to the experience that will jolt you once at the falls. Tiny sprays of water can be felt periodically and this has your heart hammering with anticipation.
While on the bridge i took a daring experience. Bungee jumping. Conquering this 111m high jump off a bridge that has heavy trucks occasionally going by and rocking it, would be an experience that scares you. So i stood there, looking into the horizon and at the rainbow when i go hurtling in air. The sight is scary but beautiful. I was literally swinging through the rainbow. That to me is bucket list amazing.Being suspended in air and reveling in the thrill of freedom and adrenaline. in the sense of flight, no laws, no police.
The benefits of reconnecting with the natural world are well documented, and I can vouch for its incredible rejuvenation. The Japanese call it “Shinrin-yoku,” or a ‘forest bathing trip.’ Richard Ryan, lead author and professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, says: “Nature is fuel for the soul. Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature.”
I could not agree more!
I had a forest bathing trip while walking on the escarpments of the Victoria falls themselves. The cliffs are shrouded with low hanging vines that are always dripping wet. You get to a point on the walk that you become completely drenched from the water spray. It literally forms a cloud. But that's not the best part. There is a constant rainbow, whiteness of water and utter calm. That to me is freedom. That to me is a connection with nature, life and travel. During my entire trip, that was the highlight. I was one with nature. Like a tree embedded in the ground. Part of the falls and the falls part of me.