Dressed in their Sunday best, I wonder whether the girls are properly attired for a trip to Victoria Falls. When the river is high, it is more like a trip to the water park than a nice stroll. I gently question Linah and Royce, but they insist that the children have to look nice for the outing. At the last minute, I finally convince them to throw some play clothes into the car. The 8 girls are so excited that they sing for the entire ride. It is just about the cutest thing ever.
Arriving at the park, Linah and Royce eye groups of tourists coming out dripping wet. Giving them an ‘I told you so’ look, they concede that the girls should probably change out of their lace trimmed dresses and patent leather shoes. When everyone is finally back in t-shirts, we make our way to the first viewing platform. The girls yell and point and jump up and down. My two supervisors, neither of whom had been to the Falls before, gaze in awe. I pride myself on my brilliant idea for an outing.
My satisfaction, however, is short-lived. Just as I suspected, the spray from the falls drenches us within minutes. At first, the girls think this is fun. Then, they do not. Instead, they are cold and scared of the water that won’t stop pouring down. Each of us adults winds up with two crying girls in our arms, begging to go home. I hurry back along the trail as fast as I can, dragging a couple 6 year olds with me.
When we arrive back at the entrance, I leave the kids with Linah and Royce so that I can get their dry clothes. Imagine my shock when I come back and find 8 little girls stark naked – inside a public park! “They were cold,” Royce explains as I hurry to restore decency. Of course, the girls find it funny to dance around in their underwear, taunting me in my state of obvious embarrassment. Finally, everyone is covered up again, and we head down a trail to have a picnic by the river.
The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a big hit, and it seems that the day is saved. Under my watchful eye (you can only go in up to your ankles!), the kids splash and play in the river. We are all down in the water when a very brazen baboon walks up and takes one of our bags. I race up to chase him away, though he does make off with a few banana peels. The girls go crazy – this is just about the funniest thing that they have ever seen.
Heading out of the park, they are all on baboon watch. We are not disappointed, baboons are all over the place. Little Pezo declares that she is going to “beat”one. Before I can stop her, she picks up a rock and throws it at a large male. In an instant, he leaps up in the air and charges at our group, teeth bared. Hysterics ensue. Grace jumps into my arms while Lweendo runs back down the path. The girls are all sobbing and refuse to move. I convince them that we just have to get out of the park, and we inch along towards the gate. Of course, now dozens of baboons seem to materialize out of nowhere, blocking our path. At one point, a particularly surly monkey comes after Chipo, stealing the bag out of her hands as we all watch in horror, unable to move fast enough. When the exit comes into view, the girls break into an all out sprint.
Back in the safety of the car, the tears begin to dry. I decide that there is still one thing can save the day – ice cream! Sure enough, over chocolate and vanilla, the girls concoct tales of battling torrents of raging waters and monkey fights to tell their friends. The day did not go exactly according to plan, but I will still count it as a success.
