Over, under, and on the Mighty Zambezi.

Victoria Falls, the Seventh Wonder of the Natural World, was created by the Zambezi River washing away soft rock along ancient fault lines. The current falls are not the original, but you can actually see the zig-zag pattern of the gorge--each turn marking the end points of a former site. They estimate that in another 10,000 years, there will be a new Victoria Falls as the Zambezi continues to cut its path.

But today, in their current position, they're one of the most powerful, overwhelming, and spectacular things I've ever seen. Photos don't do them justice--they're over a mile across from the Zambia to the Zimbabwe side, so it's virtually impossible to fully comprehend their size without physically exploring them for yourself. Video is no good either--you can't feel the mist that turns into rain the closer you get to the edge. Nor can you feel the fear they inspire. There's no going over Victoria Falls in a barrel. There's no going over at all and having any hope of surviving. But for all that, they're incredibly beautiful. It's hard to drag your eyes away. To me, it was like witnessing a gift from God.

OVER: And what better way to take in a celestial present than by viewing it from the heavens? Melissa and I took a helicopter ride above the Falls, which was an incredible experience. I've never been on a helicopter before, and was kind of struck by the contrast of man's ingenuity and the untameable forces of nature.

UNDER: After seeing the Zambezi from above, I decided I needed a more up-close and personal look in the form of whitewater rafting. It was a very different experience than the Nile in Uganda--rather than being huge and terrifying with long lulls in between, it was more nonstop action with the added danger of crocodiles (we saw them sunning on the rocks as we rafted by)and whirlpools at every turn. We only flipped once, which was more than enough to get a thorough taste of the Zambezi.

ON: Next up was a canoeing wine drift. Imagine gliding along perfectly still waters, the distant sound of drumbeats combining with the music of wildlife all around you, with a never-depleted glass of wine in your hand. At the risk of sounding like Katie Holmes, I'm going to describe it as magical--made even more so by the company of two of my best friends.

Now, imagine that serene setting shattered by the sudden appearance of a charging hippo. At any other time, it would be terrifying, but mostly drunk on wine, it was actually the perfect punctuation to one of my best evenings in Africa so far. Though I fill my days with things like helicopter rides, scuba diving, and whitewater rafting, the times I think I'll remember most are the ones that involve just sitting back and taking it all in.