Just east of Victoria Falls is a marvelous feat of engineering, spanning a length greater than two football fields. As the African Caravan crossed a great bridge over the Zambesi River Gorge, we crossed one of the continent’s longest rivers, winding and flowing through the continent.
The river also serves also as the border between the countries today called Zambia and Zimbabwe. Great beauty, both natural and manmade, abounds as you travel through the area.
You ask a jeweler how many facets do diamonds have?
Travel through Africa and you’ll see the continent is multi-faceted as a precious jewel.
In 1959, you have colonial, national, and native territorial divisions. Native tribes change almost as often as the dialects.
Along the unpaved roads in the Belgian Congo, there was always chance of a surprise encounter. As we traveled, we often encountered native people along the roadside. We also took in the sights of wildlife and vegetation unlike what we saw at home.
The fauna, oh my: elephants, zebras, species of antelope, giraffes, warthogs, birds, insects, and deadly snakes…yes, this is Africa.
Take the elderly baobab tree, a landmark and a great sight along the road, which lives for centuries and exists without leaves for most of the year. Since ancient times, it’s been said that an elephant, hungry for the tender leaves at the very top of the tree, uprooted the baobab, ate all the leaves, and then replanted the tree upside-down.
Today, what we see is that massive trunk with its roots spread, stretching toward the sky.
The trees soak up an incredible amount of moisture in order to survive in the heat of Africa. It is also said that a drink, made from soaking the tree’s seeds in water, will protect you against crocodiles.
Just as bridges link together countries and help travelers cross great bodies of water, stories link together past and future.
Dale “Pee Wee” Schwamborn has silver in his blood. Each week, Pee Wee shares one of his many stories, including his experiences on the iconic Airstream Caravans, his time spent working in the Airstream factory, and the many Airstreamers he’s befriended, far and wide.
To read stories of other Airstream adventures in the Belgian Congo, click below:
