What Zambia Taught Me About Surrender, Aliveness, and Trust

Written By Dominique Adams

 

There are moments in travel when you don't just visit a place, rather you meet a part of yourself you didn’t know was waiting.

Crossing from Zimbabwe into Zambia was one of those moments. I decided that morning I was going to do this.

The border was hectic, but somehow, it felt easy like something was guiding me through the chaos. I wasn’t sure if it was intuition, faith, or just adrenaline. But deep down, I knew I was being called to the edge… literally.

The Plan: Hang Off the Edge of a Waterfall

The locals call it Devil’s Pool. It’s a natural rock formation perched right on the edge of Victoria Falls, one of the most thunderous waterfalls in the world. The plan was to get in a small boat, ride to the edge, and dangle over one of the most powerful cascades on the planet — held only by the arms of an expert Zambian guide.

I signed my life away (yes, literally), sipped a calming herbal tonic made from local plants (thank the ancestors), and stepped into the boat.

It was then that the fear kicked in.

Fear as a Portal

As we glided closer to the edge, my thoughts started spinning:

"What am I doing?"
"Is this wild or just reckless?"
"What am I trying to prove?"

But underneath those questions was something else — a quiet knowing.
I wasn’t here to prove anything.
I was here to feel alive.

The kind of alive that doesn’t come from WiFi, notifications, or to-do lists.
The kind that reminds you that your body is sacred, your spirit is ancient, and life is meant to be felt, not just managed.

The Edge of the World

I was the first to go.
Heart pounding, legs shaking, I crawled to the edge of the rock.
The only thing keeping me from falling hundreds of feet below was the sure grip of a local guide holding my ankles.

And then — stillness.
I let go.

Of control.
Of fear.
Of needing to know what comes next.

The water thundered around me. My feet dangled into the sky. And somehow, I had never felt safer.
It was a reminder: we are not in control, and that’s where the beauty lives.



Rooted Reflection: Travel Tip + Journal Prompt

  • 🌍 Travel Tip from the Falls:
     If you're heading to Victoria Falls or planning an experience like Devil’s Pool, go in with an open spirit. The journey is half the ritual — be ready to get muddy, be guided, and maybe even scared. Trust the locals. Trust the land. And pack clothes you don’t mind getting dirty — because transformation is messy.

  • 📝 Journal Prompt:

  • What fear have I been gripping too tightly?
    What might shift if I let go and trusted the process — even if I can’t see what’s waiting on the other side?





The Journey Back

Back on the boat, we searched the banks for hippos — playful, ancient creatures that live with one foot in land and one in water. Just like us: half earth, half spirit.

I realized then that this wasn’t just a thrill-seeking moment. It was a sacred mirror.
The waterfall reminded me that my life is meant to be felt deeply — that my ancestors crossed oceans and borders so I could experience joy, freedom, and awe.



Rooted Takeaway:

Travel isn’t always about the destination.
Sometimes it’s about surrendering to the moment, hanging off the edge, and trusting that something bigger is holding you.

Zambia, thank you for the reminder.



Dominique Adams