AFTER OUR SCRUMPTIOUS ENGLISH BREAKFAST ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LUSAKA, WE SET OFF IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION ON THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR GRAND EXPEDITION. TODAY WE HEAD FOR MALAWI AND ONTO THE SHORES OF AFRICA’S BIGGEST LAND LOCKED LAKE –“LAKE MALAWI”.  THE DISTANCE FROM LUSAKA TO LILONGWE IN MALAWI IS IN EXCESS OF SIX HUNDRED KILOMETRES AND WE ESTIMATE THE DRIVE WILL TAKE US EIGHT TO NINE HOURS. THE ROUTE WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK, THE TOWNS OF PETAUKA, CHIPATA AND FINALLY INTO THE BOARDER TOWN OF MICHINJI.  WE’VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ROAD TO MICHINJI IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THAT WE SHOULD DRIVE WITH EXTREME CARE.

 TWO HOURS AFTER DEPARTING FROM LUSAKA “DIZZY” MANOEUVRED SLOWLY ALONG SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN SCENERY IN ZAMBIA.  BIT BY BIT, WE PAINSTAKINGLY TRACKED OUR WAY IN THE DIRECTION OF AFRICA’S LARGEST NATURAL AQUARIUM.

THE CORRIDOR TO THE EAST IS NOT FOR THE TIMID, NERVOUS, OR APPREHENSIVE 4 X 4 ENTHUSIAST. MARRED WITH POT HOLES AND LONG AND EXHAUSTIVE DETOURS THIS “TRACK” WILL ADD SEVERAL HOURS ONTO YOUR TRIP. THE ROUTE RUNS ALONG SIDE THE BORDER OF ZIMBABWE AND THE “GREAT” ZAMBEZI RIVER AND IS RICH WITH FLORA, FAUNA, AND BIRD LIFE IS PROLIFIC. SADLY, THE CENTRAL AND NORTH WEST REGIONS OF ZAMBIA DO NOT SHARE THE SAME BEAUTY AS THE EASTERN PARTS OF ZAMBIA.

THE SUN HAD LONG GONE AND DARKNESS HAD COVERED THE HORIZON AS “DIZZY” SCRAPPED AND WRESTLED HER WAY INTO THE SMALL DUSTY TOWN OF CHIPATA, WITHOUT A MOAN OR GROAN. THIS WILL BE OUR STOP OVER POINT TONIGHT - WE WILL RELAX IN THE COMFORT OF MAMA-RULA’S CAMPSITE. AFTER NINE HOURS ON THE ROAD AND DEAD BEAT, WE PARKED “DIZZY” AND HEADED FOR MAMA- RULU’S PUB AND RESTAURANT, SHARED A GREAT MEAL TOGETHER AND TURNED IN FOR AN EARLY NIGHT.

Ø        26^TH AUGUST 2009 – CHIPATA ZAMBIA

TODAY, WE WILL NEED TO RUN A FEW IMPORTANT ERRANDS IN CHIPATA, SUCH AS GETTING A COMESA YELLOW CARD FOR INSURANCE. ITS CHEAPER TO GET THE INSURANCE FOR ALL THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES NOW, AS OPPOSE TO BUYING IT AT EACH BORDER. CHIPATA IS A LIVELY AND FRIENDLY LITTLE TOWN AND BOASTS A NUMBER OF BARS, CAFE’S, PETROL STATIONS AND BANKS. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THIS DUSTY SETTLEMENT IS A BASE FROM WHICH TO VENTURE INTO THE SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK.

AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR CLEARING PASSPORT CONTROL “DIZZY” BOUNCED CHEERFULLY ACROSS THE BORDER IN THE DIRECTION OF LILONGWE - MALAWI.

GOODBYE ZAMBIA – HELLO MALAWI

SUMMARY – ZAMBIA

ZAMBIA IS A VAST COUNTRY, FRIENDLY AND PEACEFUL, THAT OFFERS WILDLIFE AND CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS. WHILE LUSAKA IS THE COUNTRY’S CAPITAL, LIVINGSTONE, JUST TEN KILOMETRES FROM THE FALLS, IS MORE WELL KNOWN TO TRAVELLERS AS THE “ADVENTURE CAPITAL” OFFERING ADRENALIN PACKED ACTIVITIES ON AND AROUND THE FALLS AND ZAMBEZI RIVER.

THERE ARE SOME STUNNING AREAS IN ZAMBIA THAT OUTSIDERS RARELY GET TO SEE. FOR OVER LANDERS ZAMBIA CAN BE A CHALLENGE – DISTANCE BETWEEN MAJOR TOWNS AND ATTRACTIONS IS LARGE AND GETTING AROUND TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE. HOWEVER, FOR MANY THE CHALLENGE IS PART ZAMBIA’S APPEAL. SO, IF YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL AND ENJOY THE RAW EDGE AND AN AFRICA WITH FEW TOURISTS, ZAMBIA IS THE PLACE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

WOULD WE VISIT ZAMBIA AGAIN – CERTAINLY?

WELCOME – MALAWI

Ø       26^TH AUGUST 2009 – MALAWI

WELCOME TO MALAWI!  WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MALAWI IS THE “WARM HEART” OF AFRICA – “THE LAKE OF STARS” – IT ALL SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, BUT WE’LL ACCEPT IT AS SUCH, AND HOPE  THAT MALAWI WILL LIVE UP TO ITS REPUTATION - WITH STUNNING AND VARIED SCENERY AND UTTERLY FRIENDLY LOCALS,  WE ARE HERE TO TRAVEL AROUND AND INVESTIGATE THIS “GREAT AFRICAN” LAKE.

NATURALLY, MALAWI’S BIG DRAW CARD IS THE LAKE – A MAGNIFICENT SLICE OF CRYSTAL WATER STRETCHING SOME 500KM ALONG MALAWI’S EASTERN BORDER, SEPARATING IT FROM THE WILD AND THE COAST OF MOZAMBIQUE AND TANZANIA. VILLAGES PEPPER THE LAKE SHORE AND THE BEAUTIFUL LILONGWE NATIONAL PARK. I’VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT AROUND 500 SPECIES OF FISH INHABIT THE LAKE, AND THAT THE FRESHWATER DIVING AND SNORKELLING BY ALL ACCOUNTS IS EXCELLENT.

MALAWI IS NOT JUST FOR WATER BABIES AND SUN WORSHIPPERS LIKE US. MALAWI HAS PLENTY TO OFFER THE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WITH ITS SURPRISING DIVERSE LANDSCAPE – LET’S HEAD

 FOR THE MISTY HEIGHTS OF MT MULANJE OR TAKE YOU TO THE NYIKA PLATUE, WHERE WE WILL FIND SHEER ESCARPMENTS, DYNAMIC PEAK, ENDLESS ROLLING GRASSLANDS AND SOME OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE HIKING ROUTES IN THE WHOLE OF AFRICA.

FOLLOW US AS WE TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE THE HIGHLAND WILDNESS, DIVE AND SWIM IN THE LAKE WATERS AND SOAK UP THE WARMTH OF THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI – WE FEEL SO BLESSED TO BE HERE! 

Ø       26^TH AUGUST 2009 –LILONGWE  MALAWI

WE ONLY MANAGED TO CROSS OVER INTO MALAWI AT TEN O’CLOCK YESTERDAY MORNING - JANE HAD A TROUBLE-FREE EXPERIENCE CHECKING “DIZZY” OUT OF ZAMBIA AND INTO MALAWI.  AFTER CLEARING CUSTOMS, WE EASED, “DIZZY” TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE BOTH MADE LAST MINUTE CELL PHONE CALLS TO ALL OUR CONTACTS BACK HOME, BEFORE DARTING OFF IN THE DIRECTION OF LILONGWE.

WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY RE-ASSURED OF OUR PAINLESS EXIT FROM ZAMBIA INTO MALAWI,

 WE BOLDLY POINTED “DIZZY’ IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AND YET AGAIN, JANE PROVIDED US WITH A MORNING OF OFF/ON-ROAD ENTERTAINMENT. THE TRIP WAS NIPPY AND EFFORTLESS AND ONLY TOOK ‘DIZZY” TWO HOURS TO GET INTO THIS SMALL MALAWIAN CITY, SOME 160KM FROM ITS NEIGHBOUR.

LILONGWE IS HARDLY AWASH WITH EXCITEMENT. THIS SLEEPY LITTLE CITY, THAT WHILE PERFECTLY RAW AND RURAL, IS NOT PARTICULAR INTERESTING OR MEMORABLE. THE QUITE BUZZ OF THE OLD TOWN, WITH IT’S CRAFT STALLS, MARKETS AND DRINKING HOLES IS AT ITS HEART OF THE TOWN, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE LIKELY TO SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME. THE MORE MODERN CITY CENTRE HAS LITTLE TO OFFER.

WITH LITTLE TO DO IN LILONGWE EXCEPT TO REFUEL “DIZZY” AND TO GET A FEW PROVISIONS WE SIMPLY MADE A SWIFT EVALUATION OF THE TOWN AS A WHOLE AND DECIDED TO DRIVE DIRECTLY TO THE LAKE.

Ø       26^{TH -}  31^st AUGUST 2009 – CAPE MACLEAR  MALAWI

CAPE MACLEAR SITS ON A SCENIC JUT OF LAND AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE LAKE, WITH THE ENTHRALLING DOMWE AND THUMBI ISLANDS ANCHORED OFFSHORE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT CAPE MACLEAR IS A TRAVELLERS “BYWORD” FOR SUN, SAND, REST AND RELAXATION. THIS SMALL PIECE OF PARADISE IS PART OF THE LAKE’S NATIONAL PARK, ONE OF THE FEW FRESHWATER AQUATIC PARKS IN AFRICA. LASTLY, WE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE A GOOD RANGE OF HIKES AND WALKS IN THE AREA.

WE PUSHED “DIZZY” HARD TO MAKE CAPE MACLEAR BEFORE THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO SET ON ANOTHER GORGEOUS “AFRICAN” HORIZON. WE REACHED MONKEY BAY AT 5.30PM, TURNED OFF ONTO A DUSTY TRACK IN THE DIRECTION OF CAPE MACLEAR AND ONTO OUR CAPE SITE - FAT MONKEY. FAT MONKEY IS ALMOST 18KM OFF THE MAIN ROAD  TAR ROAD. THE LAST 18KMS IS A DIRT ROAD THAT IS CORRUGATED ALMOST ALL OF THE WAY AND LIES 1KM EAST OF CAPE  MACLEAR’S VILLAGE CENTRE.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE AWARE THAT FAT MONKEY IS A GREAT CAMPING SITE AIMED FOR THE MOST PART AT OVER LANDERS. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT NEED A LITTLE MORE COMFORT, ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE. THE GREAT THING ABOUT FAT MONKEYS, IS THAT ITS RIGHT ON THE BEACH WITH HOT SHOWERS AND A LOVELY RESTAURANT AND BAR ON THE BEACH. THE PIZZAS ARE GREAT AND ALL THE FOOD IS HOME MADE SO  BE PREPARED TO WAIT!

“DIZZY” NOSED INTO FAT MONKEY AS DARKNESS FELL ON THE VILLAGE AND THE LAKE WAS AWASH WITH THE REFLECTION OF A MILLION STARS – THIS HAS TO BE HEAVEN! 

Apologies, apologies, apologies….Im so behind on my journal!  Right, where did I leave you last….oh yes, we were on our way to Chimfunzi. Well, we arrived at the chimp orphanage and I was very disappointed to find out that the public are not allowed access to the chimps at all – no touching, no photographs of them with you, no feeding….in essence a “glorified” zoo! Driving all that way (over 300kms) was not going to see me leave without having any decent photos, or some kind of contact with the chimps – enter “Peter” (Im calling him Peter to protect his job in the event that someone from Chimfunzi reads this journal J).

There are three rows of fencing that separates the chimps from the public, which becomes very challenging when you’re trying to take decent photos, and the fencing becomes the key focal point that your lens picks up.  After begging and pleading and waiting until the larger groups of tourists had left, I was permitted by ‘Peter’ to go up to the single electrical fence that separates the chimps from the outside world. What a wonderful experience! Even though the electric fence was there, a brave and cheeky chimp put his hand underneath the bottom wire and tapped the ground for my attention with his index finger, and then withdrew his hand and looked at me with his deep brown eyes.

I reciprocated and mirrored his actions by putting my hand under the fence and tapped the ground as he had done with my index finger (praying that he wouldn’t grab my hand and try and pull me through the electric fence – Im in need of a hair colour right now, not a perm!!). This went on for a while until he eventually left his hand under the fence for me to touch, with his index finger pointing out. I nervously tapped my index finger on his and then put my hand on the ground in the same position as his. He lifted his hand and tapped his index finger on mine….we were making physical contact. It was an amazing moment…contact with wild animals are always more spiritual and moving than those of domesticated ones. I was so chuffed….but it got better!

On our way back to the camp we saw a chimp sitting on the roof of one of the cages. Grace, is a small 2 year old chimp who still resides in the same cage as her parents. She’s small enough to fit through the bars and have the freedom to walk around the outside of her cage, but never goes very far as she enjoys the comfort of the cage and parents. Needless to say, I was advised that if I could convince Grace to climb down from the roof I could touch her. With a few minutes of coaxing she climbed down the outside of the cage and gingerly took my hair in her hands, then she came down lower and decided it was important to inspect me for ticks and fleas, and before I knew it she had her arms wrapped around me and was tickling my neck. She was lovely.  A rough, wiry feeling coat with rubbery hard fingers and a cheeky face….I just wanted to take her home! 

After spending some time with her I headed back to the camp with Slug (we were staying on the camp site of Chimfunzi that night, as we had to leave the next day to head back in the same direction we’d arrived from….all in all a 600km drive to see some chimps!!)

During the time we were there we met an international Christian band by the name of “Vinesong” and were invited to their concert the next evening in Kitwe, a town that Slugs mother had lived in as a teenager. I kept wondering if it was just a coincidence or whether this was Gods divine intervention. Needless to say I grabbed the chance of going to a local Zambian church, while I think Slug was a little more hesitant.

The next day we arrived in Kitwe early and found a lovely bed and breakfast to stay at for the night. We met John Watson, the leader of the band and the rest of the team at the church, and were met at the door like celebrities! We were ushered into a room at the side of the church and given coffee while we waited for the band to get ready. The Bishop arrived and we were greeted with hugs and smiles by this larger than life character. He asked us about our travels and then we were escorted to the front of the church and were seated on the front row next to him and the band. Several other musicians were playing that evening – well known Zambian bands were there that were known not only in the community but had their music played on national radio stations and had released well known CD’s. The evening was spectacular – a gospel band vibe pursued and people were clapping and dancing away. Other than the band and ourselves there were no other white people to be seen and we were formally welcomed by the Bishop and introduced to the congregation.

The evening ended with an invitation to join the band for dinner, which we gladly accepted. The message given by John and the Bishop to the congregation was moving and thought provoking, and as the tears ran down my face I realized that our ‘hic-cup’ with the law that had delayed our trip to Chimfunzi was meant to have been.  The warmth, sincerity and ‘homely’ feeling that this congregation offered us was so humbling. Isn’t this what life is all about? Don’t we all want to feel a sense of belonging, a sense of peace and acceptance and a sense of love?  People are what life is about – without each other what do we have?

4^th September

Its 7 weeks today since we left CT – in some ways its gone by very quickly and in other ways I cant believe we’ve experienced so much in such a short period of time.  Malawi is lovely – probably because it has this “beach” kind of feel to it. There is nothing modern at all about the places here. Everything is built very basically – no signs of luxury at all. A simple wooden plank of wood, nailed with two wooden brackets are used as shelves in the buildings, hose pipes with a  nozzle makes a completely acceptable shower. Tiles are rarely seen and hot water is a treat, but it gives you a sense of truly being in Africa. The more I compare the countries I have visited to date with South Africa, the more I see SA as a first world country, with its sky scraping buildings, marble tiled pristine shopping malls, up market restaurants, luxury cars, pristine landscaped gardens and beautiful homes. I really do appreciate everything I have been blessed with in my life. The people I have encountered these past few weeks have very little, and yet they are eager to share with you what little they have. We have been invited into the local peoples homes, shopped in their markets and haggled and negotiated prices, eaten in their local township restaurants, and danced and sang with them.  Its been an experience that I thank God for, and Im still at the beginning of my journey.

During the time I have been travelling I have had days that are have been emotionally very tiring and draining, and others that I’m so ecstatically happy I think I could burst. There have been the making of new friends and the realization that there are “reasons, seasons and lifetime” relationships. “Reason” relationships are those whereby a person is sent into your life at a particular time to help you through a particularly tough or challenging time. Then there are “Season” relationships, whereby people are sent to you for a definitive period of time – be it several weeks, months or years. These relationships are usually longer lasting than “reason” relationships, but once the season has passed you either out grow each other or one or both of you move into different directions of your respective lives, and the relationship just dies a natural death.

Then there are “Lifetime” relationships. These are relationships that no matter where you go, what you do or where you end up in your life, the relationship will endure for the rest of your life. These relationships I have discovered are the most precious of all, these are the ones that need to be nurtured, fed, watered and pruned. They need to be taken care of and protected, and like all seasons, they will endure the elements of winter, spring, summer and autumn. 

The sad thing about these relationships is if one perceives that the relationship is one of a “lifetime” and the other see’s it as a “reason” or “season”.  This I have discovered is where hearts get broken, losses are suffered and pain is endured. Time is so precious. If you love someone - tell them, if someone hurts you - let them know about it, and if you’re not happy then talk about it and don’t bottle it up….after all, what have you got to lose?  You cant lose something that was never yours.  Life is so short and so precious – have no regrets – life today as though it were your last, for tomorrow it may be.  Cherish the people in your life that you love. Don’t let pride and ego get in your way…..don’t wait until its too late. Our lives are short – regrets should not be plentiful.

13^TH AUGUST 2009 – KATIMA MULLILO > LIVINGSTONE - ZAMBIA

THE ROAD FROM KATIMA MULLILO INTO THE TOWN OF LIVINGSTONE IS DRIVABLE. VILLAGE DWELLING DOT THE HORIZONS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE. ECONOMIC DECAY AND POVERTY IS SO APPARENT WITH MANY OF THE VILLAGE PEOPLE SURVIVING ON FOOD AID PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY RELIEF ORGANISATIONS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD. THESE PEOPLE DON’T LIVE THE DAY, THEY SURVIVE THE DAY AND PRAY TOMORROW WILL BRING THEM A NEW DAY OF HOPE AND FREEDOM – “WELCOME TO AFRICA”

“DIZZY” ARRIVED TOO A HOT AND HUMID LIVINGSTONE.

LIVINGSTONE ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON IS A BUSTLE  OF ACTIVITY – OVER LANDERS ARRIVING FROM AFRICA’S “ISLAND” – MIGRANT WORKERS HOPING TO CATCH THE LAST BUS OUT OF THE CITY – STREET VENDORS WANTING TO CLOSE THEIR LAST SALE FOR THAT WEEK AND MONEY TOUTS, PLYING THERE DIRTY TRADE AMONGST WEARY AND  UNSUSPECTING TRAVELLERS.

DIZZY’S GPS WAS PROGRAMMED NOT TO SPEND TIME DRIVING THE STREETS OF LIVINGSTONE. INSTEAD, WE HEADED FOR THE MARAMBA RIVER LODGE, SITUATED JUST 4 KM FROM THE VICTORIA FALLS - SOUTH OF LIVINGSTONE.

MARAMBA RIVER LODGE IS IN THE PERFECT POSITION TO DISCOVER THE VICTORIA FALLS. THE LODGE OVERLOOKS THE ZAMBEZI RIVER AND INCLUDES A RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT, THATCHED CHALETS, TENTED BUSH CAMP, FIVE STAR CAMPING FACILITIES, SWIMMING POOL, AND A GREAT BAR UNDER SWAYING PALMS.

WE UNPACKED AND SET UP CAMP JUST IN TIME TO SEE THE UNIVERSE’S THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WE CALL THE SUN, DISAPPEAR BELOW THE AFRICAN HORIZON AND GIVE AFRICA A FINAL WAVE GOODNIGHT. 

 14^H AUGUST 2009 – LIVINGSTONE - ZAMBIA

THE LEGENDARY DAVID LIVINGSTONE FIRST SAW THE AWESOME GLORY OF THE VICTORIA FALLS FROM WHERE LIVINGSTONE STANDS TODAY.

THE TOWN IS A NO BIGGER THAN THREE SQUARE KILOMETRES.

THE STREETS ARE TEEMING WITH TRADERS OF ALL KINDS. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CHECK OUT THE GOODS AND THE PRICES.

 A GOOD RULE OF THUMB FOR HAGGLING IS TO START BY OFFERING 50% LESS THAN THE INITIAL ASKING PRICE. HOWEVER, IN THE END YOU SHOULD PAY WHAT YOU THING THE GOODS ARE WORTH.

OFF THE MAIN ROAD IS THE FAMOUS LIVINGSTONE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL VILLAGE MARKET WITH RESIDENT WOODCARVERS, CRAFTSMEN, AND ARTISTS SELLING THEIR GOODS THAT INCLUDE HAND –CARVED CURIOS AND PAINTINGS. THE FOOD MARKET IS LESS ATTRACTIVE BUT OFFERS FRESH FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND MEAT.

ULTIMATELY, IF YOU LIKE US, THEN WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO YOU’LL FIND THAT THE SMILES AND SPIRIT OF LIVINGSTONE PEOPLE ALONE WILL JUSTIFY A VISIT AND A PURCHASE OR TWO.

15^H AUGUST 2009 – VICTORIA FALLS - ZAMBIA

WE WOKE UP EARLY TODAY AND HEADED FOR THE RAINBOW IN THE SKY.

AT ALMOST 2 KM WIDE AND 103 METERS DEEP, VICTORIA FALLS, A WORLD HERITAGE SITE, IS ONE OF THE SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD. WE ENJOYED THE SPECTACULAR VIEW OF THE FALLS FROM THE ZAMBIAN SIDE. ALTHOUGH THE FALLS PEAKS BETWEEN APRIL AND AUGUST, THIS YEAR HAS SEEN LESS WATER OVER THE FALLS DURING THIS PERIOD. THIS DID ALLOW US TO SEE MORE OF THE FANTASTIC GEOLOGICAL SHAPE OF THE FALLS AS THERE IS LESS MIST AND SPRAY.

ONCE OVER THE FALLS, THE ZAMBEZI RIVER THEN CONTINUES ON ITS WAY WINDING THROUGH THE MAGNIFICENT BATOKA GORGE, CARVED OVER BY THE PREVIOUS LINES OF THE FALLS OVER THE MILLENNIA. THE RAPIDS AND THE STEEP CLIFFS IN THE GORGE CREATE AN ADRENALINE – PUMPING PLAYGROUND FOR WHITE RIVER RAFTING, RIVER BOARDING, KAYAKING  GORGE SWING AND ABSEILING.

HOPE WE KEEPING YOU EXCITED!

20^TH AUGUST 2009 – LUSAKA - ZAMBIA

OUR FINAL EVENING HAS ARRIVED – THE LAST IN THIS PART OF THE BUSH  – TOMORROW REGRETTABLY WE BID “DR DAVID LIVINGSTONE’S JEWELL IN AFRICA”  A FINAL FAREWELL – IT’S BEEN A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A PLACE THAT ONLY A FEW GET SEE.

GETTING TO THE FALLS AND SPENDING TIME IN LIVINGSTONE HAS BEEN A FITTING WAY TO START OUR JOURNEY THROUGH ZAMBIA.  OUR STAY AT MARAMBA RIVER LODGE HAS BEEN REFRESHINGLY LOW-KEY. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO OUR OWN THING – WALKING, BIRD WATCHING, READING, OR SIMPLY RELAXING NEXT TO THE POOL, OVER LOOKING THE MIGHTY ZAMBEZI RIVER.

TONIGHT, WE WATCH AS OUR SUN SETS BEHIND THAT ELUSIVE RAINBOW AND ADMIRE THE RIVER SNAKING QUIETLY TO THE “EDGE” OF THE WORLD – GOODNIGHT “MOSI – OA – TUNYA”

CAMP THIS MORNING IS A HIVE OF ACTIVITY: SUPPLIES ARE BEEN PACKED, BILLS ARE BEEN PAID, ROUTES ARE BEEN FINALISED AND” DIZZY” IS BEEN RE-FUELLED.

AFTER A HASTY PRE-DAWN COFFEE AND TOAST, WE HIT THE ROAD ONCE MORE – THIS TIME THE DRIVE WILL TAKE US NORTH WEST IN THE DIRECTION OF LUSAKA.

WE TURN LEFT OUT OF LIVINGSTONE AND HEAD AWAY FROM THE FALLS.

 THE WARM GLOW OF SUNRISE LIFTS OUR SPIRIT AS WE PREPARE TO COVER FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHT KILOMETRES TODAY.

THE ROAD OUT OF LIVINGSTONE ON ROUTE TO LUSAKA IS A SHORT JOURNEY THAT PASSES THROUGH THE HEART OF THIS DUSTY LITTLE TOWN.

THIS ONCE WELL-MAINTAINED ROAD “DISCREETLY” TURNS FROM ASPHALT TO A “TRUE TRACKS FOR AFRICA” OVER LANDERS ADVENTURE. THIS WAS A  NOT A FITTING WAY TO START OUR TRIP TO LUSAKA – SCRAMBLING OVER ROCKS AND BOULDERS LEFT OUR RIBS ACING AND OUR TEETH CHATTING AS “DIZZY” TANGLED  WITH THIS ALMOST UN-DRIVABLE TRACK ROLLING OUT TO THE HORIZON.

TWO HOUR INTO OUR TRIP WE FINALLY TURNED ONTO THE NEWLY COMPLETED “DUAL” CARRIAGEWAY THAT TOOK “DIZZY” DIRECTLY INTO THE CAPITAL OF ZAMBIA.

LUSAKA IS A SMALL CITY, PART MODERN AND PART TRADITIONAL AFRICAN, WHERE DUSTY MARKETS SIT ALONGSIDE HIGH–RISE BUILDINGS. ALTHOUGH WE ARE TOLD THAT ZAMBIA IS A FASCINATING COUNTRY, LUSAKA WILL NOT BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR TRIP. THERE ARE A FEW NOTABLE BUILDINGS, MONUMENTS AND OTHER SIGHTS, BUT IT DOES BOOST A GENUINE AFRICAN FEEL.

NEGOTIATING PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC IS FRIGHTENING AS STREET ENTREPRENEURS EXPERTLY DODGE THE VEHICLES AS THEY SELL EVERYTHING FROM PHONE CHARGES TO TOMATOES, AND COUNTLESS “BLUE” MINIBUSES WEAVE IN AND OUT OF EVERY AVAILABLE SPACE!

THE STREETS ARE TEEMING WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIVE – DO NOT BE AFRAID TO WIND DOWN YOUR WINDOW AND CHAT TO PEOPLE YOUNG AND OLD – BUT ALWAYS KEEP YOUR VALUABLES CLOSE AT HAND! –

EXHAUSTED YET?

WE HOPE NOT, BECAUSE IT’S NOW TIME TO EXPLORE LUSAKA’S FAMOUS NIGHTLIFE!

21^ST AUGUST 2009 – LUSAKA - ZAMBIA

REFUELLED AND REFRESHED WE DROVE OUT OF LUSAKA TODAY BEFORE THE FIRST TRADERS, ARTISTS, WOODCARVERS, TAXI DRIVERS AND PICKPOCKETS BROKE THE SILENCE OF THIS AFRICAN CITY IN THE SUN.

TODAY, WE HEADED FOR CHIMFUNSHI WILDLIFE ORPHANAGE, A FARM 70KM NORTHWEST OF CHINGOLA IN THE COPPER BELT. THIS SANCTUARY IS HOME TO OVER 80 ADULT AND YOUNG CHIMPS CONFISCATED FROM POACHERS AND TRADERS IN THE NEIGHBOURING DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO AND OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA.

SADLY, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MANY CHIMPS ARRIVE IN PITIFUL CONDITION, VICTIMS OF BARS, CIRCUSES AND THE BUSH MEAT TRADE.

CHIMFUNSHI APPARENTLY IS THE LARGES OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.

THIS WILL NOT BE A NATURAL WILD LIFE EXPERIENCE, BUT WE BELIEVE IT WILL STILL BE FASCINATING TO WATCH AND PHOTOGRAPH THE CHIMPS AS THEY FEED, PLAY AND SOCIALISE.

THE SANCTUARY IS NOT INTERESTED IN MASS TOURISM, SO ONLY SMALL NUMBERS OF VISITORS ARE ALLOWED AT ANY ONE TIME.

THE DRIVE OUT OF LUSAKA ONTO THE COPPER BELT ROAD HAS BEEN QUICK AND EASY.

ONCE OUT OF THE CITY “DIZZY” SET A TRACK IN THE DIRECTION OF KABWE A TWO-HOUR DRIVE FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF LUSAKA. FROM KABWE WE WILL CHANGE COURSE AND HEAD NORTH EAST AND PASS THROUGH THE TOWNS OF NDOLA, KITWE AND FINALLY INTO CHINGOLA.

ONCE IN CHINGOLA WE HEAD A FURTHER 70KM NORTHWEST TO THE SANCTUARY – AN ESTIMATED 8 HOUR DRIVE.

THE ROAD TO CHINGOLA - THIS ONCE FERTILE BUSH LAND PACKED WITH WILDLIFE HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A WAR ZONE OF ECOLOGICAL DISASTER. A ROAD ONCE DESCRIBE, AS THE GATEWAY TO AFRICA IS SCARED AND WOUNDED FROM YEARS OF ECOLOGICAL MISMANAGEMENT. AS THE ROAD ROLLS OUT TO THE HORIZON, YOU A GREETED WITH A PEPPERED LANDSCAPE OF SMALL “VILLAGES” AND “TOWN” PERCHED ON THE EDGE OF THIS THOROUGHFARE.

PLUMES OF SMOKE FINGER THE HORIZON AS CHARCOAL MINERS CUT DOWN THE VERY LAST TREE TO “COKE” THEM INTO FUEL FOR a NIGHTS WORTH OF ENERGY.

TREES AND SCRUB LAND HAVE NOW BEEN REPLACED WITH FOREIGN AND EVASIVE PLANT SPECIES.

WILDLIFE AND BIRDLIFE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS ONCE GREAT SCRUB LAND AS HUNGER HAS DICTATES “WHO STAYS” AND “WHO GOES”.

THESE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THIS LAND HAVE SUFFERED UNIMAGINABLE POVERTY BUT STILL FIND A PLACE IN THEIR HEARTS TO SMILE AND BE HAPPY.

ON ROUTE DON’T BE SURPRISED TO FIND THE ROAD “BOOMED” AND “CONTROLLED” BY OVER EAGER IMMIGRATION OR POLICE OFFICERS WANTING TO TOP-UP THEIR MEGA WAGES WITH A  WATER MARKED NOTE BEARING “PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S” HEAD.

“WHY DO OUR CHILDREN SUFFER LIKE THIS – WHILE PEOPLE IN POWER BANQUET AT TABLES COVERED WITH THE FINEST FRUITS AND WINES FROM FAR AWAY PLACES” – “WHEN WILL THE TIDE TURN” – “WHEN WILL THE POPULACE STAND-UP AND DEMAND A LIFE FEE OF HUNGER, POVERTY, MISMANAGEMENT AND CORRUPTION.

WE ARRIVED IN KITWE JUST AS THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO SET. OUR JOURNEY TOOK A LOT LONGER THAN WE ALL HAD EXPECTED.

FRUSTRATED AND WORN-OUT FROM OUR DRIVE AND PRE-ARMED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT KWITI HAS NO CAMPING ACCOMMODATION, WE HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SHERBOURNE GUEST HOUSE. THIS WELL APPOINTED LODGE IS WEST OF THE CITY CENTRE AND OFFERS CLEAN ACCOMMODATION, A RESTAURANT, BAR AREA AND A SWIMMING POOL SURROUNDED BY A DELIGHTFULLY LANDSCAPE GARDEN WHERE ONE CAN RELAX AND SOAK UP THE LOCAL SUN

TOMORROW WE HAVE A TWO-HOUR DRIVE TO THE SANCTUARY THEREFORE WE HAVE DECIDED TO TREAT OURSELVES TO A LATE MORNING.

21^ST AUGUST 2009 – CHINGOLA - ZAMBIA

WE REACHED THE TOWN OF CHINGOLA AND TURNED WEST, HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OF CHIMFUNSHI.

OUR EXCITEMENT RAPIDLY INCREASED AS WE MISSED THE VERY LAST POTHOLE AND TURNED ONTO A DUSTY ROAD THAT LEAD “DIZZY” AND HER CREW IN THE DIRECTION OF THIS WELL-KNOWN PLACE OF SAFETY.

CHIMFUNSHI, LANDLOCKED BY OVER 200 THOUSAND ACES OF ZAMBIAN SCRUB LAND IS THE HOME TO OVER 80 CHIMPS.

THE SANCTUARY IS DIVIDED INTO A NUMBER OF SECURE CAMPS WHERE CHIMP FAMILIES LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES FEEDING, GROOMING, SOCIALIZING, AND PLAYING.

WE SPENT THE DAY WALKING THE CAMPS LEARNING AND PHOTOGRAPHING THESE WONDERFUL ANIMALS.

THE SUN WAS STARTING TO SET AND THE DRIVE BACK TO KITWE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TODAY AS THIS ROAD IS A MINEFIELD OF DANGEROUS POT HOLE – TONIGHT WE WILL SLEEP OVER AT CHIMFUNZI AS HONOURED GUESTS TO THESE EXTRAORDINARY CREATURES IN THIS REMOTE PLACE OF SAFETY IN AFRICA.

21^st August

Its one day prior to us expecting the modem back from SA – cant wait! This will enable us to have more accessibility to the internet by being able to use our local sim cards - which means that we can keep our website up dated and keep in touch with all our loved ones.

Our last day in Livingstone is therefore put aside to enable us to get our “house” issues in order. We start by dropping into Harry’s place to confirm that we’ll be back at his place at 4pm (he’s going to solder some loose connections on Dizzy2, and he needs her for about an hour), and then we head into Livingstone to drop off our laundry at the local launderette.

Once that’s done I wait in the vehicle while Slug goes into the bank. After about 45 minutes (yep the que is that bad!), he arrives back with 9,000 000 kwacha (the local currency). After a discussion that takes all of six or seven minutes, (which includes calculating and recalculating the rate of exchange), we release one of two things….either Slug is about to have rather a large amount of “ronts” deducted from his SA account, or alternatively the bank of Zambia have overpaid him.  Being an honest upstanding citizen that Slug is, he decides to go back into the bank to double check whether they’ve ripped him off, or whether they’ve ripped themselves off!  Its too hot in the car to wait, so I volunteer to join him.

We go into the “Prestige” banking door, as oppose to the section of the bank where the cashiers operate from, which Slug originally went into. When we arrive, Slug asks to see the branch manager, who refuses to see him (at this point, I would have smiled sweetly and left with the dosh!), but instead we are seen by a couple of different gentleman and a lady, who explain that the cashier that served Slug couldn’t see him at the present moment as he was currently racing in his car to our campsite in search of Slug and the “overpaid” 9,000 000!!!!

Apparently the over zealous cashier had been serving two people at the same time (Slug being one of them), and had handed Slug the larger of the two cash transactions (I cant see any problem at this point, can you? J). Needless to say, it was all sorted out and we both left and headed for Zigzag – a great guest house that has a lovely restaurant with huge portions of yummy food and wi-fi! We spent the rest of the afternoon there and then headed to Harrys place to get the car sorted out.

Once that was all out of the way I reminded Slug that I needed his passport so that I could put it in the car safe. By now he’d packed it away and said he’d give it to me the next day (there’s a point to this part of my journal entry, as you’ll see later!)

During the day Slug and myself read our books (Id suggested “The Monk who Sold his Ferrari” to Slug, as I’d read it and thoroughly enjoyed it, and I had got stuck into a brilliant book called “The Shack”, given to me by my newly found friend Ruth.)

Finally, that afternoon the modem arrives! – and its not working!!! After all the apparent “new programming” that was done on Slug’s Vodacom modem, it still wont accept our “Zain” sim cards (if anyone has any suggestions or knows of something that need to do to activate the modem it would be greatly appreciated), however right now we’re ready to throw it in the bin and buy a new one! So much for hanging around in Livingstone so that we can better internet facilities! Anyway – we’re going to hit the road tomorrow and head off towards Lusaka (somehow Im not too keen to go, but we have to virtually go through the town to get to Chimpfunzi – the Chimp sanctuary we want to visit).

That night Graham (who we had met earlier at Zigzag), decided to pop in and have a farewell drink with us at Maramba Lodge and Campsite, and ended up joining us for dinner and signing up with the Landcruiser Club (I reckon Im gonna have to start charging comm guys!!!) We bid our farewells later that evening and exchanged contact info (another important point to remember later on in this story!). Anyway, after a good nights sleep we rose early and were on the road by 8.30am. We headed off to Lusaka and I asked Slug about his passport again, and he advised me that it was probably packed away with his clothes and he’d get it for me when we arrived at Eurika Campsite.

The drive towards Lusaka was great, apart from the 90km of road works just outside of Livingstone.  We found a great spot at Eurika to set up camp and once Slug had set up his tent and I’d started dinner, I reminded him again about the passport (some of you might be calling me obsessive compulsive at this point!),  Slug relented however and checked his tent, only to find it wasn’t there….I asked him to check again while I checked Dizzy2 and he couldn’t find it.  At this point I had sent an sms to Genene at Harvey World Travel in Kenilworth, who had copies of our passports and photos, and Slug called Graham and Lynn from Zigzag (now isn’t it a good job we met some locals and exchanged numbers!) andLynn promised to visit the bank personally herself the next day and Graham said he’d make some calls the next morning to the places we’d visited (it was now after 6pm and everything was closed).

I kept going through everything in my head and asked Slug to do the same…he definitely had his passport with him in the bank – he needed it to do the transaction…and he definitely had it when we went back to the bank, as he’d put the money in the clear folder that contained his passport, spare photos and yellow card for proof of vaccinations….where could it be?

Now for those of you that don’t know, or that it might come as a surprise to, I started to pray. Then I asked Slug to please do me a favour and just once more, to please check his entire tent and everything that he had in it…his bag of clothes, in between the clothes, in the side pockets of the tent, in the side pockets of the lap top….everywhere. As he entered the tent I said “Hey Slug, just pray” and with that he smiled and went into the tent.  Within 5 minutes he’d found his passport!!! (Psst….dont forget to say thank you to him, I said!)

We had prepared ourselves to go to the embassy in town the next day and delay our trip to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, although Slug did come up with a ridiculous suggestion that I go without him and collect him in a few days time on my return (we have to double back on ourselves to get across the border to Malawi, so his idea was that I go to the Chimp sanctuary and pick him up on the way to the border)…I just laughed…as if I’d leave him to sort it out alone…that’s what teams do right. T E A M…..Together Everyone Achieves More.  It didn’t, or wouldn’t ever cross my mind to leave without him.  Anyway – Slug had a cold beer as oppose to a cigarette (Id hidden the cigarettes he’d bought a few days earlier– which he requested me to do – but I did it so well that I honestly couldn’t remember where I’d put them!). Well the cold beer seemed to do the trick and we eventually sat down to dinner and had a good giggle about it and I locked the documents away in the safe.  We had an early night and woke up at sparrows and were packing up the vehicle when a call came in from Graham. We advised him the problem had been sorted out. Meanwhile he’d subsequently arrived in Lusaka so we agreed to meet for breakfast before heading off to Chimpfunsi.

On the road to the Chimp Sanctuary there were numerous road blocks. The police mainly pull over large trucks and some delapidated looking cars. We were stopped for speeding (apparently I was doing 113km in a 100km) and the fine started at 270,000 kwacha. I told the officer I was very sorry, but that I didn’t have that kind of money on me (about R450) and that he would have to give me a fine and I would follow him to the police station. With that he asked me where I was from and when I said CT, he said that because I was from “Africa” and had little cash I would be given a reduction in my fine to 70,000 kwacha (about R120). I agreed to the “reduction”, paid the cash and off we drove with the office beaming from cheek to cheek.  My afterthought was…. “I wont do that again”.  I had just paid a bribe and it was done so smoothly….where was my fine? Where was my receipt?  Next time – it’s the police station and I don’t care how long it takes! (Mmm…watch this space and don’t stop reading, its getting juicier!)

We stopped off along the way in a local village and had some home made vetkoek (a donut like mixture which is deep fried and sweet…and yummy!) I was a guts and had a homemade sausage roll as well (could be a mistake Ill regret later on in the day, but we’ll see J) and we continued along our way. We’d been on the road for about 4 hours and gone through numerous road blocks when we were stopped about 200km from our final destination by an officer asking to see our passports. We obliged and he asked me what the date was, I told him it was the 21^st August and he asked me what I was still doing in Zambia as my passport had expired on the 13^th August. I said “its impossible – we’ve only been in the country for a week”. With that he showed me my passport and sure as eggs are eggs, my passport had been stamped to say that I had to exit Zambia by the 13^th August. I checked Slugs passport and Dizzy2’s documents and all were stamped  for the 13^th September – except mine. I told the officer that immigration must have made a mistake as we’re all together and he wouldn’t budge! The fine was now much bigger than the speeding fine. It was 1,080 000 kwacha (about R1800). I remembered what Id said to myself and Slug ealier….the next time we were stopped, I wasn’t paying an officer on the side of the road!

I ended up driving an immigration official in Dizzy2, with Slug now sitting in the back of the 4×4, with all the luggage, in the opposite direction to where we were heading….why?…because I wasn’t going to pay any more “roadside” fines!  I was tired of “uniformed” people bullying the public into submission, I was going to the police station!

I chatted to the immigration official the entire way to the small town of Luansha. She escorted me into an office where I produced all my travel documents and papers for Dizzy2 as well as both Slugs and my passport. I explained the story again and she disappeared to tell her boss.  I sat patiently…..two can play at this game I thought. Im going to stay here all day if I have to, but Im doing it by the book!  Her very somber boss came to see me and asked me again to repeat the story, which I did (I was prepared to tell the entire immigration department over and over again if I had to).  He then asked me to put “my story” in a written statement, which again I politely agreed to. When all was said and done and the minutes were fast turning into an hour or two and the sun was beginning to set, I was advised that I had two options….pay 1,080,000 kwacha (R1800) or get arrested as being an illegal immigrant.  Mmm….a million or jail, a million or jail, a million or jail. The stubborn, naughty, don’t give a shit side of me thought about jail – it was on their premises and their immigration building looked more promising than some of the campsites we’d stayed at, but it didn’t last long….however, I stalled a bit longer…”I don’t have that kind of money on me – I need to go to the bank” (Deuce!). The “Boss man” said – you can go wherever you like, but Im keeping your passport (Advantage “Boss man”!!!). Cool I said, Ill see you in a bit!

Between Slug and I we pulled the bucks together and I paid. I did however insist on a receipt (Mmm…I think though that its still “Game, set and match” to the Boss man) and my passport was stamped for another 4 weeks. The official did ask me how long I wanted to extend for and I said “how long does it take to drive to the border”, but I think my subtle, yet sarcastic comment went over her head (I know, I know, but hey I was bruised). On top of it all I had to sign an admission of guilt of breaking a law in their country and agree to keep silent on the matter, otherwise all evidence would be used should I be taken to court (serious stuff considering some inefficient plonker put the wrong date in my passport!).

I did smile when I left them though and wished them all a good evening, while commenting that “Isnt life so unfair, that innocent people always ending up paying the price for someone elses incompetence”. Its true though, isnt it? As unfair as it is, the innocent of this world, always pay the price for the “fat cats” the “power junkies” and the “control freaks” of this world.  

This trip is indeed teaching me a lot. My patience levels have increased 10 fold, and the sadness I feel for those that are unjustly treated through lack of resources, education and/or knowledge grows, but so does my understanding that I am unable to do anything to change or alter the world as it is.  I mentioned in a previous journal entry that we are made to believe that the world is a dark, black and ugly place. I also mentioned that the majority of us live in fear, and that we can only truly discover if our fears, and the fears of others, have substance, if we go out and discover “our” truth for ourselves – however, in this instance I am beginning to see it for myself, not from the media’s perspective or anyone elses,  but first hand,… that people are ugly, calculating and selfish.

By tomorrow this incident will be behind me as I drive to Chimpfunzi. Maybe there was a reason we were suppose to be delayed - first by the possibility of Slug having had lost his passport (we would potentially have to spend two or three extra days in Lusaka), and today by the 3 hour delay in my expired passport stamp.

Through it all, we are only in the infancy of our trip. There is still much to explore and much to experience. Today went down as an experience…as for tomorrow, Im looking forward to spending times with the Chimps.

16th August

Well I hope that you’ve all clicked on the “RSS Feed” button on our home page, so that you’re kept informed as to when our website has been updated. That way it prevents you from having to log in unnecessarily every few days only to find that we haven’t had a chance to update the site yet!

Well we’re out of Namibia and now in Zambia. Before we left Namibia we stayed in Halali, which is a resort within Etosha National Park. We managed to see elephant, giraffe, zebra (see our gallery) and Slug even managed to see lion and rhino at an evening watering hole that I didn’t get to visit (just my luck!).

We met a lovely couple, Penny and Peter Dawson, and between all of us we were happy to be leaving Halali after only a few days due to the noise levels at night in the campsite. While the facilities are great, there are over 50 campsites and a lot of overland buses which mainly consisted of over zealous young foreigners (you’ve gotta laugh…am I not a foreigner….young maybe not, but a foreigner definitely….or am I? I live in a part of Africa….ok, Ill stop!)

We pulled out of Halali and headed towards Rundu which is a town bigger than I personally expected it to be. We drove around for a while looking for a place to stay the night, and was recommended a lovely place on the outskirts of the town.

I must say, I’ve never been one just to get in a car and drive without having a definitive destination to go to - call me a control freak….mmm, several of you are smiling at this point, but since the day we drove out of Cape Town, we have not booked in to anywhere to stay. We generally agree a few days in advance where we’d like to visit, and what there is to see when we get there. The once we arrive, we then decide on how long to hang around for. Bookings just complicates things, because if you don’t like where you’ve booked, its difficult to just leave, and if you arrive somewhere that you really enjoy, then you want to be able to hang around for a few days….like in the instance of Kunene River Lodge – the plan was that we would stay for a day or two, however, we ended up staying there for four days (still my favourite place so far – apart from a miserable old German chap 2 campsites away that told me to switch my engine off, and that South African men are too fat because they all eat too much red meat and that he doesn’t care if all my food gets defrosted….and no, Im not exaggerating….so guys, get those cholesterol checks done and switch over to lettuce leaves and fish!!!)

Im still quite incredulous that I feel so at home doing what Im doing. In fact so much so, that when I get emails or sms’s telling me that “Im brave” and “Aren’t you scared?” I wonder what Im missing? Why should I be scared? And why am I brave? I think it takes much more courage driving home at night from a restaurant in Joburg as it does driving through the rest of Africa during the day!

Its sad that our fears often drive us from doing the things that we’d really love to be doing the most. We live in our comfort zones and allow the media to perpetually frighten us into believing that the world is a big, dark, black, ugly place….but until we get out there and have a look at it for ourselves, and let our own minds decide for us, we will forever be living in a black hole. What have you got to lose? What have you got to fear? Life is so incredible short, and more often than not, when you speak to old or ill people they will often tell you of their many regrets – and none of them mention that they didn’t make enough money – they all however mention regrets of bad family relationships, lost loves and places and dreams not fulfilled. It applies to all of us, and Im no exception – however, I do acknowledge that Im blessed out of my boots that I have been given this opportunity in my life to take nine months to explore other countries, other cultures and different experiences.

Zambia has been marvelous in the short time that we have been here. We are staying in Livingstone for 6 nights, in a lovely lodge/campsite, although the only irritation is that it’s a buzz with mosquitoes, so every day I spray “Peaceful Sleep” all over my skin…and it stinks!!!! (not smells….stinks!!!). Anyway, as long as it does its job, and prevents me from catching Malaria I don’t mind.

My exterior camping lights have all stopped working. On top of it we had some loud, overpowering, uncultured, over zealous South African moron (ok, I think you’ve got the point), jump onto the back of Dizzy2 one evening while I was driving through the campsite, clinging on to the high-lift-jack and my gas cylinders and standing on the inverted step that allows easy access into the back kof the vehicle….subsequently during his joyride he broke the back step from the vehicle. His only saving grace from me not shoving the step down his throat when he feebly arrived at our campsite with step in hand, was that he’d hurt himself quite badly in the fall, as he landed on his butt with the step on top of him. He apologized and handed it over, saying he couldn’t understand why it had broken, while I proceeded to poke him very hard while virtually spitting out every word as I explained that my vehicle wasn’t designed to be jumped, and hung on, like a monkey while in motion. I think he got the point and we never saw him again (nor the offer of fixing the damage he caused!). Needless to say, we were fortunate to find Mike!!! Mike owns a steel fabrication factory in Livingstone, and by the end of the following day he had made up a new foot plate (which is now welded on to the step!) and should last the life expectancey of Dizzy2.

We also were advised to visit Harry Bennett, who fixed all the electrics on Dizzy2 while we waited. He was an absolute star and let me use his computer in his office to update our website, while he carried out the three hour job. It’s so refreshing to meet people that will go out of their way to help strangers. In a world of deadlines, targets, pressure and “each man for himself”, it leaves you with food for thought for those that take a step back, see someone else in need, and step up to the plate to assist.

Im feeling more and more at peace the further North we travel. The people we have encountered are all gentle and friendly and very willing to assist. There isnt any money in Livingstone – you can see that just by driving through the small town, but people are smiling, children wave at you and people just busy themselves doing their day to day chores. I like it here.

12^TH – 13^TH AUGUST 2009 – RUNDU - NAMIBIA 

WE LEFT HALALI CAMP AT DAWN THIS MORNING AS WE HAVE A SIX-HOUR DRIVE AHEAD OF US. WE HAVE DECIDED TAKE THE“TRACKS FOR AFRICA” ROUTING THAT WILL SHORTEN OUR JOURNEY BY APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AS OPPOSE TO DRIVING ON THE MAIN ROAD. THE D3016 IS A WELL-USED SAND ROAD THAT CROSSES WEST TO EAST FROM OSHIVELO TO MURURANI. LOCALS HAVE LET US KNOW THAT THE ROAD IS IN GOOD CONDITION, AS THE RAINY SEASON HAS NOT ARRIVED YET.  AT MURURANI WE WILL TURN LEFT ONTO THE B8 AND HEAD NORTH – THIS TAR ROAD WITH A BIT OF LUCK TAKE US ALL THE WAY INTO RUNDU.

 “DIZZY “EXPERIENCED  FEWER TWISTS AND TURNS, RISES AND FALLS ON THIS SANDY STRETCH OF ROAD, HOWEVER, DUST IN HER SNORKEL AND HER CABIN STILL REMAINS A DILEMMA THAT WILL NEED SORTING OUT BEFORE WE CONTINUE OUR TRIP FURTHER NORTH.

EXHAUSTED WE ARRIVED IN RUNDU JUST AS THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO SET – WE HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD ALL DAY AND THE DRIVE ONCE AGAIN HAS BEEN TIRING.

WE HAVE DECIDED TO REST FOR A DAY OR TWO IN THIS RUN DOWN LITTLE TOWN. SADLY, RUNDU HAS LITTLE TO OFFER IN TERMS OF SIGHT SEEING AND ADVENTURE. THE LOCAL PEOPLE FILL THE TOWN’S DUSTY STREETS FROM SUN RISE TO SUN SET, EKING OUT A MEGA EXISTENCE BY PLYING THEIR HAND DESIGNED ART TO THE FEW WEARY TRAVELLERS THAT PASS HER WAY.   THE NEXT TWO DAYS WILL NOT BE FILLED WITH EXCITING ACTIVITY, BUT RATHER MUNDANE ESSENTIAL GOING-ON’S - SORTING OUT OUR LAUNDRY, FINANCES, VEHICLE REPAIRS, AND HOPEFULLY THE ONGOING NETWORK PROBLEMS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE DEPARTING FROM CAPE TOWN.

WE HAVE MANAGED TO SORT OUT MOST OF THE ODDS AND ENDS WE HAD SCHEDULED WHEN ARRIVING IN RUNDU. WE WILL LEAVE EARLY TOMORROW, AS WE ARE HOPING TO MAKE THE ZAMBIAN BOARDER BEFORE 18.00 HOUR, THEIR OFFICIAL CLOSING TIME.

“DIZZY” BOUNCED INTO LIFE AS SHE RACED OUT OF RUNDU BEFORE THE SUN ROSE “UP AND OVER” THE CUBANGO RIVER. WE ARE RACING NORTH TODAY, A MARATHON 9 HOUR JOURNEY, IN THE DIRECTION OF KATIMA MULLILO. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRAVEL ALONE THE B8, PASSING TROUGH BWABWATA NATIONAL PARK, SHOULDERING THE MUDUMU NATIONAL PARK AND INTO THE CAPRIVI DELTA.

THIS NORTHERN MOST TIP OF NAMIBIA IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE IMPALILA ISLAND, THE ONE ISLAND IN AFRICA WHERE FOUR COUNTRIES MEET – BOTSWANA, ZIMBABWE, ZAMBIA AND NAMIBIA.

THE ISLAND IS A MOSAIC OF WOODLANDS, RIVERINE FORESTS, SWAMPS, AND RIVERS. MANY PARTS OF THE ISLAND ARE ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. THE ZAMBEZI RIVER ALSO BOARDERS THE ISLAND AND OFFER SUPERB TIGER FISHING AND IS STILL REGARDED AS ONE OF THE TOP BIRDING SPOTS IN NAMIBIA.

WE ARRIVED AT KATIMA MULLILO BOARDER POST AT 2.00 PM SOUTH AFRICAN TIME – AFTER FINALISING EXIT AND ENTRY FORMALITIES FROM NAMIBIA INTO ZAMBIA “ HAD A AFRICAN RUN-AROUND ON THE ZAMBIAN SIDE OF THE BOARDER” WE CROSSED OVER THE MIGHTY ZAMBEZI RIVER HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OF LIVINGSTONE – ZAMBIA.

SUMMARY – NAMIBIA

THE CAPE – NAMIBIA ROUTE OFFERS AN OVERABUNDANCE OF ACTIVITIES IN A COMBINATION FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN AFRICA.  THE ROUTE’S SPINE HUGS THE WEST COAST AND MOVES NORTH WHERE A MAGNITUDE OF PLACES AND LANDSCAPES CAN BE EXPLORED. FROM THE RICHTERSVELD NATIONAL PARK IN THE SOUTH, TO THE FAR REACHES OF THE KUNENE RIVER IN THE NORTH, UNFOLDS UNTOUCHED LANDSCAPES, WHICH RANGE FROM SAVANNAH BUSH LAND TO DESERT DUNES. WILD LIFE IS SADLY NOT IN ABUNDANCE AND LIONS AND LEOPARDS HAVE ELUDED US THROUGHOUT OUR NAMIBIAN ADVENTURE.

NAMIBIA IS A PLACE TO FIND SOLITUDE AND SERENITY. A SPIRITUAL AND PEACEFUL PLACE WHERE JADED CITY DWELLERS LIKE US CAN RELAX AND UNWIND. IT IS A PLACE FOR AMATEUR! PHOTOGRAPHERS TO DRAW INSPIRATION.

WOULD WE VISIT NAMIBIA AGAIN – WITHOUT DOUBT, ABSOLUTELY, CERTAINLY?