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.