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.