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ZAMBIA
Day 243 10.09.05
Kasane (Botswana) to Livingstone (Zambia)
60k
Waterfront Campsite
This is an interesting area as it is the meeting of four countries Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia and the confluence of two large rivers, the Zambezi and the Chobe.
Therefore you have to be clear which border crossing you are heading for.
We had to clear formalities in Botswana and then take the landy on the Kasangula Ferry across to Zambia.
We cleared immigration and customs but didn't know we needed to get a pass for the ferry from immigration and have it stamped by customs so had to go round again!
The ferry takes a couple of cars and a lorry so plenty of time in the queue to get some mending done while waiting.
Then on the Zambian side it was in and out of the tiny cabins to pay for the ferry, get passports stamped, carnet stamped, pay for Zambian insurance, which all had to be done in the right order.
We had been told we would have to do some of this in Kwacha, the Zambian money so we had changed some money with the moneychangers. However they would take SA rand or dollars. Everyone seemed very cheerful which was good as it was baking hot.
Then at the ferry gate we had to wash our hands, walk through the disinfectant and have the wheels sprayed for Foot and Mouth Disease control.
And so into Zambia.
We headed for the Waterfront Campsite. This turned out to be quite busy as all the overland companies stop here with their big trucks full of groups travelling together.
Livingstone appears to be the adventure capital of Africa. The main attraction is Victoria Falls and the Zambezi. Below the falls are a series of rapids. You can go down on rafts or canoes or boogie boards or jet boat up them or fly over in a microlite or a helicopter, or bungee jump or gorge swing into the gorge.
Above the falls, where the river is wide and slow you can go cruising sedately in style or on a booze cruise or walk the banks, on foot, on elephants or with lions. Days 244 - 248 11-15.09.05
Livingstone.
A chance to be real tourists and also to get some work done on the Land Rover.
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Our stay at the waterfront was great fun due to the happy circumstance of us camping next to Alan and Rune. A couple from South Africa celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary they were enjoying everything Livingstone had to offer and their descriptions of all the various activities were so vivid we didn't need to do them. We really enjoyed their company.
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Alan and Rune
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A helicopter ride over the falls was hugely enjoyable and that was when we understood the geography of the river as we flew over and could see the contrast with the wide lazy river above the falls.
Allan and Runé had microlited over the falls so at least we could compare airial experiences!
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Vic falls
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An elephant safari gave us a good opportunity to get up close and personal with some elephants. Whilst on board the elephant Steve accidentally dropped his water bottle unnoticed by us all. The elephant, however did notice and swung its trunk down, picked it up and gave it back!
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Elephant safari
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In the minibus on the way back we realised that one of the young women on the excursion was Samantha who we had known well as a child before her family moved away!!
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Sam's grown up!
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We had to move to Jolly Boys backpackers in Livingstone for a couple of nights while the Land Rover was at Foleys.
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We took the Land Rover in to get an opinion on a noise, which had developed recently. Draining the oil from the transfer box a small chunk of metal came out. This had to have sheared of from something inside so it meant dismantling the transfer box, and the landy would have to stay there overnight.
Steve spent time at Foleys while they dismantled and rebuilt the transfer box.
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Where does this bit go?
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He also decided to have the heat exchanger removed, which we had installed for the shower, as the brackets kept coming loose and they rerouted the water pipes back to their original configuration.
Back at the Waterfront we were sorry to say goodbye to Alan and Rune. Day 249 16.09.05
Livingstone to Monze
Moorings campsite
S 16 11.595
E 027 32.595
As we set off we were unable to get diesel anywhere. Zambia seems to have a problem with its only refinery and fuel supplies are uncertain.
Because of this we abandoned our plans to go to Kafue game reserve as we calculate we have just enough fuel to get to the Malawi border.
However at the end of the day we could get some at Choma. Nobody seems to know the extent of the shortage.
The moorings is a lovely quiet campsite on a farm with good facilities and friendly staff.
On checking the Land Rover Steve discovered that the top polybelt pulley had sliced through the newly fitted water pipe and water had started to leak out. The clip holding it out of the way had failed. Day 250 17.09.05
Stayed at the Moorings
At 6.30 am (!) the farm mechanic arrived having heard that we had a problem with the Land Rover and so the hoses were replaced before a late breakfast and Steve introduced the guy to the idea of the British tea break with mugs of sweet tea.
The UJs also needed tightening up. We found some reflective tape to put on the front of the Land Rover. Although we did have some on the front already, at each police checkpoint they had said it was in the wrong place. They were friendly about it but it was one more delay each time.
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That evening as Steve jogged across the campsite from the showers in the dark he saw the shape of the white campsite cat. Looking closer to see what the cat was looking at his brain registered 'snake' just in time to stop him stepping on the cobra. Lucky that the cat had spotted it first!
The campsite boys bludgeoned it to death, as that is how they deal with poisonous snakes near where people are living!
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Cobra
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Day 251 18.09.05
Monze to Kafue
Camped at River Motel
S15 48.433
E28 12.600
Enjoyed walk down to the river where the motel has a temporary bar and café in some semi derelict concrete buildings. There was a disco with rap music and one person dancing while people sat about on the grass. Quite strange but lovely setting!
We camped outside a motel room where we had use of the facilities although for most of the time there was no electricity or running water so it was fortunate we can be self sufficient and we probably fared better than the other guests. Day 252 19.09.05
Kafue to Lower Zambezi
Kanyemba Lodge
S15 57.084
We wanted to visit the Lower Zambezi Game Reserve. However it is still quite remote.
We approached along the road from Chirundu. The usual dirt road, it passes through some small villages along the way.
Usually on the borders of reserves there are game management areas or privately owned areas which buffer the reserve for the animals.
We were flagged down by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The Zambian driver wanted to tell us there had been an incident.
As he started with the usual pleasantries it took us a while to understand he was talking about something very serious.
Two tourists had been shot earlier in the morning on the stretch of road we were approaching. One of them had died.
It was hard to take in the information and we were unsure what to do next. Where were the people who had done the shooting? He told us that the gate to the management area owned by a lodge was just one kilometre ahead.
We put our foot down and hurtled along the road peering nervously into the trees to the gate. One of the gate men accompanied us the lodge 5k away. We passed the aftermath of the shooting with the car still beside the road. At the lodge they had been attending to the couple. The woman was dead and the man injured. Everyone was in a state of shock over what had happened as never before has a tourist been shot dead here.
It became apparent that it was one man involved in the shooting and everyone knew who he was. As we later pieced together the story it was a tragic moment of panic in a robbery by an armed man evading arrest for another crime.
We no longer felt inclined to head further in towards the reserve with an armed man on the run.
We met Ricardo, the owner of Kanyenba Lodge which was back down the road we had driven. It was agreed we could go there and there was a vehicle with armed men going that way so we could follow them out.
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So that is how we came to spend a night at Kanyemba Lodge, a little piece of paradise, on the shores of the Lower Zambezi River.
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Kanyemba Lodge
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Day 253 20.09.05
Kanyemba to Gwabi Lodge
The president of Zambia sent his helicopter to help with the manhunt - an indication of how seriously the incident was viewed.
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Meanwhile Kerry and Steve who manage the lodge for Ricardo made us so welcome. The food was wonderful and the setting was beautiful. We went up river in a boat and then canoed back down with 2 guides. The river is wide here and away from the main channel it meanders through smaller channels where hippos wallow and crocs sunbathe and the birdlife is amazing. The water is very clear here. On the islands are elephants grazing in the long grass. They come over from Zimbabwe on the opposite bank.
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You're not coming onto my island
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The room was a thatched rondavel with a lovely bathroom where everything worked!
Sadly our budget doesn't stretch to staying in such luxury so we had to move on to Gwabe campsite also in a lovely setting on the bank of the Kafue River some kilometres upstream of where the Kafue runs into the Zambezi. Day 254 21.09.05
Lower Zambezi to Luangwa
Bridge Camp
S 15 00.297
E 030 12.904
We got some diesel at Gwabe and continued onto Lusaka where we could stock up. We were unable to find diesel in Lusaka. Moving on to Luangwa, the Bridge campsite is just across the river from Mozambique. Our fellow campers were Penny and Brian from South Africa who had arrived by the road we were planning to take the next day so it was interesting to hear how do-able it was as the book warned that it was difficult.
Also Jacque and Elizabet a Swiss couple we had met in Livingstone were there and planning the same route as us. Day 255 22.09.05
Luangwa Bridge to South Luangwa
Camp at Wildlife Camp
S 13.06.565
E031 45.235
Before turning off at Petaque we managed to get some diesel, so felt confident that we could visit then south Luangwa reserve and still have enough to cross the border. It seems that diesel is much more readily available the further you are from any centre of population. Most people seem to be keeping their tanks topped up wherever they can.
The road was quite hard going but through some lovely scenery. We arrived at sunset having driven all day without stopping for more than half an hour in total. At one point we drove through tsetse fly alley where we had to close the windows and they were banging against them trying to get in. They hurt when they bite!
We had had recommendations for places to stay there and it happened that Wildlife camp was the first place we saw on the route we took. Day 256 23.09.05
Stayed Wildlife camp.
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Jacque and Elizabet arrived.
We were camping in a lovely setting overlooking the river. We sat and watched the elephants crossing. There is a bar and small swimming pool. It is possible to stand in the pool and watch the river. The weather is now very hot, in the high thirties in the afternoon so a clean swimming pool is very welcome.
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View from wildlife camp
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In the evening we signed up for a night drive and- hurray -at last we got to see a leopard.
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Leopard walk past
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It came very close to the car and didn't seem fazed by the torchlight. It had killed an Impala, hauled it up a surprisingly high tree and left it there, dangling on a branch. Day 257 24.09.05
Wildlife Camp
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We drove ourselves around the reserve. Now we knew where to look for the leopard we were able to see it again. It has 2 cubs and they had eaten the impala in the night and just the remains were visible in the tree with the bones gorily hanging down. Now we could see it in daylight we were again impressed by how high the leopard had managed to get it.
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Leopard underneath kill in tree
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The reserve has a maze of roads and there is no map available so we were glad of the GPS as apparently people do get quite lost and unable to find the gate again!
There are not many self drive visitors here so it is possible to find areas which are very quiet and have the animals all to yourself. There are plenty of impala zebra etc.
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We watched a huge herd of buffalo cross our path. Then we found 2 lions dozing under a tree trying to find some shade from the heat of the sun. We could get quite close as they were too hot to bother to move.
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Too hot to bother
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We followed along beside the river and the biggest croc we have ever seen drifted by.
By mid afternoon the heat was oppressive (we were covered up against tsetse flies) and fearing we would actually melt we retreated to the camp to immerse ourselves in the pool. Day 258 25.09.05
Luanga to Luambe reserve
Camped Wilderness Camp
S12 27.974
E32 08.812
We set off with J and E to the Luambe game reserve which is north of South Luanga.
Outside the reserves we passed through small villages. The poverty here is apparent. The children are for the most part dressed in rags. We have been told that the rainy season was short and it has caused difficulties with the crops. There are food aid programmes to the worst affected areas.
Also the incidence of HIV and AIDS is very high here. The relatively high death rate among young adults means that the adults who are left are supporting many children. The struggle for immediate survival out weighs any concern about the possibility of dying from AIDS in 5 years time. now some are beginning to get the treatment it is removing the immediate threat and curbing the spread is becoming even harder despite many education initiatives.
Zambians we have met are always keen to know what do we think about their country. They are philosophical about the many difficulties that they face and proud that they have remained at peace despite the activities of some of their less peaceful neighbours. They share a border with eight other countries.
We have been told several times that there are up to 70 tribes represented in Zambia but they are one nation.
Arriving at the camp, it was on the riverbank. In the river were about 300 hippos in 2 groups. Hippos make a wonderful series of grunts and snorts with a deep bass ho ho ho as the basis. One starts and the others reply until there is a crescendo of sound. At night they leave the river to graze and apparently can go as far as 1.5 k to find good grazing. This was what we had come to see and they didn't disappoint. It is relatively expensive to camp here as you have to pay the park fees and camping fees which are about double the price of anywhere else we have camped and a conservancy fee as well. However for one night it is worth it for sheer entertainment value. Also the camp staff are very diligent and lit a campfire for us and got the boiler going for hot water. There is also a shady bar and even here miles from anywhere they could produce cold beers.
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Hippo, croc and bird
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Fishing near hippos
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Day 259 26.09.05
Luambe to Lundazi
Camped Castle Motel
We found our way along the remote dirt roads to Lundazi.
There were several fires close to the road. We are so used to seeing fires in Africa that we no longer remark on them. However we had been amused by the author of the guide book we were using remarking that Zambians are a nation of pyromaniacs because it does sometimes seem that outside the game reserves there is no area of land which has not been burnt. The fires do not burn the trees but decimate the undergrowth and it is not always apparent why they have lit them as they cannot all be spontaneous combustion.
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The motel in Lundazi is famous for being an extremely eccentric building in the style of a castle in the middle of a small African town.
They said we could camp under the trees at the front. Going in to use the toilet we found a huge oil drum full of water and a bucket for flushing. They had showed us the bathroom we could use when we arrived but there was no running water. The hotel was full when we were there and the whole thing functions with no running water due to problems with the town water supplies.
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Castle motel
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