Sometime ago somebody prognosticated, border formalities are much faster in eastern and southern Africa.
And he was right. In no time the formalities on Zambian side were performed. We had to buy a visa for US$ 25,00 for each
of us, valid 14 days, as well as to contract an insurance for the bike (100 000 Kwacha = US$ 30,00). After the official
matters we drove till Chipata, where we visited the campground right away. Nice green lawn and relatively quiet. After
all we had to take it easy this day.
September 15. - 18., 2006 Ride to and stay in South Luangwa National Park
During the first day we drove all day long, as we had to cover a distance of 105 km with very bad road conditions. Our “neat”
guidebook from Daerr reports: ”well-kept road”. I only can laugh about that. It took us almost 4 hours and we were done after
that. I addition it was quite hot. On the way we met some women, who allowed to take a picture with them. We also took a few
pictures with the “digi” and showed the pictures to them. It tickled them pink. ;-)
In Mwfue, the small village just next to the national park, we drove to “Croc Valley” camp ground, beautiful located on Luangwa
river, with acoustic level from hippos and elephants. First we came to a rest at the bar to satisfy our thirst, because all
the time we had to drive with open vizor of helmet and were dried up accordingly. Then we decided to book 2 safaris during the
next day, one in the morning, one in the evening. The booking was easy as they accepted credit cards. After we pitched our tent
and having one or two beer, we had the day go to an end. The first night the acoustic level really was very high: besides the
roaring of elephants, hippos and even lions and hyenas you could hear everything and even more. In addition hippos and elephants
were crossing the campground, which made me (Rita) fear a little bit. But fortunately nothing bad happened.
On Saturday we had safari for in total 8 hours. And it really was worth it. The first tour started with sunrise about 6:00 am.
Right at the beginning we saw some lions, which had broken a hippo the day before. The rest of the hippo, half of it, was laying
next to the lions which stank quite heavily. During the drive we also saw many elephants, giraffes, impalas and different birds.
Super-duper. Then back to the camp where we had breakfast, a noodle soup, and then some housekeeping work: to do our laundry,
and relaxing. Early afternoon a Toyota LandCruiser with cabin rolled on the campground. We saw this car already in Lilongwe.
Sylvia and Charly from Switzerland, who were en-route already for about 21 months. They drove from Switzerland along the west coast
of Africa to Cape Town and now along the east coast back to the north 4x4expedition.com.
There was a lot to chat about and we almost missed our second safari. It started at 4:00 pm and lasted till after sundown. Again
we saw a lot of animals, among others sweet hippos, which were tramping around. The highlight was the leopard, which we were waiting
for in the darkness. Super. On the way back we met a porcupine, many hippos walking around and elephants as well as the lions from
the morning tour. About 8:30 pm we arrived at the camp, met Sylvia and Charly again and were chatting into the night. This night we
had an adventure of a special kind. We were used to the hippos running around the campground and graze. But that one hippo is getting
that close to our tent that its shadow fills up the complete tent, that was new! And we were sitting upright on our camping mat!
THAT CLOSE we never experienced a hippo.
On Sunday we had planned to leave the camp and drive back to Chipata, but we ran out of time while chatting with Charly and Sylvia.
We already had packed everything and put on our full motorbike gear, when we again met Sylvia and Charly to say “good bye”. After some
time, around 1 pm, completely being all in a sweat, we decided to stay. With their help, the tent was quickly set up again and the first
beer found its way. We hung out with them all afternoon, sitting on comfortable sofas having our brewski and watching some game on the
other side of the river. Very “gemütlich”! Unfortunately I (Rita) caught a bloody rash on the back, which was itching for more
than a week and only disappeared by applying cortisone. But we sat till the first elephants an hippos showed up on the neighbour slot.
We quickly went there to watch them. At night we were invited by Sylvia and Charles for supper and drink. They even have a fridge with
them and were able to offer things like vanilla crème with peaches or Ammarula liqueur. “Hmmm” that really was a feast. This night
again we had a lot of noise, but we had no trouble with it.
September 18., we drove back the ”well-kept road” to Chipata. On our way Chri suddenly stopped, as someone was trying to take a picture
of us. Two guys from Dresden, who had rented a car. They were so excited about us and what we were doing, that they kept taking pictures.
Additionally they said: ”Well, you are heroes!” What more do you want?! After this happening it was easier driving. ;-)
September 19. - 21., 2006 Drive to Lusaka and Stay
The first two days we drove all day long, because in total there are more than 600 km from Chipata to the capital. The first evening we
stayed at the campground and spoiled ourselves with a comprehensive meal -- an advanced birthday dinner for Rita. On the second night
we made arrangements for a 3 nights stay in Lusaka. The birthday we spent with a beer and noodles with tomato sauce. The 21., we used to
an intensive visit of the internet and shopping in a huge shopping centre. During the evening we were visited by a spider, about 15 cm big.
It had settled on our inner tent. Grr… We tried to scare it away, but it only ran from one side to the other. Finally we asked for help.
The guy gave it short shrift and killed it. We did not want that to happen, but to have it in our neighbourhood during sleep we did not
want either...
September 22.06 Visit PLAN International in Mazabuka
This should be our last visit to a PLAN bureau on this continent and it again was as interesting and convincing as in the other countries.
We first met with them in the bureau in Lusaka and then drove with two assistants 90 km to Mazabuka. Here we were expected by other
assistants and we were shown tree projects: farmers market gardening and artificial irrigation, which allows 2 or more harvests a year.
One “cow-project” - the peasant receives 2 cows by PLAN, and selling milk now supports her and her children. At last there was a hospital
on the visiting program, where pregnant women can go for delivery and/or getting instructions for adequate nourishing and nursing of their
children. This visit again was well planned and we liked it very much.
September 23. - 26.06 Drive and stay in Livingstone and Vic Falls
The 23. again was driving all day long; 500km till Livingstone. The landscape was relatively dull, fortunately the roads in pretty good condition.
But it took us the complete day and we arrived in our camp shortly before sundown. Right after Lusaka we were stopped by police -- speeding,
too fast in zone with 65 km/h. A fine was to be paid, but as they had no reception blocks we came along with a warning!! Good luck!!
The next days it again was very hot, hot, hot… On the 24. we had planned a safari on foot into a small national park next to the falls.
The fee (US$ 75,00 per person for only 2 hours) made us change our mind. That is too much money for nothing. They indeed guarantee that you
will see one of the two rhinos, but we could do without it. Thus the rest of the day again we took it easy, we did a little bit laundry and that
was it. We could not do much more because of the heat. During the evening we learned that a visit to the falls does not pay off for the time being,
because the Zambezi had not much water with the result there are no Vic-Falls. To make a visit from Zimbabwe would be better. We considered forth
and back; a detour trip to Zimbabwe would mean more expenses. We finally decided to first visit the falls from Zambia and eventually later go to Zimbabwe.
To make a long story short. On 25. early in the morning we started to visit the falls. They really had not much water! On our side, Zambia, there only
is one important fall. We did not get discouraged and went as far as possible. From our lookout point you could see falls in Zimbabwe, which had much
more water. In addition there was a wonderful rainbow, which moved down the falls during sunrise. Thus we easily could take pictures without getting wet.
We decided to let it at that and not to drive to Zimbabwe. After this visit we went to the other side of the falls, that means into the real course of
the Zambezi close to the edge of the fall. We stayed until sundown and think that was a felicitous day. Although not much water, we enjoyed the falls!
On the way back as well as in the morning we met a huge herd of elephants, which simply strolled through the area and/or were standing on the roadside
in the shade. Beautiful!!
A short glance at our emails told us, that Beate and Rüdiger are in Zimbabwe in Mana Pools National park. They for sure would stay there till September 28th.
As we would like to meet them again, and they offered to take us with them in their car into the park we made up our mind to drive to Zimbabwe after all.
That meant, driving back again the complete distance to Lusaka. We did that on September 26th. We made it till Monze, where we afforded a hotel room. That
was necessary again! We slept like angels!
September 27.06 Drive to the Zambian-Zambezian border
The last day in Zambia, we drove from Monze till Siavonga on Lake Kariba. We already knew the region till Kafue, afterwards the area became diversified.
Small hills, some piste, because of road construction, and sinuous roads. In Siavonga we were allowed to camp on the area of a lodge and had the last Zambian
beer - a “Mosi”. Sadly enough it was to hot during night to have a good sleep. We were sweating all night long waiting for sunrise.
September 28.06 Departure from Zambia
From Siavonga only a few kilometres to the border, the formalities were quickly done and the remaining Kwacha changed into Zim-dollars. Thus we could say good bye
to our 14th country in Africa.
+++++
FAZIT ZAMBIA
RITA: The South Luangwa N.P. is worth a visit! We were able to watch a lot of beautiful animals, it really was fun. Unfortunately the country was very dry, and
people in Zambia burn down a lot. As a result you see many black spots of area - not a nice view. The small villages are nice to look at, everything neat and clean.
The huts partly coloured, the court swept and sometimes even decorated with flowers or plants in front of the buildings. I liked the little what we saw from Zambia.
CHRI: I was cheered up with this country. Here we saw some game. The piste we took to South Luangwa N.P., which we took was everything else than “a well kept road”
but we made it. And it was worth it. We even met a leopard while having a night tour through the park. Our friends the hippos visited us every night on our campground.
Very nice. The Vic Falls were worth a visit, even with low water. Primarily because we could walk along on the “fall side” Ingenious is the statue of "Jebedia Springfield"!
It is a very nice country except the burned down fields.
