Safari in Chobi

Yesterday was unbelievable. We went for our long awaited safari. They picked us up in a large van at the Waterfront at 7:15. They made a few other stops and then we headed out of town. (One of the stops was the newly opened David Livingstone Safari Lodge. It was beautiful.) About 40 minutes later we had to go through Zambian immigration to get an exit permit. They then took us across the Zambezi in motor boats and we had to go through immigration to get into Botswana. The Chobi National Park was near the river and we boarded boats there. We saw all kinds of birds, hippo, elephants, water buffalo, impala, wart hogs, kudu, lions, and crocodiles. We went back to this amazing lodge for a great lunch (I looked everywhere for a gift shop to get some postcards but could never find it.) and then we boarded open Land Rovers for our trip along the bank of the river where we had been before. We saw all the same animals and added giraffes. We headed back and repeated the process to get back to Livingstone. It really was an amazing day. I will add photos as soon as I am back in the States.

July 4th in Livingstone

What a day! I so miss being with my family on July 4th since this is one of our big holidays. Keri went up to my Moms and she, Mom and Ian will go to St. Mary's Mountain to watch the fireworks. Ian has spent the last two weeks with my Mom helping out, I hope.

This had probably been one of the most unique 4th of Julys. It began with me having breakfast on the banks of the Zambezi River watching a crocodile swim across. from there we went to a local market and bargained. Sara loves it, but it nearly puts Beckie and me in the grave. I got some good things for our Zambia display and for some gifts. It probably took 10 years from my life however, and I don't have that many to spare.

We went to the Royal Livingstone for high tea. We thought that would be a great treat for July 4th. It was wonderful. The spread was better than anything we have encountered, even at Fortnum and Masons and the Empress. There was even a cake to celebrate the 4th. We sat in wicker chairs watching the monkeys play along the shore of the Zambezi. You could see the spray from Victoria Falls. It really was a great afternoon. I was looking for a t-shirt for Ian and they were out so they sent us to the Zambezi Sun. When we pulled up, there were Africans in tribal dress playing drums but I wasn't in a position to get a photo. As were leaving, we saw a group of zebra and were able to get some good photos.

It was a full day and were ready to head back to the Zambezi Waterfront Lodge for the evening. I have some great photos but cannot post them here. I will post them as soon as I return home.

Livingstone, I presume!

The drive from Lusaka to Livingstone has to be one of the roughest one day drives. Beckie started out as we left the Holiday Inn at 6:30. We desperately wanted to beat the traffic and we were out of Lusaka easily. We skipped the giraffe carver since we had spent most of our money the day before. We stopped at the Munali Coffee Plantation to get some gifts and then headed for our break at Tooters.

Sara took over here and Beckie moved to the back seat. I should have traded with Beckie because being so close to the shoulder made me a nervous wreck and I drove Sara crazy with my backseat driving. While she was driving, we stopped at the Choma Muesum and Craft Center where Beckie and Sara purchased some baskets and other items. Then on to Kolomo for lunch at El Pentano. We had called Ellie from Choma because she had a letter for us to take to the States to mail. Mr. Peiry heard that we were going to be there and drove in from Namwianga to see us. He is such a nice man.

I took the wheel at Zimba. Sara was doing a great job, but we were afraid that we would bust a tire, bend or break an axle or have some other damage while on the HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE road. We pulled into the Zambezi Waterfront Lodge before dark and checked into our rooms. They remind me of many of the Victorian era rooms I have stayed in in Canada and the UK. We had a wonderful dinner on the deck overlooking the Zambezi river.

Lusaka Free Day

We met Ellie and the Medical Mission team this morning at the Kilimanjaro. Klay and Lisa Bartee are in and they are all heading back to Namwianga Mission today. We will head out very early tomorrow morning in an attempt to make it to Livingston before dark. I think we are going to stop in Kolomo to get a letter that Ellie needs mailed in the States.

The Minister of Health is in Egypt with the President after his stroke so we could not meet with him today. That left the day to explore. We shopped through the mall at Manda Hill and I bought some books at both book stores and some bead animals ah Kufu Crafts. After lunch we decided to head to the Kabwata Culture Village where there was a local craft market.

We all found some great craft items but they sure were pushing all their wares. It was exhausting!!! I got Ian a hippo and brought back many other items. I ran out of Kwatcha and energy before I could look at everything. It certainly was not a peaceful place to visit. We are back at the hotel and will probably stay here until our departure to Livingston.

On TV in Lusaka

Tuesday, July 1

We met with Honourable Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, the Zambian Minister of Education this morning at 10:00. He was so impressed that he asked us to meet with the press if he could arrange it. We had just walked back to the hotel when his office called and asked us to return for a press conference (check Zambian NBC tonight at 7:00).

We met Ellie Hamby and many of the Zambian Medical Mission people for lunch at Kilimanjaro, a restaurant at the Manda Hill shopping center. It was a great place with good food and fairly reasonable prices. It also had lots of Zambian art for sale but I didn't have time to look well. We headed to the hotel and have been here all afternoon waiting for a meeting with the Minister of Health. I'm getting tired of this hotel!!!

Monday, June 30

One of the approaches to life in Africa is to "hurry up and wait." We got ready to head to Lusaka yesterday but we needed to follow someone. After many false starts, we hit the road. A rest stop along the way (Totters) provided a welcome toilet break. Beckie drove all the way. Fortunately, the roads were much better, but there were some majors accidents along the way. We pulled in to some of the worst traffic ever (traffic circles do not work in such situations). We found the Holiday Inn as it got dark and settled in for the night.

Travel Summary (days without internet)

Sunday, June 29



Today we went to a bush congregation in Katakula. We left the Mission at 8:00 with 5 of us loaded in the double cab and 8 secondary students in the back. As long as were on the dirt road (I have adjusted to the fact that these bump fields are called “roads”) I wasn’t worried, but when we took to a path I wondered if we would be seen again. We finally reached the “building” and gathered with the believers there. It was a wonderful, wonderful service. The songs were all from their Tonga songbook and sung as I had hoped. The man beside me nudged me with his elbow and shared his book with me. I tried to sing in Tongalese but not very loud. After the service, they ask the visitors to leave first and form a line at the entrance then each member exits and shakes each hand until they fall in line at the end. They are singing the entire time. It was so nice to have been there. I understand the service here in the auditorium is very “western”.

This afternoon we went to the home of a lady living here at the Mission who makes bags and make-up kits out of the African material. I bought Keri a bag and a make-up bag and several additional make-up bags.

Another trip to see the toddlers who wanted to be held, supper on the veranda and evening services at the College. We leave tomorrow for Lusaka to meet with the Minister of Education. We have three night booked at the Holiday Inn.

The night sky is so amazing. The Milky Way looks like a path you could walk on. Keri and Ian will be into that.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Well, I have now marked off one of my lifetime goals. I have ridden through the African bush in a Land Rover. They are disappearing here in Zambia as the English influence gradually diminishes but there are a few left. Namwianga Mission has two. Kel Hamby said they would probably have to replace them with Toyota's when the time came.

Yesterday morning, we had biscuits and gravy with bacon and coffee. I have discovered that you eat very well here. Ellie said that she just gave all the recipients to Lennard, the Zambian cook, and she no longer feels any need to do that. Beckie, Sara, Merideth (a hold-over from the North-Reach campaign) and I headed into Kolomo. On the way, we toured the Namwianga Medical Clinic where Sid Tate used to work.

We strolled to the bank (Sara still cannot access her $), then on to the market. It was a village market so no tourist influence where we purchased our “chitenge” (material used for the traditional women’s skirt). Meredith bargained for us and we got them for 8500 Kwatcha (about $2.83) each. We will get some more because Beckie and Sara have decided that we will have “Chitenge Friday” from now own. I guess I will have a shirt made from one of them. After stopping at an internet café (think about that, an internet café in a small rural village in Zambia, Africa) we ate lunch at a restaurant owned by graduates from ACU and then headed back to Namwianga. There is no internet available at Manwianga at the present. The system is in place but it is not working.

We visited “the babies” this afternoon at The Haven. There are so many of them and at least 10 or 12 are HIV positive. One of my favorites, Brian, is not expected to live. It’s tragic to think that some of these children will not make it. They are so beautiful and smile so sweetly at you. The “toddlers” in the other houses were all asleep. We then went to “Eric’s House” where the Merrits live. They have 36 children living with them.

Friday. June 27, 2008

Meeting and work day – including tour of the Namwianga Mission, secondary school, and George Benson Teacher’s College. We met with representatives of the college and mission and were told that we were an “answer to prayer.” This afternoon, we are developing curriculum to be presented to the Zambian Minister of Education during our meeting in Lusaka next week. It was strange sitting on a porch in Zambia, Africa developing course material. For dinner, we had “nshima and relish”, a traditional Zambian meal. It was cornmeal mush with chicken, cabbage slaw, and bread and butter. Last night, we played cards to stay up awhile and I took “Simply-Sleep”. I had the first full nights sleep since I started taking the malaria medicine.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

It has truly been an amazing day!! The ZigZag was perfect for us. My supper was great last night. I always want to try local specialties so I ordered the house special - curry and rice. It was great!! I have tried to like curry for years but there is always one spice in it that I don’t like. This did not have it. My room was very small, but it had a bathroom and a mosquito curtain. It seems way to cold for mosquitoes but I used it anyway. I noticed a candle to use if the generator went out, but it made it through the night.

We had a nice breakfast in the open dining room and headed for the SuperSpar to get water and snacks for the day. We also bought some postcards, only to discover they were taken by Ellie Hamby from the Namwianga Mission, our destination for today. Then we headed for Victoria Falls. It was an unbelievable place. I find it one of the most awe-inspiring places on earth. I will include a photo because words cannot do it justice. A friend from college days grew up in Rhodesia and spoke of them often. As we were leaving, we spotted a monkey running along the roof of an 18-wheeler waiting to go into Zimbabwe. We didn’t have time to get a photo of it.
We met someone from the airport at 12:00 to follow him back to Namwianga. Unfortunately, his Mom’s flight was delayed so we headed out on our own. On the way out of Livingston we had lunch at the Wonder Bakery. My favorite was “samosas”, a pastry of meat cabbage and spices. They were wonderful.

The road between Livingston and Zimba was the worst I have ever seen. You don’t understand! THE WORST THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!! There were cars and trucks with broken axles and blown tires. There was even an 18-wheeler turned over and all sorts of breakdowns. It was about 90 kilometers but took us about 3 hours. The last 40 kilometers of paved road was excellent between Zimba and Kolomo. The rest of the way was a pleasure. Someone met Kel Hamby met us in Koloma in his Land Rover and we followed him back to the Namweanga Compound. The dirt road was difficult in a car but we made it just as it was getting dark. Ellie Hamby had a large dinner party planned and we ate outside near fire braziers. We then headed to bed in the Guest House, a large thatched structure. We are truly in Africa!