Zambia First Week

Well, after a relaxing few days at Kubu Lodge in Kasane we left at 6.30 am on Tuesday 20th March and headed down for the ferry crossing over the Chobe river at Kazangulu into Zambia. We finally all made the crossing by about 9.30 and started the border proceedings to get into Zambia. It was all quite quick and very official with receipts being issued but these were the costs involved:- Ferry crossing R140, Zambian 3 rd party insurance R204, Council tax R9 and Carbon tax R363. Anyway we were over the border and all 4 of us headed north for 120kms before crossing over to the western side of the Zambezi river and traveling another 50kms to Kubula Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi river. This lodge is R75 per person per night for camping but it is well worth it as there is a beautiful lawn and good ablutions. On Tuesday we just chilled at the campsite and had a braai in the evening. Wednesday morning we got up and took a boat ride up the Zambezi to some rapids. However the rapids were completely covered over as the Zambezi is flooding and is the highest it has been since 1979. Anyway it was an enjoyable trip. In the afternoon we managed to activate our satellite telephones so that was another worry off my mind.
Our car now seems to be behaving so Dave is very relieved.
Thursday we took a day trip 90kms north up the western side of the Zambezi to Sioma Ngonye Falls – however these were more rapids than falls due once again to the flooding of the river. We hired locals to take us over in mokoros to see better and so it was a very enjoyable morning ending with a lovely swim in the river. On the way up, we had stopped to help some locals fix a broken fan belt and to tow them out of soft sand but the way back was uneventful. We arrived back at Kubula Lodge at 3.30pm and there were Ingrid and Will – our 5th and final traveling companions.

Friday 23rd March
We set off bright and early – all 5 vehicles now in convoy – back down towards Katima Mulilo then NE to Katundu and on up to Mulobezi. Here we stopped to look at a whole lot of abandoned trains and an abandoned saw mill. Apparently all was closed down in 1995 and it looks like a train graveyard. We met a local who showed us around and he said he has just purchased the saw mill from the government and is hoping to get it all up and running again. We set off under his directions and a short way out we set up a bush camp.

Saturday 24th March
Dave and I took the lead as we have decided to take turns and we set off on a secondary road towards Kafue National Park. This road soon deteriorated into a grass track and in fact later there was virtually no track at all. To top this, the tsetse flies invaded us!! They are nasty flies that BITE and soon we were all covered in bites. We made very slow progress and by the afternoon had virtually given up hope of getting through to Kafue, when we met two local fishermen, Alex & Pritchard. They invited us to camp in their fishing village for the night and offered to be our guides on Sunday.

Sunday 25th March
Anne-Rose and George took the lead with Alex the guide and Dave & I gratefully slotted in at the back-no more pressure! We seemed to leave the tsetse flies behind and all was looking much more positive. It was slow going but we finally reached Ngoma camp at 2.30 pm and decided to continue up to Kalala camp on the banks of Itezhi-Tezhi Dam. On the way Brian’s water pump packed in and had to be replaced but by evening we were all safely in camp and enjoying our dinner around the camp fire.

Travelling through Africa these first two weeks has been a great learning curve – but we are surviving and enjoying it. Dave and I seem to have our packing and unpacking routine sorted now and are working together well. Dave has not had time to miss his TV as he always has to do maintenance on Garfield! Last night it was taking off the bonnet to get to the air vents to clear out grass seeds and stripping the radiator to clear grass seeds! I have my hands full cooking, washing up and doing the laundry! I wonder if Flora stands back and admires the clean washing? – I do! Iam using the sputnik that Guy & Glyni gave us – so thank you. Thank you, too, to Moira, Daryl, our parents, CJ, Rayanne and Andrew who have commented back to us via our web. It is great to know that you are all out there.