Once we left Shackelton's we headed off down a dirt road towards Kafue
National Park and Kiangu Lodge to do our first real bit of camping on the
trip. We intended to stay for three days.
The road was passable as dirt roads get, we passed tons of mud hut
villages. We stopped and handed out soccer balls where ever we found kids
kicking a home ball around. The home made balls are made of plastic bags
tied together to make a round object or else they use balls made of grass.
The absolute delight on the kids faces warms your heart!! Such a simple
gift but such impact.
The dirt road for the first 70 odd kilometres was pretty ok. Saw wild pigs
foraging in the mud, great sighting.
We got to a town called Mulubezi, we asked for directions and were pointed
in the general direction, it took about 15 minutes to find our way out of
the town as all that u had to follow was tracks.
The next stretch of road was definitely not expected!! I call it the road
from hell!! It was a track that our GPS guided us down, but this track has
not been used for a long, long time, it was overgrown with branches and
grass and full of ruts and corrigations.
The area was so remote it had the feeling we were really out in the wilds.
There was town marked on the GPS, Simamba, but when we got there it had
moved (who would blame them).
We got to the remote Park gate (a pole across the road) and wrote our entry
permits. The person before us had been there in April, he was a parks
official!
We entered the park and stopped on the track for crackers and cheese. The
road was BAD, we have pictures of Gavin and I pushing large branches off
the road whilst Jenny and Jessica drove the vehicles past.
Go North Go North!! Why?
We drove past a deserted ranger post and eventually at about 18h00 we got
to Nanzhila Lodge, 260 odd kilometres in 9 HOURS. Cars are full of dust. We
had to pitched our tents for the first time. It was freezing! We sat around
the fire and cooked boerewors, sweetcorn and butternut.
Got up at 6 the next morning packed up and headed off to Kiangu Lodge.
Saw Sable, Waterbuck and Lechwe, awesome sightings.
Drove through Ngoma and Itezhi Tezhi and stopped at the dam for a coke.
Off to the ex tarred road towards Kiangu. I really hope that our roads
NEVER get like these ones!!! Down to 25 kph again!! Pot holes!! A
understatement.
Eventually we got to the Kiangu turnoff but after 12 km we turned back as
the roads were to wet and frankly we did not feel like battling to get our
cars out of the mud every 5 minutes.
Took the next turnoff to the lodge and eventually we got there. What a
beautiful place!!! Situated alongside the Kafue river is this amazing place
that Tom, Vivienne and Vaughan have created!! Hopefully Gavin will get the
pictures posted today as well.
To our absolute delight Vaughan had organised that we did not have to camp
as he had upgraded us to Finfoot lodge.
The lodge is situated right next to the river and it is a very special
place to be in.
So this being Saturday we got to braai bake bread and have a drink knowing
that did not have to be up early the next morning. Lovely thought to not
have to drive again for a while.
Sunday Gavin and I repacked the vehicles to make our things more
accessible. Then repacked again! My deep freeze had packed up, all the ice
had melted!!
We packed a lunch box and went off up the river in a tinny (aluminium boat)
I got to use my new fishing tackle!! Echtbert showed me how to cast as this
is my first time fishing since I was about
Six. Gavin caught lots of fish, I caught nothing!! Was I ragged about it!
Went back to lodge, baked bread cooked chicken and yes, drank whisky.
Monday morning we relaxed and also managed to fix the deep freeze.
Jessica, Bright (old fisherman and lodge worker) went out fishing. Caught a
fish (barble). And we do have a picture to prove it.
We were taken to a very old african iron smelter and then off to watch the
sun set from a huge granite rock.
Saw puku buck.
Cooked dinner for everyone but did not bother with baking bread again.
Had a relatively quiet evening (by our standards) went to bed as we had a
early start to make on Tuesday morning.
Woke up Tuesday morning packed the car said our goodbyes and hit the track
(32 kms) out of Kaingu Lodge. Then we got onto the last stretch of dirt
road (48km at 20kph). 3 and a half hours later we hit the real tar!!!!!
What a pleasure!!
Drove to Lusaka to exchange dollars for kwachas as the petrol stations only
take kwachas. Then off to Fringilla which is a lodge, farm, butcher etc all
in one. We arrived at about 16h00 and decided to stay the night as they had
wifi and cold beers!!! Met George, Andrew and Julie. They own the place.
George is the dad and what a gentleman, such a interesting person who could
not give us enough advice about the road further into Zambia. That night at
the pub we chatted to the hooligan Andrew (son) and laughed at his stories
and his take on life.
Wednesday morning still no connectivity!! Oh well blog can wait. Andrew
took us to the butchery where we bought rump. T-bone and lamb chops for the
next few days. George took Jess and myself into the back of the butchery,
awesome watching what they do.
Then off to Kabwe.
At about 16h30 ish we came across a American lady on a bicycle in the
middle of nowhere. She waved us down and asked if we coud help her as she
still had 45km to cycle and it was getting dark. Gavin and I strapped her
bicycle on The Beast's roofrack (hey we are in Africa) and she and Jess sat
on the front seat together.
Then the S hit the fan!! Without too much warning pot holes appeared
everywhere. With my foot flat on the brakes we hit the first one with a
crunch.
Thereafter the road was hell again, pot holes trucks. Ugh!! It was getting
dark and we did not want to be on the road because of the trucks and pot
holes but we still had to drop the lady off as well as find a place to
stay.
We eventually dropped her off in the middle of no where and she peddled off
into the sunset leaving us to move on the last 100km ish to where we could
stay. The last hour was done driving in the dark with trucks coming at u
without any lights, pot holes all over the place and not much of a sense of
humour. Jess had to help me spot the holes. Jenny had said just look for
the skid marks on the road as this would help see the holes.
We eventually got to our turnoff to drive the final 25 km to Muntinondo
camp site.
Arrived in the dark. Helen and Danny fed us pumpkin soup with a dash a
chilli and cherry and then bangers and mash!!! Lovely food. Everyone went
off to bed and I sat around the fire chilling.
We are now at Kapishya (Mark and Mel own it) and had a 2 and half bottle
night with Mark. Went and sat in the hot springs early this morning with
Jess - lovely and hot.
Saw the Manor House and now we are about to huddle around a TV to watch the
opening ceremony and first match.
As a final word, Jess and Gavin will also be adding their thoughts so the
blog might become repetitive for those of u following. Sorry but this way
we are recording different perspectives.
Is it not just amazing how life is?
Regards
Alan Austin
National General Manager Sales & Marketing
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