Garden fresh

I'm getting used to this climate.  Happy late October!  :-)

Fresh spinach salad, hand picked from the garden out back.

Jingle bells, jingle all the way!

On a superficial level, I'd say Christmas is going to be pretty much the same as in Canada.  I believe the Zambian retailers might even be one step ahead of Canadian ones since Hallowe'en is a non-issue here.  Come November 1, I imagine my Canadian friends will see ol' Ebenezer Scrooge hawking cordless drills and Mixmasters on behalf of Canadian Tire.  This is one year I'm happy not to have a TV!

Santa hats!?  Has the Manager sampled the temperature outside?

A distinctly northern Christmas motif adorns the checkout counters at the supermarket.

Build first, ask later

Yesterday, the boss came into the office I share with the Deputy Planning Director bearing building plans for a new branch of the First National Bank.  He asked my colleague to review the plans prior to issuing development approval.

Judging from the progress of "preliminary site works" as photographed this evening, it appears the bank is on the "build first, ask later" plan.

FNB looks ready for a grand opening next week!

Family ties

This past Saturday, I arranged to meet the family of my Zambian-born friend Bibiana in their village near Choma. It was quite a special experience.

To get there, I took the bus to a town (or rather, a small agglomeration of buildings along the highway) called Muzoka, where Bibiana's brother John met me with a great big smile. From the smile, I could instantly tell that he was Bibiana's brother! From there we travelled in his friend's car along a small dirt track to the village, which was about 8 kilometres away.

Upon exiting the car, I was greeted with a high-pitched “yodelling” and big hugs from the women, as well as hearty handshakes from the men. From the elder brother Paul down to the littlest granddaughter (or great granddaughter?) Esther, I guessed that there might be 40 people there. Some of the kids were quite shy and even fearful near me; it was explained that many of them had never seen a muzungu this close up!

I was shown around the farm, where the family is in the process of planning a small-scale pig farming operation to generate some additional income. City slicker that I am, I had to ask a lot of questions about pigs, goats, chickens and the functions of certain structures on the farm.

Trying my hand at milling maize.

We had a lovely lunch of village chicken (tastier than standard broiler chickens), rice and a cool drink called chibuantu. The drink is made with coarsely ground maize, a certain type of pulverized tree root and water. The taste is somewhat tart and the bits of maize in the bottom reminded me of bubble tea. I was also offered the chicken gizzard, which is an honour typically reserved for the head of the household. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I managed just fine.

Welcome to the family!

John and his elder brother Paul.

At the conclusion of the visit, I presented the elder ladies with new chitenges, which were a big hit. Back at the highway, John and I had to flag down a bus; to my surprise, we got the first one to stop. I bid John farewell and thanked him for his family's wonderful welcome. 

Madge, Miriam and Margaret modeling their new chitenges.

Chipata and onwards to Mazabuka

I soon discovered that the bus to Lusaka departed the following day, so came to the realization that I would have to spend overnight in Chipata. Though definitely not my shining moment of courtesy, I called Frances and Alan, who are a VSO couple in Chipata to see if I might be able to spend the night with them. While surprised by the impromptu request, they were nevertheless quite hospitable.

A view of Chipata's market area.

Unfortunately, their day couldn't have been busier. As part of Frances' project, she had been out to a rural village in the morning and was on duty to entertain the Finnish ambassador and her entourage in the afternoon. Alan was busy chasing around the city buying supplies for a school-building project. I somehow got slotted into Alan's plans; late in the day, we travelled up to see the school site. The site is a bit remote, up in the picture-perfect hills west of Chipata along a very bad road. It was a day of bad roads!

At any rate, the project is the vision of a very kind-hearted and determined Zambian couple: Chris and Trina. I don't have the full story, but I did find out that they recently started teaching pre-schoolers at their home under the shade of a mango tree. As the school project gained momentum, they asked for and were granted some neighbouring land from the chief. Alan has somehow made connections with a Welsh education charity that will help to fund the project, so things are now moving along quickly.

The original classroom.

Trina and her three daughters.

 

The setting up in the Chipata hills.

The next day, I headed to the bus station for the 7 a.m. bus to Lusaka, which actually left at ten past nine. After a long, hot bus ride I arrived in Lusaka around 5:30 and bought a ticket for the next bus to Mazabuka – got home just before 10 p.m. Despite the heat and the length of the journey, I still enjoyed the ride – it was great to see the countryside and to get some serious reading done. At the halfway stop in Nyimba, I bought a hand of their famous bananas for K2,000 ($0.45) – they were probably the best bananas I've ever tasted. I also had a lovely chat with an older gentleman named Wisdom on the leg from Lusaka to Mazabuka. He lived up to his name. :-)

Zambia, the achingly tough reality

After the serene sanctuary of Wildlife Camp and the park, I was faced with the difficult decision of how to get out of there. The options included:

1. Flying back to Lusaka for about $250;
2. Hiring a taxi to Chipata for about $100;
3. Taking the one and only daily minibus to Chipata at 1 a.m. for about $8; or
4. Hitching a ride.

I deliberated for quite some time and ultimately chose option 2. For such a key tourist attraction, I assumed that there would be some sort of proper bus service, but alas, no. Although $100 seemed like a steep price to pay, it turned out to be a good decision. The minibus was definitely last on the list, not least because I didn't want to travel at night with so many dangerous animals (especially elephants) in the area. Hitching could be a dubious prospect if I could even find a ride. Though I love flying, I realized I wouldn't see much of the country to return the same way.

So, the taxi ride...

Interesting is a good way to describe it. Moses and his friend Chris picked me up promptly at 7:30 on Thursday morning, as agreed. It is not often that things occur at the appointed hour here in Zambia so I was encouraged. The Toyota sedan had definitely seen better days but I didn't have much choice at that point. I moved toward the trunk of the car to put my bag away, but was told that it would go in the backseat because the trunk was full.

As we drove away from the camp, Moses asked if it would be ok if we picked up other passengers en-route. Seeing how difficult it is to arrange transportation, I agreed. For the first hour or so, it was just the three of us in the car. Initially we talked about the differences between Canada and Zambia and got into some discussions about the serious poverty issues affecting the area, as well as the necessary political leadership to make things better. Moses asked me a very interesting and difficult question at one point: “Why is it so difficult for our people to get visas to Canada or America, but so easy for your people to come here?” I'm not sure I answered the question very well.

Apparently, politicians have been promising for years to improve the road from Mfuwe to Chipata but virtually nothing has happened. And it showed. The road is a rutted and potholed mess for almost the entire 300 km. We passed many picturesque, but obviously dirt poor communities along the way. It was good for me to see this. Judging by the condition of the road, I was delighted that I hadn't cheaped out and gone in the minibus overnight. It would have been an uncomfortable and hair-raising ride.

After an hour, a group of ladies and children appeared at the side of the road, waving frantically. Moses stopped to find out what was going on. One of the children was very sick and needed to get to the clinic in the next town, about 45 minutes away. Naturally, we found room for the sick child and his grandmother. As we drove on, I asked Moses how much a clinic visit would cost – about K10,000 ($2). At the clinic, the grandmother and grandson got out and I offered her some money to pay for the clinic visit and the trip back, for which she was quite grateful.

The experience made me feel rather humbled about having had a vacation in the first place. It gave me an entirely different perspective on my worries about which form of transportation I should be so lucky to opt for. It's clear that most people have no options. We picked up a mother and son in Mambwe after dropping off the grandmother and child. My bag at this point was sitting across the knees of the backseat passengers. This was another tough moment of guilt for me, which I tried to rationalize based on the fact I'd paid 90% of the fare for the journey. Not necessarily the best justification, I know.

Part way along, we stopped for some assistance to refill and re-seal the radiator, and to refill the gas tank using Moses' jerry cans, which were stored in the trunk. Anyways, after more than five solid hours on the road, we reached Chipata. Hungry for lunch, I might add. I mentioned stopping somewhere to get lunch and Moses said something along the lines of, “And for us too”. Why not? We found a typical Zambian restaurant where I treated Moses and Chris to nshima and chicken and a Coke. After blessing the meal, we wolfed down the food with great gusto. We parted ways and I wished them well for the journey back to Mfuwe.

"The monkeys got away with the cat food!"

No, I wasn't playing a good ol' game of “Telephone” to reminisce about childhood days.

Last week, I arranged some holiday time to visit the legendary South Luangwa National Park in eastern Zambia. Boy, did it ever live up to expectations and then some!

Though it doesn't look that far away on the map, I took the advice in my guidebook and arranged a flight from Lusaka to Mfuwe, the small town just outside the park. After an exciting one hour and ten minute ride in a small propeller plane, we landed at Mfuwe (International) Airport. It was strange to see an international airport in the middle of the bush, but that's what the sign said. Though it had been warm in the plane, I was not fully prepared for the baking heat that awaited outside. It was easily 45C; a temperature that I had never before experienced.

I was met at the airport by staff from Wildlife Camp. They drove me to the camp in a big, open Range Rover with a canvas canopy. With the wind in my face the whole way to the camp, the heat became a bit more bearable but it was still “hot hot”.

My ride to the park - classy!

My chalet

Wildlife Camp premises

Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by Dora, a Swiss lady who has been co-managing the camp for the last seven years. She showed me to my comfortable and breezy chalet and then to the dining area where I was promptly served lunch – a delicious lasagne and green salad. Later, over afternoon tea (how civilized!), Dora explained the rules of the camp, which included: 1) staying inside the chalets or in the dining/bar area after dark; 2) asking to be driven between different parts of the camp after dark; and 3) not leaving any food inside the chalets. All of the rules were designed to protect guests from the animals including elephants, hippos, baboons and monkeys which regularly wander through. It was even recommended to leave valuables in the safe lest a baboon or monkey should break in to the chalet to make off with one's gold watch or Visa card (not that I have a gold watch to steal). I gather it has happened before.

On the subject of the plentiful and playful primates at the camp, while enjoying my lunch on Tuesday, I overheard Dora exclaim to her staff, “The monkeys got away with the cat food! I don't think we have any more.” Upon hearing her tone of utter exasperation, I knew I had the title for my blog post.

As part of the full-board package I had booked, I was eligible for go on two park trips per day (morning and evening), and to have all meals provided. Wildlife Camp is one of the cheapest options at the park, so I expected spartan accommodation and food. In reality, I was quite spoiled with superb meals and a lovely chalet. What's more, the camp is operated in association with the Wildlife & Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia; since about 60% of the proceeds go to the society, I felt good staying there.

The forays into the park were, without any doubt, the true highlight of the visit. I think that my visit to South Luangwa might rank as the best trip I've ever taken. The landscape was beautiful at all times of day, from the early morning light to the red-orange light of sunset, and into the nighttime hours when the crescent moon and zillions of twinkling stars filled the sky. I can't say enough about the expert guides at the camp; they were truly excellent! They told us so many things about the fascinating ecology of the Luangwa Valley and were quite adept at finding the animals that have always inspired my imagination about Africa.

All told, I made five trips into the park: three evening/night drives, one morning drive and a morning walking safari. Each trip was an entirely new experience filled with interesting facts and beautiful scenery. Speaking of which, here are some photos.

Impalas staring at a lioness calmly waiting at the side of the pasture.

A deadly predator - the Nile crocodile.

Elephant crossing!  Isn't the baby cute?

 

Two stately Thornicroft giraffes posing for a snap.

The zebras at South Luangwa are an endemic subspecies with stripes all over.  Most zebras have white bellies.

A colony of gorgeous carmine bee-eaters.

Hippos wallowing in the river - it's what they do.

It was awesome to see this elephant reach way up to grab some grub.

This former mopane forest was devastated by the voracious appetites of the elephants.

How can guinea fowl look both elegant and funny?

Can you feel the love tonight?

Enjoying a break to catch the sunset.

One pretty kitty sleeping in a tree.

Oops, we woke her up.   After a quick stretch, she went off to find some dinner.

Expectant Spring

Since I have been hearing of Thanksgiving turkey, cooler days, and technicolour forests back home, I thought I might take a minute to report on the blossoming of spring here in Zambia. Make no mistake, it's much hotter than any spring I've ever experienced in Canada – I do not under any circumstances need a spring jacket. The days are consistently around 35C during the day, and I have read some digital gauges as high as 43C. Yes, the inside of my body is apparently cooler than the air outside, which explains why these days I'm downing two or three glasses of water in about 20 seconds flat.

So it's hot. But I seem to have adjusted to my new climatic reality and am actually enjoying it. I prefer it to bundling up in sweaters and fall jackets. The thought of the coming Canadian winter makes me shudder a bit with its down-filled parkas, boots and toques. Zambians wonder with genuine incredulity how we manage to move anywhere with a metre or more of snow on the ground. They try hard to picture the big machines I describe which are used to push the snow off the road, but I get the sense it's often too much to imagine. Sorry to bring that up folks... but it is coming.

Anyways, this post is intended to be about Zambian spring, not Canadian winters.

Everywhere I look, there seems to be another tree or plant coming into bloom or displaying ripening fruit. It's really quite lovely. I am particularly excited about the two large mango trees in the yard that are positively dripping with ripening fruit. By late November or early December, we should be able to cut open our first tree-ripened mango. Mmm...I can hardly wait!

Elsewhere in town, there are many other flowering trees, including my favourite: the jacaranda. These trees (and many others) lost all of their leaves some time ago, but now they are covered in beautiful purple flowers, which put off an intoxicating scent. It's similar to passing by a lilac bush back home. In some respects, I find it hard to believe that anything here has leaves, flowers, or fruit since there hasn't been one drop of rain since before I arrived three months ago. I am told that the rains should start by the end of the month or early November, which will of course be good for the land. There are many other plants, but I don't have many other tree names on hand – I hope you will nonetheless enjoy the photos.

Displays of orange, magenta and purple along the walk to work.

The flowers on these trees look like crocus.

A very exotic looking flower.

Bougainvillea abounds in all sorts of colours.

My favourite: the jacaranda

Things we don't see every day - the sequel

A few weeks ago, I reported that a truck had not quite made the sharp left turn at the bottom of the hill into town. That truck simply turned over on its side and tossed its load.

Yesterday, a much more dramatic and disastrous event occurred in the same area. A fully-loaded transport truck drove right through the intersection, mowed down the iron fence in front of the supermarket and then ploughed right into the deli kitchen of the store. Unfortunately, the transport collided squarely with another smaller truck and pushed it even deeper into the store. A mini-bus was also involved in the accident.

When I walked to work, a huge crowd was gathered around the front of the store to inspect the damage. It was quite a sight. I am told that there were some fatalities, including at least one person inside the store. No further proof is necessary that the intersection is dangerous and that a by-pass road is needed; I do however suspect that lax truck inspections are also partly to blame.

Naturally, the incident has been the talk of the town today.  I even heard it on the radio:  (words in Tonga)... Shoprite... (words in Tonga)... minibus...

The spectacle of the day in Mazabuka

The minibus spun around and ended in the ditch.

The dusty-looking chap in the centre is the transport driver, descending from the wreckage.

Old news... last week's stories

I'm happy to report that there haven't been any more snakes.

What I had been trying to write about the other day, was the annual VSO conference in Lusaka. Every year, VSO puts together a conference for all volunteers to get together and chat about experiences, work, the meaning of life and so on. Naturally, it's a great opportunity to socialise too!

In transit from the hostel to the conference venue.

On the first day, everyone was split up into their programme areas to participate in what VSO calls the sector workshop. The Programme Manager for the Governance sector (mine), asked everyone to do a presentation on their work. While it was great to hear about everyone's work, the day was a little too heavy on PowerPoint for my liking. I co-presented with Ros, who is also working as a planner in Choma.

Shelley delivered an excellent presentation on inclusion and disability.  Her passion and energy were needed toward the end of a long day.

The second day of the conference brought us all together to get some interesting insights on leadership in the Zambian context, the potential implications of next year's national elections, and how to rear goats. Yes, that's right... how to rear goats. For some of the VSO volunteers, their placements involve working with small organizations to help them develop Income Generating Activities (or IGAs in NGO-ese). The goat rearing presentation was delivered by the Director of Youth Development Organisation in Choma where they successfully developed a goat-rearing scheme to generate funds for their core activities. Some things I never knew about goats:

• Mature goats can reproduce every five months or so
• Goats are tastiest at the 8-month mark
• If you cross a female from southern province with a male “plateau goat” from northwestern province, you'll probably get twins
• Goats rarely get sick; if they do, most of the herd will catch the bug and die
• Goat milk is not commercially viable except to the muzungu (white) population; superstition has it that Zambians' hair will turn brown if they consume goat milk products (I say bring on the goat cheese and feta – I already have brown hair).

The leadership presentation was funny and highly insightful. The presenter was a real live-wire. He started out by asking the few Zambians in the room (the VSO staff) if they could come up with an equivalent word for “leadership” in their native language (keeping in mind that there are 72 languages in Zambia). Apparently, there exists no equivalent word, which explains some of the troubles getting leaders to lead in the way that Westerners often expect. There is also no equivalent word for maintenance, which Mr. Simataa surmised was the reason that Africans drive their cars without thinking to change the oil. Hey, he said it!

The VSO Zambia contingent (about 40 volunteers).

After all that meeting, talking, sitting, thinking, (dozing off in a warm room), etc. it was definitely time to let off a little steam. Naturally, a beach toga party was in order!

On Saturday, a fairly sizeable group of us headed off to Siavonga on the shore of Lake Kariba to relax and have a great time. The setting on the beach was fabulous – we were all put up in little screened in cottages lined up along the beach. Although the temperatures in the valley were close to 40C, I didn't venture into the lake for fear of tangling with a crocodile – the pool was an adequate substitute. I am told the risk is relatively low along that part of the shore, but zero risk is more to my liking. Charles' slingshot would have been inadequate in this application.

Another great weekend!

Beach bums doing what they do best

Rather idyllic, no?

Volleyball continued... aquatic style

Toga time!

Happy people!

More happy people!

Enjoying good conversation with Chris.

Roman-esque people chatting.