MICHAEL - Victoria Falls, Zambia

After the Lions Club Conference we explored Lusaka for a few more days, in a way I like to call “walking city safari”. Travelling with Lynette means always a lot of walking. We both enjoyed window shopping at the local markets...Lynette because of the variety of veggies, fruit and fish that we carried home for supper, I because of the broadband assortment of heavy tools, used bolts and cheap cigarettes.

Driving through the occasional side streets of Lusaka (remember: Lynette loves shortcuts) was also some kind of adrenalin kick. I discovered a speed bump -too late- that resulted in a broken leaf spring in Angelique. Not a major problem because she still has 19 intact ones left...but I think we should eventually ask DHL to bring us a new one. Or I start to learn welding...in addition to the ongoing process of increasing my vocabulary of mechanical words like “universal joints at the rear prop shaft” or “hardened valve seats”...it is still easier for me to explain a Collateral Debt Obligation or a Yen-Swap but I´m adapting.

Lynette and I were suddenly both grabbed by the feeling of just driving down to Vic Falls to visit our friend Gail at Waterberry Lodge, the place where I discovered Lynette a year ago.

Returning to this place, the falls and the river is extremely special for me. Having travelled to the most exciting places from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, from the Great Barrier Reef to the Pyramids and wherever else...the moment I feel the Zambesi I realize what it means to be grounded. Not only calm and relaxed, deeply grounded. Like coming to a place where I belong. Certainly I still ignore any metaphysical explanations, but Lynette is working on it...

We´re now spending some time here in Livingstone, exploring, experiencing and supporting projects, connecting to the local Lions Club and the community, repeating our last year’s bungy jump from Vic Falls Bridge and eventually pop into the Caprivi Strip in Namibia for a few days.

We may possibly drive up to Zambia’s Copperbelt, or better: zigzagging through it, heading for the source of the Zambesi in the Kaleni Hills, located in the north-western corner of Zambia.

MICHAEL - The Lions All Africa Conference in Lusaka

We arrived early enough in Lusaka to buy more “formal clothes” for the several banquets, following the daily workshops during the Lions Clubs All Africa Conference...and my tie suits Lynette!

(My mum had to post my tuxedo from Germany via DHL...I hadn´t spent a thought of needing such things while travelling Africa)

Lynette and I were impressed by the tight and very interesting program of the conference and learned a lot about Lionism in Africa. We joined some of the workshops and the functions in the evenings.

Through Rob Fowler, Area Leader Global Membership Team, we had the possibility to address the delegates of the conference on the 5^th of February 2011. We presented our program GIFTING AFRICA and had a lot of positive response after our speech. Lions, Club Presidents and District Governors invited us afterwards to their countries.

The Banquet on the first evening gave us the opportunity to connect to the delegates and introduce GIFTING AFRICA directly. It was also very special to see the ambassador of the United States being inducted as a Lion by Sid Scruggs III, Lions International President.

Highlight of the celebration of 50 years of Lionism in Zambia on Saturday, was meeting the first republican President of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. And this 80something year old man was centre of the dance floor.

Certainly Lynette took her chance, told me to get a box of Lion Cards from the car (I could convince her that I wouldn´t have time to wrap them in the pink paper we used for Nelson Mandela and Jacob Zuma) and handed them over as a gift to Dr. Kaunda just by following him & his delegation to the car.

So he went home with two presents: A 10.000 US$ donation for his AIDS foundation from Sid Scruggs III and a box of Lion inspiration cards...

Our Sunday morning was a little bit early. We were home very late and had to get up for a radio interview with RADIO 2000 at 6h30, but I was able to watch Lynette managing this interview very professionally - with my eyes not even half open at this time.

For now we plan to stay in Zambia to connect with the local clubs (and there are nearly 60 Lions Clubs in Zambia).



Lion Nick Maré - District Governor, Lynette, Michael, Rob Fowler -Africa Area Leader, Lion Walter



                                                     Lynette & Michael with Lion Rob Fowler



Lunch break



Lynette's preparation (Note the kitty giving advice!)

Michael's preparation




Lynette & Michael with Lion Clement Ndala from Malawi

Dr. Kenneth Kaunda

 

We could get used to this ...



Brushing teeth in long black dress ;-)



Interview with RADIO 2000

 



MICHAEL - From Joburg to Lusaka

We started on the 24^th of January 2011, heading for Lusaka, Zambia for the official launch of our GIFTING AFRICA TOUR at the Lions Clubs International All Africa Conference. On the way there we stopped at almost every baobab, stone ruin and cave. Everything went quite smooth till we decided to camp directly at the Zambesi in Mana Pools Nature Reserve. Altogether about 200km dirt road, occasionally interrupted by butterflies (nice), elephants (huge), trees (lying across) and flooded road parts (not so nice). It was challenging to experience how good Angelique can swim. We trust our car a 100 percent, but seeing a river flooding over a bridge without this very useful concrete side walls is scary.

We made the decision to cross based on several facts: Lynette chose a Lion Card which said: “SMILE”, I walked through the river trying to estimate the water pressure per tyre (every physician would kill me for such a calculation) and the positive sounding cries of the fish eagles...so we made it.

Now we know, why Mana Pools is normally only open for visitors from April to October.

For this excursion we used a lot more fuel than expected and in absence of working ATMs in Kariba we suddenly had a cash problem. Even an authorized payment from Standard Bank South Africa to a local bank branch wasn´t working. Luckily we were able to connect one of our laptops to the internet spot of a TOTAL garage. The electricity we got from the bakery next door. So I reached my sister in Germany via skype and explained our problem. She acted immediately and made a Western Union money transfer to the Kariba Post Office. Some things work just perfect. Thanks Nina...

We crossed the border to Zambia via the Kariba Dam wall and were witnesses of a spectacular and rare sight. An official of the Zambesi River Authority told us to park Angelique on the other side of the wall, wait a few moments and walk back on the wall. Because of the heavy rainfalls the Kariba  reservoir was completely full and the officials had decided to open another flood gate in the wall. It is indescribable what happens, when one of this 9 x 9 meter steel doors open. 1.5 million litres water per second!!!

The last 200 km from the border to Lusaka were a scenic drive through Kafue Gorge and we finally put up our roof tent in the backyard of Lusaka Backpackers yesterday evening.