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.