Zambia

28th September - 4th October 2010 - Lusaka - Livingstone                                             

We limped into Lusaka with our newly welded chassis and a recently acquired problem involving loss of engine power which had been tentatively diagnosed as air getting into the fuel.  We struggled up a few of the hills and could only manage 70kmph on the flat. We had a few days rest in Lusaka where we said goodbye to our friends, and fellow travellers in Kafue, Ralph and Angela.  We then headed off to Livingstone to get the car looked at.  Luckily it only turned out to be some dodgy diesel and replacing the oil filter fixed us. Next stop Botswana and the endurance test which is the Kazungula ferry crossing...

18th September - 27th September 2010 - Kafue National Park

Kafue is apparently the fifth biggest park in the world and we were planning to cross from the very south into the north.  It takes a bit of planning to organise camp stops and, more critically fuel stops, and we were carrying a fair amount of extra fuel and provisions.  Which may have been why the chassis cracked ... again.

So unfortunately our trip was slightly curtailed as our last planned stop was too far into the bush for comfort. But we had a great time and it was great travelling with our friends Ralph and Angela.  The scenery was spectacular for much of the way and it felt as though we had the park to ourselves (at least until we met the overland truck at Lufupa).

Some highlights were:

  • elephants in camp and a beautiful cruise up the Kafue River at Kaingu
  • watching a lioness and her three small cubs at Mukambi
  • sitting watching the hippos and crocs in the sulphur pools at Lufupa with a coffee or sundowner in hand plus a lucky sighting of some wild dogs early in the morning.

This trip felt a lot wilder than much of the travel we've done.  Not least as I picked up a spider bite which looked and felt like a chemical burn across the back of my neck. Thankfully it has now blistered over and seems to be on the mend.


 

We had plenty of non-human company in camp too though sometimes manners were a little lacking ... if you ever find yourself near a sleeping hippo I recommend not standing downwind.



15th September - 17th September - Livingstone

We are here mainly to buy supplies and make preparations for our trip to Kafue with our friends Ralph and Angela.