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We needed to be in Mpulungu tonight, or we might not make the ferry, but we had a lot of k’s to cover so who knows if we’d make it or not. We left at 6:20 a.m. and drove all day long. It was definitely a long day – about twelve hours later it was pouring torrential rain and Jim and I were wrapped up in a blanket drinking Afri-Coco and vodka to try and kill off both time and the cold. We were nearing Mpulungu and you could tell. The terrain as so green and the canopy was getting higher and higher. We were descending from the plateau down to Lake Tanganyika and it was getting warmer.
At half past seven we arrived at our campsite – all of us tired from the day’s transit but happy that we’d made the boat. After dinner we had a smoke Boz had sorted out for us which floored everyone and sent us into a deep sleep to prepare for our two day two night ferry ride up the lake.
We drove all day long. I resorted to drinking beer all day to keep myself entertained (which created a few more piss stops than needed) but we finally pulled into this Zambian village right off the main road to camp for the night. We played a few camp fire (Camp Noel Porter-type) games after dinner and demolished more than one rum bottle in the process, but everyone was having a good time.
STOP PRESS – KENYAN UPDATE The day Rich and I arrived in Nairobi was the same day the Kenyan Parliament had been dissolved. President Moi – dictator for the last twenty six years – was calling a free election to elect the new parliament. This was a landmark decision in Kenyan politics, for now the opposition, who’d been suppressed for so long, had a chance to get into the government. By the time we left on November 2nd the election date had been set for December 7th, but the opposition sued Moi stating they needed more time to her a candidate put together. The courts upheld the case so the new election date is December 29th – a few days after we’re due to enter Kenya. The election results aren’t due to be released until January first or second, and if they’re not what the people (or the government, who has control of the military) want then who knows what could happen in a volatile environment like that.
Rich made the perfect statement – remember all the strife in Central America in the 80’s and you would hear about these Americans getting abducted by terrorist groups and you’d wonder to yourself, “What were those people doing there anyway?” This is what these people are doing there – it’s Africa of the early 90’s! Here’s a news clipping I found in the Times of Zambia dated 9th December 1992. “President Daniel Arap Moi said he would close Kenya’s border with Uganda until after Kenya’s first multi-party elections on December 29. Moi told a rally in Siaya, western Kenya, that the border would be sealed on Tuesday (Dec 15) on security grounds. — Zana/Reuters.”
We were supposed to be staying in Kumuka’s compound outside Nairobi for New Year, but it looks like we won’t e getting into the country at all. Kenya seems to have an incredibly volatile political environment right now anyway, so no matter who wins this election there might be trouble. The opposition wins and the Moi-ruled military might move it. Moi wins and the people riot over a fixed election result.
Here’s another quote from the Times of Zambia from 3rd December 1992: “Washington – Kenya’s plans for its first multi-party elections are seriously flawed and may be tilted in favor of President Daniel arap Moi, according to a report issued by the international human rights Law Group.” It’s not looking good and we might have to fly from Kampala, Uganda to Nairobi in order to catch our flight to Bombay. We’re talking about going to Zanzibar for a few weeks (the other reported paradise place – next to Malawi) to kill time and let the Kenyan people mellow out after the elections. At this point we’re playing it by ear – I’ll call the Embassy from Bujumbura and my parents to get a better idea of what’s going on.
Camping there wasn’t that bad except for the torrential rain which leaked into the tent a bit and threatened to collapse it all together. We got up extra early, for we needed to get to Mpulungu, the port town on Lake Tanganyika (the deepest lake in the world) by Friday to catch the ferry to Kigoma. The ferry only goes once a week and if you miss it it’s a thirty six hour hell drive overland on the truck. We drove all day and finally arrived in Lusaka at about 4:00 p.m. Boz told us to go out into the city in groups of four or more because it’s so dangerous, but the truck made the miraculous move of parking not fifty yards from the door of the United States Information Agency. You know what that means – NEWSPAPERS! CURRENT EVENTS!
Rich, Tom and I all headed over there and once we were inside it was an information frenzy. Rich grabbed the entire stack of International Herald Tribunes, the most recent being from 26th November (Thanksgiving) and started reading away. The three of us sat there for thirty minutes just sucking up as much information about the world as possible. We moved from the newspapers to the news magazines, but they were all a bit ‘vielle’, so we thought we’d go back to the truck to see if the others were back from food shopping yet.
We turned out to be the last people to arrive back from our “field trip” to the U.S. Embassy extension. We exited downtown Lusaka and ended up camping at this dude’s house in one of the suburbs – nice house but not too much to do but drink and prepare yourself mentally for the next day’s hell-drive. We weren’t sure if we were actually going to make it to Mpulungu in time to catch the boat.
Today I shipped home my tenth two kilo box out of Zimbabwe. My parents are going to wonder what I didn’t buy in southern Africa. When Rich and I were at the post office in line, who should come find us but Simon, – the Aussie doctor we’d sailed down the Nile with the Egypt! After seeing all those people from Malawi we were getting used to the idea tat you see people again, but we last saw Simon in Luxor many months ago. We caught up with him and after sending our chess sets off we all loaded ourselves back into the truck to finally leave Zimbabwe. We all knew we were leaving Zim, but we also knew we were leaving any sort of Westernization behind us as well. As we were doing a northbound trip we were heading into the true Third World countries – we hadn’t been able to appreciate Zimbabwe’s modernization because we hadn’t been anywhere hard yet. I said it to a few people, “The safari starts now.” We were all going to get to know each other a lot better because the harder bits are still on their way.
The truck left the Vic Falls campground, crossed over into Zambia and stopped at the market I’ve been frequenting for the past week so everyone else could “have a go” at buying some malachite animals. After our brief stop we headed north transiting our way through Zambia. Zambia’s not known for much, other than Lusaka, the capital city which is supposed to have more crime than Nairobi. (Hard to believe.) We drove endless hours with piss stops where I’d go running off into the jungle, not because I had to pee, but just because I was off the truck. After at least ten hours of driving the truck pulled off the road and drove over a barbed wire fence into this field. This is where we were to camp for the night.
Today we took Lucy and Jessica across the border to the crafts market to go shopping one last time (I said that before) prior to our departure the following morning, provided the money came through. We got to the market ad started bargaining away. I bought a malachite chess et for Z$80.00 (US$18) and traded a pair of shoelaces and a pen for a carving of a man’s head and a necklace. Lucy and Jessica had a good time bartering, but only Jessica ended up buying anything – three chess sets. Rich went wind and exited Zambia with a backpack full of malachite jewelry and a chess set. It was only after we’d returned to Zimbabwe that e told me malachite is a semi-precious stone in the U.S. – and I’d been to that market four times and only bought one piece of it!
We’d arranged to meet the girls at the Vic Falls Hotel for their elegant all you can eat buffet dinner, so we cleaned ourselves up and headed over there for our “last supper” before being banished back onto our Parkinson’s disease inducing mode of transport. We had a great dinner with wine and more that two visits to their dessert bar – it was a nice way to end our time at Vic Falls. The girls went to a nightclub, but we didn’t have enough dosh (we were leaving the country) so we went back to the truck and drank part of a bottle of Afri-Coco to top off the evening.
It was a clear night and the moon was out so Rich and I headed to Vic Falls to see the water under the moonlight. Upon our arrival at the top of the ‘Devil’s Cataract’ we found Stephanie and Jim already sitting there on the rocks admiring a lunar rainbow that was formed from the mist. Little did I know that the moonlight could also cause a rainbow effect off the mist from the falls. When you first look at it, it just looks like a white arc, but once your eyes adjust to it you can actually see the colors coming out of it. After much admiration and gawking over the edge of the falls we all headed back to go to sleep – we were finally leaving for Zambia the next day, and it wasn’t just the market over the bridge.
No money landed yesterday, so guess who’s still lounging around Vic Falls. We were! Lounging around was exactly what we did that day – Rich, Jessica, Lucy, jenny, Brenda & I all headed to the Sprayview Hotel (where they don’t make you pay to swim) to sit by the pool for the day. After many hours of sunbathing we went back to the truck for dinner and drinks. There had been a major storm brewing and from the campsite I could see bolts of lightening shooting down near where the falls were. Stephanie and Jenny had been to the falls the night before, so Tom and I joined them as we walked over to see the lightening storm over Vic Falls.
We walked down the rocks in the dark and actually sat with our legs over the edge where the water was falling seventy meters below us into the gorge that makes up the Zambezi river. Mother Nature sure can put on some shows – she supplied us with one hell of a lightening storm over the top of the falls (one of the seven wonders of the natural world). Tom, jenny and I left Steph at the falls, for it was beginning to rain. When I say rain it’s African rain. It doesn’t just rain in Africa – it’s a downpour or nothing and we got a downpour. I haven’t played in the rain like that for years but we were already soaking wet, so why not?
It must have been about midnight when we got back so I crawled into the tent sopping wet to bother Rich a bit before going to sleep.
Our truck finally arrived, new truck, as the old one was truly dead, and a new driver so we’d lost Steve. The new driver is a thirty year old British guy names Mick. He’s one of the most negative people I’ve met so we won’t be writing much about him. Because the truck was now there it was almost time for us to leave so I went over to Zambia to go shopping one last time before we left Vic Falls. I went over and picked up a carved shield that had been painted with different colors. Posted those home straight away as the post office was one minute from the campground.
That evening Boz had a meeting with us and explained that because the truck had broken down and we had to spend money on the chalets we were short on cash but Kumuka London was wiring us more money. The problem was that no one knew when it was going to land, so we were hoping for Friday. If not Friday then we were spending the weekend and leaving on Monday.
Rich and I went out with Jessica and Lucy again that evening and even tried to be colonial and go to the casino, but we were told that virtually every article of clothing we were wearing was inappropriate. Nixed the casino for the evening and went drinking instead.
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe –
Because we still had a few days to kill before the truck arrived, Boz arranged for us to go on a full day safari at Hwange National Park, known for its high concentration of elephant and lion. Our safari company was Kalambezi and our two trucks arrived at 6:00 a.m. to pick us up. Tom and Mike were too tired to go, but the rest of us literally crawled out of our tents and got into the trucks. We drove about two hours to Hwange, passing the Botswanan border road on the way. Our truck was sort of like a large metal box with benches. We drove through the dirt roads of Hwange, with our driver going four wheeling around the barricades that said “No Entry”.
In keeping with the theme of the safari we managed to get a flat tire on the way into the park, which took us a bit of time to change. Score: Tires – 3, Engines – 1. Our driver was this white Zimbabwean man in his mid 40’s who also happened to own the Kalambezi company. He was so knowledgeable about all the animals and surrounding area. During our morning drive we saw some giraffe up close, accompanied by a few zebra who were hanging out with them. Ian, our guide, explained that zebra are very social animals and that they usually hang out with other animals for protection.
We drove around the park for a few more hours, but we didn’t see any elephants – only hoofed animals like water buck and impala – lion fodder. It was so hot in this park – it was at least 106 degrees fahrenheit and we were sitting in the back of an uncovered safari truck. When noon rolled around we headed to this campground situated inside the park to take a break for lunch. It wasn’t just hot, it was oppressively hot as we were told we were going to stay in our bungalow at the campsite for a few hours. This safari was another of those luxurious ones where we were served barbecued steak and sausages for lunch with a full spread of salads, bead, etc. We al gorged ourselves then lounged around playing cards and drinking soda during the heat of the day. I turned to Rich at one point and said “This is something our parents might do,” meaning the cushiness of the whole thing, but then it sank in that this was something I had planned for myself. Fabulous. It was really relaxing doing this totally high class safari for the day.
When 3:00 p.m. rolled around we headed back into the park in search of elephants. We didn’t see that many animals for the first hour or so (it was just too hot for them as well), but then I spotted an elephant off in the distance making its way through the trees. We kept going, as Ian was taking us to a watering hole where the elephants usually hang out. On our way over we spotted the elephants, about fifteen to eighteen of them, all walking in a line across the road towards the watering hole. We came driving up towards them in our vehicle and one of the younger males saw us approaching at quite a fast pace, so in an effort to protect his herd he began charging our safari vehicle.
Ian threw the truck into reverse as Rich and I jumped down off the seats we’d been standing on. I did manage to snap a photo of the charging beast, but before the elephant got close enough to the car to be truly dangerous it stopped and snorted at us. Ian explained it’s just a scare tactic – when they’re really coming for you they’ll put their ears back and roll their trunk up. We sat and watched these elephants for quite a while – it was so amazing being this close to these wild animals. At one point one of the elephants wasn’t fifteen feet (if not closer) to our truck, just checking us out.
The elephants headed off into the trees and Ian started the vehicle up and we went towards the watering holes where the pachyderms were headed. There’s an actual viewing bungalow situated right next to the water, but by the time wed arrived there the elephants were right behind us, and a few more in the area in front of the viewing bungalow so we had to sit in our open air truck while the herd passed around us. The second the last elephant passed we all ran to the viewing bungalow to watch them water themselves. We watched them drink and spray water everywhere – this experience was so different from anything else I’d seek. This was so natural – so real to watch.
 We were watching a herd of females when on the opposite side of the water a huge bull elephant with huge curled tusks came lumbering over for a drink. He went down and saw the females, but he was very suspicious of the bungalow we were situated in; he couldn’t decide if there were humans in it or not. Eventually he decided not and came to the water directly across from where we were standing. I got some amazing photos of the bull drinking with his reflection in the water below.
It was getting late and beginning to get dark so Ian said it was time for us to leave. We’d lost the other truck throughout the course of the day and Ian was concerned they might be lost in the park, so we went for a thirty minute drive through at dusk looking for them. We couldn’t find them, and now it was completely dark so it was time for us to make the two and a half hour drive back to Vic Falls. We’d been driving through the park for a while and were nearing the Botswanan border road when we saw this thing in the bushed that sided up to the road. This thing had gone down on its haunches and was just watching our truck approach. When we got in sight or it (about 15 feet away from the headlights) we realized it was a large male lion just staring down the vehicle. He was a big male with a full mane and absolutely no fear of our truck. After deciding that staring into the headlights wasn’t too fun he began to walk off into the bush, Ian turned the truck so we could see the beast walking away into the night. We’d already has the most spectacular game viewing day, but this just topped it all off.
 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe –
We went white water rafting today, which was one of the most exhilarating things I’ve done so far. We had our pre-rafting meeting where we signed the “if you die we’re not liable” form and heard our safety talk before heading down the cliff below the Vic Falls hotel to get our lifejackets and get in the boats. We had to climb down this sheer, cliff-like path through the rocks and mud before we actually for to the river and into our boats. After another safety talk we were finally on our way. The Zambezi river is a class five white water river on the one to six rapids scale, with most of the rapids we were going to be going through  ranging from a three to a five. They won’t let normal people go down class six rapids because they’re just a little too dangerous. We managed our first few rapids with no problem – we were throwing our bodies to either side of the boat (as the oarsman called out which side) in am attempt to keep the boat from flipping. When we got to rapid number six (they’re all numbered) that’s where the fun began.
When we were going into the rapid our boat hit a rock and spun around backwards before going in. With none of us prepared for that turn when we hit the first rapid the girls at the back of the boat (now the front) didn’t know which way to throw their weight. Once we hit the rapid Rich went flying out of the boat, along with Judy, sot the two of them did the  rapid in freestyle, freeform manner. Rich went whizzing by the boat and I missed grabbing him, but I did get a hold of Judy’s arm and tried to pull her into the boat. The only problem was that the current had a hold of her and pulled her under the boat. So there I was, holding onto Judy’s arm while her head was pinned under the water under the boat. After a couple of seconds in that position my lifeguarding sense told me that holding on to Judy while she was forcibly submerged probably wasn’t the smartest thing to be doing. I let go of her, she got pulled under the boat and popped out on the surface a few yards down where someone else grabbed her and pulled her into the boat. After everyone was accounted for we continued rafting through the white water (save rapid number nine which was too dangerous for us to go down so we had to carry the boat around it.)
 Had a lunch break up in this oasis on the side of the gorge. We had small pools of water to relax in, shaded by the lush canopy of the surrounding woods – it was such a change from the excitement of the Zambezi. After lunch we had only rapids eleven through twenty one to conquer, and conquer then we did, save rapid eighteen. We were well practiced in keeping most everyone in the boat. (Rich decided the ropes had been greased before we started, for he was the one who kept flying out of the boat.) I fell out on rapid eleven but managed to maintain my hold on the rope so Rich just hoisted me back in without much hassle. We had a few people fall out here and there – that was until we hit rapid number eighteen.
Rapid eighteen is called “Oblivion” and is the wildest rapid you go on during the trip. It consists of three waves, the first two manageable, but the third . . . don’t even think about it. We eased our way towards the top of the rapid and slowly started gaining speed as the water rushed over the rocks to form the top of the rapid. Hit the first wave and dove to the front of the boat to keep the nose down. No problem with the second wave either. Hit the third wave and the boat swung vertically straight up in the air. White water came pouring over the top of the boat making it impossible to see or do anything. Brenda and Raewyn were sucked out of the bot on my left, then all of a sudden the boat just wasn’t there any longer. I realized I was in the river so I took a deep breath, ready to go under. The current had a hold of me and pulled me under the water, but as I was going down I felt this hand grab my lifejacket and pull me back up to the surface. It was Rich, and once I’d surfaced he asked me where the boat was. He knew he didn’t have a hold of the boat, but he thought I did so he pulled me up to find out about it.
We floated down the river until we caught up with the boat which had only three people in it – the oarsman, Luck & Jessica. It was so strange flying out of the boat – we really didn’t know what had happened so we had to go to the Ilala Lodge that evening to see the videotaped account of that thirty second part of our lives. After everyone was accounted for we paddled down the river for our last three rapids. The rapids we so weak (especially after number eighteen) that our oarsman even let me, then Brenda and Judy row the boat for a while. We hit the shore after the twenty first rapid only to be faced with a climb that even the most fit person would have problems with. It was another sheer cliff face, and after rafting all day, climbing the equivalent of forty stories didn’t appeal to me.
Everyone was dying when they finally made it up, but at least everyone did make it! We got the shuttle back to Vic Falls and after dinner and viewing the video of the day’s events it was off to bed.
Woke up, sans hangover (unlike a few others in our group) and headed to the Vic Falls Hotel for breakfast. After our tea and scones experience Rich and I wanted to see what a buffet breakfast there might be like. Remember I mentioned the “travel river” – the route that most travellers follow, gathering the information on where to go as they talk to others? Well that theory id 100% true. You do continue to see the same people over and over when you’re travelling around like this. On our way to the hotel for breakfast we ran into this Aussie guy and Danish girl who we’d met in Lilongwe, Malawi and then again at Cape MacLear. Had a word with them and went to breakfast tripping off the fact that we’d seen them again.
On our way back to the campsite we stopped off at the post office for a minute where we met two more people we’d travelled on one of the Malawian hell buses with down to Blantyre. Had a chat with them and continued on to the campsite where we met yet two more people from Malawi – Jessica and Lucy – two very British girls from London. Since we were both lusting after these girls we immediately began to organize to do thins with them – it was nice breaking away from the people on the truck. We ended up taking the girls to show them Vic Falls (again) and I arranged for them to come white water rafting on the Zambezi with us the following day. It was getting too hot so we all too naps and arranged to meet for dinner later.
After our naps and dinner we headed over to Vic Falls newest nightclub – Explorers. This place was the S.Africans version of a college drinking club, only in Africa. Tin y bar – loud music and lots of drunk people in their mid twenties. It was good fun but we were stuffed from walking all day so we headed back and went to sleep.
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