www.theblisspages.com - travel: Zambia
www.theblisspages.com - travel: ZambiaI visited Zambia a few times for work and thoroughly enjoyed the trips. You do have to be street-wise in parts of the country though, particularly Harare ...
topI don't recall the name of the hotel in which we stayed, but I don't think you'd want to stay there! Whenever we arrived, we'd have to run the gauntlet of the ladies of the night on the way in, or indeed as you went through the hotel to the restaurant.
I recall that one night, the restaurant had run out of food, so I was advised to go to the hotel nightclub. As I went in, I realised I was the only white face there. This didn't bother me, but I was a little disconcerted by the staff's very unenthusiastic reception. They finally found me a table, and I was pleased to see that it was near the dance floor. I was not so pleased when the comedienne came on though, as she seemed to be the Zambian equivalent of Bernard Manning. I was singled out as the butt of all the racist jokes. It seemed a little unfair, as I have never considered myself to be prejudiced (tories excepted), but I tried to take it in good humour. It certainly wasn't the most relaxing evening out I've ever spent, though.
As we were driving around Lusaka, there were areas where we were advised to lock all the car doors, and where we didn't stop for red lights at night, which was a little disconcerting, as were the safe rooms in the centre of some of the larger families. If you've seen Panic Room, you'll know what I mean!
The taxis, also, were an experience. If I got a taxi which only had bald tyres, I considered I was lucky, as on some, the canvas was clearly visible.
I have to say though, that I found everyone very friendly.
One weekend, I went on a safari to Mfuwe Lodge at South Luangwa National Park. I flew from Harare in a small propeller-driven plane, and was surprised to see a spare wheel in the passenger compartment. We landed on a grass runway and were taken to our accommodation.
This comprised single-story huts and was simple, though adequate. I would have preferred something more substantial,
though, in the mornings when hippopotami used our simple camp as an early-morning short-cut.
Other than hippos, we saw lions, elephants, one leopard and a variety of antelopes on our early-morning and late-evening safaris. Many was the time that someone exclaimed, 'Oh look, another bloody impala!'. They were everywhere.
I flew down to Livingstone to see Victoria Falls. I could see the spray from the aeroplane from miles
away, and hear it from the Victoria Falls hotel, but nothing can prepare you for the full impact of these
magnificent falls, the largest curtain of falling water on earth - 500 million litres of water per minute
when the Zambezi is in full flood. They are unbelievable. Truly here, you can feel the earth
move. As the water thunders by, I was awed by its sheer power. I wandered up and down, reveling in the
experience.
The Victoria Falls Hotel opened in 1904 and is only a ten-minute walk from the falls. It is also an
experience, with monkeys walking the roofs (don't leave cameras, etc. on the tables outside) and a wide
menu, including much of the local wildlife - snakes, antelopes and crocodiles all featured when I was
there, along with quality wines - mainly from South Africa.
I took a trip on a small plane round the falls, which I also highly recommend.
I had a safari here too, which I enjoyed, and a cruise on the Zambezi.
I walked across the falls to Zimbabwe, and flew on to Harare, but that's another story, and another page (see my Zimbabwe page).
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: © Mike Bliss 2008