Monday, April 06, 2009

Zambia

By afternoon it seemed like it had been a gloomy day. It was not that it started badly, on the contrary i was awoken by bright sunshine at about 6:00am, which was quickly replaced by Malawai's mercinless rains.

Our spirits were at there lowest in days and I like the rest of the crew were keen to get out of Malawai. I had decided that my time must have been cursed- my Ipod had broken and my stomouch was back to doing its usual samersaults.

By late afternoon we had driven across the country and we were at the Zambian boarder, drizzle was threatening to drown us and i loneged for respite. With a Malawain exit stamp easily obtained i walked across no mans land and to my astonishment as i crossed the boarder the sun began to shine- she was not strong, nor very bright but she was there. Surely this was a positive sign?

At the boarder a charming Zambian looked up from reading his local paper and said as we arrived 'i suppose i better do some work now'.

After over an hour he handed back my passport (lucky last) and the boarder offical wished me a fond farwell 'enjoy my country and travel well, i am sorry to have delayed you miss'. It was a thoughrally charming introduction to my 8th African country. As horriable as it seems i was beeming just to be out of Malawai.

That night we camped in Chimpanda (i think??) were we met a british expat i will call Paul (for ease's sake... i have no idea what his name was). It was Paul who spoke to us about the economics of prostitution (he used to own a bar - although i think he may have been a pimp), he was quite eccentric and entertaining after a long day on the road.

Next morning we were up early an (its very entertaining) and watching Spooks on my new BFF Rob's laptop we approached Lusaka. At first glance tge city appears clean with double laned, dual carriage ways seperated by median strips covered in trees. Traffic lights decorate street corners and signs 'keep lusaka clean' populate the road side.

The City sky line is dotted with a few tower blocks, a power plant and is reminisent of a soviet city; square buildings, grey and brutal. Industry seems to dominate downtown; there are flour mills, copper production plants and other refineries next to office blocks. Most of the buildings look like they were designed in the 1970's and some reach 20 stories tall. Certainly lusaka is not a capital that would win a prize in a beauty pagent but drenched in sunshine, desolate on a late sunday afternoon there is a certain charm to be found. Maybe it is the civic pride that is demonstrated by the 'keep Lusaka beautiful' signs or the ordiliness of the goings on, perhaps it is the lack of traffic or the sheer joy to be out of malawai... i have not worked it out yet but it will be a joy finding out!





After an 11 hour drive we approached Luska

1 comment:

tracy joy said...

Hey KP. Im constantly following your interesting blog of your enduring journey through Africa. Im sure you are learning a lot. Wish I was there with you.