The People of Zambia
Friendly and polite are the first words that spring to mind.  They take politeness seriously as one cannot ask a simple question, such as for directions, without first going through the routine of "hello, how are you" etc.  Only when the pleasantries are done with, can you ask your question.

Women dress modestly, usually wrapping lengths of brightly printed material around their waists that drop almost to their ankles.  Younger men wear bright shirts, often bearing the image of sporting heroes, and shorts or trousers.   One of the things that one cannot help observing is the number of children - there are lots and lots and lots and lots of children.  The interesting thing is that very few young or middle-aged women are seen.  It is true that the men prefer to engage themselves in business and that farming is seen as "women's work", but the harvests are now over, and it is not yet time to sow the next crops, so the question remains.... where are all the young women?  We have spoken with a number of travellers who have all noticed the same.  If you ask a local, they often shrug their shoulders and say, "They're around" or "they're in the village".  But when you drive past the village, you don't see many women??????

There are many, many schools in Zambia; from basic education through to high schools. Each has a large signpost directing one to each school, and on each signpost is the school motto.  Some that have stuck in our minds include: "Educate the girl child and develop the mother", "Die a little to achieve" and "Learn to earn a living".

Life in Zambia
Life in Zambia is hard by western standards, but judging against other African countries, Zambia is doing rather well.  The minimum wage is about one US dollar a day.  However people are able to get by on this; they supplement their income with locally-grown vegetables and fruit.  Peasant farmers grow maize and cotton in their gardens, which the government or co-ops will buy from them, giving them an income.  Many will also pick up seasonal jobs in the sugar plantations.

People are educated and all speak very good English in addition to their traditional language.  There are about 35 different ethnic groupings each with their own language!

Driving in Zambia can be hazardous to your health!  Pot holes the width of the road appear without warning, while overloaded trucks with unstable loads trundle up steep ascents and zoom down declines all the while hogging three quarters of the road!  Our closest incident was a truck who came some close to us that the strapping on his load flicked up and hit our vehicle - no damage done to anything except my nerves!!

Ecology and Environment
Zambia is a contradiction in terms of the environment.  Massive deforestation is taking place as hundred of trees are chopped down every day for the production of charcoal for sale in the cities.  It is a sad sight in a country which has huge potential for income-earning from its natural heritage.  The country has 19 national parks and 31 game management areas; some of which are run-down, poached-out or difficult to get to.  South Luangwa is one of the parks which has been upgraded (although the road to get there is 130kms of back-breaking jolts and bruise-making bumps that takes 3 hours!)  A few other parks have also received attention and the positive spin-off from tourism is being felt in the neighbouring communities through job creation and a demand for local products, curios, fruit, vegetables etc.

The Lower Zambezi Valley and the Luangwa Valley were both hot in August 2004; with the latter reaching 38 degrees Celsius (remember, this is late WINTER!)  The rains in summer do assist in breaking the heat in summer, when it generally gets to around 42 degrees Celsius.

Onto what we've been doing....
Our last update finished on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls.  We headed north (to actually end up going south), and found ourselves in Choma for two nights where me met the irrepressible and adventourous Joe MacGregor Brooks.  A mere 78 years old, this gent plays volleyball every night with the local teenagers.  He also catches crocodiles in his spare time and currently has fourteen in a pen in his backyard.  

Alan felt right at home with this easy-going Scot, who has the most fascinating stories to tell of his time as a Game Ranger at the time Kariba was filling up with water.  For example he told us of when he had had to track and shoot a troublesome elephant... he laid his rifle next to the elephant, got out his camera on a little tripod, set up the timer and ran to stand next to his rifle - then the very angry elephant, who was not at all dead, got up!  If you are ever in the area of Choma, stop off and visit Joe at Gwembe Safaris.

Our next night was in the backyard of the offices of a wonderfully kind couple, Rick and Cheryl in Mazabuka.  The tourist office in Livingstone assured me that there was a campsite in Mazabuka, but guess what... there isn't!!  So with the sun setting rapidly in a cloudy sky, we asked around for a safe place to spend the night, when Cheryl kindly offered us her "backyard".   Everywhere we went in Zambia, the kindness of strangers was phenomenal.

We made it to our destination, Mvuu Lodge on the Lower Zambezi River, after finding a road blocked with hundreds of trucks at the Chirundu border post, taking a pontoon and then driving an adventurous 4x4 road for 63kms (3 hours driving time).

We took two tours into the park and saw Thornicroft Giraffe both Plains Zebras; both of which we had not seen before.  There were loads of other sightings such as Civets, Genets and lions, but alas, no leopards!  That is about it from Zambia - we will be back as there is not much we did not get to see.  We have stayed very much in the south of the country and there is so much in the north, that we have to get back here soon!

But for now, it's off to Malawi!!