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26th September 2006

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Faced with the daunting task of writing a website update it would seem some things are more challenging than fixing a headlight. The heat of the sun slowly creeps into the day and the sounds of the thriving Lusaka city start to settle into a slow cruise set for a huge week of political endeavours and elections.

We reluctantly left our relative comfort of fellow kiwis in Maun, thanks to Matt Pohio for putting us up, heading along the western side of the Okavango Delta towards the Namibian border.

Well into the darkness of night we settled in Ngepi Lodge after our biggest ride yet. Morning greeted us, to our surprise, with a riverside lawn facing into the rising round glow of the sun. Not surprising is that this was voted best camp site in Africa. Our stay soon turned from one night to three as people, starter motors, fishing and no Namibian dollars held us content and happy. Twad’s and Jul’s made the most of the situation baking bread and biscuits to feed our hunger, whilst Phil cooked up our first African Chicken Stew. Delicious. Maybe it was the chicken, maybe it was the water we drank straight from the river but Twad’s and Phil both fell sick leaving Jul’s and Mungo to nurse and entertain the sick. Somewhere around this point it was decided to make the documentary into a musical. Jul’s has started by writing a song. There are mixed feelings about it’s appropriateness but it is of good honest quality material.

Livingstone to Lusaka Images

Chronicle blurp

We made it across the Botswana border into the Caprivi Strip game reserve in Namibia unscathed from the delta. The heat dial turned up and our throttles turned down to compensate. The caprivi turned out to be a wonderful way to pass elephant in the wild, try and camp with them, (while Nic and Phill recovered from a bout of sickness) and have a go at a spot of fishing and relaxing at Ngepi Lodge. Getting across into Zambia was a bit more difficult, but after we repaired phills rear puncture, filled out the entry form, completed third party insurance, paid the council bridge levy, completed the CIP vehicle form then got our passports stamped we drove off into the sunset past mud huts towards Livingstone. We tackled the mighty Zambezi on an inflatable raft, and phill checked out the victoria falls. We rode on toSinazongwe and another interesting turn events where the outcome led us to be up with the dawn and morning fisherman.