Sunday 24.3:
After many recommendations we decided go to
the Kafue National park east of Lusaka. The first 200 km were no problem on a
nice big tar road without the usual potholes that you normally see coming once
it is too late. However we than had to take a right turn off the main road to
get to the Hippo Lodge located directly at the Kafue River. It was the beginning of the most miserable
90km of dirt road we had experienced so far. It already got dark once we
arrived at the park gate and then we still had to go for another bumpy 45
kilometers through the jungle. On the last kilometers the ground turned too
liquid mud. Finally we arrived at the Hippo lodge at the river. Suddenly
torches pointed at us and more and more guys approached us in wonder that
someone had actually made the trip out here. They told us that camping is not
allowed at the lodge and that we have to return. We thought it is a joke. After
a while the manager of the place appeared. A young zoologist from England who
had been managing the lodge for the last 3 years. He turned out to me very
helpful and allowed us to stay for the night. I guess he was also happy to have
someone to talk to in his age from Europe. He told us the main season has not
started yet because the rainy season has just stopped a few weeks ago. All game
drive roads were still closed down. Exhausted we pitched our tent and went to
bed. About 20 meters from our car the wide Kafue River was silently flowing.
Monday 25.03:
Chris the manager of the lodge woke us up
the next morning to give us a tour of the fancy Hippo lodge. We could use the
utilities for the morning toilet. Since all roads were closed except the road
back to Lusaka we decided to head straight back. Chris also had to go the same
way with his old Toyota pickup truck. He asked us if he could go drive behind
us. After just one kilometer he got stuck in the mud the first time. With the
high jack and some rocks he managed to free the car. The biggest annoyance were
thousands of tse tse flies which attacked us once we left the car. I was trying
to keep the car on the road while Ju perfectionist her skills to get rid of the
little monsters that managed to get into our car.
Late in the afternoon we arrived at the
Eureka camp ground just outside of Lusaka. Once we entered the little park
surrounding the camp a family of giraffes, zebras and impalas walked peacefully
tame across the road. I guess the owners just flew them in from somewhere else
to give the guest a little of a safari feeling.
Tuesday 26.03:
Ju stayed the day at the camp ground to
sort out her things. In the meantime I drove our car to the garage on the other
side of Lusaka. In the thick and chaotic traffic it took me more than an hour.
The new tires were not correctly aligned the week before which caused
vibrations when driving faster than 70 km/h. It took them more than two hours
until they were finished balancing the tires. Once I accelerated I immediately
found out that the problem was still them same. They told me there balancing
machine is not calibrated properly so I had to go with one of their mechanics
to their partner garage in the center of Lusaka. Unfortunately it was in the
middle of the rush hour. While driving the mechanic also noticed a strange
sound from our exhaust which I thought was just the normal sound of it. That
means tomorrow I have to come back to get this also fixed. Late in the evening
I finally managed to get back to the camp ground. I than had to tell Ju all my
adventures of the day out hunting.
The next day we spent at the camp ground, refilled
our water tank and relaxed. In the late afternoon we drove again through the
horrible traffic to go to the movie theatre to watch the Wizard of Oz. The
first moving pictures since I left Vienna. Before we quickly stopped by to tell
Eberhard and Karina goodbye who went to Mauritius that night for vacation. They
were so nice to allow us to camp in their yard that night. The house dog Bongo
watched over us.
Thursday was again a full day at the
service station. They promised us a 1 hour wait. That was at 1 pm it is now 7:20
pm and we are still waiting. I guess we have got used to the African time
already since we just take it as it is without getting too upset. At least I
found the time now to write up the latest blog entries.
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