Words & Pics: Séan Hendley and friends and some pics pilfered from everyone.
Episode 1 ended with us in Kasane, having crossed the length of Botswana, for an overnight stop before crossing the mighty Zambezi river at the Kazungula border post into Zambia after quite a spectacular evening at Kwalape Lodge. Read that article here if you missed it and there are still two more instalments to come after this one…. That is how epic this trip was. And if you want to know about the bike I rode, well you can read my review here. And, if you want to know how I managed to load all my kit, spare jerry cans, all the camera equipment and the kitchen sink safely and comfortably, well you can read about that here.
That’s enough of that, let’s get on with the journey….
Crossing into Zambia…
You’d best prepare yourselves for me to gush lyrically about the place…. It is that good! And it starts right at the border. Back in the olden days, not so very long ago, the border post was a couple of shacks on the river bank by the ferry, and just for the pure adventure of it I kinda wish it still was. These days there is a huge air conditioned terminal building akin to something you might find at a larney international airport before you cross one of the most spectacular and modern bridges across the mighty Zambezi river right at its confluence with the Chobe. The weather changes as well, the temperature still moderates around the early to mid 40 degrees celsius, but somehow is less stifling, less severe, less oppressive and somehow more bearable.
The first thing you notice is that Zambia is not quite as well heeled as Botswana or South Africa for that matter. Every building is a little bit more well worn, quite a bit older and just a little bit more poverty stricken and more old worldly. Then you are struck by the friendliness and humility of the Zambian people, but make no mistake they are not fools and definitely not pushovers. They know thier worth and are politely assertive and very proud of their country. We were quite a rowdy, loud and demanding bunch and Miriam and Joy, the two ladies who had to check us into our digs at Fawlty Towers in Livingstone quickly and calmly lined us up and got us mzungu’s behaving in an acceptably orderly fashion and efficiently and courteously got us off to our respective rooms and booked our sunset cruise on the Zambezi with a shuttle to and from the hotel. Some of our crew tried to pay in U.S. dollars which is an accepted currency in Zambia, but these were handed back and asked for replacements on any notes not older than 2013. For some reason their central banks doesn’t accept dollars that old, (we suspect it is to prevent the nefarious from hiding them in the sofa of their Presidential Game Lodge to avoid paying tax). Naturally there was much grumbling and heated questions which were calmly dealt with whilst the rules were firmly enforced.
Sunset cruising on the Zambezi river is something you just have to experience at least once in your life. At $70.00 U.S, about ZAR1,400.00 it is not cheap even with its exceptionally light dinner and all you can drink bar, but it is something special nonetheless. The onboard staff are exceptional and well versed in their knowledge of the Zambezi and surrounds. The boats, well the one we were on anyway, are quite old but beautifully maintained with a lot of old school charm, taking you to a bygone era of rugged explorers discovering a new world…. Until you look across the river and see a multitude other such craft plying their trade. Still, the Zambezi river is a magical, peaceful place with hippo aplenty snorting as they break the surface, oddly shaped logs cruising along just below the surface which suggests a quick dip in the water will end in tears. Other than at an actual crocodile farm, (or around the pool of a hotel filled with tourists….), I have never seen so many crocs in one place. Ambling along checking out Livingstone Island, chatting to the other guests and sipping on a cold Lime & Soda, time stands still as your soul soaks in the majesty of where you are.
Then suddenly all the boats turn and burn from whence they came. Can it be? Is this moment over already? Well no, all the boats were racing back to the best spot on the river from which to observe the sunset, and what a sight it was to behold, all these old ladies ambling along aimlessly one minute and the next minute all lined up with bow waves rising, I could quite easily imagine the pilots hunched down behind the wheels in the cabins of their respective barges like MotoGP riders tucked in behind their screens vying for the holeshot.
As they swung around giving each other a wide berth, the jostling for position began before everything settled down into the serenity of the flowing water, occasional hippo snort and an occasional bird call. As the sun dipped below the tree line our pilot had allowed the river to turn the boat around again and he wandered a little further down the river and gave us our first glimpse or at least the spray off of the Victoria Falls in the distance, whetting our appetites properly for our excursion the next day to the Falls. That evening, we wandered around town on foot, something you don’t dare attempt in a downtown Gauteng city, to a local restaurant for a quick dinner, which we actually did most evenings.
Hiking the Victoria Falls.
The next day it was an early breakfast at the hotel before hopping on our bikes and heading off to the falls. I don’t have the language and writing skills and the English language does not have enough superlatives to adequately do the Victoria Falls proper justice, but hopefully the pictures give you some idea…. It is so otherworldly. We went and looked out from every view point, stood in the spray for more time than was polite and even hiked down to the Devils boiling pot and had a dip in a little pond at the foot of one of the minor falls created by the spray landing on the rocks on the other side of the gorge.
We watched a couple of maniacs throw themselves off the bridge with a bit of rubber band tied around their ankles. Eventually we had to leave and make our way back into town with a small detour to the Royal Livingstone hotel for a sundowner and watch the sunset from their deck, which we did for the rest of the sunsets that we were in Livingstone. As we all had different appetites that evening, we split up into smaller groups and went in search of nourishment in town on foot, which still blows my mind – something we are unable to do back home.
A surprise school trip
The power of social media still boggles the mind. We posted a couple of pictures on our various profiles and a
local School Principal commented on one of our posts asking us to please swing by their school and show the kids our beautiful motorbikes, a very rare sight in Zambia we were told. And we were only too happy to oblige, it is our life’s mission to get as many youngsters as possible hooked on motorcycling.
After breakfast the next morning half the group headed off to Nata in Botswana, their staging ground for a trip out to Kubu Island the next day while the rest of us made contact with Norman Banda from the Jesus Christ Academy in Burton, Livingstone to arrange the visit. Following the GPS, we found ourselves heading into the ever poorer side of town, with less and less infrastructure as we went. Eventually we were waved down by a small group of men directing us down a dirt road, road being a very generous description. Norman had walked up to the main road with his sons to meet us and had his son run ahead of us to direct us through the warren of cottages on informal roads and paths. Norman, deep in his fifties and in sandals jogged along closely behind.
Arriving at the school was the most fantastic experience with tiniest Tots to the Grade 7’s all neatly lined up in their school uniforms cheering us as we rolled in. We were introduced and were blessed with a song of welcome from the kids. It may have only been 20 or 30 metres at little more than walking speed, but these little guys and girls were absolutely enthralled to get a ride on the bike, waving to their neighbours and calling out to their friends in excitement.
What an amazing experience!
Eventually we got to sit down and have a little chat with Mr Norman Banda, the Principal and founder of the school. He explained to us he was so saddened to see all the street kids not having the opportunity to get an education and decided to do something about it. With his meagre earnings employed by the Zambian Ministry of Health he established the Jesus Christ Academy in 2004 from a mud brick and thatch hut. About 10 years later he took his retirement package, purchased a small piece of ground and built the 5 classroom school in its current location. With zero assistance of any kind from the government or anybody, Norman runs a couple of small shops around the neighbourhood and the proceeds of which pays his teachers salaries and also pays for the supplies and maintenance of the school. Now, if that is not commitment and love for your fellow citizen and the future of your country, then you need to educate me on what is!
The school has 158 learners from ‘Baby Class’ to Grade 7, while Norman Banda looks after the administration of the school and the running of the retail shops to fund the school. The three teachers take care of the children’s education in two shifts, it is too small to house all the children at the same time. It is a long day for the teacher with the first shift kicking off at 07H30 and the final class finishing at 17H00.
Lazarus Mulubane is the senior teacher and teaches grades 3 to 7. Teacher Jane Socha teaches the Baby and Reception classes and Teacher Ruth Mukula teaches grades 1 and 2. Mr Norman Banda and his faculty are a true inspiration to us all.
As a side note: Not once did they ask for anything other than we come and show the kids our bikes, however I would like to ask, that as a community we find it in our hearts to donate them school supplies, note books, crayons, pencils, reading books, Bibles, educational posters, anything you can think of. Drop us a note on info@motomedia.co.za and we will make arrangements to collect your donations and get them off to the school in Zambia.
All said and done – I am in love with Zambia, the people are really special, the Falls are more than my meagre vocabulary can express. I really do yearn to go back there everyday.
This trip was eye opening to what excellence and greatness Africa and our country can truly be.
Why is this story in RideFast and not in Dirt And Trail? Well the whole trip was on tar – and I reckon that most road bikes could easily do it…
There is just so much more to tell you about, keep an eye on the website for Episodes 3 and 4 coming shortly
