Blogs from Livingstone, Zambia, Africa - page 14

Trying to get one more blog in and some pictures loaded. Yesterday was interesting with our Botswana adventures which the youth have lots of tales about. However, we did not forget about mass on Sunday either. Since it was such a packed day, we brought a mass kit with us and celebrated the Eucharist at a very special time. It was in the army tank/container vehicle that transported us from Zambia to the crossing into Botswana and back. It was on the way back, as the sun was beginning to set that Fr Patrick celebrated mass on our moving vehicle. As Steven said, God is everywhere and this proves that you can make a relatively irreverent place into a reverent and holy place. It was my favorite mass of all celebrated with this special group. Keep ... read more

Tja, zur Zeit laeuft das mit dem Blog-Schreiben wie am Schnuerchen. Wir haben gluecklicherweise immer gute Unterkuenfte mit WIFI, das sogar funktioniert. Also, von Kasane in Botswana hatten wir einen sehr lustigen Grenzuebertritt nach Zambia. Mit dem Minibus (vergleichbar mit den Colectivos in Suedamerika) fuhren wir 20 Minuten bis zur Grenze von Kazungula. Dort ging es dann weiter zu Fuss bis zum botswanischen Grenzhaeuschen. 2 Stempel und die Sache war erledigt. Dann marschierten wir 15 Minuten bis hinunter zum Chobe River. Dort warteten wir ein Glueck nicht lange auf die Faehre. Fussgaenger duerfen kostenlos drauf. Wir mussten uns eben zwischen die LKWs quetschen. Die Ueberfahrt war kurz und dann standen wir vor einem Problem. Die Faehre hielt etwas vom Ufer weg und das Wasser war zu tief zum Durchlaufen. Ein junger LKW-Fahrer hatte Mitleid und auf ... read more

Sunday I woke up terrified, today was not going to be a good day, I already had a sickening feeling right down in the pitt of my stomach, one that I couldn't shake off. My head was buzzing with questions, 'was I really ready to do this? Was I mad? Was I even going to go through with it? I had jumped out of a plane but could I really plunge 111m head first over Vic. Falls???? I didnt want to admit it but I was very afraid, I didnt have to admit it because people took one look at me and knew instantly. A big group of us were going to the Falls, to the Bridge that crosses the gorge and is exactly on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and just happens to be ... read more

And so the madness begins... Livingstone is south of Zambia, just on the border between Zimbabwe and is home to one of the natural wonders of the world- Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders). It's a small town that massively benefits from the tourism generated by the biggest falls in the world. Named by the scottsih explorer David Livingstone, Victoria Falls is formed from the fast flowing Zambezi River and cracks in the ground, which now form a zig zag gorge around them. We just happened to visit it when the water levels are at a 50 year high, so never again will the water be at this level again in my lifetime. And it wasnt just a statistic, you could feel the power and force coming down that rockface. It was an awesome ... read more

Day 25 (Friday, 15-May-09, NJJ) Packed up and left camp at 10am. We got to the Botswana-Zambia border in no time. All-in-all it took three hours to get out of Botswana and into Zambia. We stopped at the shore line and patiently waited until it was Benji's, and our, turn to board the ferry, the journey on which took no longer than 10 mins. On Zambian soil all of our passports were ok'd with ease. However we had to wait ages, in the heat and dust, for Will to complete all the paperwork to allow us and Benji into the country. Apparently the paperwork has recently changed and that caused the delay. It took a further hour drive to get to the Waterfront campsite in Livingstone, approx' 80km from the border. About 50km from camp, in ... read more