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Background: The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution of former President Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in late 2003. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly.

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By Jill413
July 29th 2007

Lubasi/Zambezi

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Yesterday morning I went to Lubasi Children's home for the morning. It is an orphanage for children ages 5-12. When I got there the children were gardening. I talked to the director for a while to learn about the programs. Most of their parents passed away with complications resulting from AIDS. The orphanage was started by the catholic church and runs on the funding of the Livingstone community and other donors. The children have made tye-dye tablecloths for craft time to sell for fundraising. I started gardening with some of the children, and then they wanted to teach me how to [View Full Entry]

By Jill413
July 27th 2007

Welcome to Zambia

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Welcome to Zambia...that was the first thing I saw when I flew from Joburg to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. It certainly was an interesting welcome. I have a Lonely Planet travel book that told me a Zambia visa cost 25 USD. Great- I saved 25 USD in cash just for this trip. I got off the plane and went to the customs desk and they said 100 USD. WHAT? I don't have 100 USD in cash, what am I supposed to do. Well good thing I had enough Rand with me, because at the airport they didn't take a mastercard, [View Full Entry]

By mpickton
July 20th 2007

Chobe to Livingstone

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

RECOVERED

PICTURES ANOTHER TIME, SORRY In the afternoon in Chobe we went on a sunset cruise. We were able to see elephants, crocodiles and hippos amongst others. The cruise was very peaceful and we were able to meet some of the new people who we would share the second half of the Acacia trip with. The next day we drove into Livingstone where we would be staying for the next few days. Before we arrived at the campsite we visited Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It was truly stunning - while we only saw one [View Full Entry]

By mpickton
July 20th 2007

Chobe to Livingstone

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Sunset cruise

In the afternoon in Chobe we went on a sunset cruise. We were able to see elephants, crocodiles and hippos amongst others. The cruise was very peaceful and we were able to meet some of the new people who we would share the second half of the Acacia trip with. The next day we drove into Livingstone where we would be staying for the next few days. Before we arrived at the campsite we visited Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It was truly stunning - while we only saw one third of the falls, it [View Full Entry]

By explorer_keith
July 20th 2007

Feeding Crocodiles

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

The Baby Crocodile
He was very calm in my hand, but he still tried to bite me from time to time.

So there I was standing on the side of the road with the contents of my backpack disgorged on the new asphalt. There was a very animated man running in circles with a Zulu spear held high above his head. His war cry filled the air, “Contraband, Contraband, Contraband!” The officials had decided to search the whole bus and I was not the only one standing there with all of their possessions strewn about, but it was my backpack that had produced the spear. It was clear that the officials had found what they were looking for, because they stopped paying [View Full Entry]

By M C
July 20th 2007

Speed Safari - Organised Travel in Southern Africa (Pt II)

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Zambezi River Ferry
Returning to the Botswanan side to pick us up and take us over into Zambia.

So, part one left us stranded in the hunting concession area of the Moremi Game Reserve. Did we escape the lurking dangers of myopic hunters? Did the tour leader explode? The answers are; 1. obviously, and 2. she was remarkably calm considering that the incident royally screwed the all powerful schedule. Some 90 minutes, a brief journey in the back of a tow truck and a kindly South African safari leader with more mechanical abilities than we could muster later and the vehicle was back on the road again. We sub [View Full Entry]

By D and B
July 1st 2007

Adieu to Vic Falls

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Victoria Falls
And it's not raining

Today we said goodbye to Victoria Falls and made the journey down to Cape Town. You'll notice that we have skipped a few days in the blog, so I'll update you on those. We arrived in Zambia on the 29th of June and headed to our hotel very near the falls. When we arrived, we were greeted by some locals doing an African dance (with accompaniment from two small English boys). The hotel itself was large, but - as we found out over time - a bit of a tourist trap. OK, scrap that. It was entirely a tourist trap. [View Full Entry]

By Birch
June 5th 2007

Day 241

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Vic Falls
Victory for Eddie!!

Pulled into town around 10pm or so, payed a guy to walk us to the Jollyboy's Backpackers as we were told it was easily walking distance, and safe enough to walk around at night. Unfortunately we were much too late for dinner so we inhaled a few beers and bags of chips instead. I've converted Jen on the buses: they don't really stop too often (ie. only when the driver feels it's necessary), and I'd much rather be hungry and thirsty than have to go pee for 7 hours... so we barely drink or eat anything on the buses. ...which unfortunately [View Full Entry]

By Chivalry
June 1st 2007

Victoria Falls - Zambian Side

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

The lunar rainbow on a full moon night
The rainbow is cast by the moonlight

Arrived in Livinstone yesterday.. wanted to take the 8am bus.. but woke up at 5am somehow.. so what the heck.. pulled myself out and went to the bus station and took the 6am bus.. bus ride is 6hrs.. including stops along the way.. and cost 75,000 kwachas (1usd=4000kwachas).. so i guess travelling in southern africa is not that cheap as well.. Arrived in Livingstone around 1230pm.. went straight to Jollyboys Backpackers.. wow.. this is the nicest backpacker hostel i've ever ever seen! dorm bed cost just US$6 - 10 a night.. pending on dorm size.. and they have a swimming [View Full Entry]

By K Rod
May 13th 2007

Happy Mothers Day

Africa » Zambia » Livingstone

Our Morning Visitors
We had such a good time with all of the monkeys....there were tons of them but each with their own personality

Happy Mothers Day to our Mom's Gilma and Darlene. We wish you were both here sharing this experience with us. On our way back from Victoria Falls this morning we picked up gifts from the local village people - that was pressure shopping like no other! The falls were in all their glory - blue sky, very high "smoke" from the off spray, double rainbows - beautiful!!! This is what David Livingstone had to say after is first sighting: "After twenty minutes' sail from Kalai we came in sight, for the first time, of the columns of vapor appropriately called [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » Zambia » Livingstone