Blogs from Zambia, Africa
May 20th 2012
We are almost ready. The second Zambia group from OLP is about to leave for Africa.We have one fundraiser left, this weekend, a commissioning mass over Memorial Day weekend and a packing day, then off we go. The actual trip dates are June 1 to June 23, 2012. There are 10 of us going: Monica, Mary, Ian, Denis, Sean, Evan, Caitie, Allison, J.P., and Andy. Sandy can’t go on the trip after all, but she is still helping make advance arrangements for when we get there. Fr. Patrick has e-mailed us and told us that we will spend the first few days in Lusaka and a good deal of the time we will be at St. Theresa Mission in Ibenga. The original plan for starting the school at Kapiri Mposhi is still tied up with negotiations ... read more
April 13th 2012
This is the story of my first true travel adventure, and quite possibly my favourite so far! July 2007, I was a fresh faced 16 year old, who had never been away without his parents, facing the prospect of spending three weeks in a place with more things that could kill you than in all gun lockers in America as my mother put it. I remember having the most incredible mix of feelings just before I got on the bus from my school to the airport. Feelings which I could never describe until I rewatched the film Armageddon. Was I 98% excited and 2% scared or even the other way round?. I believe it was the former. However it is this amazing cocktail of feelings that I believe gives us that buzz and urge for travel. ... read more
March 1st 2012
Our second stop in Malawi was Kande (pronounced 'candy') Beach, where relaxing and drinking a little too much were the orders of each day. It's a tradition for overland tours to have a fancy dress party during their stay at Kande, and the locals know that whenever they see one of the trucks pulling up, they can expect to make a killing selling ridiculous outfits at ridiculous prices. Of course, it would be no fun if you actually knew what you would be wearing at the party, so names are put into a hat and everyone in the group draws one out at random, and then takes charge of that person's costume. It's lucky that we were all up for a laugh, because there were some pretty outrageous outfits being modelled that night. We crossed into ... read more
February 15th 2012
We are coming to the end of our tour. The last highlight of the trip is Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is twice as high and twice as wide as Niagara Falls. As it is too much red tape to take our bus across the river into Zambia, we sadly bid our bus driver Barry good bye in the morning. A very short ferry ride across the Chobe river puts us into Zambia- and of course, there is a $50.00 customs fee to enter. I mention this fact for two reasons- one is- as usual, Canadians are always charged the most it seems when entering other countries- the second reason has to more to do with my travel agent...........my personal travel agent. Altho he does a WONDERFUL job of planning ... read more
February 11th 2012
31.01.2012 Happy feast! That was the theme of this day. I woke up rather late and then hurried for the breakfast. On the table I found unexpected surprise; as it was the feast day I had on my plate couple of sweets, crisps (salt and vinegar), picture of Don Bosco and handkerchief. After finishing breakfast, we cleaned up and I decided that I will stay with them to help. So up to 4pm I was in the convent! And what is the better way to celebrate theDon Bosco feast than by working hard. Until lunch time, the girls cooked for employees of the Laura centre and I washed the dishes. At 2pm we had buffet style lunch with the people working here and after eating there was loads and loads of dancing. It was ... read more
Thrills, Chills and Spills At Victoria Falls
Published: February 8th 2012Africa » Zambia » Livingstone
February 8th 2012
Back in Livingstone (pronounced as if there was no "e" on the end) for a week, we decided to partake of some touristy activities that are the specialty of this area - sort of an amusement park on steroids. This town has more of that vibe than just about any we have visited so far, and yet it is also a small city with all the regular activities that go on there, with colleges and a technical university, as well as some manufacturing. Also, even the "amusement park" type activities are all centered on the natural beauty of the place: geography, geology, hydrology, flora and fauna. Where else to start than the falls itself. Our hostel sends a daily free shuttle van the 10 or so kms from the town centre to the falls on the ... read more
February 4th 2012
Dearfriends, This is longer version of my email that I sent you previously. I took my laptop this time ans therefore I will be sending more comprehensive emailsJ Zambia, 25.january 2012 So I found my way to the community of Salesians sisters here in northern Zambian town, Kasama. I will week by week introduce this community to you, my friends, through my eyes, which are of course influenced by my previous experiences in Asia. However,I promise to be as impartial as possibleJ The journey to Lusaka wasn’t the easiest one I’ve made. It took me whole 2 days from London. After a couple of hours in Dubai, and then many hours on the plane with 2 hours delay, I finally arrived in Johannesburg in South Africa. Here I watched beautiful storm passed by and amazing ... read more
February 3rd 2012
So after two short flights we arrived in Livingstone which is named after David Livingstone who was the first white man to explore the area. It is also the home of Victoria Falls which is on the Zambezi river. An enjoyable taxi drive dicussing English football teams soon had us arriving at our waterfront campsite to start getting a feel for the next week of sleeping under canvas.....and with various wild animals around.....namely monkeys and baboons at this site! Our first night in tent was a bit more luxourious than what was to come as the tents actually had framed beds in and an electric bedside lamp. With mum and dad sharing, I was able to have my tent all to myself! Before we got too comfortable in them though we booked ourselves onto a sunset ... read more
February 1st 2012
Lilongwe, Malawi, 9 jan Na een paar dagen door saai Lilongwe, de hoofdstad van Malawi, gebanjerd te hebben, werd het tijd om wat actiefs te gaan doen: een lodge in Luwawa Forest, zo’n 200 km naar het noorden, bood mountainbiking en absailingactivities aan. Helaas heb ik ergens aan Lake Malawi een virusje/infectie opgepikt, en die besloot in Luwawa goed wakker te worden, waardoor ik 3 dagen op bed gelegen heb, met opgezwollen klieren in mn nek en oorpijn. In de lokale kliniek schreef de arts antibiotica voor, die met een grote grijns uit een van de 5 grote potten met pillen werd gehaald: pillen in overvloed dankzij een vrijwilligersproject in het dorp met contacten in Duitsland. Het regende intussen vrij veel, en het was af en toe gewoon koud (15 gr.), waardoor de geplande activiteiten sowieso ... read more
January 25th 2012
(Or All Aboard the Tazara Train - Dar to Kapiri Mposhi . . . Not Exactly . . .) 2012-Jan-24 5:02 PM - Survived the Ordeal (Part 1) Fast forward folks to the end of this leg of our African safari; its Tuesday afternoon when it should have been Sunday night (your first clue that things did not quite go 'according to plan'). After countless trials and tribs, a bit of a leg up from sweet German Tobi and stoic Kenyan Kevin and a huge exercise in patience and trusting in fate, I am now happily rested, showered, have enjoyed a 'real toilet' (sorry to be so graphic but it's the little things that mean so much), taken a walk around downtown Lusaka (during which we secured our bus tickets to Livingstone tomorrow), indulged in a ... read more
