http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Rosemary Tomlinson/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Rosemary Tomlinson en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:32:19 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:32:19 BST Was up at 4am Monday morning to catch the bus to Livingstone. Stayed at Jollyboys backpackers' which was fine for my needs. Could boil up noodles for lunch in their kitchen and they do a basic filling meal for abouit a fiver each evening. They also had Savana cider even when the local Shoprite had sold out Tuesday morning got the hostel lift to Victoria FallsMosioaTunya paid my entrance a http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Southern-Province/Livingstone/blog-303936.html Spent some days in Lusaka before and after a trip to Livingstone courtesy of Holiday Inn thank you Southampton. Dropped off blue box water filter and other equipment to VSO had my exit interview with the programme manager and also got myself tested for malaria and bilharzia. Met up with Fiona who had previously come to the South Luangwa game reserve with us and Anne an exVSO now with http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Lusaka/blog-303593.html Well it's been about 3 weeks since my last blog and am now back home so everything from here on in has been loaded up on return and as I get to write it up.I had one more field trip while in Chipata a trip to see the chief of an area in which Caritas is helping. No photos but was rather odd we were the ones helping him with money from our donors but it was us kneeling clapping at him and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-302613.html Coming to the end of an era now as my placement is drawing to a close. Last week we had a final review session in which the whole organisation visited each office in turn. Each programme officer described their new classification system were tested on it by colleagues and we identified any remaining threads to tie up during the remainder of my time here. So enjoy the 'after' photos as promise http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-291543.html Chipata is in mourning this week. On Saturday a bus travelling from Chipata to Lusaka travelling at what is thought to be high speed burst a tyre near Nyimba and overturned. Carrying over 20 more passengers than there should have been over 80 rather than the 60 specified 28 people were killed and 55 injured radio this morning. A family of six died a colleague's brother and his family were http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-289149.html Another far happier event last Saturday was an invitation to another wedding the kitchen party but also the wedding reception and this time I managed to get photosMy first kitchen party was a very Christian affair this was more traditional. We ate first and were entertained by some dancing before the bridal party came in and when she did it turned out that my new chitengi suit matched th http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-288010.html It's definitely winter here and I hear the UK has been having some particularly good weather the last few days. The temperature has been down to about 89 degrees at night and is just about struggling to the early 20s at lunchtime. Even so the weather news on the television last night said that Chipata was the warmest place in the country. In the last week I have gone from one blanket on my b http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-286805.html After Lake Malawi the second of my two big weekends away was to the South Luangwa Game Reserve. We stayed at Wildlife Camp httpwww.wildlifecampzambia.com for two nights in very posh tents and had 3 drives into the reserve.The camp was great a bit of luxury after Chipata with proper steak and other decent pubstyle food. It was right on the river with hippos and crocodiles basking outsid http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-284310.html Chipatans are proud of their traffic lights it's a good sign the town is developing and was a key landmark of the town as first described to me in Lusaka. However I haven't yet worked out the rules of their usage are they as in the UK in theory Zambians drive on the left or elsewhere where you can turn left on red Not helped by the frequent powercuts when it's every driver for themselves http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-281321.html Been out and about the last two weekends and had some rather nice times Weekend of 10th May I was invited by a work colleague to a picnic on the highest hill overlooking Chipata where the communication masts are. Without knowing where I was going we had a terrifying taxi ride up a single track which got narrower and steeper the car was not a 44 and struggled somewhat and closer to the very im http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Malawi/Lake-Malawi/blog-280631.html A field trip to Mphunza on the occasion of a visit by Sister Ivy from a donor Caritas Australia equivalent of CAFOD in the UK to see progress and discuss next year's plan. Was forewarned this time and don't think I got quite so sunburnt The format was fairly similar to last time see 'Amazing first day' so won't give a detailed description. However hope you enjoy the photos and videos. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-277778.html Work well it's certainly not particularly onerous at this precise moment. This week's very quiet as most people are off on field trips doing 'activities'. I'm sat here in a spacious office which have just moved into playing music on my laptop and awaiting the return of an electricity supply.My job is to help the organisation sort out their documentation mainly paper. There have been consi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-274170.html Slight delay on the event as against the observational reporting and am afraid not such untarnished fun. Saturday 20th April we went to Lilongwe in Malawi for the day. Malawi is in some respects similar to Zambia lots of chitengis but otherwise very visibly wealthier. Many of the roads in Zambia are atrocious and up to the border while it's OK for Zambia it is still a bouncy unmetalled road. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Malawi/Central/Lilongwe/blog-273040.html There are two Catholic Sisters' houses in Chipata mine and another bigger one where 12 live. However I understand that what with all the other Christian denominations there may be as many as 5 or 6 convents so Chipata is alive with prayers and good thoughts. As Chipata is a bit of a hub there are frequently Sisters crashing over en route from somewhere to somewhere else and it is not unco http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-271174.html A very busy weekend know you're waiting for my 'Life in a convent' but thought ought to get this one down before I forget the details. Saturday I went to a 'kitchen party' which is like a hen party but after the wedding. Am afraid I haven't got any photos of this noone was taking any and I wasn't sure it would be appreciated. However think would have been OK if I'd have been a bit braver.A ki http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-266639.html NB tried to attach short video clips hope worksMy first day here Wednesday was spent on a bit of an orientation. Was picked up and taken straight to meet the Bishop of Chipata as he was having breakfast very friendly chap and was very nice to be introduced to him. Next stop was the town centre so I could pick up a new sim card so I now have a Zambian mobile number. Was then taken to th http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-264750.html Sunday we started a fairly laidback orientation process. We were given a wonderful massive equipment box with everything from pots and pans to a 20 piece dinner set including a kettle and an iron so we wouldn't need to buy much. In the afternoon we took a taxi to an African craft fair at the local supermarket lovely craft knicknacks no prices would like to go just before leave. Superma http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Lusaka/blog-263851.html Departed a wet and miserable Milton Keynes coachway on Friday morning very relieved that a my tickets and passport had turned up in the nick of time and b that my BA flight hadn't yet been moved to Terminal 5. Met up with my coSTVs shortterm volunteers in Zambia Julie and Clare at Heathrow. Clare came in on a connecting flight from Manchester via Terminal 5. Claire will be in Chipata http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/blog-261516.html This is where will be going http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Chipata/blog-255464.html