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Published: October 14th 2013
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Our last morning in Livingstone and we were sad to leave. Jollyboys had been a good place to stay. With our last few hours in Livingstone, we went to buy the bus tickets for the journey to Lusaka from the small hut on the main road.
We popped back to the Curios market, as I had wanted a wooden zebra-striped fruit bowl. Previously, people had asked us if we were willing to trade things with them. I had actually packed a pair of slip on shoes that I had planned on leaving at the end of my trip - and thus far had not even worn - so I took them along to the market with me. I successfully negotiated a lower price for my wooden bowl in exchange for my pair of shoes, and the price was lowered once more with the addition of a hairband that I happened to be wearing around my wrist. It was an interesting negotiation with shoes, kwatcha and a hairband, but eventually everybody was happy. I was the first customer of the day so I think he was happy to do business. I left my shoes and hairband, and paid a
Nshima and Meat
A typical African meal - delicous small price for my pretty bowl, which now has a nice story attached to it.
Before we took the bus to Lusaka, we got some supplies from the well stocked 'Shoprite' supermarket. I love foreign supermarkets. It’s a bit of an insight into the foreign palate and the different countries that trade their produce. I like to see what’s the same and what’s different from the foods I am used to. We just picked up some snacks for the seven hour journey to the capital (watch out for some bad loud music!)
Getting cash from the ATM turned out to be a bit of a time-eater. We both needed cash, and tried a couple of ATMs unsuccessfully. Apart from two, all of them had queues. It is no quick thing taking money out. Linz had been successful, and I was still cashless, so we split up with Linz in one queue making friends, and me in another. Just a good thing to note – you should allow a bit of time to queue for the ATM or any bank business in Zambia. Nothing needs to be rushed here!
We
boarded the Mazhandu bus to Lusaka and, whilst waiting for it to depart, we saw a gorgeous little girl, about 1 year old, two rows back and she was very intrigued by us "muzungus" (foreigners). She kept walking up to our seats, so we gave her some hi fives and hand shakes! Very sweet.
I got a bit of a fright at the first bus stop! I opened my eyes, saw people boarding the bus walking towards me, and then I spotted something I couldn't quite recognize. I thought it looked like a dog, but of course no one in Zambia has dogs. It was just in front of me when I fully awoke from my snooze, focused and realized it was a chicken! A live one! I leaned straight towards Linz in the window seat after my fright! Then the man holding his dark feathered chicken by the wings walked back and got off the bus. He returned without the chicken! I can only assume that there was a live chicken, feet tied together, in the undercarriage of the bus!
It's interesting looking out of the window on a long journey like the
one from Livingstone to Lusaka. We passed through some very small towns/villages. Some houses were huts made from mud, some with bricks and straw roofs. We saw people pumping water from a well, ladies selling fruits or vegetables balanced on their head, whilst carrying a child tied to their back with one piece of material. It was certainly quite reflective, and made me grateful for my own circumstances.
JHG
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RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew
That looks so delicious! Is nshima made from yam or corn?