Day 29 Wednesday 25th September
Visiting Kisolanza
Temporary Memory Loss
We started preparing our vehicle early for the second attempt to
visit Kisolanza. The hotel had running water and a hose so we took
the opportunity to fill our 20 litre water containers before departing
the 60 kilometres to our next destination. A tiny sign was the only
indicator that we were close to the campsite; we turned off on to
a bumpy mud road and pulled into a superbly managed open area with
camping space for large groups and individuals. We were directed
to the main house to meet Nicky, the owner; we wanted to apologise
for failing to meet our booking and then depart to Mbeya. It was
at this meeting that we discovered the mounting bracket for one
of the spare tyres had sheared and was hanging dangerously from
the rear of the truck. Faced with no other option we secured the
wheel on the roof rack and borrowed an extra rack to tie back the
bracket (Little did we know at this stage we had removed the video
camera and film from the vehicle and not replaced them). After saying
farewell we drove 140 kilometres towards Mbeya and stopped for drinks
at a petrol station only to realise we had left behind our recording
equipment! To cut a long story short 280 kilometres later we arrived
back at Kisolanza and arranged to stay the evening and journey towards
the border the following day. Nicky was wonderful and offered a
thatched chalet for the accommodation and provided hot showers,
running water and a fantastic evening meal. We were also able to
provide information regarding making Kisolanza more wheelchair friendly
(although the terrain, design and layout already made most activities
simple) with a promise to send further information from the 'Centre
for the Accessible Environments'. The evening closed sitting around
charcoal filled heaters talking with other travellers and workers
from South Africa who were contracted to work locally on the telecommunications
infrastructure. So far on our journey we had only occasionally bumped
into other travellers and so as the charcoal slowly cooled we spoke
of journeys made and adventures yet to happen.
Day 30 Thursday 26th September
Leaving Kisolanza heading to Mbeya
All Equipment on Board
Departing from Kisolanza we aimed for the last big town in Tanzania
before crossing the border in Tunduma. From the timber rich hills
before Kisolanza the terrain changed into scrubland and we passed
fewer signs of habitation as we approached Mbeya. Mid afternoon
we drove through Mbeya only to have to retrace our footsteps to
the centre of town to find our accommodation for two nights at
the Rift Valley Hotel. This large but quiet establishment seemed
dormant until we arrived but every courtesy was shown to us as
we settled, unpacked and started relaxing to contemplate the days
gone by.
Day 31 Friday 27th September
Mbeya with 'Ansell' our guide for repairs.
Farewell Tanzania
We awoke early to discuss plans for the day and route planning
over breakfast. A slight delay as we searched for the often elusive
Land Rover Keys. We entered town only 1 kilometre from the Hotel
and immediately descended upon Banks and a modern looking Internet
Office. Over last night's dinner we had met a local guide Ansell,
who had agreed to assist us with today's activities. Matt departed
to find a local welding firm to fix the wheel mounting, while
the Internet and range of local shops kept the rest of team busy
during the hottest part of the day. Unfortunately this was to
be the last chance for a brief access to the Internet. The town
was one of the busiest we had entered for some time and as we
wandered looking for souvenirs and areas of local interest it
appeared clear that the more intimate little villages in Tanzania
were over and we were in tourist land.
Day 32 Saturday 28th September
Leaving Tanzania and the border crossing at Tunduma
Break for the Border
After the bureaucratic delays at the Kenya Tanzania border we
were expecting the worst, so with armed with full paperwork we
entered Tunduma prepared. Our original plan of arriving in the
morning with cooler temperatures had long since evaporated and
we arrived at noon. We divided up and approached the various offices,
police, immigration, customs and sought a reliable and trustworthy
option for changing Tanzanian shillings to Zambian Kwatcha. Unfortunately
both Tanzanian and Zambian currency are not available in the UK
and we had to rely on the border exchange rate before entering
Zambia. To our surprise and relief the border crossing took considerably
less time than expected and we were soon on our way through Zambia.
We had been warned that the police checks in Zambia were more
stringent and immediately we were stopped and asked for vehicle
insurance details and a quick vehicle check. The terrain was also
as dry as Tanzania but we were pleasantly surprised by the roads,
as newly laid tarmac ensured we made good time towards Mpika.
It was just before sunset that we pulled into the compound at
the Ministry of Agriculture, Farms and Fisheries open accommodation
unit. We were offered two circular chalets close to a restaurant/bar
and settled for the evening to calculate the remaining kilometres
of our journey.
Day 33 Sunday 29th September
Preparing for our longest drive Mpika-Ndola
Detour - Ndola - Detour
Another early sun drenched morning as we prepared for a drive
of approximately 600 kilometres. We made good time as the Zambian
terrain whisked past our open windows, often hazy with smoke as
small fires burned without supervision at the roadside. We were
all feeling the effects of the hotter Zambian weather. As we continued
south the temperatures increased and we wished the more consistent
weather earlier in our adventure had conditioned us for the heat
ahead. We had been advised by other travellers not to stop in
Kapiri Mposhi, a busy junction town not equipped for travellers
or tourists. We detoured north and headed towards Ndola 3, the
first town on the edge of the Copperbelt. As we entered this town
we were shocked by the contrast of well maintained lawns, welcoming
signs and the comparative wealth we saw reflected in the appearance
and attitudes of the inhabitants. Obviously with the copper had
come economic independence and relative stability. Many major
banks and businesses had moved into the area and we were continually
surprised by the range of services available. On route to Ndola
we had been stopped by the police and fined for not having visible
brake lights. We had been stopped numerous times throughout our
journey, however since entering Zambia these checks had become
more frequent and more detailed.
Day 34 Monday 30 September
Repairs and purchasing provisions in Ndola
Fines and Urgent Repairs
The morning was spent trying to identify the faulty fuses which
had resulted in our fine. Luckily Ndola was the perfect town for
purchasing replacements and after a quick telephone call with
the vehicle hire company we were able to get on the road. We were
becoming familiar with the term 'Africa time' which means things
will happen when they happen and after purchasing provisions for
the next 4 days camping, we set off north towards Chimfunshi.
Although the temperature was still very hot we were becoming slightly
more accustomed to the heat and frequent water breaks and open
windows allowed us greater comfort on our journey further into
Zambia. We arrived at Chimfunshi after the sun had set and were
very grateful to be offered a straw-roofed chalet which meant
we only had to assemble mosquito nets before starting dinner on
our single burner stove. We met with 'Sylvia' one of Mrs Siddle's
daughters who welcomed us and made arrangements for us to visit
the projects in the morning.
Day 35 Tuesday 1st October
Visiting the projects at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage
Meeting the Family….
One of the problems with arriving in the dark is that you never
truly feel you have arrived until daybreak. We awoke to a spectacular
view over the lily-lined river and distant hills of the Congo.
The sound of frogs, crickets and other wildlife had entertained
us throughout the evening but we could not have known such a beautiful
sight awaited us. We drove via the orphanage to visit the projects
and met with Mrs Siddle who was kind enough to invite us to dinner
that evening. The projects we saw consisted of two 500 acre enclosures
housing approximately 20 chimpanzees per enclosure. 'Don' showed
us the feeding areas and introduced all of the chimpanzees by
name. We were starting to see that Chimfunshi works as one big
family, close knowledge of the chimpanzees and their behaviour
enabling a much greater level of care and understanding. We were
accompanied by a volunteer called 'Barty' from the 'Tusk Trust'
who had been working on the projects for several months and we
were able to begin understanding chimpanzee behaviour, habits
and special requirements. After returning to camp to settle equipment
we were honoured to have dinner with Mr and Mrs Siddle, Don, Sylvia
and Barty. The opportunity to speak with such authorities on wildlife
behaviour was a fantastic experience and after everything we heard,
we felt we could understand more of the desperate need for greater
assistance with conservation projects in Africa.
