Roadtrip to Zambia:

Over the last two weeks I've been waiting to go to Zambia with a building team but due to a few changes of plan along the way I've had some time where I haven't had a proper 'job description'. So instead of sitting around waiting I've been helping out where I can; I spent most of my time with Dave helping him service the charity’s cars and pickup trucks so lots of oily, dusty days underneath engines.
 

 

Over the long Easter weekends we’ve had a chance to go camping a couple of times. One weekend me and a few friends camped at Mankele and entered a mountain biking race there and the next weekend we drove about an hour and a half and crossed the border into Swaziland and stayed a few nights in an ex-mining village called Bulembu. Bulembu turned into a bit of a ghost town when the asbestos mine was closed down about ten years ago and since then has been turned into a self-sustaining village for orphaned children. It was amazing being shown around by our mountain guide as we climbed Emlembe (Swazilands highest peak) and then back down into the village. Our guide, a man called Mathakoza, told us he was a golf caddy for the mine managers while the mine was still open so it was great hearing the story of his village from his own point of view.

 

 

 

So after two weeks of feeling a bit like a spare part in a big machine I am finally going up to Zambia to help a team build some accommodation for volunteers. Five of us are going to drive up through Botswana in a pickup truck and trailer; we will leave at 4.00am tomorrow morning and will be on the road for 4 days! I’m really looking forward to the trip but I know it will be a long time in a cramped car full of men and luggage.

I’m not sure how long I will be in Zambia but I think it will be at least a month, then after that I could be moved again or stay on in Zambia. I am a bit behind on my photo and video processing but I’ll try to catch up and get some more work on my Flickr and Vimeo sites. I'm so excited about the next part of my trip!