On local buses...!

Trip Start May 31, 2006

Trip End Oct 14, 2006

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Flag of Zambia Livingstone, Zambia
Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The 12th dawned early...well we removed the tents before the sun deigned to rise! Loaded on the truck and departed...with a distinct rumbling from the engine...and a bit of extra exhaust to normal. I pretty much fell back to sleep and didn't pay much attention until we pulled into Petuke at about 9am. There we tried to get some provisions...but there was limited selection...as a small town...and the crew and mechanic we had brought with us tinkered with the truck. We moved on, but didn't leave the town for a bit...it was obvious the crew were looking for something...one member of our group decided they wanted to know more and upset the crew with the phrasing...which added a bit of tension when we were told there was an oil leak that needed sorting before we continued or we'd risk an engine freeze...so once a local garage was found...we stayed put, and they sorted the oil leak and we left about 11am. We rumbled along quite happily until the sun started to get lower in the sky and we were getting close to lusaka...when a tyre decided to add to the fun and games...due to the engine noise the crew didn't even realise it had gone until we notified them...but i can assure you that i am very adept at telling the noise of a tyre going

Ange and I on the truck

! We got into camp a couple of hours later...got some food in the bar of the campsite and hit our tents...for some kip before our early start again...our choice.

13th dawned - this time it was dawn...and we set off for the local bus station...after a cash machine run, the tickets were purchased and by 7.30am we were all sat on the bus waiting for it to go...by 9am it was finally full and we could depart. On the bus there was kids sat on the floor and on laps so they didn't have to be paid for, and every seat was occupied...there was no air con...so the windows were open...giving laura a bit too much air...but otherwise it became stifling in there...we finally arrived in livingstone, close to the border with Zimbabwe, and after checking where our campsite could pick us up from we loaded all our tents and bags into taxi's and headed for the border...me not happy as at this point i hadn't found a chemist and my coughing had worsened...and i hadn't got postcards...! Once through the border we got taxi's over the Vic Falls road bridge...quite stunning over the gorge...and through into Zimbabwe. When we arrived at the campsite we put up tents...went to a meeting about all the activities we could do in Vic falls...decided what we wanted to do...and got told she'd confirm it all, and see us at 9am the following morning for payment and to take me to the pharmacy (especially as i kept interupting her talk with my incessant cough)...yea! I wasn't up to much the rest of the evening so i luxuriated in a hot shower with pressure...looking forward to the pharmacy the next morning, more than the activities!