Laka Laka Laka!

The last week in Zambia has been incredible and Arianna and I have been struggling with the concept of having to nicely package it up into a nice summary. In addition, internet access is nearly nonexistent. Of course that is a lesser concern in relation to the poor accessibility of gas, bottled water and electricity. It therefore pains me to say that this post, along with the accompanying media, will have to be brief.

We spent two days in Lusaka attempting to acquire a vehicle. After a couple hours of wrangling with Lakinando, the 'mobile car hire guy', in a hotel lobby (not ours...) we managed to talk him down $1000 on a Pajero Jr. which we could dump at the Tanzanian border provided we left it with enough fuel for the drive back. I don't think he realized it was over 1000 km away - not my problem. The following delivery-day it was becoming apparent he might be a no-show and that we got jipped out of our deposit. As I was jumping in a cab to go track him down, he showed up and then we hit the road.

With the car stocked and extra large jerry-can full of gas we headed to Serenje. The drive was rough despite the fact that we were on one of the only 3 major highways in Zambia. Some of the potholes were over two feet deep and larger than a car which makes for an exhilirating rally course at 80 mph in the dark. The excitement was only enhanced by over-turned tractor trailers on the side of the road. When an accident occurs, the driver cuts down a bunch of trees and drags them into the road, blocking much of the road in order to serve as a warning. Not surprisingly, these never get removed. Additionally, some enterprising individuals attempt to fill in the potholes with dirt from the side of the road and then jump out in front of you to stop you for payment for their services. I have to give them credit, it's creative. We spent much of the following morning exploring the small, friendly town of Serenje. We walked the main street and took pictures. Having Arianna here has been great as more people are responsive to her requests for pictures than mine. Some get a bit over zealous from time to time, but I will let her tell those stories... We toured the local market and checked out the plank-cutting 'shop' which uses the old method of laying the trees over a large pit while two men saw it, one holding the top of the saw and one in the hole. The signs of Serenje (and most of Zambia for that matter) are quite entertaining. My favorite - "In Jesus Name General Dealers". And then there is those of a more disconcerting nature - "...Bedroom Doctor... Two powerful Hebs, to cure HIV/AIDS..."
Over the last few days we have explored a few waterfalls and stone and iron age cave paintings. In search of these places we would often have to drive down 10 - 15 miles of 4x4 and dirt track only to find them deserted - initially. Then some guy would come hauling down the road on a bike with a notebook. He would take our 'admission fee' and give us a very big-hearted attempt to cobble together a tour. Signing the guest book would often reveal we were the first visitors in a week or so. The paintings, although few in number and in poor condition, didn't tickle any sort of archealogical bone for me, but nonetheless, they were interesting. Another highlight: along the way to Kundalia falls we couldn't resist stopping at a small hut along the side of the road selling beer. It was a local brew of maize and soy bean. Although it was quite entertaining, we were glad 24 hours later to find the thick, gunky brew did not make us sick. It was probably the first beer in a long time that I could not finish. And I am completely o.k. with that...

Mutinondo Wilderness was a hell of treat after 17 miles of 4x4 track in the dark. The large protected area run by a british couple was an amazing hideaway in the wilderness area just outside the North and South Luangwa Parks. The layout was such that from a distance you could not make out any of the huts or man-made structures hidden among the trees. We spent two fantastic days camping, canoeing, swimming and hiking here. Mutinondo Wilderness camp has an incredibly interesting story that is documented in their yearly newsletter. For nearly 15 years Mike and Lari have had a nonstop uphill battle setting up and running the camp. They put an incredible emphasis on working with the local tribes to create a sustainable business that interacts with and aids the community. Most of their projects ranging from crafts stores to large scale agri-businesses intended entirely for the community have collapsed due to corruption, thievery or just general ineptness. But still they plod on dealing with dishonest staff, armed gangs and illegal poaching. When I asked Mike how he assessed all these troubles in terms of their future, he nonchalantly said, "you can not expect to live in such a rewarding place without a few challenges." Of course how could you not have an optimistic view of life when this is the view from the pit toilet hut:

From Mutinando, we naively headed north off the main road to the Bangweulu Wetlands. Along the way we drove through hundreds of tiny villages in the middle of nowhere. I guess people would hear our car and come running out of the bushes (literally) waving and greeting us. It got all very tiring after awhile as it was nonstop waving on our part. The shouts in our direction were not all just greetings, but rather requests (if not demands) to give them money or sweeties. Our personal favorite was children yelling what sounded like "Laka, Laka, Laka!" We later found out they were saying "Lager, Lager, Lager" in an effort to ask us for any empty beer bottles we might have had so they can exchange them for deposit. Stopping amongst the children was equally hazardous as driving among them. After one stop they piled on the back of the Pajero, eventually falling off after a couple hundred meters. I'm happy to report there were no injuries.
After nearly 5.5 hours and 85 grueling miles of some serious 4x4 track, we finally arrived at the wetlands. We were awestruck to see an entire plain filled with Black Lechwes open up before us beneath a setting sun. We drove about 3 miles through the wetlands as the track dissappeared. The water level slowly started to rise. We were within about 300 meters of what appeared to be the campground when the water got very deep. A guy from the camp ran out saying that it should be passable. I made a run for it in 4Lo. The Pajero made a valiant effort until I sunk it halfway up the driver side door in the marsh and promptly cut the engine. A half dozen wildlife game authority guys waded out into the marsh to offer to push. After verifying the airbox wasn't submerged I made another run for the last 150 feet and much to my surprise the damn thing slogged right through. On dry land I gave the Pajero the once over and everything checked out fine (Thanks Dad!). Go Pajero!
It turned out we were another 2 km from the camp which could only be reached by boat. We had rather landed at a Wildlife Game Authority Station which protects the wetlands from poachers. It was then dark and too late for the boat, so they let us setup camp and then promptly retired to their homes. We spent several hours listening to the incredible wetland sounds under a full moon. It was a surreal experience in which words do not come close to describing, so I recorded it. The next morning we caught sunrise and then one of the officers offered to take us on a walking tour of the wetland. We hiked up our pants and trodded out with him for two hours. Black Lechwe could be seen dissappearing into the horizon in all directions. Additionally, we walked across a zebra herd, hundreds of spoonbills, large cranes, vultures pulling apart a Lechwe carcas, elephant prints and 3-4 foot high ant hills. Feeling quite content with our wetland experience we headed back. The officers were able to point me in a track out that was a not quite so deep and the Pajero plowed through like a champ.
We are now in Mpika. It has been a nice stop over not only because we got great accomodations and food for dirt cheap prices, but it is also the first gas station since Serenje! The jerry can is a life saver. We are now going to meander our way north. We are shooting for Tanzania by Thursday.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!