Zambia Arrival

We left early this morning to go to the airport to fly to Victoria Falls, on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border. It was a 2 hour affair at the aiport to get our tickets and check in. While we're waiting, we read the local newspaper, "The Star". It's left leaning, but it's not considered tabloid. Headlines:
"Heist Gang Bail Shock": 5 guys with AK-47s were killed by police while attempting to rob a casino. One of them was out on bail from 5 separate charges of armed robbery.
"Zuma honours Tyson, the convicted rapist": ANC president Jacob Zuma, the almost-definite next president of SA, will honour Tyson at a charity banquet. Zuma himself was charged but acquited for rape.

The convenience store at the airport sells raw meat.

The airport in Zambia, in Livingstone, looks like those movies from the 1950's.


Taking the van in Zambia from the airport to the backpacker's hotel, named Jollyboys. We have private rooms, but most people staying there are in dorm rooms, or are camping. Several people we meet there are westerners that are living in Zambia for a few months; they are hanging out at Jollyboys because it is the place to meet other westerners during the day.

Signs on trees at the hotel:
"Beware of falling mangos"
"If Noah had been smart he would have swatted those two mosquitos"

Walking around Livingstone. It is a good replica of the animal kingdom park in disneyworld.

I'm going to a store in a different part of town to pick up a few things. Some girls from Norway are going too, so we share a cab. They are afraid of eating local food, and they are on a budget. They say they want to buy groceries and make the food themselves. They buy mostly beer and snack food.

On the way back I talk to the taxi driver about education. He says most people in Zambia go to school from age 7 to 14. Recently they've started some private schools that start at age 5, but you have to pay for them. They do also have school that goes from 14 to 18, but not for everyone; you have to do well in lower school and apply to get in.

There was a guard with an air-cooled machine gun at the grocery store.

Tomorrow we will go to the falls, the maybe on a zipline/swing over the falls, or bungee jumping over the falls. On saturday we will go to Chobe Park in Botswana. They have a place here where you can interact with lions and pet them. Adult lions, not baby ones. They say that they are safe. Should I go? Would you go?

Dinner at the hotel. Pasta with meat sauce. People hang around and drink afterwards. One of the guys who is staying there is having a birthday today, so more people gather to drink. It's safer here than SA, but it's still not advisable to go out after dark, unless you take a taxi.

I wasn't able to upload this until the next day.