Life at the Luangwa North camp

I arrived at the Luangwa North camp on June 7th. My friends Merche, Myriam originally from Spain, and Marie from France, owners of the travel agency Feeling Africa, have this safari lodge in the middle of the North Luangwa National Park in northern east Zambia, 5 hours drive from Mpika, the closest town.

The place is wonderful. One of the best times of the day is the sunrise. The camp´s dining and bar area has a deck overlooking the river and is facing to the east. These days the sunrise occurs a few minutes after 6 am. Just moments before, the horizon starts to be painted with the typical orange and pink colours that announce that the sun´s about to rise above the trees at the far end of the river. It then shows itself and iluminates the river with its blinding rays. It´s an amazing spectacle.

The camp lies on the shores of the Luangwa, where hippos and cocodriles abound. It´s environmental friendly. It functions with solar energy 100% of the time. The river is the source of all the water needs. It has 4 en-suite bungalows that serve as accommodation for customers. They stand at some 4 meters above ground level. They were built using local materials such as ebony wood, bamboo canopy and straw from the bush. The furniture such as bed frames, shelves, tables and sofa-chairs in the bungalows are beautifully designed with typical African and bush themes. They look astounding.



Two of the camp´s en-suite bungalows

Due to the expansion of the business, a new area comprised of 3 more basic bungalows and shared bathroom and shower facilities are being built at one of the far ends of the camp. The local staff are really skillful when it comes to working with wood. I´m amazed with the speed at which they´re expanding the camp´s facilities.

There´s always work to do at the camp. Maintenance of the premises and the surroundings is an ongoing activity. Two French friends of Marie are here as well. Their help's proving to be fundamental. Erik's a reputed professional in the field of tag measurement systems with great knowledge of electricity. Lillian is a diesel engines professional and world traveller. They are both making a huge a difference to get the camp ready for this season. There are also 7 employees, all employed from the local communities that surround the camp. Their names are Isaac, Brighton, Boston, Kennedy, Derek, Ibean and Alfred. There´s an 8th member of the crew named Jackson, who´s currently on vacation.

 

Without their hard work, I think this camp couldn´t exist. The days start very early, normally at 6 am, or even 5 am when we need to have breakfast ready for the customers to go on a morning sunrise safari. I´m responsible for the kitchen as the camp´s cook. I´ve always enjoyed cooking so I thought that this was the best way I could help my friends out this season. I´m happy with the daily cooking duties, although I must confess that doing it for 10-12 customers is pretty challenging. I´m also training one of the staff members. He wants to become a chef one day.

Brighton´s showing a great deal of interest in cuisine. He´s a 41-year old Zambian originally from Chifunda, a village one-hour drive from the camp, on the other sie of the river Luangwa. He´s father to 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls, who live with his wife in Mabamba, another village 2 hours and a half drive away. He used to be a safari guide until he was in a pretty serious car crash 3 years ago. His uncle, who was drunk driving, was the one to blame for the accident. Since then, Brighton has a handicapped leg and had to give up his original profession.

Brighton´s especially good at baking bread and cake.
Every time he bakes bread, which he does in the wood oven that we have outside the kitchen, he tells me: 'Enrique, this is bush bread'. I have a lot of fun with Brighton. We listen to music while we cook or talk about random topics of Zambian life and their traditions. I sometimes hear him hum songs. On day I asked him about the song he had in between his throat and teeth. He told me that it was the Zambian National anthem. 'Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free'. A few days later he had its lyrics written down for me in both English and Nsenga, his mother tongue.

I normally prepare a dish having Brighton to observe me. If the dish is good enough, I write down the recipe for him. He told me that this helps him remember what he saw so that he can try one or two days later.  One evening, I asked him to please prepare dinner. The menu was onion soup as the starter and croquettes as the main course. I had made the mass of the croquettes a couple of days earlier; aubergine and onion. They just had to be rolled up, dipped in beaten egg and covered with breadcrumbs before being deep fried. I explained everything, prepared all the ingredients for him on the chopping board and left him on his own in the kitchen. One hour later, he called me to go check. He showed me the soup and asked me to try. It was good but had an odd taste, not the onion soup that I remembered. I then asked him where the croquettes were. He told me that he had put the mass of the croquettes in the soup. Obviously he had misunderstood or I hadn´t explained myself properly, or he pretended that he didn´t understand correctly so that he could go join his work mates to have their own dinner at the staff's premises.

I couldn´t believe it. I swallowed the sudden and slight frustration and smiled at him and said not to worry. After all it didn´t taste so bad.

That night we had soup and mass of croquettes all in one dish. Merche, Marie, Erik, Lillian and myself joked about over dinner. Anecdotes like this happens almost every day at the camp, it´s great fun, and make the days go by very fast. It´s been over two weeks since I arrived here. The first customers of the season have already being arriving. It´s becoming quite busy. And all in all a very enjoyable experience so far.

We´ve finally been able to connect to the Internet via satellite. I hope it´ll last so that I can keep feeding the blog. Enjoy for now and thanks very much for reading!



Zambia is an interesting country!

My engagement with Laura has been the highlight of the trip in Zambia so far. And I doubt that anything else happening in this interesting country will be able to match what I felt when she said yes. Many more things worth mentioning have occurred since my arrival on May 25.

As you know, it's not my first time here. I spent over 3 days in Livingstone last year. However, all I did back then were the typical touristy things that make Livingstone so attractive to the tourist: visit to the Victoria Falls, the bungee jump, rafting on the Zambezi River etc. Three days in a country isn't enough to even scratch the surface. This time, and so far, I've already been a bit closer to what is real Zambia.

Zambia's still a poor country. If by poor we mean taking in consideration western standards. According o an article that I read on The Times Zambia newspaper, the country's one of the highest illiterate rates among Eastern and Southern African Estates, and a very small proportion of primary school students reach adequate levels of knowledge in both maths and English. One day, on a 8-hour bus ride from the capital city Lusaka to Kitwe in the Copperbelt region, I had an enlightening conversation with the man sitting mext to me. He was in his mid thirties and on his final year of his bachelor degree in civil studies. He told me that he'd been saving for nearly ten years in order to afford the 10,000 kwacha/year college fee (roughly 1,450 EUR). In order for him to be able to afford this last year of studies, he had to sacrifice her 17-year old daughter's secondary school year with the promise that she'd resume after he completed his degree. The man named Victor, showed me a very harsh sms where her daughter threw at his face the fact that she thinks that he prefers his own education to hers. He kept telling me that he's in a privileged economic situation compared to the majority of Zambians, and even so, he could only afford one meal per day instead of three in order to achieve hid\s dream of graduating from college.

The Government only provides free primary school. From the age of 10, families have to pay for secondary school, those who can, apparently not many, and not to mention higher university education. It's believed that access to education for the general population is a must for a country to have an opportunity to develop, something that's a real challenge in Zambia. A great majority of the population still lives in a subsistence economic system, living in small villages that don't have access to electricity, clean water and not to mention health services. However, cities like Livingstone, Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola and Mpika are showing a very promising level of tourist, agricultural, commercial and industrial development. It's a country of immense opportunity that I'm sure will find the means to overcome its challenges.

The Copperbelt region, 6 hours drive to the north of the capital Lusaka, for instance, with Ndola and Kitwe as their two main cities, has been attracting large foreign investment in the form of enterprises locating in the region for copper mining. The main investors are Chinese, Australian, US and South African firms. The Government provides licenses for the exploitation of this natural resource. The conditions are that the firs employ Zambians and that they engage under the Corporate Social Responsibility 9CSR) program. This is basically the destination of private funds to fund apprenticeship and education programs for the population. It's a good initiative. However, I think that it can increase the regional differences between those who have access to education and apprenticeship where exist these natural resources.

Zambian people are really friendly. And peaceful. they laugh and smile a lot. There are 73 different ethnic groups governed by their own Chiefs, who at the same time co-operate with the Prime Minister of the Republic. There's never been a civil war between any of these ethnic groups. One of the few, if not the only, African countries. In their friendliness, expect to bargain with them. When they see a foreigner, they assume they can get more money off you. This happens with taxi drivers. in the local markets and even in shops where the price of the items is not listed. They even try to get more money from you even when they've screwed up.

Like the day in Livingstone Laura and I got the restaurant where we were having dinner one night to call a taxi so that we could go back to our lodge one night. The taxi came. It was midnight. After five minutes, I could see that the driver, named Peter, was putting the engine in neutral while going downhill. I presumed he was saving petrol. Two minutes after, the car ran out of fuel. It stopped in the middle of the road. It was completely dark. We were surrounded by bush. There wasn't any lightning on the road. Mo other car to be seen around. he tried to start the engine several times with no joy. He then decided to phone a friend to ask him if he could bring some fuel to refill the tank and get us going. We waited in the car for 45 minutes. Several cars passed by but didn't stop. The friend came and put some liters in the tank. Peter dared to ask us for money to pay his friend. We refused.

He was able to start the car again. I don't know if he was tired, drunk, stoned or wgat, but straight away, the car started going to the opposite side of the road. After a couple of seconds of Laura and I shouting at him, he got control of the car and directed it back to the right side of the road. That was a scary moment. Five minutes after, we got to our lodge. I had an argument with him. I gave him a little lecture on the dangers of driving without petrol and specially the latter incident. I said that I'd report him to the restaurant so they'd stop doing business with him. he still wanted to get paid for his services. I felt pity for him so gave him some small money to at least help him cover his expenses. We hadn't panicked at all; I've come to realize that both Laura and myself are able to stay cool in such situations and worse. It certainly helps. But we probably need to be more cautious on what car we get onto in the future.

Something I am amazed by is how easy is to get connected to the mobile network in Zambia.You can buy sim cards and 'airtime' (pay-as-you-go credit) almost everywhere. From official operator centers to petrol stations, little kiosks off the main roads or small traders who are everywhere to be seen with their little tables and stools or wandering around in search of random customers. The other day I even saw some fruit sellers selling airtime in the local market. There are three main mobile operators: Airtel, MTN and Zamtel. I chose Airtel as it seems to have the largest coverage nationwide. This is my number in case you want to surprise one day with a nice sms or phone call :-) + 260 97 9644 7577

Traveling buy bus between towns is an interesting experience. So far I've done Lusaka-Livingstone, 7 hours; Lusaka-Kitwe, 8 hours; and Kitwe-Mpika, 10 hours. there's no single lane motorways in Zambia. All paved roads are doucle direction, which makes bus rides much longer. Driving in Zambia reminds me of 10 years ago in Turkey where you'd see cars, trucks and even coaches overtaking and expecting the other vehicles to make space for them when another vehicle comes on the opposite direction. It can be a bit scary, although you get used to it.

In a couple of occasions I've experienced sellers of water, soft drinks, sweets, dried nuts, smoked sausage, anything, getting aboard and sell to the thirsty and hungry passengers. It's also interesting to see a preacher bringing the Word of the Lord and blessing the journey before the bus heads off. Most of these preachers do it for a living. Zambia is a Christian country, Catholics beings the largest group, but also Protestants, Baptists, Pentecostals etc.

There's something else. I've got my own work permit. I'm going to be volunteering for my friend Merche, Marie and Myriam of Zambian-based travel agency Feeling Africa. They have a safari lodge in one of the most remote National Parks in the north-east. It's called the North Luangwa valley. Recent regulations require that also volunteers have their own work permit. I'll have to be renewing it every month. I'm required to go to the nearest immigration office to get my papers extended and my passport stamped up. Failing to do so implies huge fines and even imprisonment. I'd better not forget to do so.

we've the first customers arriving at the lodge pretty soon. There's plenty to do to get the lodge ready for their arrival. I can't wait to get there. be in the middle of the bush and nature, surrounded by wild animals, away from the civilizations as we understand it. I hear it's an amazing place with beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I hope I'll be able to tell you about my experiences there in the nest post. there's no Internet connection over there, so it might have to be the next time I'm at Mpika, the nearest town, where we have to come for groceries and supplies for the lodge. The trip takes 5 or 6 hours by 4x4 each way. Stay tuned. Thanks for reading!

We're engaged!

Who was going to tell me that the Chilean girl that I met in April 2012 in Livingstone (Zambia) would become my fiancé? What are the odds of a Spanish guy who lived in Ireland meeting a Chilean girl who lives in the US in Zambia? Laura was doing some research work for her doctoral thesis in Livingstone while I was traveling through Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. We met through our friend Merche, co-founder of Zambian-based travel agency Feeling Africa. Just three days before I had to go back to Ireland at the end of my vacation.

Ever since, Laura and I have been in contact via email, Skype, FaceTime. That's how we really got to know each other, through conversations that sometimes lasted up to 4 hours. It didn't take me too long to realize that there was something very special about Laura. I visited her in Missoula (Montana), where she lives, in June 2012. We spent 12 great days together before I had to go back to Ireland. We went back to our friend FaceTime, day after day, until the next time we could spend some time together. This time it was in Boston, on our way to a wedding of one of Laura's friends in Maine in August 2012.

Every time I spent with her, I was more convinced about my feelings for Laura. Every time we had to depart from each other, I didn't feel sad for the distance between us that would follow. In fact, I was happy and felt lucky to have met her. I also knew that there'd be a next time, and that helped me cope with the circumstances of long distance pretty well. We always had and said that FaceTime was our friend!

The next time we met was in Europe. Laura got permission from her university to come to Ireland for over 3 months in November 2012. Writing the thesis is the last stage she needs to complete in order to obtain her Phd. She could work on her thesis from Dublin. We had a great time together. While in Dublin, we visited Rome, spent Christmas with my family in Madrid, and went to visit my extended family in Seville. All this took us to the end of January 2013.

Short after that, I had to start taking steps to break the distance between us. I liked the idea of making a move to the US and be close to her. I suggested this to her and she loved it. For me that was enough to make a final decision of leaving Ireland. And also use the opportunity to take some time off to do something that I had always wanted to do. Travel. What she didn't know at the time is that I also intended to propose.

What followed were weeks of planning and trying to arrange things so that I could propose in the same place where we met, in Livingstone. In the late afternoon of the special day, we did a micro-flight over the Victoria Falls. This was Laura's first anniversary present. The Falls are an amazing spectacle from the ground at the National Park, so massive, powerful, the sounds and sprays created by the Zambezi finding its way down the gorge to continue its course. However, from up in the air, they're even more impressive. You can see them from a completely different perspective. It's spectacular. The first thing that strikes you is the width of the river as it approaches the main gorge at the point where the Falls are formed. The colour of the water, all the vegetation and plains that surround the river and that extend to a point where your eyes meet the horizon, such is the vastness below. The small islands, some elephants drinking from the river and hippos enjoying a bath in its waters. 

As the micro-plane approaches to just four hundred meters of the main gorge, you feel the strength of the water falling, the sprays formed can almost touch your face, the striking sound makes communication with the pilot through the micro-plane's internal radio system nearly impossible. And you can see the total width of the falls at their full splendor, the waters zigzagging through the gorges as they continue their course, and the bungee jump bridge that separates Zambia and Zimbawe. All these marvels from up in the air with a beautiful sunset lightning.

After we landed, we went to the Royal Livingstone Hotel, on the Zambian banks of the Zambezi River, just a few hundred meters from the waterfall. We enjoyed the changing after-sunset orange, pink, violet, red colors as the night fell down while having a cocktail at the sunset deck. 

After that, we wandered around the hotel grounds for some minutes before suggesting Laura that we had dinner at the hotel's restaurant. Laura didn't expect it. I insisted. We were seated at a nice table in the roofed open terrace overlooking the darkened river and the hotel grounds. There was a very pleasant guitar music being played live in the background. A very polite waiter would serve the table for the next two hours. We both ordered Zambian traditional food; grilled whole bream with Nshima and a sauté of sweet potatoes leaves and tomatoes. Nshima is the Zambian staple food. It's made of maize flour mixed with water. The taste is very plain. It's Zambia's everyday bread. As starters, Laura had a salad and I a carrot and pumpkin soup. We watered everything down with a South African coupage white wine bottled exclusively for the Royal Livingstone, or at least that's what we were told.

While we waited for our food to arrive, we saw a group of zebras passing in front of us. This hotel keeps zebras, giraffes and monkeys at their grounds, so it's quite common to come across this sort of parades while you're at their premises.

I still didn't know when I would propose. I was still waiting for the right moment to arise. We finished our main course and the waiter asked us if we wanted to see the desserts menu. We had a look and fancied the plate of assorted desserts to share. As if everything was written in the stars, the waiter advised that it would take 20 minutes for it to be ready. This was the time when I thought that I'd ask Laura to go stretch our legs while we waited. It was such a pleasant starred night. We came to a second sunset deck by the river. We stood looking at each other, hugged, enjoyed the moment. And it was then when I took the ring in its box and placed it on Laura's hands. She looked at it. My heart was beating very fast. It took a few seconds for Laura to react. Seconds that seemed minutes to me. Then she said, 'its a box', and I said, 'Yes, do you want to marry me?' I opened the box, took the ring out and slid it in her finger. It fitted perfectly. A ring that had flown from Madrid to Dublin, then to Missoula and finally to Zambia. She said nothing but kissed me, tears dropping from both our eyes. We stayed like this for a good few minutes. We both knew it. But she hadn't said yes yet. I had to tell her that she hadn't answered. Then she said yes and we kept hugging each other until we heard someone say 'Congratulations', a young woman with a group of two or three others who came to contemplate the river at the deck.

It was very special. I felt so good. Laura told me that she hadn't any idea that I'd propose. Days earlier she had randomly been telling me how difficult it's to surprise her as she seems to be gifted in always finding out about surprises that other people prepare for her. All the waiting, preparation and planning for it to be at the place where we had met nearly 14 months earlier had been worth it. From that moment onwards we were not 'pololos' (in Chile), 'novios' (in Spain) or boyfriend/girlfriend but 'novios', 'comprometidos' or engaged. Or as we decided later, we started calling each other 'my fiancé'. My heart is full of joy. I'm a lucky man! Laura is a wonderful woman!

She's now in South Africa attending a conference before she goes back to Montana. I remain in Zambia where my travels continue.