Dag 0, 26 Junie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Dag 0, 26 Junie

Fotosessie met vennote by die winkel

Voetspore is in vele opsigte ‘n spansport. In die eerste plek is daar die Voetsporespan. Dis altyd ses van ons. Ekself, Streicher, Nina, Stefan, Norbert en vanjaar Francois. Gideon het ‘n rugoperasie gehad, en die lang pad sal hom nie goed doen nie. Maar dan is daar Heleen wat aan ons sosiale media werk (al die pad uit Japan), Anton doen die webwerf, Alma die finansiële bestuur, Elizna help met vertaalwerk, Philip doen die klankmeng, Anita en Eldelene die grafika... ‘n klein spannetjie, maar ‘n klomp mense wat baie effektief werk. En dan is daar die Voetspore 4x4 Fitment Centre, en al ons vennote. Dis die mense wat sorg dat ons voertuie toegerus is. By die winkel is dit Juann, Danie, Lighton, Trevor, Coenie, Philemon, Charles, Uldine, Marilene en Stephan. Sonder hulle is die reis nie moontlik nie. En hulle doen die toerusting van ons voertuie.

Voetspore en ons vennote het in Pretoria bymekaar gekom. COVID 19 het veroorsaak dat ons nie die publiek kon nooi nie. Maar ons het ‘n behoorlike fotosessie gehad.

Die middag is ons almal huistoe. Daar was vriende en familie om ‘n voorlaaste keer by te gaan kuier.

oOo

Photo session with partners at the shop

Voetspore is a team event. For starters, there is the Voetspore Team. This year it consists of myself, Streicher, Nina, Stefan, Norbert, and Francois. Gideon couldn’t make it this year. He had a back operation and would not be able to take the knocks of the journey. Heleen is responsible for our social media, all the way from Japan, Anton manages the website, Alma oversees the finances, Elizna does translations, and Philip does the audio mix, Anita and Eldelene the graphics small but effective team. Then we have the Voetspore fitment centre under the leadership of Francois. To assist him, Juann, Danie, Lighton, Trevor, Coenie, Philemon, Charles, Marilene, Uldine and Stephan. Without them, a Voetspore expedition will not be possible. They do the fitment of our vehicles.

The Voetspore Team and our partners gathered in Pretoria. COVID 19 prevented us from inviting the public. But we had a good photo session.

In the afternoon we all went home. There were friends and family to see one second last time before our departure.

Dag 00, 27 Junie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Pak

Tyd om alles finaal te pak. Maar die oggend begin reeds baie vroeër. Ses uur is ons by die Wilgers Hospitaal vir ons COVID 19 toetse. Daarsonder kan ons nie die land uit nie.

Na die toetse is ons winkel toe. Die parkeerterrein is baie stil op ‘n Sondagoggend. Ons kon die voertuie buite die winkel parkeer en behoorlik pak. Daar sal oor die volgende paar weke nog ‘n paar veranderinge aangebring word. Maar nou kon ons alles tussen die voertuie versprei en probeer om ‘n logiese vloei van al ons toerusting en bagasie te kry. Gelukkig is dit nie ons eerste keer nie...

Teen twee uur was ons klaar. Ons kon gaan braai.

Vier uur die middag kom die eerste SMS in – Streicher is negatief... toe ook Nina, toe ek, Francois, Stefan en Norbert. Ons is oor die algemeen positief, maar die keer was ons baie bly om negatief te wees.

Die aand praat die president. Ons hou ons asems op. Gaan hy die landgrense toemaak? Toe nie. Net Gauteng, en net vir ontspanning. Ons sou kon vertrek.

oOo

Packing

Time to finally pack everything. But first, at six in the morning, the whole team reported to the Wilgers Hospital to have our COVID 19 tests done. Without a negative test, we will not be able to leave South Africa.

After the (very uncomfortable) tests, we went to the shop. The parking lot is very quiet on a Sunday morning. We parked the vehicles outside the shop and started packing. In the coming weeks, we will make a few changes, but for now, there was a flow created. Luckily this was not our first time.

By two o’clock we were done. It was time to have a braai.

Four o’clock the first SMS came in. Streicher was negative... then Nina as well, then me, Francois, Stefan, and Norbert. We are not a negative bunch, but this time we were glad not to be positive.

Eight o’clock our president addressed the nation. We held our breaths. Will he close the national borders? Fortunately, it is only Gauteng, and only for leisure activities. We could depart.

Dag 1, 28 Junie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Reis vanaf Pretoria tot by Francistown

Ons is net na sewe uit Pretoria weg. Dit is nou twee van die voertuie. Streicher is eers OR Tambo toe. Hy het vanjaar ‘n nuwe hommeltuig. Die tuig se batterye het eers Sondagaand by die lughawe opgedaag. Hy en Nina sou opvang met die res van die span.

Die pad noord was oor Lephalale tot by Groblersbrug. Die grenspos was doodstil. Dis nou afgesien van die talle vragmotors. In ‘n stadium was die enkellaanbrug versper en moes ons wag. Ook aan die Botswana kant was daar geen ander toeriste nie.

Ons is deur tot by Francistown. Net buite die dorp het ek, Stefan, Francois en Norbert vir Streicher en Nina gewag. Ons het gaan inboek by die Diggers Inn. Ons grootste vrees, wat ons vanjaar agv COVID 19 nie oor die grens kon kom nie, was nie bewaarheid nie. Nou nog net die Zambië grenspos.

oOo

The journey from Pretoria to Francistown

Two vehicles left Pretoria early Monday morning. Streicher first had to go to OR Tambo. He is flying a new drone this year, and the batteries for the device only arrived Sunday evening. He and Nina would catch up with the team, later.

We took the road north via Lephalale to Groblersbrug. The border was very quiet, except for the lorries. They blocked the single-lane bridge over the Limpopo. At the Botswana side too, the border was quiet.

We proceeded to Francistown. Just outside the town Stefan, Francois, Norbert and I waited for Nina and Streicher. We booked in at the Diggers Inn. Our biggest fear for this year’s journey, that we would not be able to cross international borders because of COVID 19, never happened. Now for the Zambian border.

Dag 2, 29 Junie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Francistown tot by Livingstone

Vandag was die dag wat ons sou weet of die Zambezi ekspedisie werklik kon begin. Ons het Francistown vroeg verlaat en die lang pad, oor Nata en Pandamatenga, noord geneem. Die opwinding van die dag was die groot trop olifante wat ons langs die pad gekry het, besig om te bad. Ons sou ure vir hulle kon kyk, maar die grenskruising het gewag.

Ons het die Zambezi die eerste keer oorgesteek met die pragtige nuwe brug. Dis ‘n indrukwekkende ingenieursprestasie. Die hoop was daar dat die grenskruising, wat voorheen per veerboot gedoen is, veel vinniger as in die verlede sou verloop. Maar die vertragings by die grens was nie as gevolg van die veerbootkruising nie. Dit was die burokrasie. Zambië is een van die duurste lande in Afrika om binne te gaan. Daar is soveel vorms wat ingevul moes word en fooie wat betaal moes word.

Soos dit reeds by talle grense die gebruik word, is die Botswana en Zambiese doeane en immigrasie kantore nou in een gebou. Dit moet mos help. Moenie glo nie. Ons was meer as twee uur lank besig met COVID verklarings, immigrasie, doeane, padbelasting, Interpol, tolgeld, emissiebelasting, gemeenskapsbelating ... dit was laat middag toe ons Zambië wettig binnery. Daar was geen haakplekke, dit duur net vir ewig. En dit tydens die Corona virus pandemie, terwyl dit net ons en nog twee ander voertuie op die grens was.

Nota: maak seker jy het ‘n Suid Afrikaanse polisieverklaring van jou voertuig. Daarsonder mag jy dalk nie die land binne gelaat word nie.

Ons is na Nkwazi, ‘n pragtige kampplek op die Zambezi. Salomé en Gawie, bestuurders van die kamp, het ons genooi om te kom oornag, en ook saam met hulle en ‘n paar ander vriende ‘n kiepie op die kole te gooi.

Die legendariese Zambiese gasvryheid het begin.

oOo

Francistown to Livingstone

Today is the day when we would know if the Zambezi expedition could go ahead as planned. We took the long road north, via Nata and Pandamatenga. The excitement of the day was when we witnessed a large herd of elephants taking a bath in a pond, right next to the main road. We could sit and watch them forever, but we had a border to cross.

We crossed the Zambezi for the first time with the new bridge. It is an impressive engineering feat. We hoped that the crossing, previously done by ferry, would be much quicker than in the past. Problem is that the delays were not caused by the ferry crossing, but by the bureaucracy. Zambia is one of the most expensive countries to enter in Africa. There are just so many forms to complete and fees to be paid.

As is the custom with so many borders in Africa, the new bridge also brought about new offices. The Botswana and Zambian customs and immigration is now accommodated in one building. This must help with speeding up the process. But this is not to be. It took more than two hours for COVID declarations, immigration, customs, road tax, Interpol, toll fees, emission tax, community tax ... it was late afternoon when we entered Zambia with all the paperwork done. There were no issues. It just took forever. And this during the Coronavirus pandemic when there were only us and two other vehicles at the border.

Note: see to it that you have a South African police clearance for Interpol. If not, they may not let you through.

We went to Nkwazi on the banks of the mighty Zambezi. Salomé and Gawie, managers of the beautiful camp, invited us for a braai and to stay over for our first night in Zambia.

The legendary Zambian hospitality has started.

Dag 3, 30 Junie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Livingstone tot by Itezhi Tezhi

Dit was ‘n wonderlike nag op die oewer van die Zambezi. Maar ons is eintlik nog op pad om die reis te begin. Dis nog honderde kilometers noord.

Na ontbyt groet ons Salomé en Gawie en maak ‘n draai in Livingstone se MTN. Elkeen kry ‘n datakaart vir sy selfoon. In Zambië, soos in talle Afrikalande, is dit spotgoedkoop.

Ons is die dorp uit met die T1 teerpad. By Kalomo het ons noord gedraai met die grondpad. By Dundumwezi is ons die Kafue Nasionale Park binne, en het met die uitstekende grondpad gery tot by Itezhi-Tezhi waar ons op die oewer van die dam gaan kamp het by New Kalala. Dit was ‘n pragtige kampplek, uiters geskik vir vanjaar se eerste kamp.

Aandete was eenvoudig – wors en braaibroodjies. Dis ‘n gunsteling.

oOo

Livingstone to Itezhi Tezhi

We spent an excellent night on the banks of the Zambezi. But we are actually still on our way to start the journey, and the starting point is a couple of hundred kilometres to the north.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Salomé and Gawie and went to the MTN office in Livingstone. Each one of the team got a local data card for his phone. Data in Zambia, like in most African countries, is dirt cheap.

We drove north with the T1 tar road. At Kalomo we turned north on the gravel. At Dundumwezi we entered the Kafue National Park and progressed all the way to Itezhi-Tezhi where we set up camp on the shores of the massive dam at New Kalala. It is a beautiful site, perfectly suited for our first camp.

Supper was simple – boerewors and braai broodjies. A favourite.

Dag 4, 1 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Itezhi-Tezhi tot by Ila Safari Lodge

Ons het die oggend gebruik om alles behoorlik in die voertuie reg te pak en te kyk wat werk beste. Vanjaar is dit anders. Ons het twee Bush Lapa’s en een dubbelkajuit bakkie, toegerus deur Bush Tech en Quick Pitch. Daar is ander gaatjies waarin al die goedjies gepak moet word.

Ons het in die pad geval, rigting Ila Safari Lodge. Net na Itezhi-Tezhi is die pad baie sleg. Later word dit egter beter. ‘n Mooi, nuwe teerpad. Ons verstaan daar is planne om die pad tot by Itezhi-Tezhi te teer.

Ons het aangesluit by die grootpad. Die Great Western Road. Die roete wat Lusaka verbind met Mongu.

Net voor die kruising van die Kafuerivier, by Hook Bend, draai ons links af na Ila Safari Lodge. Dis ‘n pragtige lodge van Green Safaris op die oewer van die Kafue. Die lodge is vernoem na die plaaslike stam.

Ons word ontvang deur die bestuurder, Malemia Banda. Die lodge bestaan uit ‘n tiental luukse tente. Jy moet egter na die tente vergesel word deur ‘n gids, want die seekoeie wei in die lodge se tuin. Seekoeie kan gevaarlik wees, veral as jy tussen hulle en die water kom.

Laat middag gaan vaar ons op die Kafuerivier met ‘n boot wat elektries aangedryf word. Die elektriese motor word aangedryf deur batterye wat gelaai word deur sonpanele op die boot se dak. Die boot is geruisloos in die water.

Ons gids is Francis Phiri. Hy wys vir ons talle seekoeie in die water, asook krokodille, ‘n likkewaan en ‘n verskeidenheid voëls. Hy vertel ons ook van hoe hy as jong man deur ‘n seekoei aangeval is. Die merke aan sy kop is nog duidelik te sien. Hy was baie gelukkig om te oorleef.

Die aand sit ons aan in die lodge vir ‘n heerlike aandete van vark skouer en gebraaide rys. Die span word bederf, so aan die begin van die reis. Die aand slaap ons tussen wit linne.

oOo

Itezhi-Tezhi to Ila Safari Lodge

We use the morning to repack. This year there is a different configuration. We have two Bush Lapa’s and one double cab with a Bush Tech canopy. Different items have to be stored in different locations.

We leave Itezhi-Tezhi and take the road north. At first, it is a terrible gravel road. We understand there are plans to have it resurfaced soon.

The road joins the Great Western Road that links Lusaka with Mongo. With this road, we drive west. Just before the crossing of the Kafue River at Hook Bend, we turn off to the lovely Ila Safari Lodge of Green Safaris. The lodge was named after the tribe that used to live in the area.

We are welcomed by Malemia Banda, manager of the lodge, and taken to our accommodation that consists of ten luxury tents. We need to be careful though as we walk to our tens, as the hippos graze on the lawn of the lodge. They can be very dangerous, especially if you come between them and the water.

Late afternoon we go for a cruise on the Kafue River with Francis Phiri as a guide. The boat is equipped with an electrical motor, powered by batteries that are charged with the subpanels on the roof. It is very quiet and very efficient.

We see a lot of hippos, a water monitor, crocodiles, and many birds. Francis shares with us his experience when a hippo attacked him and nearly killed him. The scars are still visible on his head.

In the evening we sit down for a scrumptious dinner of pork shoulder and fried rice. Then it is off to bed. The team is spoilt at the beginning of the journey with white linen.

Dag 5, 2 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

IIa Safari Lodge tot by Chisa Busanga Camp.

Die oggend begin vroeg. Vyf uur is ons op, vyf dertig ontbyt en ses uur is ons met die elektries aangedrewe boot na die oorkant van die rivier, na die Kafue Nasionale Park. Francis is weer eens ons gids.

Aan die oorkant wag ‘n elektries aangedrewe Cruiser vir ons. Dis waarmee ons gaan wild kyk. As Green Safaris sê hulle is groen, dan bedoel hulle dit!

Kafue is redelik ruig. Dis soms maar moeilik om wild te sien. Francis is vasbeslote om vir ons ‘n leeu of twee te wys, maar al wat ons kry, is baie vars spore. Simba kruip weg. Ons sien wel heelwat poekoes wat saam met die rooibokke wei, ook ‘n paar koedoes, krokodille in die poele, pragtige voëls soos ‘n baba visvanger en ‘n baba berghaan. (deesdae genoem ‘n kortstert arend). Ook saalbek ooievaars en ‘n paar van hulle jongetjies. Dit is ‘n lekker, koue oggend agter op die Cruiser wat soos ‘n gholf karretjie deur die park ry.

Teen elf uur is ons terug by die lodge. Na nog ‘n heerlike middagete is ons daar weg, op pad na Busanga in die noorde van die park.

Ons neem Isak saam. Hy is ‘n gids by Green Safaris. Die lodge waarheen ons gaan is ‘n nuwe een, nog nie op die GPS of ander kaarte nie. Busanga is ook ‘n moeras, ontoeganklik in die nat seisoen. In die droë seisoen, soos tans, is dit steeds nie eenvoudig om die lodges te bereik nie. Daar is baie water, en mens moet om dit ry.

Dit word ‘n lang middag agter die stuur. Die laaste vier uur is dit ‘n tweespoor pad. ‘n Pragtige roete, maar een waartydens jy moet konsentreer. Dit word reeds donker. Francois, Norbert en Isak is in die voorste voertuig. Skielik sê Francois op die radio: wil julle die leeu kom afneem? Voor hom, in die paadjie, stap ‘n bietjiesbaard mannetjie. Hy steur hom bitter min aan ons. Hy is doelgerig iewers heen op pad.

Ons spandeer sowat ‘n half uur by die leeu. Dit bly ‘n intimiderende dier! Maar toe laat ons hom agter. Hy is seker uit op jag.

Ons is deur na Chisa waar Chipasha Mwamba en haar span vir ons wag by die unieke Chisa Lodge op die Busanga vlaktes. Dit was ‘n vol, besige dag.

oOo

We have an early start to the day. Wake-up call at five, five forty breakfast, six o’clock departure with the electric boat to the opposite bank of the river to the Kafue National Park. Francis is once more our guide.

On the bank of the river, an electric game viewer was waiting for us. If Green Safaris say they are green, they honestly mean it!

The bush in Kafue is rather dense which makes game viewing a little difficult. Francis is determined to show us a lion or two, but all we see are very fresh tracks. Simba is hiding in the thicket. We, however, see pukus in the company of impalas, even kudu, hippo, crocodiles in the pools and have excellent bird viewing like a baby kingfisher and baby bateleur (now called a short-tailed eagle). We spot a saddle-billed stork family as well. It was a wonderful yet cold morning on the back of a Cruiser that glides through the game reserve like a golf cart.

At eleven we were back at the lodge. After yet another excellent meal, we leave for Busanga in the north of the park.

We take Isak along. He is a guide with Green Safaris. Our destination is a new lodge, not yet on the GPS or any other map. Busanga is a marshland, inaccessible during the wet season. Even in the dry season, it may be difficult to reach the lodges. There is lots of water, and we have to get around it.

It became a very long afternoon’s drive. The last four hours, only a Jeep track. A beautiful route, but one in which you have to concentrate whilst driving. After dark we got a call from Francois, driving the front vehicle in the company of Norbert and Isak. “Do you want to see a lion?” Right in front of him, in the road, a young male lion was walking. He has no issues with the three Cruisers. He is purposefully walking somewhere.

We spend half an hour with the lion. What an intimidating animal! But then we let him be. He is probably on the hunt.

We proceed to Chisa where Chipasha Mwamba and her team receives us a unique Chisa Lodge on the Busanga Plains. It was a full, busy day.

Dag 6, 3 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Chisa Safari Lodge

Ons is vroeg wakker by ‘n unieke lodge. Ons bly in voëltjie neste, bo tussen die bome. Dit is ‘n baie besonderse plek.

Na ‘n vinnige “kontinentale ontbyt”, koffie en roosterbrood, ry ons om te gaan wild kyk.

Lexon is ons gids. Ook hier is die voertuig ‘n elektriese Cruiser. As dit nie vir die lawaai van die Old Man Emu skokbrekers was nie, was die rit geruisloos. Lexon het nie veel moeite om die wild uit te wys nie. Dit is in oorvloed op die Busanga vlaktes. In die reën seisoen kom hier geen mense nie. In die droë seisoen, ook maar min. Ons sou die hele dag geen ander voertuie teëkom nie.

Die voëllewe – saalbek ooievaars, geelbek ooievaars, ‘n breëkop arend, talle visarende (Zambië se nasionale voël), ‘n reuse reier, oopbek ooievaars, hamerkoppe, mahems... dis maar net die groot voëls. Dan is daar ook natuurlik die kleiner voëltjies soos kiewiete.

Bokke is daar ook baie, veral die lechwe, poekoe en rooibokke. Ons het ook ‘n likkewaan gesien wat in die sonnetjie probeer warm word.

Daar was ook olifante, buffels en seekoeie. Dit lyk of die ark in Busanga gestrand het.

Geen wildbesigtingsrit is volmaak voor mens eers ‘n leeu gesien het nie. Die dag was dit twee wyfies. Maar beide was dik gevreet. Hulle was nie uit op jag nie, ten spyte daarvan dat daar sommer baie vir hulle te vreet was...

Teen middagete was ons terug by die lodge. Chiyeso het ons bedien. Middagete was viskoekies, bedien met Griekse slaai, soetpatat tert, gekaramelliseerde appel en blou kaas en ‘n vars gebakte brood.

Meeste van ons het die middag gebruik om admin op te vang. Toe die son sak het ons om die kampvuur gesit saam met die bestuurder Pasha, en ‘n heerlike drankie genuttig. Daarna was dit aandete. “African peanut soup” vir voorgereg, daarna hoender filette, gestop met tamatie en feta. Die spyskaart is op hoë vlak. Nina, in beheer van ons etes, het ‘n standaard om te handhaaf.

oOo

We woke up early at the unique lodge. We slept in birds’ nests in the treetops. It is a very special place.

After a continental breakfast, consisting of coffee and toast, prepared on the fire, we set off on a game viewing drive.

Lexon is our guide. He also drives an electric Cruiser. Only the squeaking of the Old Man Emu shock absorbers disturbs the soundless drive. Lexon experiences little difficulty in showing us a huge variety of wildlife. On the Busanga Plains, it is in abundance. In the rainy season, there are no visitors to witness it. In the dry season, just a few. All-day long we would not encounter any other vehicles.

Birdlife – saddle-billed storks, yellow-billed storks, a Marshall eagle, many fish eagles (Zambia’s national bird), a Goliath heron, open billed storks, hamerkops, crowned cranes ... and these are only the big birds. Of the smaller ones, like the plovers, there are many as well.

Antelope are also in abundance, especially the lechwe, puku and impalas.

We also see a water monitor, warming in the sun, a herd of elephants, buffalo, and hippos. It appears the arc stranded in Busanga.

No game view journey is complete before you see a lion. Today it is two females. Both were not on the hunt, as they had clearly killed the previous evening.

At lunchtime, we were back at the lodge. Chiyeso serves us. Lunch consists of fish cakes, served with a Greek salad, sweet potato tart, caramelized apple with blue cheese and freshly baked bread.

The afternoon is used to catch up on admin. At sunset we sit down for a drink with manager Pasha, followed by dinner. African peanut soup as entree, chicken fillets, stuffed with tomatoes and feta. It is an impressive menu. There is a high bar set for Nina for the rest of the trip.

Dag 7, 4 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Chisa Safari Lodge tot iewers in die veld

By Chisa sou mens vir ‘n paar dae kon bly. Maar ons is nog op pad om ons reis te begin. Ons moet aanstoot.

Na ontbyt vertrek ons. Dit duur meer as ‘n uur om uit die park uit te kom. Dis al met die loop van die Lufuparivier, tot ons die tweespoor kry wat ons in ‘n westelike rigting neem. Ons hoor daar is ‘n kort pad die park uit. Gewoonlik beteken dit avontuur, maar die keer is dit die waarheid.

Teen die middag is ons in Kasempa. Dis maar ‘n stowwerige Zambiese dorpie. Daar is wel diesel, en ons maak die Cruisers se tenks vol.

Ons reis noord, rigting Solwezi. Die pad toestand is nie te sleg nie.

Laat middag draai ons van die groot pad af en gaan maak kamp in die veld, langs ‘n nuut aangeplante denneplantasie. Die kamp is veel meer soos ons daarvan hou. Die drie dae as gaste van Green Safaris was uitstekend en ons het veral die wildbesigtiging geniet. Maar nou voel dit of ons op ‘n Voetsporereis is.

oOo

Chisa is a place where you can spend a week or more. But we haven’t started the proper journey yet. We have to move on.

We depart after breakfast. It takes more than an hour to get out of the park. At first, we follow the Lufupa River, all the way to the track that takes us in a westerly direction. We were told there is a shortcut, which normally implies adventure. This time though, it is a real shortcut.

By midday, we reach Kasempa, a dusty little Zambian town. We fill the tanks of the Cruisers to the brim.

We travel north, direction Solwezi. The road condition is better than expected.

Late afternoon we turn off from the main road and set up camp next to a newly planted pine plantation. This is the way we like it. Green Safaris treated us exceptionally well, and we especially appreciated the game viewing. But this is much more a Voetspore expedition.

Dag 8, 5 Julie

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 1

Na die bron.

Na ‘n koelerige nag in die woud langs die pad reis ons noord. So dertig kilometer voor Solwezi kry ons die T5, rigting Mwinilunga.

Daar is redelike ernstige mynbou aktiwiteite in die omgewing. Koper en selfs goud. Die vragmotors trap die paaie stukkend. Maar dit help ons met brandstof aanvulling. Daar is sommer twee vulstasies langs die pad. In Zambië moet mens wel kontant by jou hê. Min van die vulstasies neem kaarte. Min “swipe”. Probleem is om kontant te kry. Daar is ook nie veel werkende ATMs nie. En ons is in die armste deel van Zambië.

Vandag is die groot dag. Die dag wat ons reis in alle erns begin. Ons is op pad na die oorsprong van die vierde grootste rivier in Afrika.

Teen twee uur kom ons aan by die Source of the Zambezi National Park. Ons ontmoet Ford Sambondu, Conservation Assistant at the Source of the Mighty Zambezi. Hy is ons gids.

Daar word baie moeite gedoen by die bron. Daar is ‘n monument, opgerig in 1964, die jaar toe Zambië sy naam gekry het, en nie meer bekend gestaan het as Noord Rhodesië nie. Die land is vernoem na die rivier. Verder is daar ‘n plankiespad om tot by die oorsprong te kom.

Die eerste paar honderd meter loop die rivier meestal ondergronds. Daarna is dit ‘n stroompie. Ons drink van die water. Dit is helder skoon. Die oorsprong is in ‘n pragtige woud waar min sonlig penetreer.

Dit is ‘n besonderse ervaring. Dis amper soos ‘n paar jaar gelede by die oorsprong van die Nyl in Burundi.

Hierdie is die begin van 2 574 kilometer voor die rivier uitmond in die Indiese Oseaan. Onderweg sal dit duisend mense raak. In die rivier is die grootste waterval in die wêreld, en ook die grootste dam met ‘n enkel wal. Dit is ‘n substansiële rivier.

Die aand gaan maak ons kamp by Nchila naby Ikelenge. Dis op die plaas van Pete Fisher. Die Fishers speel reeds vir meer as ‘n honderd jaar ‘n baie belangrike rol in die hoekie van Zambië. Geen wonder daar word na die plek verwys as Fishers Corner nie.

oOo

After a chilly night in the forest, we take the road north. About 30 km before Solwezi we turn left on the T5, direction Mwinilunga.

There is a lot of mining activity in the region. This includes copper and gold. The massive lorries create havoc with the road surface. But, because of the mines, there are two filling stations. In Zambia, however, you must carry cash with you. Few filling stations “swipe”. Problem is to get cash as there are few ATMs. We are in one of the poorer regions of Zambia.

Today is the big day. The day when our journey starts in earnest. We are on our way to the source of the fourth-biggest river on the continent.

At two o’clock we arrive at the Source of the Zambezi National Park. We are met by Ford Sambondu, Conservation Assistant at the Source of the Mighty Zambezi. He acts as our guide.

A lot of effort was made at the source, as this is a place of significance. A monument was erected in 1964, the year this country, previously known as Northern Rhodesia, got its name. It was named after the river. There is a boardwalk to where the river starts.

The first few hundred meters the river runs underground. Then it becomes a little stream. We take a sip of the water. It is clear and clean. The source is in a beautiful forest where little sunlight penetrates.

This is a significant experience and reminds us of something similar a few years ago at the source of the Nile in Burundi.

This is the start of a 2 574 km journey before the river flows into the Indian Ocean. On its journey, thousands of people will be affected. In the river, there is the world’s largest waterfall and the world biggest dam. It is a substantial river.

In dark, we set up camp at Nchila near Ikelenge. This is on the farm of Pete Fisher. The Fishers play an important role in this part of Zambia. Therefore, the region is called Fishers Corner.