Day 14. Fri 30th April
Return to Lusaka
Up at five, we have the camp struck within the hour and head off for the
ferry, just 10 miles up the road. Ken has had the forethought to phone
ahead to check that the ferry is running, and although there is still only
one ship in service, at least this one is still afloat.
There is the usual queue at passport control, and nine light vehicles
ahead of us in the queue, so we tag on the end, sit in the sun and eat
our cornflakes. Only one HGV and one light vehicle on each trip, so we
have a long wait.
It is nine o'clock before we final get over the Zambesi into Zambia,
and then there is customs and immigration. Ken gets embroiled with a corrupt
official who wants a huge bribe because Ken's passport is full. He extricates
himself in the end, but it is after ten before we leave Kazungula and get
on the road. It is quickly obvious that we are once again "north of the
Zambesi". Everything looks much poorer after the relative affluence of
Botswana.
After that there is just the long drive back to Lusaka. However, nothing
more goes wrong. We stop to buy lunch, but poor Kathy can't
get anything veggie and it is not until four o'clock
that she finally gets something to eat.
We arrive in Lusaka around 7:30 and have a "last supper" at the Barn
Motel. Ken is exhausted after the long drive and can only manage two J.D.s
in the bar afterwards.
Although the others fly off to England tomorrow, I am staying on with
Ken for two and a half weeks to help him with the PAW project in Malawi.
I had expected that Ken and I would take the others to the airport and
set off immediately for Lilongwe, but it turns out that he needs to stay
in Lusaka for at least another day. It seems pointless for me to get up
early and go to the airport, so we say our fond farewells before we go
to bed. I can have a lie in in the morning.