Livingstone – Victoria Falls & Zambezi Swing

2/8/06



On our way down to Botswana, we took a breather in Livingstone, Zambia, the home of Victoria Falls (one of the seven natural wonders of the world). We visited the Falls (my first and Kate’s second) and I reserved the same reaction I had to the Falls as I had for the Grand Canyon. The first-hand experience was so much more dramatic and grand, and eclipses even the most engaging photographs or captivating film of the natural wonder. The pictures below are poor representation of the experience, but are better than nothing.


Top & bottom left Victoria Falls from above. Top right, me with the Falls as a backdrop. Bottom right, the Falls from below. This is the bridge that people bungee jump off.

While Kate went perusing the local market for curios and even managed to get an unexpected interview in for her research (yeah, ahead of schedule), I got a taste of my first “tourist” experience in Africa: The Zambezi Swing.

The Zambezi Swing is a value-oriented alternative to bungee jumping or white water-rafting. It is also safer, with a 100% safety record, vs people dying on the class five rapids or being ripped off with one bungee jump for $100. For $95 I was fed breakfast, lunch and hydrated with all the soda and beer I wanted for a full day of gorge jump/free fall swinging, rappelling, running face-first down cliffs (like Mission: Impossible), and “flying” across a gorge suspended by wire. For my friends visiting Livingstone and seeking an adrenaline-punctuated day of gorge sport, I’d say skip the bungee and go Zambezi Swinging. After all, that’s what the Amazing Race did when the competitors landed in Zambia.


The “Flying Fox”: Once secured, you throw yourself into the gorge and glide on a wire to the other side. This is the closest I’ve gotten to feeling like Superman. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO


The “Gorge Swing”: They double harness you, clip you in, and make you walk off a ledge where you are greeted with a 17-story freefall, subsequently jolted and swung at 90 mph to the other side of the gorge. You swing back and forth till you lose momentum, are lowered down, then enjoy a 20 minute hike up the gorge to jump again. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO


A panoramic view of the gorge swing drop. Excuse the quality of the image. I had to stich it together manually (besides I'm an Account Guy and we're not supposed to know Photoshop).

Rats!

Africa has its share of Rats –like our car shady salesman. The other rodents are less threatening; they just keep you up at night, and give you rabies in exchange for food –sometimes, these nuisances turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

We’ve been staying at a lodge for a negotiated rate of $20 a night (down from $30) for a two-week period. The reason why we are at a lodge and not camping in the village is because we have a Choice. And we choose hot showers, a bed, and electricity. One comes at a cost of feeling inconvenienced by a tent, rains, complex cooking, bathing gymnastics and rats. The other, as we mentioned, at a cost of $20 and rats.


The hut we stayed in prior to the rat-inspired move.


Our previous room.

A-ha! But it was the rats that brought us to Shangri-La. Four days into our two-week stint at the lodge in our barebones thatched hut, we found rats in our room. Kate rationally weighed her options and combated her rat-disease-paranoia by sleeping in the car. I irrationally decided sleep on a mattress was worth the gamble that I may need rabies shots in my stomach when I woke up the next morning.

I tallied four hours of restless REM that night, and Kate clocked a solid hour in the SUV.

We reported our displeasure the following morning and the staff, (fortunately this is the low season) upgraded us into an enclosed chalet (i.e. concrete walls everywhere) with en suite shower and toilet (previously we had to walk to use communal facilities). They gave us this $70 room at the same $20 rate as before. Wow! We were absolutely taken aback by this kind gesture because it was of no fault of theirs that the rats came –in fact it was all OUR fault, we had left some food out.


Our new digs. for 7 more days till we depart for Botswana.


Our Shangri-La. Paradise was not lost. This felt like the Four Seasons after the last few hectic weeks.

Whoops.

The staff at Pioneer Camp were aware of this and still insisted we moved to a better room, partly because (1) the 21 year old in charge (son of parent owners who are away) wanted to sleep in our room the following night with his shotgun while baiting the rodents out. And (2) the place is out in the boonies, no other guests are around and they might as well be nice and move two cheap buggers to their “Shangri-La” suite.

Rodents may look mean, but good fortune comes in many forms.


The common area of the lodge is a very comfortable place where we cook ourselves meals, work, watch satellite TV, and get bitten by mosquitoes.

(1/31/06)

Research Schedule through August 2006

Below is a tentative research schedule that stretches in to the next few months for those of you who are thinking about visiting us. We’ve built in “extra days” for each language so the program may move faster than we anticipate. In particular, the work done between March 15th and May 10th may be faster than the time allotted. So, we have tried to point out a good time to visit when we are in one place long enough that if we are there a week early or so, we can still meet your plane! Of course, Sean can always just take the car and get you no matter where Kate is working!! FYI: names in parentheses are the names of the languages / tribes that we are working with in that area.

January 22-February 5, 2006: Chongwe area 45 km. east of Lusaka, Zambia (SOLI)

February 6-9, 2006: Livingstone, Zambia and then drive down to Gaborone, Botswana

February 10-25, 2006: Staying in Gaborone, Botswana (ARCHIVAL RESEARCH, day trips to Kalahari Desert and salt pans)

February 26-March 11, 2006: Kasane, Botswana in the Chobe Area (SUBIYA)

March 11-15, 2006: Safari in Chobe with friends to celebrate our birthdays; return to Lusaka, Zambia

March 15-29, 2006: Monze and Gwembe areas in Southern Province, Zambia (TONGA; Sean in Livingstone for Tongabezi School Project?)

March 29- April 12, 2006: villages some 20 km. north of Monze, Zambia (LUNDWE; Sean in Livingstone for Tongabezi School Project?)

April 13-19, 2006: villages some 40 km. north of Monze near Blue Lagoon, Zambia (SALA; Sean in Livingstone for Tongabezi School Project?)

April 20-26, 2006: Namwala, Zambia (ILA; Sean in Livingstone for Tongabezi School Project?)

April 27- May 10, 2006: villages between Livingstone & Sesheke, Zambia (TOTELA; Sean in Livingstone for Tongabezi School Project?) *

May 11-14, 2006: extra days and drive down to Windhoek, Namibia

May 14-27, 2006: Windhoek (ARCHIVAL RESEARCH; long weekend at Skeleton Coast or Namib Desert) *

May 28- June 10, 2006: villages west of the Okavango River and Delta, Caprivi Strip of Namibia and Northwestern Botswana (THIMBUKUSHU, famous rainmaking tribe)

June11-24, 2006: Caprivi Strip, Namibia (MBALANG’WE)

approx. June 25 - July 8, 2006: KATE’S PARENTS VISITING: fly into Livingstone or meet in South Africa?

July 9-22, 2006: Caprivi Strip, Namibia (FWE)

July 23, 2006: Return to Lusaka, Zambia

Early August – October, 2006: Data analysis, follow-up visits to villages

BuSoli in the Rainy Season

This blog entry is about clouds. Yup, clouds. We are currently at a place called Pioneer Camp (a lodge / bush hotel) about 15 km outside of Lusaka on the way to the Soli area and my current research site, Chongwe town and the surrounding villages. Each day, we have a bit of a drive, 15 minutes on horrible, hilly dirt roads. The roads are horrible due to periodic torrential downpours that make the hills quite slick- one of those circumstances where an SUV seems appropriate. Form the end of the dirt road, it is a further 20 minutes on tarred road from there to the Chongwe town market place.

Those rains that ruin the road are also responsible for some of the most incredible landscape views I have ever witnessed. Africa in the rainy season is simply beautiful. The grass is greener than on our mildest young spring day, contrasting sharply with the red soil of the roads. There are some scrub bushes mixed in with the shoulder-high grass and occasionally some trees- often tall coconuts. Along our drive, there are vistas so broad that the sky feels immense, the biggest thing you could ever imagine- as striking as the Grand Canyon. Any sense of the sky’s size comes not from the land or trees or grasses but from the cloud cover that lingers over the afternoon sky during mainsa, the rainy season.

The clouds take all shapes, ranging across the sky and- most stunning- you can actually see those isolated places where the rains are coming down from the cloud cover to some village in the distance. I have never been able to scan the horizon and witness various simultaneous weather systems affecting different locales. Better yet, the mix of rains, mists, downpours and outright sunshine combines not to make rainbows but rather a sky that mixes all the colors we associate with the ocean- Caribbean turquoise next to midnight blue bordering grey purple, navy and just plain old sky blue- all of this highlighted by the brilliant green of the grasses and the burnt sienna roads. Perhaps we can capture some pictures to represent it (however I’m afraid photos won’t do it justice) but there is surely nothing more humbling than experiencing the immense size of the sky with such a palate of colors. It is a nice commute to work.

Robin Hood

On my most recent trip to the village, I was subject to target practice. This is how the natives rid their apples of worms.

Just kidding.

In truth, apples are rare in the village. We brought them as scrumptious gifts. Mangoes are the abundant fruit right now. While Kate was taking photos of fishspears, fishnets made of branches, and bird traps, I decided to provoke the locals into proving their marksmanship.

Below, picture of me testing a bird trap. The apple tastes good.

India

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW SEAN, YOU WILL KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHICH PARTS HE WROTE:



Why did the Ethiopian cross the road?
To steal gas (fuel for car full of chickens) from his national airline so that he could delay passengers from taking off.

Before we got to India, we were delayed 5 hours on both legs of our flight. Ditto on the return flight. However, the Indian Experience more than made up for the collective de Luna bitching in response to the inefficient flight.

VIEW PHOTOS from India (photo entries Jan 4-12, 2006). www.dropshots.com/delunasinafrica

The country is gorgeous, and more colorful than what we have seen so far in Zambia. Best of all, you can get a scrumptious Indian meal that would challenge any at a five-star American hotel chef, for about $2. Actually, a quick meal at a place like a diner is about $0.25. We both liked that. The best part of India for Kate was seeing her closest friends, Pam and Sona. Although the trip was quite hectic and sometimes confusing (mostly due to the logistical nightmare of moving a group of 12+ people around a foreign country, the language barrier, and the fact that Sona was doing all her wedding prep in a mere week or so!!!) and although I don’t think I really realized it at the time, but being with old friends is certainly the most rejuvenating way to recover from three months in Africa!

Some highlights from the trip, aside from the food, were our ‘safari’ trip on 4WD, foot and camel, into the desert and around the palaces and forts of the northwest, up near the Pakistani border. We not only got to experience the rich desert culture but modern warfare in action with India’s Border Security Force on high alert and conducting exercises to sharpen a response in the event of conflict with neighboring Pakistan.

We stayed at Manvar Desert Resort and Camp where we could imagine ourselves as abusive British colonialist commanding the inferior Rajputs to fetch us a “cup of tea”, Fort Rajwada in Jaisalmer and the Taj Hari Mahel in Jodhpur where we witnessed royalty trying to make a buck (since they do not collect taxes anymore, to increase wealth they converted their palaces to lavish hotels and rent out the rooms). They were all amazing hotels –five star quality that made us understand why Indians were hotel experts in the States from Econolodge to Holiday Inn.

India is certainly one of those countries you want to visit again and again. Just avoid the cow pies. India is cow heaven, because cows are considered holy and you’d be cussed to hell if you harmed one. There’s an ongoing joke among overseas Indians that America should send it’s cows to India –so they could lose weight and return less obese. India’s holy cows are everywhere, on the streets, sidewalks, and blocking your cab –leaving their holy shit as a reminder of mooing generosity. Those fancy hotels were our only escape and the fragrant cuisine the ultimate neutralizer to the odor of the street.

Another highlight was Sean’s facial. While us girls were busy shopping around (AND WE DID SHOP!), the boys decided to relax and get facials (mancials?) and dietary Bhang supplements (for those who are curious about Bhang, think Amsterdam). Sean says it’s part of being metrosexual and the best way of fighting free-radicals in the polluted Indian cities from inside (Bhang) and out (facial). I’d take the shopping any day… which, in fact, I did as we shopped almost everyday. I can’t wait to show off our purchases to y’all! Sadly, we couldn’t bulk up too much as we have to carry it all around Africa for a year!

So, we returned from India glowing- Kate basking in the afterglow of 10 days with Sona and Pam and Sean radiant from his… mancial (and Bhang high). We must have really seemed happy because we now have convinced about half of the people we have seen since our trip to go to India- the shopping pays for itself!

Just don’t fly Ethiopian Airways.

Hashers: A Running Club with a Drinking Problem

With the foot mended, I can walk, but not run. The area is still tender, so instead I subject myself to de Luna’s physical therapy: strolls to the fridge, and beer walks to the store. Still, my heart remains unfit from sitting on the couch and surfing the only three channels on Zambian TV. To regain a modicum of cardiohealth, I’ve been thinking of the Hash hoping that thoughts of running would, by physiological osmosis, help my heart regain efficiencies of fitness past.

What is the Hash? Well, it was something I used to do before I got injured, and it’s something I hope to do in a few weeks when I can run again.

It was created by a couple of Brits who where stationed in Singapore after WWII and were bored out of their mind since the Japs had already violated all the women on the island and there’s no sense in screwing a country over twice (unless you’re Iraq). They created the Hash because they needed to stay fit, wanted and element of adventure (hence the coded/marked trails), and fun (aka beer). Anyways, leave it to the a fallen Empire to create a form of exercise that rewards all with beer at the end. God save the queen.



Thus the Hash was created and has spread to every country that Brits are stationed. The runs take on their own character from country to country. For example, in Chicago you have a more “urban” Hash while in Lusaka, you run it in the bush were a trail is laid out by a “Hare” prior to the run with codes that direct Hashers. The principle is the same whether you are in the city, jungle, or savannah. The Hashers (runners or walkers) have to find the code markings for it leads to the beer at the end (On! On! Is yelled and echoed by all when the trail is found). On the trail there are shortcuts that the walkers can take so they can get to the beer about the same time as the runners. Total distance covered ranges from 4 to 8 miles depending on how aggressive a Hasher is in searching for the trail. A lot of chaos, shouting, cuts, and sweat ensue –but BEER always follows.

Yes, BEER.



That’s the secret to the Hash –especially this one hosted by the Lusaka Hash House Harriers. At the end of the run there is the beer truck, the Hasher’s proverbial fountain of youth, replacing all electrolytes lost to the bush, and the more one drinks the better those around him look.

But it’s also more than a run. So much more.

There are people from all vocations present and varied social class from the unemployed to the president of a bank and diplomats to corrupt policemen. There are the old ladies who walk the Hash and their young daughters who sprint up the hills hoping to attract attention of the shriveled male libido checking out their sweaty black ass.


The Hashshit (T-shirt that has not been washed for 12 years and is rubbed in cow dung) is the highest honor a Hasher can receive. It is awarded to a Hasher during the ceremony conducted by the RA around the Hash Circle.

It’s an opportunity for old white men to feel young again because pretty Zambian girls run looking for a sugar daddy. It’s about making connections with an immigration officer so I can get my VISA extended without hassle. It’s about old men acting like young boys as they conduct a ceremony where they make the unlucky few chug their beer for stretching after the run or wearing feminine colors, and women sit on a block of ice for talking too loud. It’s about silly jokes that are obscene and degrading, rituals that are pointless and mock-religious, and a few hours on a Saturday that everyone is an asshole and everyone loves you for it.

Finally, it’s an opportunity to do something good for your body (exercise) and then totally negate the wholesome physical act for something pleasurable. It’s a microcosm of life in a three-hour ordeal: we all work hard so we can play…eventually.

On! On!

Off-Roading on the Darkside

We've done it! We, too, have joined the hordes of SUV-owning yuppies! Congratulate us for finally seeing the light. We officially understand why this demographic exists and it certainly has nothing to do with income levels or vehicle fashion trends.

All our Off-Road-Warrior-Wannabees were right all along –how can you possibly navigate dirt roads without your SUV? And the ease of driving through two-foot-deep potholed roads is, as you say, far easier with four-wheel drive. How can you handle the mud generated by the torrential downpour of the rainy season without your oversized wheels? Indeed, we now understand the desire for an SUV and are proud to say we own a baby SUV ourselves.

However, at $7.75 US dollars a gallon for petrol, we want to remind you with the most obnoxious righteousness we can muster in our voices that perhaps the wrong people are paying the costs of the war in Iraq- those trying to eek out a living in the third world. Gas prices here have quadrupled since the invasion of Iraq by the Coalition of the Willing. If they rise any more between now and April harvest, the Coalition or the Unwilling, the poorest 10% in Zambia will starve because of suffocating margins due to increasing transport costs –and this is in a country capable of feeding itself and exporting its surplus (although never to the US, due to our farm subsidies).

Go ahead, consume extra gas and vote Republican. Add fuel to the fire of poverty and starvation. This year, we’ll be right there along with you (minus the voting for Republicans, of course).

Sean & Kate

12/18/05

Visiting Us Update: 1/3/06

For those of you starting to make plans to visit us in the New Year, we wanted to gather together a little more specific information for you. We recommend that you fly into Livingstone, Zambia (airport code: ???) or Lusaka, Zambia (airport code: LUN). You will need a visa to enter Zambia but you can easily and efficiently purchase this from the embassy in Washington DC via Express Mail (for some reason they only allow you to use Express Mail or Fed Ex or another express service- probably to ensure that you have a tracking number on your passport). It is $40 for a three year multiple entry visa. You can buy a visa at the airport on arrival but that is a BAD idea as it can cost you time and extra money in bribes. US citizens do not need a visa to enter Namibia or Botswana.

Here are some of the things that we were thinking would be interesting:

1. SEE AN AFRICAN CITY- probably Lusaka (Zambia’s capital) or Gaborone (Botswana’s capital). Seeing a major city is probably not what you imagine as part of your tour of ‘real’ Africa but the fact is that most people in Africa have been moving to the city for the past 100 years and this trend is only likely to continue. City-seeing is central to visits to Europe or the UK because they are thought to somehow capture the essence of the culture- the best museums, shopping, etc. and it is interesting how this stereotype reverses for travelers to Africa who feel they need to go to the ‘bush’ to see ‘real’ Africa (often without actual people but rather a focus on ANIMALS, for God’s sake!!!). Anyway, it seems central to understanding Africa today to get a taste of both urban and rural life as most people split both their time and money between the two kinds of spaces and cultures. Depending on the day or city, we can take you to a Habitat for Humanity build or to play street ball with some street children- just a chance to try out some of the NGO work Sean has been doing.

2. SEE A SMALL TOWN- smaller towns are sprinkled throughout the routes we will be driving and are often a nice break from both the city and the village because you can get good food and comfortable housing in a more relaxed atmosphere. Furthermore, many towns were built up around great markets or interesting mission stations which make for interesting exploring. Choma, on the road between Lusaka and Livingstone, is in the heart of the Tonga area and boasts a wonderful small museum as well as the brother-in-law of Sean’s co-worker who is a missionary there and whose wife has an American-style burger joint! Talk about a small world!

3. SEE A VILLAGE- We will take you to one (or more) of the villages where Kate has been working so that you have the chance to learn about rural life and customs. This could also be an opportunity to learn how to do something you have never tried before- basket-weaving, pottery, ‘traditional’ fishing or hunting or beer-making. Hopefully, we can arrange for you to do something in addition to just being shuttled around the village, mostly because this gives you more of a chance to talk to people and really learn something about life in these places.

4. SPEND A FEW DAYS IN LIVINGSTONE- Livingstone is a must for travelers to Southern Africa. We’ll spend a day seeing the market, local museum and perhaps catch a film in the old colonial-era cinema. There are lots of sports to have an ‘active’ day or two- some sports are more relaxing than others: kayaking, white water rafting, bungee jumping, hiking, walking, etc. We’ll see Victoria Falls, one of the biggest waterfalls in the world (although in May and June it is no longer at its peak flow). The Royal Livingstone is one of the up-scale hotels that has been around since the early colonial days; they offer High Tea and the opportunity to try the ‘colonial experience’ complete with African waitstaff in bizarre colonial-era boys’ uniforms. An interesting although perhaps slightly disturbing experience (both in cost and content!) but one which is probably worth understanding. Livingstone is also the site of the Tongabezi Trust school where Sean will be doing a cultural exchange project with my mother’s school. The school is worth a visit to learn about how people connect tourism and community development (donations are always welcome here).

5. GAME PARKS- Ok, it is, after all, a part of the African experience to learn about the environment and for most folks that means animals but I’ve found that just driving around in the different environments is fascinating- even if you don’t see a lion! There are several interesting micro-environments in the region. Chobe National Park (close to Livingstone and easy to get to) offers the Big Five of the savanna and expensive but very, VERY comfortable housing. Kafue National Park in Zambia offers a similar environment and animal selection, although it is a little further from Livingstone. You can easily buy a package to either of these parks if you wanted to spend a little time living in high style with all the food and amenities built into the price. For marsh / swamp environments, we can visit the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta area of Botswana by driving across the Caprivi Strip and down into Botswana. This is a more remote location and will take a lot of travel but if you are interested in bird watching, it would be worth the visit. Other than the bird variety, you are most likely to see crocs and hippos (both kinda dangerous, actually!). Another option is to drive down toward Gaborone from Livingstone and stop over at the great salt pans (such as Nxai or Makgadikgadi, if you have your travel guide or map handy). These areas have an interesting role in the environment- holding water in the rainy season and they drying into perfectly white salt deserts in the dry season. Then, from Gaborone, there is the option of a short trip into the Kalahari Desert.

Although we only included 5 items in this list, there is certainly enough to fill at least a month of travel so let us know what you are interested in and as we collect more information from you about your interests, we will start to put up some websites for lodges and game parks, etc.

Cartooning for a Difference

From an ad posted in March on the Federal Business Opportunities website by the U.S. Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

In order to achieve long-term peace and stability in the Middle East, the youth need to be reached. One effective means of influencing youth is through the use of comic books to learn lessons, develop role models, and improve their education.

The Contractor shall provide development of an original comic-book series. Knowledge of Arabic language and culture, law enforcement, and small-unit military operations is desired. The comic books will be produced in Arabic so the boxes will have to follow a sequence of right to left and top to bottom. The series will be based on the security forces, military, and police, and set in the near future Middle East. If the subject matter for a specific comic does not do well in its intended focus group then it may be dropped and/or a new basis for the comic will be selected.

A designated representative of the U.S. Army will provide thematic guidance, cultural expertise, and oversight to the contractor. Additionally, photos of regional architecture, vehicles, and people, which will serve as a basis for the artwork, will be provided. This will be a collaborative effort with representatives of the U.S. Army who have already done initial character and plot development.”



Inspired by the U.S. Government’s new exit strategy of using cartoons to achieve peace in the Middle East, I’ve gotten involved with an NGO focused on increasing knowledge and skills related to sexual reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, safer sex practices through their very popular magazine “Trendsetters” (www.youthmedia.org.zm/trendsetters). The magazine includes articles that are brazen and controversial for a conservative Christian nation like Zambia, e.g. sex workers, child abuse, incest, and youths’ sexuality. I am still at the early stage of my involvement with the magazine, my initial role being the editorial cartoonist and, if time allows, an assistant staff writer on taboo topics I’ve identified: homosexuality, prison rapes, sex with street kids, and cultural stereotypes. I’m not looking forward to the hate mail from church groups or the government, but I’m looking forward to the personal growth opportunity and the fact that these topics need to be communicated among the sexually active generation whose lives are disappearing due to AIDS. “Trendsetters”, the most popular magazine among the 15-30 year old demographic is the best was to do so.

CLICK HERE to view a few of the cartoons drafted for the magazine. Enjoy, and I’ll keep you updated if I get death threats from priests, the police, Zambian Immigration or God.

1/3/06