Close to elephants. Even outside National Parks elephants are often roaming freely. It's an awesome feeling to come so close to them on a motorbike.


The kilometres add up quite quickly. My little Suzuki made it into her twens in Zambia, she's a grown up lady now!


Riding gravelroads in Zambia


Typical lunch brake. During mid day temperatures can get really uncomfortable. So quite often we stop for a while, have a cheap lunch and a cold Fanta, write our diaries or just mingle with the locals for a while. This picture was taken in a small town called Pemba in Zambia.

__________________
no risk - no fun

As promised I just need to write a little update about our attempt to get a visa for the D.R.Congo. Just to write off my frustration. We dont have the visa yet and they didn't even accept the visa application from us.

Just imagine the following happening in Australia:

On Thursday morning we visited the DRC embassy in Lusaka for the first time. And were met with super friendliness by one guy we shall, for the purpose of this post, call 'the friendly guy'. Who listened to our situation and said the visa is no problem. But the decision lies with the chancellor who we need to see but who was not in the house. But expected back any moment. So we were adviced to go back home and the friendly one would send us a text message to Martin's mobile as soon as the chancellor arrives.

We did not get any text message all day.

So back we went on Friday early morning. To be told that 1.) the chancellor is not in the house, no one knows if or when he would be in and 2.) we could not get a visa because we need a letter of invitation from within the Congo, rubberstamped by the Congo immigration department. So we referred to Thursday's conversation and said we wait here for the chancellor. Nothing happened then for at least an hour. There were six people waiting with us in the waiting room. One wall of the waiting room had a little window in it which you could speak through to the lady at the reception. Another wall showed fotos of Mountain Gorillas, Okapies and of Kinshasa, each boasting the title 'Visitez la Republique Democratique de Congo'. The other side of the room was occupied by an empty desk on which every now and then a clerk in a 'Jesus is Lord' shirt would appear just to sit there and mostly ignore us all. Sometimes he would call someone from the waiting room to his desk for a long conversation with lots of laughter. And that was it for a while. He ignored us two completely. And whenever we talked to him we got pushed back with a one sentence reply. To sit and wait. Standard answer to every question. Sometimes he would just go out and stand in the sun. Just stand there for 20min motionless. With his back to the window through which we looked out at him. It was a nice sunny day. And he surely made the best of it. We kept asking reception and the clerk in turns if the chancellor will come in today. And were told to sit and wait or leave. So we sat. And waited. We asked reception to give us our visa application forms to start filling them in. Nothing else to to. And we got one. A second one would have been too much. We asked for a second form. But got told "No". The friendly guy from thursday rushed past us a few times without looking in our direction. When we run after him to talk to him he was friendly again and told us to sit and wait for the chancellor. So we did. Then, some three hours later the lady from the reception came round to us and without a word dropped us a second visa application form. And went straight back. There is probably only one form available every two hours? Nothing else happened for another hour. The six others and us just sitting there watching the clerk watch us. And the clerk going outside to just stand there. Followed by eight heads turning after him in apreciation of the movement in the room. And the clerk disappearing through the back door. And the clerk coming in through the back door to just sit on his desk. All in slow motion. We couldn't ask the reception lady any more because she was by now asleep in the far corner of her room, as far away from the reception window as possible. And out of reach for our voices. She has a tough job indeed and deserves a proper sleep.
So we waited and no chancellor came. And waited. And no one knew if the chancellor would have the grace to appear at all. Hours later a fine white limousine entered the compound and a friendly well dressed guy walked through the waiting room, friendly greeting us with 'bonjour' and disappearing through the backdoor. That was the big highlight for another hour and a welcome distraction for the six others and us. Apart from the usual routine of the clerk leaving the room to stand in the sun a bit. Can't blame him, it was a nice sunny day. So why not enjoying a bit of sunshine? Than the well dressed guy came back. With the friendly guy from yesterday to walk straight past us, to their car and disappearing. The reception lady had now woken up and went for lunch. Having such a tough job she really earned a big lunch today. Asking us what we were still doing there on her way out. 'Waiting for the chancellor' we said but she was already out the door. The rest of the room waiting patiently or talking loudly in some local language. Which everyone seemed to enjoy. Nothing else happened for another hour. It was lunchtime after all. The embassy closed at 4pm so we thought we might just wait till then. The reception lady came back with the clerk, we asked her a question, without even listening she just told us we need a letter of invitation while walking straight past.
And then all of a sudden strange things happened. Movement! A few cars started arriving with people going into the building through the side door. Unfortunately the reception lady stopped talking to us completely. The clerk ignored us by now, regardless what we did. So whenever a car came into the compound Martin and I walked in turns to the security guy at the boomgate to ask if it was the chancellor in that car. Until he was too upset and just told us to sit and wait and the chancellor was not in yet and he would not know if he comes in at all. We came back anyway after each car to ask him until he too disappeared and was not seen again. I hope we did not stress him into an early grave. By that time we doubted the chancellor even existed. I mean, c'mon!?!? The friendly guy came back, this time without the well dressed guy. Just telling us to wait. It was 3:30 by now. Time for the reception lady to come around and asking us what we were still doing there. She probably scheduled that question for 3:30pm since the early morning. And noting that we need the letter of invitation. And that the chancellor was not in. Then the well dressed guy came back and there was a lot of motion around. He sat down at the little desk, the clerk now standing beside him and really looking busy. We were afraid all that stress would cause the poor guy to collapse. But he was tougher than we thought. There was actually stuff happening, right in front of us! The reception lady had just left for the day, laughing that we were still there. Before she left she actually smiled at us and told us to come back on Monday. Sitting in Lusaka for a whole weekend just to have more of the same on Monday wasn't a great outlook. So I asked her if we would not need a letter of invitation on Monday. Her reply: "come back on Monday". My question if Monday would be any different from today. Her answer: come back on Monday. And gone she was, shaking her head. Meanwhile the welldressed guy was busy signing papers, given to him by the clerk. His presence had a profound effect on the mood in the room. Something was happening. He talked with authority to everyone (except us), was superfriendly to everyone (just ignoring us) and obviously told a lot of jokes because everyone was now in a great mood and laughing a lot. Except the two white guys in the room who dont speak the Tonga language.
After an hour of signing and talking and laughing the well dressed guy was finished and went to the backroom. It was now just after 4pm, closing time for the embassy. But the waiting room was still full. Full of the same people as at 11am this morning. All just sitting in the same chair as they did all day. None had achieved anything. No one seemed to bother though. So one by one they left. To come back on Monday. One waiting lady asked us why we were still there. 'Waiting for the chancellor' we said. "But the chancellor was just here, the guy signing the papers!". Which was Mr. Welldressed guy.

To get this straight: we were sitting there all day, wasting time waiting for the chancellor. The same chancellor everyone in the embassy was aware we are waiting for. The same chancellor who earlier today walked past us together with the friendly guy who promised us to let us know straight away as soon as the chancellor is in the house. The same chancellor who sat there next to the clerk who told us a hundred times that the chancellor is not in and it is unknown if he comes in at all. And the same chancellor who was now laughing and talking loudly to the clerk and the friendly guy in the reception room. So when the clerk came out of that room we just jumped on him. "Ah yeah, the chancellor is in there". The clerk, calm as usually would now tell the chancellor about our request to talk to him. Good that we reminded him, right? That again was it for another half an hour. Of sitting there hearing our chancellor laughing in the backroom.
Then, finally, the unthinkable happened. The door opened and the chancellor appeared. We were the only two people left in the waiting room, so he must intend to talk to us. And he did. However, all his friendlyness and good mood was gone. Instead he gave us a dressdown about the impatience of white people, that there is no way to hurry things up. He gave us no chance to talk. Whenever we tried he just interrupted us loudly and continued his tirade against impatience. So we carefully listend and tried to be following his speach with silent interest. Once he finished we could say one sentence: "we just want to apply for a visa, however long you need for processing doesn't bother us, but we dont have a letter of invitation. " We said that very quickly, always afraid not being able to finish our sentence. But we got the whole sentence out! He asked us about our business in the Congo. "Tourists" we said and pointed towards all the nice colour photos on the walls saying in capital letters "VISITEZ LA REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DE CONGO".
His response? "Come back on Monday".

But then, in the most amazing moment for the whole day he said "Please go ahead and apply for a visa on Monday". "We won't have a letter of invitation on Monday either". "No problem, you don't need one." This was said by the mighty chancellor. 5pm Friday night.

We shall now see what will happen on Monday morning.

__________________
no risk - no fun

WOW! What a patience you guys have! I admire you!
The best of luck!
Thanks for sharing all this... very useful!

Hi,

I had simular problems with my 4 days transitvisum for Angola. I phone called for more then 6 weeks at the angola embassy in germany, send them a lot of stuff what they told me they need, got prommissed a lot but was lied all the time.

Then i went down to southafrica, payed a visa agentur to get the invitation and wasted there another 6 weeks sitting at the embassy etc. untill i got the ****ing stamp for 160 Euro. Shure they allways tell you no problem...tomorrow tomorrow...thats polite in africa.

Nigeria visa will be the same and at the kamerun embassy they let me wait 8 hours the
day they have told me the visa would be finished in the morning. Just before they wanted to close the lady at the front desc pulled out my passport with the visa of here drow...this way she hoped to get bribe out of me to "work" faster, so take a good book

Who can wear more then two shoes at the same time? Dont take more than you can wear at the same time (if its realy cold). Washing you can do if its not that cold. Just take two T-Shirts and two pants. Africa will be more fun the less stuff you bring...and if neccesary you can get flip flops etc even there

Have fun, Tobi
Packing List for Expeditions and offroad trips + GPS

Hi Marco,
Sorry to hear about your frustrations with the visa!
There is one consolation though - it makes a very funny story !!

Take care, keep smiling!
Q

This reminds me of something I heard when I was younger.
"A man was walking down the beach on a stormy afternoon, and the beach was littered with washed up starfish. As he was walking through them he noticed a little girl reaching down and picking up a starfish and throwing it back into the sea. She would do this continuously, one starfish after another. Finally the man walks up to her and asks 'Why do you keep throwing them back into the sea? There are so many of them, you aren't making any difference.'
To that the girl picked up another starfish and threw it back into the sea and replied 'It made a difference to that one.'


Obviously not everyone can be helped, but is it not worth helping one rather than doing nothing? Especially if they then become a pillar in their community, I'd say that's a success!

I'm really enjoying your trip report, and am always looking forward to the next installments!
Keep safe, and have fun

Chris

Marco, send me via PM your email address, maybe I can help you if you want. i´m just talking to my friends in Kinshasa... no promiss but who knows, but maybe you have the visa meanwhile then let me know please...


I am soon on the road to NZ and then to SEA there it will be a bit harder for me to help you...

cheers Sascha

update>
"[11:55:53 AM] xxx congo:
they are crazy
I cannot send an invitation for people that are not coming to work in my organization
and congo is really dangerous

ok, if they will have huge problems, I could try to find a solution.
they are from germany?

australia

OK lets see... need more info as soon as you have ..."

but wll c, let me know on monday, maybe i can push a bit or you have to work there for a day

let me know ASAP what´s going on there...

__________________
Round the world by bike. www.RTWbyBIKE.com

The Congo Visa - it seems to be a never ending story. But at least a story of a little progress. When the guys at the embassy said last week that we should come back on Monday it obviously did not mean we would get the visa on Monday. However, Monday was a much better day than Friday. The same people who kept asking for an 'invitation letter' on Friday accepted our application with a smile and without the invitation letter on Monday morning. No problem. And they even said we should come back on Monday 2pm! We surely would not get the visa on the same day, would we? Asking what would happen at 2pm we just got the response to 'come back at 2pm'. Anxious of messing up our good run we stopped asking questions. And came back at 2pm. When we were told to come back on Friday.
By then we have stayed in Lusaka for 6 days. Just for the visa. There was nothing else to do for us in Lusaka. And another week waiting did not feel very tempting. So we left all our papers at the embassy and promised to be back on Friday.
Then we started studying the maps again. There is not much you can do around Lusaka without travelling a great deal there and back. And both, Martin and me, had no strong preference of what do do. Except that we needed to get out of the city. Martin, keen on more sightseeing, suggested to see the South Luangwa NP. That would be a 1000km return trip from Lusaka. I, keen on not wasting too many km out of nothing to do, suggested to visit Lake Kariba, a 400km return trip. At the end we thought it would be stupid for two people to do a massive return trip just for a visa. Or the hope of getting one. So we decided to split up for a week. Martin going to South Luangwa. Me going to Lake Kariba and on my return picking up both our passports from the embassy on Friday. And we would then reunite on the Malawi border on Sunday. Good plan, hey?
So on Tuesday I went down the 200km to Lake Kariba. My map showed a town called Siavonga which looked like a good place to relax for a few days. And again things took a fantastic turn as soon as I engaged with people.
Just stopping for a cold coke in Siavonga I was immediately called to come and sit with a group of young blokes underneath a shelter next to the road. Why not. So we sat together and talked a bit, soon getting over the typical questions. And people started telling me their little everyday worries. One was looking for a sponsor for the only radio station in town. Another one has had a car accident and when going to the hospital got a diagnose that his knee was swollen and needed to be bandaged and painkillers were prescribed to relief the pain. Only that the hospital had no painkillers and no bandages in stock. And a third one had just bought a car from Lusaka but the car behaved strangely and the battery was flat. Here I am, the traveller, tell me all your trouble! So I promised to look at the car first which quickly got pushed to our location. It was an old Nissan Pulsar, it would not get a road worthy certificate anywhere in Australia, but for Zambia it was in pretty decent shape. The battery was flat. The only key broke inside the lock for the boot. So the ignition was laid bare to start it by connecting the wires every time. And the boot could only be opened by skillfully pulling on a wire which could be accessed from the back seat. Some damage on the front and a broken left rear shock completed the picture. However, the real problem was the alternator belt. Two problems actually. First it was way too lose. And second, it was fitted the wrong way round. The sticky rubbery bit on the outside. And the stiff textile bit running over the sprockets. So it didn't move the generator at all, hence flattening the battery and not powering the ignition. Fortunately I had a spanner in my panniers. Which made it easy to quickly turn around the alternator belt and tighten it to a degree that it was actually doing something. And this changed everything.
A tourist happily getting his hands dirty to help a local without charge sure was unusual. So immediately the Nissan's proud owner by the name of O'Brian became my best friend and brother. I was given free coke and free . And a big plate of lunch which we decided to share with the group. And he knew someone who knew someone who owned a guesthouse. Where I could stay courtesy go the manager with my tent pitched not even one meter from the waters of Lake Kariba. And his friend the barber helped me out looking human again, shaving my 2 months worth of beard off and cutting my hair so I looked like the guy on my passport photo again. And we sat together in the group and talked all evening long about the world, the universe and everything.
The next day I started seeing the full impact of what had happened the day before. O'Brian's car had a big importance here. It was used for Police duties (the Police did not have their own car!?!?) to transfer suspects between their home and the Police station. And O'Brian got paid for it. He also used the Nissan as a taxi for fellow people who had to go somewhere. And he got paid for it. And most importantly, O'Brians main business was to sell diesel to the fishing boats to go out onto Lake Kariba and supply the town market with fresh fish. The diesel has to be bought either expensively at the a service station outside the town or cheaply off O'Brian who purchases it on the Zimbabwean border 70km away. So with the car running again O'Brian had a busy day taxiing people to and from the Police and to other places, travelling all the way to the border to load up the poor car with a few hundred litres of diesel and thus having something to sell to the fishing boat guys.
And whenever he was not busy he came looking for me, shaking hands and buying me coke or . It's hard to describe the extraordinary hospitality in Siavonga.
I was also invited to the towns radio station. Which was a state of the art and really modern radio station. Sponsored by a South African charity the building was airconditioned, full of computers, flat screens and expensive european made broadcasting equipment. There was a news room, an interview room and an editing room. The South Africans sponsored the construction but they won't give money for the running of the station. So I hope they find a way to cover their operating costs into the future.

As a traveller you are quite often asked about your 'mission'. Or why you are here or who sponsors you. And the question sure came up in Siavonga too. I suppose it is hard to understand why you would travel without having a destination, someone to visit or business to attend to. Spending all that time and money.
So what am I doing here? I explained that I am here to learn, to see what's happening in Africa. To talk to people and learn about their way of life. Which varies from country to country. And is surely different from the lifestyle in western countries with it's focus on money and work. The purpose of the trip? See and learn as much as I can and return home as a 'wise man'. And this purpose is understood quite well. Most interesting is that people who question the reasons of travelling would still love to come and see Australia. But they can't tell why. I guess we are all the same somehow, right?

So now I am back on my way to Lusaka to hopefully pick up our passports with Congo visas tomorrow. Cross fingers for me, okay?

__________________
no risk - no fun

There was a great news day for us last Friday: we've GOT the D.R.Congo visa! After all that waiting and messing around it was as simple as going to the embassy, paying the fee and picking up the passports. Only a 5 minutes affair. It's almost sad because we started feeling at home in the embassy in Lusaka. But how cool is that - we are going to the Congo!!!
With the visa issue out of the way I jumped straight on my bike and got the hell out of Lusaka, spending way too much time there. The plan was still to catch up with Martin at the Malawi border on Sunday, Martin coming from the South Luangwa NP. However, we already run into each other on Saturday at the supermarket in Chipata.
The current issue with Malawi is the countrywide fuel shortage. In another HUBB post it was declared over and filled us with good hope. But it is not over. Asking other travellers who just crossed the border from Malawi into Zambia we got told the same story over and over again. The only service stations selling petrol are in the capital Lilongwe. There's maybe three or four. Queues there are such that it would take around 5 hours (!) till you get to the pump. If fuel does not run out before. In all other parts of the country service stations have nothing to sell. And even on the black market it would take at least a day to line up a seller and a deal. Not good news for motorbike travellers. This combined with the expensive charges for toll and carnet fees when entering Malawi was reason for us to give Malawi a miss and stay in friendly Zambia a bit longer, eventually reaching Tanzania from here. And Zambia is still awesome and I totally dig this place.
We discovered a small unsealed road on the map, leading North from Chipata along the South Luangwa NP, crossing the Luangwa River and connecting in between the South and North Luangwa NP to a paved main road to Mpika and the Tanzania border. The gravel bit would be around 350km long. Should almost be possible to get through the next day and enjoy a cold dring in Mpika.
However, we did some more sightseeing along the way and had a rendevous with hippos and only made it around 100km North of Chipata where we stayed in a future camp right next to the Luangwa River, the camp currently still in construction. Which was cool because we prefer camping in our tents anyway. In the camp we met a friendly Dutch couple who invited us for lovely food and good conversation. Asking about the road ahead they said the road is alright, there will be steep ascends onto a plateau which would be rocky and challenging. And yeah, the pontoon across the Luangwa River is not running. Oh s...t, that's bad news. But they were not sure. So we asked some local people, building on the camp. They all agreed that of course the pontoon is operating. No worries then. Early next morning we were off to an early day full of surprises. A day to remind us that we are alone in Africa. And alone we were. Along the 100 or so km to the pontoon we did not meet a soul. Just a few boom gates manned by friendly rangers who all assured us the pontoon is running.
Arriving at the pontoon site we immediately discovered the first hurdle in our path. The road headed straight into the river and came out the other side. Through the river some sticks in the sand indicated the straight way through.
200m downriver we also discovered the rotten remnants of the pontoon landing platforms, there has not been a pontoon for many many months. A huge hippo just surfacing right on the platform on the other side, eying us suspiciously ('What the hell are humans doing here?').

So it's either through the river or many hundred km detour. And through the river we went. It was our first major river crossing so we took it extremely carefully. First walking through, anxiously watching the Hippos bathing a few hundred metres away. While waiting for a big crocodile to pop up and eat us alive we measured the water depth to just above knee level with moderate current and sandy ground. Back on dry land we started preparing the bikes for being pushed through: removing the luggage, taping the air intake and the exhaust. Just in case. Then pushing our bikes through, one by one. Wading back and forth a few more times, still watching the hippos watching us getting our luggage across. Putting everything together again. Alltogether 90 minutes hard work in the midday sun. The ground too hot to walk barefoot. But we made it. Made it slowly and safely across and both bikes starting normally. Thank god!
The rest of the way looked pretty straight forward. On the map. But out there the road quickly deteriorated into deep tracks, unbelievably bumpy over the hard black sunburnt ground. There were dry riverbeds to cross, a hundred meters of deep sand. Or dry creekbeds, a sudden deep drop of a few metres followed by an extremely steep ascend of a few metres. Steep enough that the front wheel lifts of the ground when accelerating to much. Steep and rocky and full of ruts where others dug out their vehicle. And sections full of round little rocks, so deep that the bike sinks in and follows our beloved deep sand behaviour. All an extremely shaky ride in 1st and 2nd gear under the mid day sun. And no one else there, not a single other car or bike all day. And sure enough right there I got my first flat tyre. An old nail was too much for my front tyre. Right what we needed, another hour hard physical work in the boiling heat. But we succeded proudly in that one too. At the end however I had to sit down a minute because my mind started playing funny tricks with me in the heat. Drinking our water which was on the verge of being too hot to drink quickly gave me some relief and back on the road we went. In hard work through the gravel, shaking our bones over the hard bumpy sections and going down the creek beds almost in freefall. Simply the thought of a cold coke in Mpika kept us going. Until some 90km before the end of the gravel road. When Martin's Africa Twin engine cut out. And didn't start again. Just us two wannabe mechanics out there - it was a great thing to happen. In hours of analysing and taking things apart and putting them back together we could not find the reason. Starter engine running. Motor not starting. Spark plugs did spark. And fuel pump did pump. Filters all clean.
Fortunately, and thank god for that, we were only a km away from a village. With the road steeply going up and down there was no way we could push the heavy bike there. But at least I could ride there on my little Suzuki to fetch some drinking water for us before the sun disappeared and darkness engulfed us completely. By the time I made it back to Martin he was able to locate the defect on his bike and repair it. Something as simple as a loose electric connection behind the front cover. With the engine now starting it was only a matter of putting the rest of the bike back together. Which, done in the dark by two exhausted travellers, can take it's time. It was late and pitch black by the time we reached the school compound were we got the friendly approval to camp. So tomorrow it is, tomorrow we will reach Mpika and finally have our cold Coke.
And tomorrow came. And Martin got up with a big ugly eye infection. He couldn't open one eye at all. Tears of pain running out the other eye. In a little school compound 90km of extremely demanding dirt road away from civilisation. A km from a village of six straw huts. No way Martin could ride this road in this condition. So let's stay here for a day. It is like destiny plans to keep us from Mpika. But tomorrow, tomorrow we will reach Mpika and drink a nice ice cold Coke. Mpika more and more sounded like the golden city of El Dorado for us, more legend than reality.
And so tomorrow came. And we kept going. And the road as sandy again. And a massive steep incline littered with big rocks and gravel. But anyway, we made it. We had a cold Coke in Mpika. And a second Coke thereafter. And I am now sitting in the only Internet café in Mpika. What a journey!!!

__________________
no risk - no fun

Cheers mate, really appreciate your offer! But the unimaginable happened and we got our Congo visa in Lusaka. A beautiful blue stamp in our passport, in fact the most beautiful passport page alltogether!

Cheers and good luck in New Zealand!

__________________
no risk - no fun

Good; well done!


Thx, good luck to you too. (If any more problems in DRC ("KnockOnWood") let me know...)


cheers Sascha

__________________
Round the world by bike. www.RTWbyBIKE.com

Mate that’s amazing how much life can change in just over a month! Your current day job is a far cry for the office in North Sydney!

Really enjoying the ride report so far brilliant photos and detailed report! How are the panniers holding up? Has the upgraded suspension been working okay?

Awesome job getting the visa for Congo! Looking forward to the next installment, safe riding my friend!

Kurt

Yeah, it is really easy to forget about the good old job that kept me busy just three months ago! But I will remember at some stage, pretty sure.
Up to now everything is holding up just great. Very happy with the panniers. Done some really rough roads with them fully loaded and all seams and straps and side pockets are still like new. Just a bit dirtier than new maybe (spilled some motoroil in them...). The bike dropped a few times onto them so they might have saved my little Suzuki from damage as well. Without suffering any damage themselves. Really good gear these 'Steelponies'!

I'm also heaps happy with the suspension upgrade. And must say thanks again to all of you who convinced me that it's worth spending the money on it. Heaps fun to ride.

Currently I am in Morogoro in Tanzania. Unfortunately a virus in the previous internet cafe killed my USB stick with a couple of prepared reports and pics. Will type them again and put them online in Dar Es Salaam. In a couple of days maybe.

__________________
no risk - no fun

I've enjoyed your ride report thus far. Your experience at the Congolese border is reminiscent of the time I've been spending where I am now in Southern Ecuador.

I hope Dar Es Salaam finds you well. When I've had my fill with South America, Africa won't be too far behind, though Australia is calling my name.

If you want a taste of Central and South America, you can have a look here: No Jobs, No Responsibilities, No Better Time Than Now.

I don't expect you to have time to read though, not while you're busy living!

Therefore, keep up the good work my friend!

--Alex

__________________
NJ, NR, NBTTN

Before I forget - I need to tell you one more cool story from Zambia. Just a short one, I promise. It's about a teacher at the school in Kazembe. That's where we had to wait for a day to let Martin recover from this strange eye infection.
However, if you happen to be a teacher, just imagine the following job description:
the school is located in a rural area just around 100km from any sealed road or town or shop. There is only a dirt road passing 2km from the school. Which is so beyond repair that no vehicle can use it. It's a scenic and very quite area. Most people actually fled the area in recent times because of the rising numbers of lions and elephants. Elephants are likely to come around every now and then to eat whatever you happen to grow on your fields. You will live at the school compound next to a village of 7 huts. There is 3 classrooms. For 122 students of grades 1-7. But school has to finish by 12 noon to give the ones walking from further away the chance to reach home before sunset. Too many lions after dark.
There is no power. No phone. No mobile reception. There is a well at the compound for water. But it is unfortunately dry. Good news is that 300m away and down the steep embankment there is a river, clean enough to drink and wash and bath. Even better news is that crocodile attacks in this river only occur during the wet season.
Accomodation is provided for you free of charge. For food - well there is no shops anyway. Or delivery trucks. So you are instead provided with a nice piece of land and are free to grow whatever you feel like eating. All fresh and organic. There is nothing else to do after 12 noon so you surely will appreciate the opportunity to do your own farming.
The generous renumeration package is AU$ 300 per month. But don't worry, there is no shops to spend money anyway. Payment is cash only, to be collected in person in the town of Mpika once a month. It's only a 100km walk which most people can do in just 2 days there and 2 days back. Walking in the African sunshine once a month is certainly good for your fitness. You will have three colleagues so there is always one teacher for each of the three classrooms and one teacher walking to collect his salary. Dodging the lions on his way to keep things interesting.

Sounds like the job you're dreaming of? It's all real here in Zambia.

However, this was Zambia for us. Up to now my favourite country in Africa for it's super friendly people. After three weeks in Zambia we crossed another border today just from Nakonde in Zambia to Tunduma and are now in Tanzania. The border crossing was very easy and straight forward. US$50 for the visa. The bikes get in for free. A free temporary import permit can be issued if you don't have a Carnet. Or if you're like us and try not to use your's. Registration with the Police is for free too.

So here we are - Tanzania. First impression - Tanzania seems to be a lot more developed than Zambia. There is no huts but brick houses. Roads have linemarking and footpaths. Right at after the border we already found someone equiped for aluminium welding to repair Martin's cracked luggage frame. Petrol and cold drinks are a lot cheaper. And people are just as friendly. But only a few speak English. We might have to learn some Swahili here...

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no risk - no fun