Roger & Abbie's Isubilo diary

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With a hundred and twenty-two pictures

You need either patience or a broadband connection! If you've got a dialup modem go and make a cup of tea - the pictures will have loaded when the tea's brewed!

(Complete with the final pictures August 2004)

Wednesday 3 December 2003

Spoke with Andy Patching, the project co-ordinator, last Friday and again this morning when he confirmed our visit and some of the details.

Went to the doctor's and had the first of the jabs.

Monday 15 December 2003

More answers to more questions from Andy. Said I wasn't sure whether the bit about ... 'You may be offered caterpillar as crisp snacks or in stew, or fried flying ants as a snack starter!' ... was a wind up or not! (see the guide under Practical stuff > food)

Ordered the tickets - this is actually going to happen!

Thursday 8 January 2004

Having done loads of research on anti-malarial drugs we've finally made our choices. Malarone is inappropriate for a longer stay and so it's between Doxycycline or Mefloquine (Larium) as others are not deemed effective in this African region. Abbie chose Doxycycline and I've just taken the first dose of Larium quite early (one tablet, £2, taken once a week) on the basis that if I suffer what can be extreme side effects I can change it before we go. Larium is said to be particularly effective and is also used as treatment of malaria (but in much higher dosage).

I've taken it despite Andy's advice: 'Just don't go for Larium, it sends you bonkers despite what doctors assure you ... especially if you are highly strung!!'

Hmmm ...

Tuesday 13 January 2004

Abbie was asking God what this visit is all about and the response was, "I am going ahead of you and will meet with you there".

Later that morning I checked my email and found a note from my dad (who rarely sends email) saying, 'His presence will be there' and gave the reference in Exodus 33:14 - 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'

Now is that encouraging or what?

Wednesday 14 January 2004

We're now getting stuff together: new bigger suitcases, our own clothing and effects plus a whole lot of extras. I asked Andy if we could bring anything and he produced an interesting shopping list. We've got most of the stuff now, from Ibuprofen to printer cartridges, hence the purchase of the suitcases (a lot cheaper than sending a package by courier - anyway the cases were in the sale!)

As to our departure: we board the BA flight BA255 from Heathrow on Mon 26 Jan departing at 18:35; we arrive at Lusaka on Tuesday at 06:45. A local flight north to Ndola takes us conveniently near to the Isubilo project, ready perhaps, for breakfast!

Thursday 15 January 2004

Due for the second Larium tablet later today. As I developed a bit of a cold and sore throat two days before the first dose I didn't think much about why this cold/flu was lingering a bit too long (I don't do colds/flu usually). Looking at the 'Most common unwanted effects' of Larium I've concluded it's not all down to a cold, viz. feeling sick, dizziness, headache, sleepiness, sleep problems, and from the 'Less common unwanted effects': changes to heart rate and palpitations and loss of appetite (I've not listed the others that I'm not experiencing which include psychiatric and neurological reactions, circulation and other effects!)

So, the question is: do I take tablet number two?

Tuesday 20 January 2004

My brain is still functioning (I think), the Larium and I are getting on OK, the palpitations have stopped and my heart hasn't. So I had better buy the rest of the tablets for the trip (pointless buying more than three to start with - they're £2 each!)

Have sent my last email to Andy:

'What's the score on arrival at Ndola? Any point in turning on my mobile phone and saying we've arrived?

We've managed to put together enough of the shopping list to cause a question or two on immigration - but we'll have to let Father look after that!

Disbelief of this trip is beginning to turn to excitement at last.

Our first long haul flight, it won't have much in common with our week's holiday package to Slovenia!

Friday 23 January 2004

Had a brilliant conversation with one of the team from Isubilo. Just as I had first spoken to Andy as he was in the UK at his sister's so God arranged the same thing again but with Andy's nephew who had just arrived back in the UK the day before!

John filled me in on lots of the detail, like: the aeroplane to Ndola is a 12 seater; where you can use a phone and get internet access (for this diary updating); and especially regarding the use of a mobile. I just have to buy a fairly cheap pay-as-you-go SIM card and can use it locally in Ndola, but the best bit - calls can be made to it for 5p per minute from the UK!

Monday 25 January 2004

Amazing time at church this morning - prayed for as we leave. God confirmed a number of things already said to us in recent weeks, wonderful. The send off from folks was so warm and encouraging.

Departure tomorrow, bags nearly packed, nearly ready to go. Abbie's suggestion at church last week to take any spare tee shirts for the children has ensured we have no spare space in our new much larger cases! The baggage weight limit for two people is 46Kg we've got 45.6Kg, is that cutting it fine or what?

The plan is to continue with the diary on arrival, power source and phone link permitting! - I hope this isn't 'Roger and out'!

4am Tuesday 27 January 2004

Long haul flight means the flight is a long haul, the food was good though. One could tell the age of the 767 by the fact that of the six TV screens visible from our seats four of then had lost the colour red!

Back at Heathrow, whilst waiting for the flight, one can people-watch. We were seated in low-backed bucket type seats and nearby was a very tired chap who nodded off so literally that not only did his mouth drop open but his head fell back so far that the tip of his nose was level with his forehead!

To conserve mobile battery life my phone had been switched off. On switching on it was good to get a goodbye message from Joanna and a 'bon voyage' text from Sarah.

Having sat on a coach for two and a half hours with an expected ten hours on the aircraft I can recommend a jog for the length of Terminal 4 departures area - I just managed to resist the temptation to jog the wrong way along the travelator!

Later on Tuesday 27 January 2004

It's actually a bit too warm at 7am local time for a lambswool coat!

It has taken twenty-six hours to get here and after such a good swim in the pool I am quite tired, but soooo refreshed!

There are bars at all windows - but the windows are never closed

We overlook the pool from our bedroom in the 'guest house', a small bungalow separate from Andy & Eira's house. The warm evening sun is just setting as I punch in these few words. It is clearly going to be hard here, God doesn't bless in half measures, not even in full measures, but full and overflowing!

The sun's bright here!

God has impeccable plans, so by letting go of my planning this is what happened. We landed at Lusaka at 7:20am (5:20GMT) and a flight was not available to Ndola until 5pm, so instead we opted to go by bus on our own from the city centre (not straightforward for the uninitiated). However, what worked out was that we were met unexpectedly and taken to the home of a Christian family in Lusaka immediately on arrival. While Abbie had a kip and a chat at their home I was off and out around Lusaka with husband Chris on a number of practical business calls getting all the low down on the culture, the poverty, the roads, the local government fiascos, the power and water supplies, security issues, et al. Then we were accompanied to Ndola by one of the team who 'happened' to be returning that day! Is God good or what?

The bus to Ndola took nearly four hours, was very hot, and once you've seen so much bush and trees on a gently undulating landscape you've seen enough! Lusaka is so much bigger, poorer, run down, dirtier and untidier than Ndola.

Tomorrow we get to see the Isubilo Centre.

Wednesday 28 January 2004

At last, after a very normal English breakfast, we went to the Isubilo Centre.

Our first sight of Isubilo

Within its boundary walls are a number of buildings (originally a tavern) and sufficient ground to plant row upon row of very large cabbages. The premises support the seven programmes (refer to the updated Visitors Guide) run by the project.

Showing the front, the gate is on the right

Viewed form opposite corner, showing the rear

After many weeks of anticipation it was good to meet some of the team and some of the children of the project. We, along with another visitor, had an orientation session with Phil, a young local Zambian, who is to be in charge of our programme.

Having not yet caught up with sleep, spent an easy afternoon back at the house (it was pouring with rain so the pool wasn't so attractive today!)

Thursday 29 January 2004

You win some, you lose some. The laptop modem having successfully dialled the Zambian ISP it then failed to authenticate, and after a reset disabled the phone line even when switched off. My hope of purchasing a low cost 'Cell Z' SIM card faded as I found out that they are not being issued at the moment due to network problems. Que serah, serah ...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (the Isubilo Centre) Abbie went out on a home visit and discovered for herself how desperate the physical and social conditions can be. I, on the other hand, was given the task of organising and sorting a large miscellany of shoes, clothes, tools and all sorts in the newly built storeroom. The first hurdle is to seal the floor and wall joints as I discovered that termites have already started consuming a couple of the huge cardboard boxes (there are 40 in all).

So maybe tomorrow (maybe not) I'll find a way of transferring this file and the Guide to an internet enabled computer, send them to Mark who can upload them to the website. And maybe get a different network's SIM card?

Abbie's diary: Went to Isubilo at 9am and after a little while of African hanging around time it was arranged that I would go out on home visits. While I was waiting I talked with Monica and Beauty who cook the meals that are taken to the hospital daily to feed those who have no family. Patients don't even get a cup of tea from the hospital let alone food. All that is provided by the family. Also basic hygiene requirements are carried out by the family, so if you have no visitors and are incontinent then you lie in it! I was talking to Noah, the clinic orderly who used to be in the Zambian army, and he has led a team into the hospital to wash these uncared-for patients.

In due time Sue and Jimmy, the Isubilo pastor, took me to two compounds (discrete areas of land with 'houses', either mud huts with grass roofs or block walls with corrugated roofs). The roads are rough tracks with little huts scattered around, The huts are made of mud with grass roofs and are very dark inside and very cool. People sleep on a blanket on the floor. First we visited a lady with leprosy who has lost the fingers of both hands. All her children have died and she looks after four grandchildren. She greeted us with a huge smile. Next we saw a lady with AIDS living in a tiny hut with a baby of two who also has AIDS. She is a widow who has been ostracised by her family and so has no means of feeding herself. She is supported by Isubilo. As we walked through the 'village' lots of children followed us so I did a silly duck walk and they let out howls of laughter behind me. We then went to a compound that is even poorer and visited more people with AIDS-related herpes and TB. Also a family of seven orphans being cared for by the eldest sister who is twenty. Both parents died of AIDS.

An old lady client I visited with Jimmy outside her one room hut

Friday 30 January 2004

Shopping orientation this morning! Eira took us into town for our Zambian shopping experience because as from this evening we are fully self-catering! Whilst Shoprite, the South African supermarket in Ndola, has most things there are better places to buy bread, milk and fresh veg.

Shoprite on the left, mid-shot

At last, cellphone contact with the folks back home. Finally sorted a SIM card and left a few answerphone messages only to find that my initial $5 worth had run out. Topped up with a $10 card - mustn't ring home!

Did some real work this afternoon on the storeroom floor ably assisted by two of the local staff, hopefully the termites will be kept at bay.

Abbie cooked a brilliant first meal in our new surroundings - we may actually be settling in a bit now. We've got four clear 'work' weeks ahead.

Am going to email this diary to Mark back at church for him to upload to the website, I don't know how successful such an arrangement will be. With the modem failing I need to find another way.

Abbie's diary: I went to the Post Office on my own to by some airmail letters. I can't seem to get my head round the 000's so I handed over all the money I had (Roger didn't give me much!) and asked how many letters that would buy. The young man laughed and said forty-two letters - so I told him I only wanted six.

Saturday 31 January 2004

"It's my turn next!"

It was quite something to see most of the 150 orphans this morning at the Centre as they had organised games and activities but more importantly a big meal.

Saturday dinner queue

Abbie was involved in preparing chicken pieces (drumstick, thighs and bits we normally throw away), Nshima (the local mainstay: ground maize known as 'mealy meal') and fried onion, cabbage and tomato. The mealy meal is prepared like stiff porridge and they are served a lump like a large snowball and, unsurprisingly, eat their meal without knives and forks.

None is wasted

More please!

I was occupied in the storeroom checking out three donated computers (didn't I stop doing computers?). They were MMX 150MHz 32Mb boxes with W98 i.e. old. Two of them were OK. They intend to donate one to a special needs unit at a nearby school and had an RNID software package for signing training. The sad thing is that the software presupposes a high level of English language literacy and also computer literacy in its use. So what's the point of the computer?

The people here have between very little and absolutely nothing at all. Not just materially but socially also. When a 'family' unit comprises only of children, or perhaps a grandma too, with neither income nor food its difficult ...

Abbie's diary: The children love to be touched and played with - skipping, hand-clapping, football. By the end of the morning I'd been hugged , kicked, poked, wee-ed on and asked for my watch and my ring. A little boy looked at my finger nails and wanted to pick them to be short like his.

Ooooh - may I have a hug!

Sunday 1 February 2004

Church - 'Your People'

Church at 9:30 in what was once a small posh hotel that the Queen once came to, and then a college, but now run down and mostly disused. It was just like the early years of house church but more structured. There was worship followed by a sharing time with a report back from a lady who, with another lady from another church, represented Zambia at the prayer conference in Uganda. A good time.

We, along with a number of folk from the church, then went out to 'the farm' for a barbecue lunch.

Road to the farm

Amphibious vehicles could be useful

Now this farm is amazing. Two couples from Chichester bought it less than two years ago with the main purpose of blessing Isubilo.

They have constructed beautiful chalet accommodation (in addition to the house bedrooms) for Isubilo volunteers. They produce chickens and eggs on a big scale along with fruit and vegetables.

Mike is now bananas about farming

But their big pioneering project is their four hectares of bananas, the first of which (1 hectare = 100 metres square) will be ready to harvest in just a few weeks. We had lovely time of food and fellowship and watched the sunset over the view of ten miles of bush.

Monday 2 February 2004

More work on the storeroom floor. Started doing the Blue Peter thing properly: lots of cardboard boxes, knife and glue and "here's one I prepared earlier" (cardboard racking for all the stuff - see picture below on 7 February).

Some miscellaneous observations:

Going, going, ...

• there aren't very many street lights still standing, and those that are don't work
• there are very few obese people here in Ndola
• apart from their shapes an avocado and a mango look the same (we didn't want avocado for desert!)
• green oranges are quite nice
• there's something odd about watching a large number of lemons ripening on a perfectly normal-looking tree outside the kitchen window
• on the good roads in town there are speed bumps, on the bad roads there are potholes - big ones
• the sell-by date on milk gives no indication as to when it will turn
• God's prospering can be inconvenient: both at the farm and at Isubilo: the cabbages grow to over 5Kg and are difficult to sell!

Jimmy the pastor - ma petite choux!

Tuesday 3 February 2004

At last a day like another! Making some serious progress in the storeroom having unpacked another 6+ boxes (they're large enough for a small two seater sofa) and got the hang of mass producing what are basically enormous pigeon holes twice as strong and far more accessible than the packing cases we started with.

The storeroom around at the back (no, not the container)

Abbie helped dispense prescriptions that the prison doctor had written for the prison inmates. Isubilo provides free medication to a number of the prisoners.

We're out to dinner tonight with a local Zambian couple we met at church with whom we chatted at the farm's 'bring-and-share' barbecue on Sunday.

... later in the evening: excellent, we are offered a traditional Zambian meal which means the food is accompanied with Nshima. This is ground maize cooked like porridge but very stiff like putty, you knead a piece in your right hand then push it against some of the food on your plate and eat that bit of it. Do that several times till that piece of Nshima is eaten then take another piece from the lump on your plate (needless to say you don't use a knife or fork). We were given a jug of water and a bowl with which to wash our hands before we started eating and at the end of the meal. But what was more significant was the conversation afterwards about the differences in our cultures and particularly the desperate political, social and financial plight of their nation.

Thursday 5 February 2004

Abbie's diary: In the afternoon I went with Barbara and the Support Group to visit Gertrude in the hospice. It is run by a Catholic doctor who used to work at the Central Hospital but became disenchanted. She is a gentle elderly lady. The hospice is spotlessly clean and the nursing aids give excellent care as they are trained at the hospice. Gertrude was very ill and the Support Group just sat around her bed, one girl crying.All those in the Support Group are HIV positive so they know the prognosis.

Later we went to visit Mishak in hospital - what a different story. He has full-blown AIDS with a particularly bad condition but the doctors don't explain anything. He has been in terrible pain but they won't give painkillers because they aren't prescribed and they don't have the incentive to get them prescribed for him. I felt very angry. I prayed for him but felt inadequate.

We got back late to Isubilo then Barbara decided to take half a dozen or so of the orphans back to their home in Kuama in the truck. They were so excited and as we got nearer their part of the compound (block of land) they began singing at the tops of their voices and laughing. Such small things give them pleasure.

Got home exhausted.

Saturday 7 February 2004

The task of producing what have been dubbed the 'kennels' is now well under way.

'Boxing clever'

These modified packing cases have a middle partition added, from an end/side of another box, and then two holes cut out of one side (like kennel 'doorways') making them much stronger and easily accessible when stacked. What has amazed me in a God-sort of way is that: [i] prior to the storeroom's completion there had been a backlog of deliveries of these enormous boxes (there had been nowhere to put them), [ii] there is another consignment of quite a few more due any time soon (those there now urgently need unpacking and sorting), [iii] the boxes were just stacked as-is, making it nearly impossible to access their varied unsorted contents, and [iv] I turn up with the kennels idea and inclination to play Blue Peter with a Stanley knife and PVA adhesive!

Today has been a proper day off, the main task of the day being to borrow a vehicle to go down town to purchase a crate each of Coke and beer! As we were going we were also asked to deliver a sack of mealie meal to the Centre. On doing so it was good to see all the youngsters (on Saturdays the 'orphans and vulnerable children' group attend for games and training and a good meal). They love any attention: hugs and handshakes and especially photo-opportunities.

We're coming ...

Me too!

This is supposed to be the rainy season but even the Zambians are complaining about the weather (I thought only the British complained about the weather), there has been no rain now for five days and it is getting, and staying, HOT.

Internet access here is a bit hit and miss, extremely slow (16 mins to access my webmail browser page) or just slow. Also access to Andy's office is necessarily limited. So I am grateful to those who have tapped out a note in response to their reading my random scratchings. Replying is not very likely in these circumstances!

It has been brilliant to hear from family back home now that the mobile phone and Telediscount thing is sorted - £1 a minute to UK, UK to Zambia 5p a minute - sorted!

Sunday 8 February 2004

What a day! First off was church and God turned up big time in calling folks to repentance and obedience, many words from God were shared, and there were significant things repented of. God is into integrity and honesty in the smallest detail of our lives. This was in the context of John 15:9-17 where Jesus says, "you are my friends if you do what I command".

Next we had been invited to join those from the farm in going to a restaurant in the bush for lunch.

"Are we going to have the Nshima or freshly caught trout?"

Eight of us in the minibus went for an hour south deep into the bush to Nsobe Game Camp. We were joined there by three friends, two of whom were neighbours of the Patchings. It was a mini game park complete with lakeside restaurant and a few cabins. After lunch four of us (including Abbie) were driven around the mini game reserve in an old open Land Cruiser with raised seats at the back.

"OK, so where's the driver?"

Our first game were their two giraffes, duly photographed.

No, it's not the same one, can't you tell?

There were fifteen different types of antelope, we saw many of them over the next very bumpy and winding hour and a half!

We had to stop for a drink - for the radiator (three times!)

I wish I had a longer lens!

Ahhhh, lovely ...

Lastly to cap it all we saw the eight or so zebra grazing in the distance.

As if the day wasn't already full enough it was planned that we would be taken home by Andy's neighbours. But ... we first took home the neighbours' friend who invited us all (four) in for pasta. This lady, a well-to-do Italian, who along with the neighbours, has lived in Zambia for thirty years plied us with drinks and spaghetti. It wasn't just the wonderful surroundings that blew us away but the conversations that unfolded. The Italian guy was as stereotypical Italian as it possible to be, in looks and build - complete with 'mama mia' exclamations and (say this with the accent) 'you shut'er yer face'! However what unfolded over the spaghetti was a keen and genuine interest in real church, and especially for the lady who felt she was a hypocrite for forgetting about God when a time of trouble has passed (when she prays quite earnestly). She invited us back to pray for her sometime soon.

Monday 9 February 2004

Back to the kennels, more unpacking. Discovered a box the bottom of which had been almost completely eaten by termites. Applied termite medicine to the cracks in the floor and went home for lunch.

The afternoon saw me in the truck (with air con) on a few errands. First I picked up the agricultural team leader, Tanga, who needed fertiliser from town.

A pot hole doesn't look so deep when filled with water - Tanga with the truck

That done I needed to exchange some dollars for Kwacha.

K1000 - worth about 12p

The Bureau de Change has a guy outside the barred doorway and one just inside, when the boss man inside sees who wants to enter and that both guys are happy about the customer then he pushes a button to release the door. Beats CCTV! Then on to book an African holiday - five nights in a hotel in Livingstone, en-route home, with trips out to the odd waterfall or whatever.

The afternoon was an opportunity for photographs, or snaps as the Zambians call them. I'd taken a few photos of the town but didn't manage to buy my fruit and veg. With Tanga's guidance I was shown around several markets - Chifubu's would have been quite intimidating had I been on my own (especially with the camera: one asks to take people-pictures which in itself creates a lot of fun).

A roadside market by the hospital

An indoor market at Kansenshi (but they all sell the same stuff!)

General view of Chifubu market

One pile of sweet potatoes - 24p

Another reel in the can.

Abbie's diary: Found out this morning that Gertrude (one of the Support Group) had died and the funeral was today. In view of my intended input to the Support Group I decided to go to the funeral. The cemetery is a simple field full of brown mounds. Many people gathered there. Plots near the road are K50,000 (£6 - a month's rent), whereas others a long way down the track are K5,000. There was much wailing and weeping during the funeral and harmonious singing. The body arrived in a simple coffin on the back of a truck. So many of the onlookers have AIDS too and know that before long they will succumb too. Cecelia (also of the Support Group) was very close to Gertrude and appeared very distressed.

Abbie, Sue, Jimmy, Cecelia and old friend

Helped Roger in the storeroom in the afternoon - so much to do!

Tuesday 10 February 2004

The Centre provides meals for ten hospital patients every weekday. Three ladies prepare the food and take it by local minibus. I offered to take them and join them and visit one particular patient. There is so much to say about this visit and I don't do sentences very well so here is a whole heap of stuff in no particular order:

• the nurses are all very smart but there's not much nursing
• medical supplies are in short supply, like rubber gloves
• water isn't always available
• soap isn't always available
• not all beds have mattresses
• it's not a good idea to put your bag down on the floor
• if you've got AIDS the food supplied, coarse ground nuts and cabbage, is difficult to eat
• it is said that 50% of AIDS patients in hospital died of hunger
• you pay for your own operations and medication
• equipment is lacking or missing
• there is a general state of disrepair
• electrical fittings (light switches, etc) are often missing
• wherever there is something of value, there are steel frames and brackets and large padlocks
• you really don't want to be sick

Entrance

High cost wards?

Communication problem?

A ward kitchen belonging to Old Mother Hubbard

Wednesday 11 February 2004

Andy/Isubilo provide dental care in the mobile dental clinic, based at his home.

Chonde is dentist-in-chief

Not only is this facility provided for clients of Isubilo but to prison inmates as well. (Isubilo provides free medication to prisoners). A number of inmates were due for dental work. As the prison (opposite the hospital in town) has no transport we provide it! So this morning I took the car (a double cab pick-up) to the prison and collected four prisoners complete with trusted inmate-minder. There would normally also be an armed guard with an old rifle. But today the prison chaplain accompanied us instead, armed only with his bible! The prisoners were handcuffed in twos. While they were at the clinic I did some more work in the store. On my return to take them back I asked to take a photo, the chaplain gave an emphatic 'no'. Back at the prison I spoke to the officer in charge (it was too small a prison to call him a governor) and again asked if I may photograph the prison. Again 'no', he said I would be immediately arrested if I did! I said that it was the ideal place to get arrested. Conversation continued, prisoners don't all get mattresses to lie on, food is minimal and poor, conditions primitive. It's the size of a rural primary school painted faded bright green.

What amazed me in a God-sort of way on Saturday 7th, continued this afternoon. Yesterday I had just finished clearing one of the six bays in the store, it had been termite-proofed and now crack-filled and floor sealed. All boxes had now been processed. Much greater progress than I had thought possible. I knew that more boxes were in the offing but not sure when. I, surprisingly, chose not to have a kip but to see what Andy was doing this afternoon. He had just returned from collecting a truck, driving off to a remote store somewhere and had just collected eleven more of the boxes. There was now just the right space for them to be unloaded and processed and we needed more boxes to be converted to kennels! God is in the logistics business big time. I think obedience is about knowing what God wants you to do in the 'now' and just doing it - it's as simple and difficult as that!

Friday 13 February 2004

The last box, for now, has been adapted as kennels, that's 28 so far (56 kennels in all). Half are already full of bedding, toys, hygiene packs and gift boxes - next is clothing. By the way the dimensions of these packing cases: 3' 9" x 2' 6" x 2' 4" (112L 75W 72H).

When there are thunderstorms here they're done properly. I was on my way back from an amazingly wonderful orphanage a few minutes out into the bush and watched a storm approaching, lightning and all. By the time I was back in town it had start to really tip down, then it got much worse. The rain was swirling in clouds of spray blowing across the road so that, but for the big blue bus I was following, I couldn't quite see the road, then bits of tree were blown in the wind against the car adding to the effect! A proper hurricane can't be a lot of fun.

Managed to access our emails - great, sooo greatful(!) for them and 150 hits on this diary page - and no, I don't keep accessing it just to push up the number! - there are only 5 Africa hits and only 2 are mine (the button at the bottom of the page reveals all).

Thoroughly enjoyed staying in at the movies and watched a great video - 'Catch me if you can' DiCaprio/Hanks in young man as pilot/lawyer/doctor.

Valentine's day 14 February 2004

Breakfast in bed for Abbie! Went to the Centre to do a couple of hours sorting the huge amount of clothes and shoes in the storeroom. A new guy from Canada, who's here for a week, had turned up to help. He just latched on to the need and the problem and made a great start on sorting shoes, too big a job to have contemplated at the moment.

This evening we've been invited for a meal with real mishos (it sounds too pretentious to be called missionaries these days!)

Sunday 15 February 2004

Here's a question which distils much of last night's conversations. Which is more important: to tell the truth and not steal, or to look after your family (family = grandparents, mother, brothers, nieces, sisters-in-law, etc)? Pause ... answer? David Livingstone commented on the Bemba tribe that of all the tribes in Africa they were the best (worst) at stealing. How would a Bemba compare our care for family with his own (culturally speaking)? Is either better?

As Andy and Eira's church were visiting another church en masse I thought I'd visit the 'lively' Elim Pentecostal Church of last night's hosts. The continuous pounding rain on the corrugated steel roof was sometimes even louder than the pastor's preaching with the PA turned up to max! It has rained continuously for most of the day: the locals are very grateful as the maize crop needs it big time.

Had a wonderful meal with Andy & Eira and their three Canadian visitors plus four of the Isubilo volunteers, and sat and chilled and chatted all afternoon, mmm....

Tuesday 17 February 2004

Karen arrived today! Great anticipation prior to her arrival. As Andy had taken his sister to Lusaka for the BA flight to UK, he was able to pick up Karen from the same plane. They arrived back in Ndola at lunchtime. Although Karen can sleep at the drop of hat, despite her tiredness, she and Andy talked for three of the three and a half hour journey back! She slept for the afternoon.

Back at the Centre I had the idea of slicing a 'kennels' box in half horizontally, creating two double open tray/boxes as shoe 'bins' to be put on top of the kennels. There are so many shoes/types/sizes to organise and make available this seemed to be a good idea. In process the 'kennel' box was put on its end. I then saw that the two 'bins' had larger shelves than when the box was horizontal. Hmmm. So why not start over and put all of them vertical? (Thirty have been made so far, half of which have been filled with stuff). The other major advantage is that because they are much narrower when vertical the boxes can be arranged round the walls thereby being much more visible - at the moment they are arranged in peninsulas of tens out from the walls.

Yesterday I spent a very disappointing end of afternoon trying to tweak an Access database, for home-based care records, to add an extra field and a new related report. To no avail. Question: should the local staff be empowered to add fields and make queries of the data? The answer should be 'yes'. Two questions for Andy: i) reorganise the storage boxes vertically, ii) change the data from a database to spreadsheet?

Wednesday 18 February 2004

Andy came and looked at the storage and decided to run with the vertical boxes idea despite the extra work - a better way forward. He also wanted to run with a simple flat file for the home-based care clients file that can be amended and queried by the chap responsible.

So I made a start with the whole reorganisation of the storage boxes. But ... as I lifted one of the empty boxes slightly awkwardly there was like a rubber band twanging in my right forearm. Ouch. I could no longer lift, use a knife, carry two-handed. Bother. A triangular sling made it comfortable. Fortunately by resting my right hand on my knee I could hold a steering wheel whilst gear changing, so getting to and fro the Centre isn't going to be a problem. But what of the boxes?

Back at the house Karen had surfaced. She returned with us to the Centre and Abbie introduced her to the folks and showed her round. Then the thought occurred to me - who is well able to use a cutting knife, with a good hand at labelling, and organised? She had just walked in! Then showed Karen the whole system. Ran it past Andy on return.

Thursday 19 February 2004

Arm is a little freer today but not much use. It's great to have Karen with us - she stayed with us a second night in the 'guest house'.

Made a start on the new boxes arrangement and found problems with it - then at last got it right. It is now so much better and very usable/accessible.

Friday 20 February 2004

Must record all about the permanent staff who work at the Centre. Apart from Andy and Eira, Andy's sister and nephew (both in UK at present) all are local Zambians. All team leaders meet with Andy each Friday morning along with the farm hosts and volunteers like ourselves. So here's the list in no particular order:

• Yoano - he has been my right hand man in assisting me with the store project, he is the storesman, plumber and Mr Fixit. Without his help the storeroom would still be in a mess.
• Sydney - security officer, an older guy with a white beard and very big smile right up to his eyes.
• Phil - the young (25) man running the children's stuff (OVCs) ably assisted at the moment by Hannah from Canada.
• Jimmy - pastor for the project very involved in visits to the home-based care (HBC) clients both at home and in hospital/hospice.
• Tanga - who is the agricultural care leader who manages the Isubilo veg growing and gives advice for home growing of food.
• David - manages the HBC programme.
• Chonde - dentist, church leader and amazing song leader with drum (African drum of course).
• Judy - nurse, running the clinic with the support of Sue, from Southampton, a long-term volunteer.
• Beauty - in charge of the kitchen, providing meals every weekday and taking them to a dozen patients in hospital plus meals on Saturday for 150 orphans.
• Charles - accounts manager.
• Gilbert - project director.

Yoano with boxes and with Gilbert

Additionally there is a great team of guys who work on the site as painters, decorators and labourers.

The latest boxes arrangement was fully implemented and, with David and Yoano's hard work moving so much stuff around, finally we've arrived at the beginning of a good store system.

The boxing team at work

The final arrangement, the 'bins' are large enough to store people (well, Karen anyway)!

Having promised David to spend time with the spreadsheet, we managed to spend the afternoon at the computer. I am working a lot with him now in providing a spreadsheet-based relational database with the necessary training to enable him to add fields and make his own queries.

It was wonderful to have packed a weekend bag to go out to the farm for the weekend with Karen, along with three other volunteers (who are staying at the farm) and the four farm hosts.

"Shall I turn on the light?"

Pure luxury - a thatched lodge with en-suite, wonderful home-cooked food and great company! The farm, "Lifespring", is owned and run by two couples (the wives are sisters) our age from Chichester. It's raison d'etre is to do Kingdom stuff within the community, churches and Isubilo in particular. It provides chickens, eggs and vegs to Isubilo and provides accommodation for the volunteers.

Saturday 21 February 2004

It's so good to just stop and chill (quite literally as it got quite cool having rained solidly all morning). The afternoon was for exploring. David, son of one of the host couples showed Karen and I around the farm projects (not least the four hectares of bananas - ready to harvest for the very first time next week).

A very small termite mound broken open - they can get to several metres wide and high!

Next was another very bumpy ride to the Kifubu River dam.

The lake above the dam

Karen admiring the view!

They're fishing for food not fun

Dave, Hannah and Karen at the Kifubu dam

The lake formed provides water for most of Ndola, the snag is that it is all but sewage. So the water is pumped to the nearby water treatment works and thence to four huge cylindrical reservoirs (each the size of two tennis courts) on top of a hill back on the farm's property. The treatment works, opened in 1966, is in such a run down and dilapidated state, barely supervised by any staff, is absolutely key to Ndola's water supply.

The entire waterworks staff with Karen showing off her African handshake

Three of the six pumps

On return to the farm we climbed the hill to the reservoir tanks and found the 'guard' on top of one of them. He, with his dog, is there to dissuade any more people from stealing the huge valves that control the water flow.

Guard duty

Dave and Karen in top of one of four reservoirs overlooking the Kifubu dam

Karen on the highest point of our Zambian visit

Back at the farm we enjoyed our Italian friends' company at a barbecue meal that drifted into the late evening.

Sunday 22 February 2004

Off to church, this time direct from the farm along a very long bumpy dirt road complete with its two 'lakes'.

Andy and Eira's church, 'Your People', have services similar to ours - but for the African drums and Bemba songs. As this was our last Sunday here in Ndola we were thanked for our encouragement (Abbie) and blessing (Roger) with the store. But to cap it afterwards we were sent out (!) with the familiar prayer, laying on of hands and prophecy stuff. Cool or what!

Abbie had had a word for the church before we came. In the service this morning she saw that this was the time to share it. Then at the end of the service God spoke to me too, real strong. It's part of a whole picture:

The new storeroom had just been completed and the forty or so large packing cases plus dozens of other miscellaneous boxes were piled high and randomly, nearly filling the whole space. Additionally there were some tables, stacked chairs, free-standing sewing machines and second-hand shoes everywhere.

On asking, 'What about some shelving?', the answer was, 'No extra resources right now'. Then the idea came to mind of remodelling the packing cases by making a centre divider, closing the top and making two large openings in the side, all glued together with PVA wood adhesive. A prototype was made and tried out, and after a couple of improvements has now been repeated forty plus times. Then the problem of containing shoes was solved by cutting some of the boxes in half horizontally producing four 'bins' each. The store is now looking well organised and tidy with lots of free space.

So where does God come in? Well one more thing before that. As the first few boxes were processed we discovered a significant infestation of termites. They had come up through the joins in the four floor slabs of the store and had made light work of the bottoms of a number of the boxes and in one or two had also invaded the smaller boxes within the packing case. So a complete rethink of the logistics of managing the task was required. The cracks were scraped out, termite 'medicine' applied and a cement made of PVA and concrete dust was used to seal the cracks.

I believe that God showed me that the whole storeroom project has a spiritual parallel for the church here. The 'before' state of the storeroom represents the current state of Zambia's spiritual and physical resources: lots and lots of it, much riches, but with neither order nor organisation to it.

The storeroom project needed just the right person with a good idea and a few simple skills of cutting up cardboard and gluing it together at just this time. The church here, 'the right person', now has the vision, 'the good idea', and has within it the spiritual resources, the 'few simple skills' to achieve its goal.

There will be setbacks, the enemy will have to be routed with 'medicine' and his route of entry closed.

I remarked a week or so ago that the value of the store had increased by at least ten times (although probably much more than this). So too this nation's spiritual and physical resources' 'value' will be increased when this church applies its vision to the task ahead.

Apart from a few tubs of glue and a new Stanley knife all was accomplished with the resources at hand!

Later we had supper with Andy & Eira and had a good time sharing and praying over stuff.

Andy & Eira

Monday 23 February 2004

It's now possible to see how someone else could now pick up the sorting and storing job now that the 'bin' system has been implemented. Very satisfying.

The afternoon saw the completed foundations for the spreadsheet-based relational database - David can manage, maintain and modify it without recourse to an 'expert'. Its three files hold data about i) the home-based clients, ii) the volunteers who visit them, and iii) the visits they make. There are lookup codes for each of the clients and volunteers - simple and effective.

Tuesday 24 February 2004

Rain or what! Does Zambia do rain? In UK we don't have a rainy season (or do we?) so it's a bit strange to see so much so often, but usually, though not today, after an hour or two it's hot and sunny again. Because of the extreme humility the amount of condemnation streaming off one's cold beer glass causes quite a pool of water.

There are no police car or ambulance sirens to spoil the peace - there aren't any police cars (that I've seen) nor ambulances (except for a few privately owned)! There is, however, a fire station complete with fire engines like at home.

Special treat in the evening - we took Andy & Eira, Karen and Sue out to dinner - wonderful evening.

Wednesday 25 February 2004

Tidying up and finishing off, both in the storeroom and with the database - very satisfying, both much appreciated.

Dinner out again with Andy and Eira this time with their neighbours, the Italians. Another good evening out in their lovely home, good food and some interesting chat. Again Chenco brought up the subject of God, only this time he got a little more than he was expecting - Abbie had had a word for him and gave it at the end of the evening. It spoke to his heart.

Thursday 26 February 2004

Some misc jottings:

• The batteries (2 AA Duracell) are still powering my shaver after four and half weeks when they would give up after a fortnight at home - just goes to prove they work best in the warm!
• We haven't suffered from attitude sickness despite living at over 3,000 feet, though I did get breathless climbing the hill at farm last weekend (most of Zambia is on a high plateau - hence the more temperate English-like weather)
• The street lamps, as noted before, are in a dire state. However on approaching the neighbour's house last night we could see quite clearly due the streetlight opposite. I commented about this only to discover that it was his lamp on the electricity distribution pole that he had put there!

Our last day here in Ndola. A goodbyes day with a lot of 'when you come back ...' comments! Joined Andy & Eira after dinner for a chat and a pray - real good time.

Off to Livingstone via Lusaka by plane tomorrow. All packed (well nearly) and ready to go.

Friday 27 February 2004

What a day.

Up at 5:30am ready for off at 6:45, flight from Ndola at 8. Andy & Eira took us and saw us off at Ndola airport. The 16 seater turbo-jet provides window seats for all but has no loo, the hostess brings mango and orange juice for your in-flight refreshment! A twenty minute wait in Lusaka and then up again for a little longer, an hour, and we landed in Livingstone.

Our 16-seater from Ndola-Lusaka-Livingstone

In chatting to one of the airport staff about taxi fares he suggested negotiating with the driver to get a good price by using the same guy for subsequent journeys. Dango agreed a price of K20,000 instead of 30 with the promise of more!

He took us to the hotel that we were recommended by the travel agent. This hotel got booked a bit by mistake, in that it was going to cost more but with air-con and breakfast included, but hey, we've never stayed in an hotel before! On arrival first reaction was not good, then the room/'lodge' we were shown to was unreal. It was bad and not the twin bedded room we had booked and paid for. Even the staff apologised for it! The hotel had a large block booking after our booking and moved us to a different room. We stayed cool and asked for a solution. So between the hotel and travel agent they found out that our original cheaper hotel/lodge had no spaces (unsurprisingly) and so had to look elsewhere. The Zambezi Sun Hotel is very, very nice! But did it take some negotiating? And not a heated word spoken. We had to pay yet more but nothing like the usual rate. While the phone calls were to-ing and fro-ing we had a lovely local dish of Zambian chicken casserole. Then to get us to the Zambezi Sun I asked for the same taxi driver (paid for this time by the hotel). He filled us in with some local info about Livingstone and stopped for me to get another SIM card as Telecel don't have masts in Livingstone. I would be needing to contact him wouldn't I? And then onto the Sun, it is situated inside a game park within a few minutes walk of the falls. We were plied with iced tea as we booked in and had our second culture shock of our visit.

Whereas for the last four and a half weeks we have been looked at because we stood out being white and where we were, this time it is a little odd being in a posh hotel for the first time! The contrast between yesterday and now is extreme. Everything and everyone is smart and clean. Nothing is broken or dilapidated. A bath and a walk-in shower in the en-suite. But did we get a twin bedded room? Yes, twin double-bedded! It really is lovely here.

Our room is immediately behind Abbie

And the view from the room, from the left: barbeque, pool-side bar, bandstand, pool, open dining room

At one time I counted thirteen of them around the area above!

These were grazing in the grounds

The view from the 'hide' - again, in the grounds

The dining room

Discovered that, having shot six rolls of film, the camera was not set to automatic as I had thought but fixed to 125th speed. How did I miss that? I checked it after the first shot because the shutter sounded a little slow, saw that the green 'A' was in the right place and carried on but with a niggle. Just happened to check it properly in the cool relaxed setting we are now in and found that the marker moves and not the dial with the 'A' on it. Gutted. Totally. I know there were some ace piccys on those rolls. Bright sunlight + ISO400 + 125th = plain white (maybe). I'll just have to wait and see.

Saturday 28 February 2004

A lazy start, then in to breakfast, not very 'in' as most things are nearly outside, open and under cover. You know its going to be good when one of the dozen or so waiters opens your linen serviette over your lap and offers mango or guava juice. The men's breakfasts at the Butterfly Hotel don't come to near to this. Sarah would be proud of them. Such a choice of freshly prepared fruit, hot food of all sorts as well as a remarkable number of ways your eggs can be prepared (and obviously bacon and a couple of sorts of sausage). The rolls and pastries were baked as demand required. A lovely breakfast. And we've got to do it again tomorrow!

It seemed a good time to visit the waterfall nearby.

Our hero close to the edge ...

... closer ...

... and closer! You can just make out a ridge where we go next ...

Having been warned how wet it would be Abbie donned a large all-covering bright yellow waterproof from reception and off we went (I used my smaller waterproof for ease of access to the camera). Six minutes later and we caught our first sight of the eastern cataract.

But you have to hear it, to feel it ...

Awesome. We knew it was going to be wet, but this wet? Known locally as the 'smoke that thunders' the falls' spray can be seen for many miles around - spectacular even from the aeroplane as we landed yesterday. This same spray then falls like rain. I was so unconvinced that the downpour wasn't just spray I went back up the path to where the vendors of the raincoats were still dry! One take photographs of the falls, of course, and I have. But seeing pictures is just nothing compared to experiencing it - a bit like God actually. And then the Zambezi River's name means River of God anyway! And Zambia is named after this river. There are so many 'best places' to view the falls, only a few of which were dry enough to get the camera out. It was just so wet it was funny that so many people subject themselves to the experience - and the 'rain' is so warm! Next time I must go in just my trunks with my camera in a bag. Glasses wearers have a problem!

Not something to quickly walk past ...

It is awsome, amazing

Nearly mist this one ...

On returning from the falls I noticed a very wide very deep empty 'canal' behind the Visitors Information hut that workmen were working in. This was for the water flow to the nearby hydro-electric power station. Ahah ... another few minutes walk away and I was walking towards the power station talking to one of the workers returning after lunch. (Abbie meantime returning to change her wet clothes.) A request to the guard on the gate and then to one of the managers and then a tour! An amazing couple of pictures from the top of one of the gorges down to the turbine houses below.

There's no water gushing out as they are currently replacing the turbines

Gorgeous!

He couldn't allow a viewing of them because of all the new construction work going on in replacing much of the old plant. However he also showed me to the one of the control rooms.

I can't seem to get Channel 5!

Back at the hotel had a great chat with the 'Zulu' warriors complete with drums, spears and shields who greet the new arrivals outside reception. They are from a local tribe who have links/descent from the South African Zulus and so it wasn't just dressing up! Must get a picture of Abbie with them - a great bunch.

The welcoming party

There's ice in all sorts of places: an ice making machine in each of the guest room blocks, apples and pears in a large iced-filled bowl by the poolside, and even ice in the urinals!

The pool is just one inch below grass level and meanders round the pool-side bar and barbecue and is perfectly clear. I even managed to swim its full length!

Crocodile meat tastes like a cross between pork and chicken though when Abbie tried some and I questioned whether it lacked 'bite', she smiled! A really good dinner chosen from a large and varied buffet. Soft lights and soft music from the music group in the bandstand by the pool over an evening drink. Hmmm ...

Sunday 29 February 2004

Another lazy start ... Abbie wasn't feeling too good yesterday and today her tummy's not so good. Took a walk round to the road/rail bridge (over the river between Zambia and Zimbabwe), took a few more great snaps then walked to Zimbabwe and back.

The Zambia/Zimbabwe bridge leads to ...

... Zimbabwe border post

Took some pics of a guy my age bungee jumping - not for me!

Don't look down ... ready, steady, ...

... go!

Got a great couple of pics of some of the border guards with their rifles.

I wonder if they've got any ammunition?

The view of the falls pouring into the 'Boiling Pot' - an awsome volume of swirling river

The turbulence is just not obvious enough

Is it more obvious here? (pity about the chap in the way)

'Experienced' the falls again - this time more appropriately dressed: swimming trunks and a shirt! It's still awesome. As I was wet had a nice swim in the pool. It just doesn't get cold here.

I'm just beginning to relax - God seemed to say that we landed in this wonderful hotel/falls situation so that we enter into his rest. Hmmm ...

Monday 1 March 2004

Another disappointment today - and nearly a disaster. We called our taxi driver who took us to Livingstone. There we had planned to book a couple of trips at considerable saving compared with doing so at the hotel. I needed a wad of cash as the tours place didn't take plastic. The ATM didn't give me a sackful of Kwacha as requested but informed me that my card had expired.

Oops (understatement).

Abbie picked up a bug while we were at the ATM

So how do we pay our hotel extras like dinners and drinks (the B&B was prepaid)? So how do we go on the trips? One of our possible trips was to visit, by taxi, a 'model' Zambian village opened for tourism, so as there enough cash for that we agreed the taxi fare and off we went into the bush on a long dirt road.

Danga had to drive real slow as the ruts and potholes could wreck his taxi

This is home - inside

They don't till the land at this village, they make things to sell to the tourists
- can you see BA taking this hippo in cabin luggage?

A fairly recent addition to the village - a standpipe

Craftsmen at work

The witchdoctor also makes things

They don't need a freezer to store their chicken

The local tailor's

Madam, you've put on two inches!

The tour ended with a visit to the crafts 'market', a significant source of income to the village. We didn't help them much in that way!

Tourists are obliged to visit the craft market to bolster the local economy

... whilst waiting for more tourists (draughts on steroids) ...

On return to the hotel and with the driver paid we had barely enough cash left to pay the airport tax to get out of the country on Thursday! We then checked with the hotel that they could debit another card (in my desk at home) with just the card details that I had with me for such a moment as this. Affirmative ... relief.

Tuesday 2 March 2004

Up at dawn, 5:30am, and then out to the falls for 6am when the back gate is unlocked. A brief look at the top of the falls by the side of the river before it plunges downwards then down to the 'boiling pot'. This is where all of the water from the Zambezi rushes through a narrow gorge, just below the falls, and has to take a hard right down another gorge but swirls and foams in the process. I sat on the rocks at the water's edge where the swell from the swirling water was over a foot.

It was seething - the whole of the Zambezi in one small space

Soaked from the activity and humidity and because it had just started to rain, decided to follow that with an early morning swim. It was pouring by this time and found another early bird in the pool.

After a shower I was back in bed for 8 o'clock!

Because of the credit card problem no trips had been booked so we were very disappointed that, having come all this way, we had only seen the falls (although that has been amazing). The second 'dream' that Abbie has always had is to have a ride on an elephant (the first having been realised by coming to Africa). On attempting to book it from the hotel yesterday it was booked. However in view of its importance to Abbie I inquired again. Two places booked for the afternoon! Anything booked at the hotel is i) more expensive ii) doesn't need cash or a card, it's added to the room bill. So, eager anticipation for the afternoon's trip for Abbie.

Here are three of the six

A quick drink from the Zambezi (for the elephant)

The elephant ride was brilliant for (Abbie), within a few minutes I felt a bit elephant-sick! Perhaps that was because I was in the back seat! She thoroughly enjoyed the experience but towards the end of the hour's ride my thighs and bum were aching rotten! It was great to see them and then feed them afterwards - there were six elephants, two passengers each plus 'driver'.

"I like feeding this elephant!"

We had a quietly-spoken guy called Africa who talked to us all the way through the ride. 'Our' elephant had become pregnant through going off with some wild elephants and had a character all her own.

Goodbye

Took some great shots - but not when Abbie got her hand caught as the elephant closed her mouth too quickly when she fed her! A good trip out.

Beautiful, eh? (Abbie, not the river!)

Beautiful, eh? (the river?)

Had a lovely dinner and got packed ready for an 8:45am departure the following day.

Wednesday 3 March 2004

Dango arrived promptly to collect us and take us to Livingstone airport. We booked in one hour early as suggested and started updating this diary. A few minutes later we were informed that our flight had been changed from 10:20 to 13:20. TIA (this is Africa). The very nice Alex from Zambian Airways agreed that we could have whatever we wanted from the restaurant/cafe. It was a bit hot and muggy in the airport building but quite pleasant on the verandah-like entrance steps. I asked one of the airport staff if I might take a seat out there as it was so much cooler. He quickly got one of his staff to put two comfy chairs from one of the offices out there!

Now would this happen at Stanstead?

We were then sat overseeing the arrivals and to-ing and fro-ing, complete with complimentary Coke and Mosi (good Zambian beer). But to cap it all, over the loudspeaker system throughout the airport (and the entrance verandah) there was a Don Moen praise and worship CD playing 'Jesus reigns', etc, etc!

After a further delay due bad weather - it doesn't just rain in Zambia it just falls out of the sky and keeps on coming - we got airborne on our way to Lusaka to stay overnight with Chris & Karen (who had met us at the airport on day one).

Spent a great evening with Lusaka friends and learnt all about processing and purifying beeswax.

Thursday 4 March 2004

Up early and off to Lusaka airport again, this time for the ten hour BA flight to Heathrow.

You have to end with one of these! ...

... or one like this - the coats were last worn on the trip to Heathrow!

All Abbie seems to want to do when she gets home is go straight to Waitrose!

Some more random jottings:

• I haven't worn anything warmer than a long-sleeved shirt since arriving in Zambia.
• The batteries in my shaver are still going strong.
• Zambia is a lovely country to be in.
• Living is Zambia is quite challenging: security, health, shopping, work permits, muddled bureaucracy, no night driving.
• The Zambian people are very friendly and approachable (noticeable contrast to the UK).
• Zambia is very flat and doesn't have a navy.

Home at last! It was so good to be picked up from the airport coach and taken to our home where our 'caretakers' had put the heating on and provided us with the basic groceries for a bite and breakfast. Well blessed!

Friday 5 March 2004

You've got to laugh, although at the moment it's not the least bit funny (though Joanna had a good laugh). The problem of having no access to cash has repeated itself. Our second credit cards and our Switch debit cards plus our Waitrose cards were all put somewhere safe (and my new watch). I've spent several hours today searching for them. We can't access our current account! (Nor use Quick Check in Waitrose without the Waitrose cards!) I have been known to be a bit creative, but I'm stumped with this one.

It's been a funny old day, we're both very tired from the travel and the two hour mismatch, but we both feel sort of shell-shocked. Unsurprising, maybe, but it caught us unawares just the same. Still, all the post has been processed and most of the washing under way. All we need now is some good sleep.

Saturday 6 March 2004

The nice man in Waitrose allowed the use of my Switch card details for purchases and cashback without seeing the card. Then whilst seated at my desk at midday I turned and found where I'd hidden all the cards! Relief or what?

Very much looking forward to meeting folks at church tomorrow so I guess this is Roger and out!