Zambia – Big 5: check!

After an early morning start in Vic Falls and just crossing over the bridge I spend about 1.5 hrs at the border to get into Zambia although the border post was not busy at all – besides all the baboons who had clearly taken over control. I had previously sorted out the eVisa for Zambia because apparently it would speed things up. Up to this day I have no idea though why I completed the eVisa online since no one seemed to care about my letter of approval. After I got my passport back I checked my visa and noticed that they misspelled my name, didn’t put the sex or the visa number but the entry stamp was there and that was all that mattered. By this time and crossing in and out of countries at all those tiny border posts I don’t even question anymore if there is any sense in entry forms or visa regulations. They make it up as they go anyways. Still I am always worried though – can’t shake off being German after all 😉

It is amazing though how much changed after this border crossing in comparison to the ones in southern Africa. When thinking about Africa many images come to mind that paint the picture of East Africa. It’s the colorful roadside stands, the kids smiling and waving when passing by, people sitting on railroad tracks, bumpy roads, goats crossing “highways” and a very unique and sweet smell of smoke in the air. This to me is the true Africa!

Driving through Zambia was a nice change to the sparsely populated Namibia because we were passing through more villages and the campsites were within walking distance to the villages. So it was much easier to mingle with the locals and to experience their way of living. I wish I could have taken more pictures but it feels so much like interfering in their daily life and disturbing their privacy.

In Chipata a young guy tried to interfere with my privacy a little though. He approached me asking if I had a younger sister he could marry. When I told him no, he said he would settle for me then. Excuse me?! So I had a little fun with him and told him that white women are expensive to marry and I wanted to know how many cows he has. He claimed 10.000 and I replied that this was exactly my rate and he should go get them. Of course he quickly backed out of the negotiation. Although he kept telling me that he could handle a white woman. I told him that I highly doubted it.

Besides this encounter and after visiting 5 national parks and many game drives on this trip to Africa alone, I finally go to see my missing piece of the Big 5. In South Luangwa National Park I didn’t just get to see one leopard but two: a mommy with her five months old cup. And to make it even more spectacular underneath the tree they were in feeding on a bushbuck there were three lions feeding on an elephant! Although it smelled horrible there it was just amazing. I was all overwhelmed and didn’t know where to look first. Yet again I went a little over the top with taking pictures but see for yourself 😉