Day 7: Livingstone to Mazabuka then to Lusaka (all Zambia)

Livingstone to Mazabuka (Zambia)
I woke at Jollyboys Backpackers (Livingston) quite early, and was loaded and driving by about 7am.  The road had been pretty much the same up to Mazabuka. Little towns slowed progress because I had to reduce speed. Strangely, the speed limit in these little towns is 40km/h. After Mazabuka the scenery changed, I drive down a steep road into some kind of valley and about 20km further up the other side. The road is decent but many broken down trucks are stuck on it and the potholes are as huge as my front wheel. I keep a sharp lookout for these. Before Mazabuka I had been driving in front of a father-son team who had also crossed the border ferry with me. They were on their way to Kenya. It was kinda good having familiar faces on the road but I lost site of them after Mazabuka.

Lusaka (Zambia)
After getting some food at Pick n Pay I planned to drive through Lusaka quickly and do another 100km. Boy would I be wrong. I got stuck in Lusaka's peak hour. Hectic! I battled blue mini bus taxis, and the rest of the city for positions on the road. I had been fighting to keep the bike upright and my hand was tired from the clutch control I needed to keep.

After 45mins of this I took a break and pulled onto a diet road next to the tar I was on. I stopped at a corner, tired. 3 people stood there. We started talking, they were, a pastor, a church brother, and a church sister. They blessed me on my journey and advised me to seek accommodation at the International Youth Olympic Development Center of Lusaka. It was a km back. I had seen it and wanted to stop there but had decided to drive on.

The OYDC and neighboring stadium

Negotiations Again:

After negotiations they brought down the price from 350 kwacha to 200 kwacha. I paid and got a room which was decent, but no receipt.

Aaaah, a nice soft bed.

Tomorrow is Saturday, let's see what the day holds in store.

Veterinary Disease Control is very important round here

These guys should enter cycle races, they would win for sure.

Such hard work, and here I am cruising this trip with minimal effort.

A shopkeeper warming lunch in her shop (Zambia)

MTN has gone global

In front of the shop in Mazabuka

Coal is very important to people in these parts