Exploring Zambia’s History at The Livingstone Museum

Visiting The Livingstone Museum in Zambia is like stepping into a time machine, one that whisks you through the pages of history, culture, and the untold stories of a vibrant nation. As Zambia’s oldest and largest museum, it offers a treasure chest of artifacts and exhibits that bring the past to life. From the tools of ancient warriors to the personal belongings of legendary figures, every corner of the museum tells a story.

A Glimpse into Zambia’s Fight for Freedom

The story of Zambia’s independence is proudly showcased in the museum. A statue commemorating freedom from colonial rule stands tall, symbolizing the nation’s journey from oppression to liberation. Next to it, the sight of the British flag reminds visitors of Zambia’s history as a British colony, a reminder of the courage of the Zambian people.The story of Zambia’s independence is proudly showcased in the museum. A statue commemorating freedom from colonial rule stands tall, symbolizing the nation’s journey from oppression to liberation. Next to it, the sight of the British flag reminds visitors of Zambia’s history as a British colony, a reminder of the courage of the Zambian people.

You’ll find traditional weapons like spears, bows, and arrows, used by Zambia’s ancestors for both hunting and protection. These artifacts offer a vivid connection to the bravery of those who lived long before the modern era.

The Legacy of David Livingstone

At the heart of the museum’s collection is an impressive exhibit dedicated to David Livingstone, the legendary explorer and missionary. His personal items are on display, including his travelling trunk, which looks like a rugged, well-worn chest ready for an adventure. You’ll also see his coat, his letters, and even his journal, each offering a glimpse into the life of a man who explored territories and made history along the way.

The museum also features a statue of David Livingstone, a reminder of his enduring impact on the region and its history. His story is intertwined with Zambia’s past, making this exhibit an essential stop for anyone curious about the country’s journey.

The Vintage VW Beetle Vehicle

One of the most charming exhibits in the museum is a vintage vehicle. Its unusual design makes it stand out among the historical displays, offering a fun and unexpected element to your visit. This car was once used in Zambia, and its presence in the museum adds a delightful touch of the past.

Panoramic Views of Zambia’s Past

The Livingstone Museum doesn’t just tell stories, it immerses you in them. One of its highlights is a breathtaking panorama of a traditional Zambian village. This display recreates the sights and sounds of village life, complete with huts, tools, and scenes of daily activities. Walking through this exhibit feels like stepping into another time, offering a profound connection to Zambia’s cultural roots.

Nature lovers will also appreciate the museum’s natural history section.

Here, you’ll find displays including the skeleton of the isamupati, that is in folded like poster showing in what style olden people buried others. But perhaps the most intriguing exhibit is the Broken Hill Man skull, an important anthropological find. While the original skull is currently housed in the UK, the museum displays a detailed replica and shares plans for its return to Zambia, a move that will further enrich its collection.

For , culture enthusiasts, or anyone with a curiosity for the past, this museum offers an unforgettable experience. Its carefully curated exhibits and immersive displays ensure that every visitor leaves with a deeper appreciation of Zambia’s heritage.

Kenneth Kaunda’s Chilenge House: A Symbol of Leadership

No visit to the museum would be complete without learning about Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first president and one of the most influential figures in the country’s history. The museum features a view of his Chilenge House in Lusaka, where Kaunda’s leadership and vision began to take shape including the motorbike he used. This exhibit honors his legacy and highlights his role in shaping modern Zambia.

Why The Livingstone Museum is a Must-Visit

The Livingstone Museum is more than just a building filled with artifacts—it’s a living, breathing celebration of Zambia’s rich history and culture. Whether you’re marveling at the tools of ancient warriors, admiring David Livingstone’s personal belongings, or stepping into a recreated Zambian village, every moment spent here is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and connect.

December 22, 2024 4

A Must Try Cafe: Livingstone’s Kubu Cafe Review

Cafes are great locations to relax, take in a warm atmosphere, and have a delicious cup of coffee. For those looking for a break from the daily grind, these lovely spots provide a retreat. Cafes are the ideal setting for deep chats with friends. They provide peaceful moments of isolation because of their laid-back vibe.

These spots are the perfect place to catch up on work, read a compelling book or people-watch. Freshly brewed coffee in the air will tantalize your senses. It will foster a welcoming and cozy atmosphere.

Cafes are places where you can Imagine yourself curled up in a cozy corner. They sometimes have soothing music playing in the background. This is what I walked into at Kubu Cafe. I went there for a conversation. I didn’t realize I was there for two meals and some dessert. I realized it’s enticing to remain for a while and enjoy the experience. This is because of their charming decor, gentle lighting, and plush seats as well.

An excellent cafe should provide its customers with a warm and pleasurable experience. A decent one needs the following things below:

Coffee Quality: Good coffee is the foundation of any cafe. A customer wants a well-made espresso and brewed coffee. They desire a range of premium teas and other beverages. I am not a coffee addict. I could tell the clients around Kubu Cafe were enjoying their coffee. I was enjoying my cappuccino.

Comfy Seats: A variety of comfortable seats create a warm atmosphere for customers. Some individuals might like the cozy embrace of a plush couch. Shared tables offer a unique setting for seating. This setting fosters a feeling of neighborhood and encourages interaction between varied groups.

When I linked up for a chill, I tried the shared table. We stuck around for a while and I ended up on a couch. I must say Kubu Cafe had a variety of seats which makes it an ideal hang-out spot for both individuals and groups. I even noticed baby seats which means every age group had a seating arrangement.

Wide Range of Menu Options and Considerate Pricing :
Variety is vital when it comes to designing an alluring menu. A cafe should have a wide variety of tastes and dietary needs. This helps customers find something they enjoy. At Kubu Cafe, you will have variety on the menu. What was on their board was not all there was on that day.

There is something for everyone at Kubu Cafe. The food ranged from mouthwatering croissants to savory sandwiches. I enjoyed the colorful salads, and mashed potatoes with a juicy t-bone steak. Going out to eat with someone means you can taste some of their food. My partner in crime at this cafe picked their chicken schnitzel with fries. I must add that it was well-prepared food that needed a signature dessert after. There is nothing that does it for me more than chocolate cake. Yummy…

Charging stations and WiFi: It has become more crucial for businesses to cater for their tech-savvy clients. Today’s world is fast-paced. Wi-Fi and charging stations are an efficient method to improve client experience. Having stuck around Kubu Cafe, we soon were in need of some charging. We didn’t care much about the WiFi because we had ours.

Sufficient Hours of Operation: Cafes should have enough hours of operation. This might influence a business’s success. It can decide to keep later hours or open earlier. This may draw a greater variety of clients. I liked that Kubu Cafe had these hours of operation.

A successful cafe blends hygiene, friendliness, and competent personnel. It is safe to say Kubu Cafe did well in these three areas. I was helped by one staff member who gave recommendations on a book sold there. Cafes may create a welcoming atmosphere that encourages repeat business. So the next time you enter a cafe, enjoy the right atmosphere. I left Kubu Cafe feeling refreshed.

October 20, 2023 10

The 5 reasons you should zip line in Zambia

A good amount of adrenaline is good for the soul. It can help part of your body to function more effectively. The heart will beat faster and the lungs will breathe better. Some activities do guarantee a good dose of adrenaline. How many of us are willing to have that ‘rush’?

I have heard of experienced travelers who still get chills before a flight. Does this mean you can never get used to some dangerous activities? I do feel a rush of adrenaline before a flight too. Some people struggle with vivid imaginations taking away the fun from certain activities.

Thinking about the zip line itself gives me some chills. The feeling is worse when you read about personalities like Robert Cadman. He met his death when his rope snapped. History says that this happened when he was descending from Shrewsbury’s St Mary’s church. Thanks, Cadman, for making things worse for scared kitties like us.

I acknowledge the fear attached to such thrilling activities like zip lining. I recently found some good reasons you should try this in Zambia. Try this because:

It is ideal for beginners: I want to progress to the intermediate level. This will give me proper reasons to do the zip line in places like South Africa. The Oribi Gorge zip line for example happens to be the longest in South Africa! Plus, it ranked one of the highest in the world! That’s a full dose of adrenaline right there.

Doing the zip line in Zambia will give beginners or “scared kitties ” a quick opportunity to experience this activity. I tried it using a company called Abseil Zambia. They were the perfect company to help adventurers who fall in my category.

The Oribi Gorge zip line is said to be about 400 meters deep and 5 kilometers wide. No beginner even wants to think along those lines. That is way outside my league! It sounds like an impossibility.

Doing the zip line in Zambia will give confidence to beginners. There are points to do the zip line from. I was lucky to find a spot that was 135 meters across the canyon and about 75 meters over the ground. Beginners in these thrill games should consider zip lining in Zambia.

Affordable: Some tourists say South Africa has cheaper rates for zip-lining activities than Zambia. The standard tourist rate for this activity is around 50 dollars. This is one of the few activities with a lower price given to local tourists.

Activities like bungee jumping are the same for both locals and international visitors. I had 25 dollars on me. The hostel I was at connected me to Abseil Zambia for the zip-lining activity. This is for local tourists and am sure it sounds unfair. I was happy to enjoy the low price.

Doing the same activity on the Zimbabwean side with Falcon Safaris would be about 87 dollars. The measurements of the gorge on this side are 425 meters in length and 120 meters above the river Zambezi. It looks like the longer and deeper the gorge is, the more expensive the zip line activities.

Safe: Safety before the adventure is important. There is no need to put spontaneity before our five senses. I had been researching thrilling activities. Bungee jumping appears to be at a higher level of risk. If the rope snaps in both activities, that would be terrible. It appears there have been more accidents while bungee jumping than zip lining.

Bungee jumping goes wrong here!

Bungee jumping goes wrong again!

I tried monitoring the equipment with an eagle’s eye. Everything appeared safe to me. I noticed there was a concrete slab next to the part of the gorge you take off.

I didn’t want others to get the impression that I freaked out. I asked if I could inspect the pulleys and harness for my peace of mind. They appeared safe but then again one can never be too sure. Things looked good but I still must have sent the message I was still scared.

One of the staff members there suggested doing a duo. This would help get the chills off my case. Long story short, I felt confident. No one wants to die alone and that is if death is ever scheduled.

When you drive to the place where you zip line, you will notice that they place safety first. I saw some signposts that promote the safety of others. looking around before my activity gave me confidence. Their equipment looked on point and safe. Plus, death has this bad habit of not knocking on your door first. I must say the safe instruments here would not be to blame for anything.

Free transport: We love freebies. Transport costs can be low but sometimes high depending on how far you are going. The distance to the gorge is dependent on where you are staying. Some hotels and hostels could be too far from the gorge. This would attract a larger fee for transport. It’s worse when you are in a larger group that needs a larger vehicle or more than one to get you there.

I thought because I was the only one who signed up for the activity, I would have to find my way. but that wasn’t the case. I got picked up. Since it appeared funny to sit alone behind a safari van, I sat in front.

Supportive staff: This adventure was worthwhile because of the supportive staff. The driver was flexible. He did not show signs I inconvenienced him. There are places on the way to the gorge which were beautiful.

I asked to view these these places. I didn’t take up too much of his time. We saw a group of elephants cooling off at the Maramba River. I was also wowed by the Zambezi River and refreshed there. I thanked the driver for this.

The other staff member who was supportive was the one helping with the zip-lining. He boosted my confidence by trying it out with me. He did this because he noticed I had feared.

Do try out all these thrilling activities in Zambia.

September 19, 2023 4

Appreciating African Artwork

I took my love for art to another level by identifying a student of mine who is so gifted I couldn’t ignore this. I recently got rid of old art (gave them out) I had and started a new collection. I hired my student to do some art pieces for me because she was not that expensive. Her prices are affordable compared to those from a fancy shopping mall. Unlike the previous paintings I usually request, these had one theme, Africa. These lovely paintings my student did scream Africa and I love them.

Art is fluid. I am not quite sure I have met anyone that looks like the women in these pictures. This is what someone thought of so it’s good enough for me. This was a set and my student charged me about 24 dollars for these. That is not the price you will find them,especially as a tourist.

I found myself at it again. I was travelling and this time not so far off. I went to the southern parts of the country. It’s amazing what kind of art was there!

Artists use their emotions, beliefs, and senses to come up with fine art. Some have defined art as something that the imagination and skill have come up with. This imagination and skill express ideas or feelings. I was willing to take a tour and appreciate what runs through some African artists’ heads.

It is out there that there are many types of art the main types being visual, literary, and performing arts. This tour I took showcases the first mentioned type of art and that is visual. The other type was instruments used in performing arts.

Where to find these art stands I went south of Zambia and decided a tour to and around these markets was in order. I have seen some locals and tourists admire these pieces. The reason some tourists can’t buy loads of art from these stands is because they have to travel light. Some have to move from country to country. You will find this art in some hotels and one place that has a variety of art is Mukuni Park Curio Market. So let’s see what I found and that you and I must appreciate as it was someone’s well-thought-out idea.

The art you are likely to find is:

1) Art you can wear

Fashion is subjective, sometimes. As we travel and also depending on countries’ rules and laws about fashion, we can wear what we want. It is important to study your environment beforehand so you don’t offend anybody there.

Speaking of my homeland, Zambia, you could wear what is a thing and we love to see you dress like us. On this trip, I happened to meet an American who has some work to do here. They wore an African-themed shirt and it made me ask about where they got it. They said they got the material and made it themselves!! If you can’t beat us, do join us.

Our materials known as Chitenge can sometimes have way too many colours on one piece. When picking mine, I am usually mindful of my skin tone so I don’t have to look like a psychedelic disco ball!

My suggestion is you try getting pieces of material with only two colors. You could get these for about 10 to 13 dollars for 6 meters. Find a good tailor whilst you are at it. Tailors would charge you about 7 to 10 dollars or more. You could pay more depending on how complicated the pattern of your outfit is. You could also use the fabric as a wrapper, the way African ladies would do it.

You will find plain material or already-made products from materials like side bags, aprons, men’s shirts, bottoms, baby bags and to add a bit of attitude, there is nothing wrong with adding some Jewelry to go with your outfit. Again, these come in many colors and you don’t want to be twinning with the rainbow so pick wisely and rock that African outfit like a local!

You may ask yourself what to wear on your feet. Men could wear smart kinds of shoes. Try ditching the sneakers and hiking boots. Another look for a guy would be to wear black or brown trousers. Wear your chitenge shirt, smart trousers and one of these slippers. For the ladies, these slippers are a biggie. The slippers make any African outfit look good.

2) Art to display in homes, offices or hotels

There is no need to buy big displays as a tourist. You can get miniature versions of some of the cool stuff I found.

I have seen some five-star franchise hotels here with African themes. They have displayed tasteful items like handwoven grass basket plates and mats. Some decorative storage containers are made from wood and coated with varnish. This is also true for what I found out were chairs carved in the form of different animals.

Your hotel or temporary apartment in Zambia could use a facelift. Slap the walls with some African-themed paintings. Some artists transformed wire into a baobab tree. Cute.

3) Art for other uses

There was art of all sorts. Two major ones are already mentioned. Some belonged to a different category. We all know that when the weather is so cold, we get cracked feet. To help stop or reduce that, some use these stones when showering. The stones help so that cracks don’t look dirty. After that, It is necessary to add lotion to stop that.

I also noticed that the elderly were also catered for. If you can’t afford a walker for the old, why not try our walking sticks which come with different designs.

I even saw some art that fell in the category of entertainment. This is a headgear worn by the Ngoni tribe of Zambia. You place it on your head as a crown and it can be used at dance events. I doubt it’s a big deal if you wore it to feel like a part of this tribe. I have worn it before at a hotel I watched the Ngoni dancers’ boogie.

The two other pieces of artwork fell in the entertainment category. These were African drums and the chess board. I play the drums at the intermediate level because I am low-key musical, lol! I had to leave this market.

Before I left, I realized the chess board had pieces that looked far from the king, queen, bishop, knight, pawn, and rook. Believe me, I didn’t have enough time to ask what these African pieces were. I wondered if there were other African rules in this game, lol!

August 31, 2023 10

Awesome Southern African cities you should visit in 2023 (Part 1)

💕Hey you! Part 2 coming soon!💕

If there is such a thing as winning the lottery, having a get-rich-quick scheme go as planned or I just happen to afford it, I want to visit North America, Europe, Canada and my absolute favorite, Australia but the way I see it, these will remain dreams for now, but, thanks to bloggers, TV and indeed all the places I have seen and appreciated these places through. Imagine if these channels were never available.

Today I especially woke up with a dire need to share Southern African cities I have come to love and hopefully encourage someone out there to consider adding these cities to their bucket list and even if it ends up being a dream, it’s free to dream, right?

By all means do try out:

1) Livingstone (Zambia)

Let’s say you happen to be on the Southern part of the continent of Africa on Zambian soil and not made it to Livingstone, then you haven’t lived. I think at this moment, Livingstone is tired of having me. This is a place you will find African dancers communicating to you, appreciating and welcoming you through dance. Feel free to tag along and enjoy the rhythms of Africa.

I have done Livingstone sometimes just to get soaked by the splashes from the mighty Victoria Falls. I want no one to disturb me when am spending time with her. You will want to enjoy your awesome moment with her after all she is one of the natural wonders of the world! I love Livingstone! Never a dull moment here. If it’s not the falls you wanna be at, do the Zambezi river, all in one town! This river is like the fourth longest river in Africa.

You will enjoy lots of activities done on this river. Many other activities will make your visit to Livingstone memorable like the nerve-wracking, adrenaline-boosting lion interaction. Most of all, if you are a foodie like I am, you don’t want too many restrictions when it comes to food so enjoy tasty crocodile at some restaurants here but I highly recommend Zambezi Cafe. Yu-m-mmmy!

2) Walvis Bay (Namibia)

This is a port town on the coasts of Namibia. It is said to be the second largest city in Namibia and the largest coastal city in the country. You will enjoy being in Walvis Bay as there are lots of boating and cruise companies to help you enjoy the Atlantic ocean and all that you can do there. Wanna enjoy the Atlantic ocean on African soil? Choose Walvis Bay. The cruise agency I highly recommend is the Laramon Tours which changed its name to Catamaran Charters. They offer variety of cruises suitable for all ocean lovers.

Walvis Bay is known for its varying birdlife for all those birders out there. Bucket list this place for all good hotels near the Atlantic ocean like Protea Hotel where you could enjoy your meals and stays with beautiful views.

3) Cape Town (South Africa)

I was amazed at how beautiful this city looks at night from where I stood. I was quite stunned. Coastal cities happen to be my favorite for some reason. Unlike other cities I have toured in my own style, I love that Cape Town offers city tours and the well known company offering these tours is the City Sightseeing red bus which is the hop on and hop off kind of touring. This absolutely gives you the opportunity to see Cape Town, Seapoint area in style enjoying the views of the Table mountain, Cape Wheel, Nobel Square and a boat cruise tour near the harbor area.

Sunsets in Cape Town are beautiful. It pays off to have a long beach walk and get rewarded with an amazing sunset. For your travel sustainable, clean accomodation, I recommend Mojo hotel in Seapoint right next to where the Atlantic and Indian ocean meet.

4) Dar es salaam (Tanzania)

We celebrate Tanzania because of its beautiful city of Dar es salaam. Everytime I have been here, I always find that this city gives me a whole new vibe. Its beautiful beaches could be well appreciated from pleasure resorts like Azure Boutique Resort. I wanted a quiet moment at the beach and didn’t want a public beach. It was only me, the ocean, the birds and this moment I will not forget. I knew that though Dar es salaam is such a loud town, I would enjoy the coastal town by trying out a private beach.

The market place in Kariakoo, I loved! I went round, shop after shop and all sorts of things by the market place are sold and I even took time to ask what some of this stuff was. I especially enjoyed taking a personal tour round the town center area and Mbezi area using their mode of transport I was enjoying to use because we don’t have these kinds back home. Try Dar es salaam for lots more other activities I did not do. Because it’s on the east side of Africa, you will love the sunrise in this town and you know what else caught my attention? Coconuts! Coconuts! Coconuts!

5) Swakopmund (Namibia)

This beautiful city full of awesome scenery is found on the Western part of the country. The beauty with this town is how you can enjoy the best of two worlds, the desert and indeed the coast right in one space! How amazing can it get?!

I had way too much choice here. Took a walk down the road from the place I lodged at and bumped into a tour company right in the desert area called Desert Explorers.

Looking at camels then quad bikes, the adrenaline in me picked the bikes. You will appreciate the dunes using these tours. I was there for hours and would have loved to be there longer!

💕Hey you! Part 2 coming soon!💕

July 1, 2023 2

Hiking through the trails near Victoria falls

It’s time I headed south of my country Zambia.The south of the country is known for touristic spots the most popular of them being the Victoria falls. When you visit Zambia, try to at least sound one with us by calling it Mosi- oa -Tunya falls which literally means “the smoke that thunders.”

I have been to this part of the country like a zillion times, but every time felt like a new experience. There are many cool experiences one could enjoy there like helicopter rides over the falls to enjoy that awesome view, bungee jumping or zip lining but I have at times just enjoyed taking hikes in the tiny trails found there.

BUT WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?

The weather patterns in Zambia are something like from November to April, we experience lots of heat (well, Africa is always blazing) but it’s pretty much ten times hotter than you are imagining at this moment! With this kind of heat, comes lots of rains. The beauty about hiking at this time is that you receive a bath from the heavens which you will most likely need should the heat and the thirst be unbearable due to high levels of heat.

THOSE VIEWS

The view of the falls during this season is to die for! You can’t visit Zambia let’s say all the way from Europe only to find a falls that resembles a desert! I mean there is Namibia and Botswana for that.The other seasons aren’t exactly the wisest of times to visit this place because the water levels would be too low but it’s worth experiencing for yourselves.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR THIS HIKE ?

Assuming I have already inspired you to pack your bags and give this place a shot, start imagining seeing the best of views as you approach the deep crack in the earth they call Victoria falls! It’s amazing!As you head to the entrance, do all that is necessary like payments of about 30 to 40 dollars and do carry some sunscreen or a rain coat ( for that rainy day) but as for rain coats, it is needed all the time you have to pass through a certain part of the falls as there is lots of splashing that will definitely get you drenched.

LOSING THOSE CALORIES

Depending on your pace, who you are with and all, the hike could take a good two to three hours if you have to be very near the falls area.Be ready to lose a bit of those calories because it’s quite a distance. I would advise you to carry food so you replace those calories but there will be one risk in doing so……. You aren’t all alone in that trail.You have company. This company is usually bad company that is after what you are eating or enjoying.Monkeys.

MINGLE WITH MONKEYS

Just a confession here, I find a reason to still be a tourist in my country and this one time I was doing the same with friends. It turned out we became the tourist attraction because we attracted lots of monkeys as we were hiking or hoping to hike sipping on some fanta and eating fruits. it was the dumbest move ever because we got spotted by monkeys and the one lesson I learned was a monkey can open your fanta or water bottle and drink the contents, then throw away the container when done. I couldn’t believe my fanta bottle was taken by a notorious creature. We started seeing camera flashes from all directions.Not cool!

THOSE SOUVENIRS

It’s usually expected to bring a piece of evidence of the place you visited. You will find all sorts of beautifully hand made African pieces of work. My advice to you is don’t fall for the first price that is quoted. Negotiate with the sellers..As a tourist, they see or sense one is not from Zambian soil, it is almost a reflex action to hike the price of a product. All these products are found near the entrance to the falls.

SWIM IN THE DEVIL’S POOL

Are you that daring person willing to take the risk of swimming close to this crack in the earth? Thrill seekers , risk lovers this is your place. Many have taken pictures doing this great stunt. Am not quite sure why I have never attempted to do it!

November 13, 2022 13