Siavonga’s Savee Beach Resort Getaway

Getaways are the reason for some of the good in us like enjoying of health benefits, improved mental health, overall motivation and all those good things. You know the other good thing about them? Saving costs. Just because I love travel, doesn’t mean I always have to go so far off, nop. I just needed to be away yet within and do this without emptying my pockets.

In life, we should learn to have a balance because this world is full of things like work, stress, family, marriage and if you allow this endless list to take the best of you, this may be the cause of many unwanted pressures on you with unpleasant consequences.

The whys of this getaway

Ahhmm… first because planning international trips as a solo female traveller with an 8 to 4 job of a teacher can take longer than usual without using a travel agency. I am my own travel agency. So who is gonna wait for later for a longer break because that in itself comes after a good 3 to 4 months. Am not waiting that long to be out there! The other ‘why’ for this trip is a definite ‘ just because’.

So where are we going anyways?

You know if you have been reading my blogs, you realize I have a soft spot for the beach yet born in a landlocked country hence the constant thirst to get to the coastal areas. Siavonga! That’s the name of the small town in Zambia you could enjoy beach moments without having to travel to the coast! I told myself to cool it with the next coastal visit preps and enjoy a weekend on Zambian soil.

This kind of taught me about few times in life we have looked at greener grass on the other side of where we are standing. Sometimes, it’s okay. But this time was time to enjoy grazing the grass I was standing on. So let’s graze!

Coming from the main international airport in the capital of the country and want to try it? This location is about 3 hours away but you won’t regret the distance.

The road trip

Part of the fun of a road trip is you get to see the country side and being that the wet season is over, brown and a bit of green here and there was the theme color nature provided.

The trip from Lusaka Town area to Siavonga town was about 3 hours but I bet it would be less for faster drivers. On your lucky day, you will find some cows and goats on the road making sure they blocked your way.

From a distance as you head to Siavonga, you will see some hilly areas as well but I particularly liked parts where the road meanders through higher land.

The area an hour and a half from Lusaka to Siavonga is quite underdeveloped and if viewing the slower life is your thing, you will particularly like the African village look having mud or thatched small houses and some villagers selling fruits, charcoal or whatever could be sold by the roadside.

I checked my watch and it was almost 3 hours of this road trip. I knew we were almost there because I could see the color blue in the horizon not too far off and though the sky sometimes appears blue, this wasn’t the sky but the beautiful Lake Kariba! The signpost to confirm we were here was just in my face!

Arrival

I knew this getaway was going to be perfect when I saw the entrance to the destination resort I settled for. Savee Beach Resort has a beautiful entrance starting from the gate to the reception area. The fountain gave a refreshing look to the face of the resort. The decor at the reception was simple and all the glass doors, windows were sparkling clean! The floors, though white in color, were also absolutely spotless. I couldn’t help but make this moment last by keeping a lasting memory. For a beach resort in a village near a lovely lake, the face of this hotel was a cool four star! The personnel were on point trying to check me in with cheerful yet professional attitude.

General appearance

The outside of the resort was more like getting up a hilly area. There were stairs almost everywhere because the landscape was high and low. Stair cases were well built with grey bricks.

I must say it’s home away from home kind of place and quite a beautiful hideout for escapists. A stone throw away from the Lake Kariba makes it such a perfect spot for beautiful sunsets.

Some of the facilities it had were about 70 plus rooms which could accommodate single and double occupancy. I got a single room which had simple yet elegant decor with the theme colors chocolate and cream.

The reason I loved this room was because it had a lake view I could access just by opening the glass door. I could say the same for the restaurant. This resort offers multi cuisine but my concentration was more on the Indian cuisine and having my meal right next to the lake added to the great vibes of the place.

I could have sworn I saw many pools but after familiarising myself with the place, I discovered it has three pools. It boasts a small cozy bar and another building called The Boat House which appeared to be a conference or party spot and still being renovated.

So the general appearance considering that this resort used to be called Fresh View and renovations and beautifying are still underway, I must say I appreciate the smooth transition and what the place is becoming. For me its general appearance was a four star.

The highs and lows of the getaway

The highs of this getaway were the fact that this resort is next to the lake and this means wonderful views. The other high is that the food was mouthwatering!

The lows were that the room I was in had an unpleasant stain on the blinds but am sure they have that on their to-do-list considering the renovations going on.

You should totally try this hidden gem!

July 24, 2023 7

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

Trotover Farm’s horse trail tour

I woke up feeling so sophisticated and thought to myself what could enhance this feeling more than a horse ride. I wanted a getaway and be lost in nature so I packed my small bag and off I went to a farm called Trotover Farm which is also known as Trotover Equestrian Center.

There is no harm in going to a horse riding school and after the experience I had, I guess am revisiting my hobbies, wink wink.

The whereabouts of the farm

Planning on visiting Zambia and short of what to keep you refreshed?You could try this activity out just for the fun of it or as a set of lessons. This place is just a 50 minute drive from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) and it will be cheaper if you got yourself a local sim card and downloaded an app called Yango so you enjoy cheaper taxi services but if that is a hustle, ask a nice person from the airport with this app on their phone to order a taxi for you.

I was not coming from the airport of course and my only challenge was the farm was showing on Google maps but not on the taxi app which made me enter on the app a nearby place to the farm then got on another private taxi which charged me more for such a short distance but anywho, I didn’t care cos it’s horses I was gonna be riding right? I forgot about the annoying taxi experience.

I did enjoy quite a bit of riding before in a small town called Chingola at a small ranch with fewer horses than these.

Arrival

For every service you get, so long you paid for it, you expect good to excellent services from staff and I must say I found a helpful person in charge who assisted with locating of the place on phone when I couldn’t find it. He, together with other members of staff had smiling faces as they cleaned up the stables and I stopped over for a short walking tour near the front area of the farm’s reception just to see what it was about.

The horse trail

I could see some poster asking for respect from the public that this was private property and that no dogs or children under 4 years were allowed. By it saying ‘clients only’ must have meant that they usually received unwanted guests. The helpful staff was there explaining to me few things about their horses but the one question I asked was whether it was easy to distinguish between a young horse and an older one. I was told that,”You can just tell.” I proceeded to the stables that had the older ones and yes, I can’t just put my finger on it but I could tell age was catching up with these horses.

After checking out the tired horses, the helper at the farm brought two white horses. They looked like twins except one had longer mane than the other. I chose Jumbo for that. We headed out of the front of the farm using a short route that had leaves falling all over until Jumbo and I headed to a small slop I heard fills up with water in the wet season. I wished I came with company but so what if I do solo chronicles?

Jumbo was calm, friendly and because the only company I had was the guide who knew the trail, I got to learn a sound he kept making trying to communicate with his horse and I picked up on it to connect with Jumbo.

I am no horse expert but I must say I love animals and connecting with Jumbo was no biggie. I have had friends that have had bad experiences with horses even as experts but I didn’t wanna dwell on that and ruin my chances of a peaceful ride with Jumbo in this trail.

After about a good 15 minutes we got to a place which was dotted with some slim trunked trees stretching over a large area and I wish I had recorded the music provided by the birds there. I bet Jumbo was also enjoying this too. The trail wasn’t so defined but clear enough to show there were more trees ahead of us. At one point, I noticed Jumbo was distracted by the grass when we paused for a bit. It was time for free tasting for him.

Jumbo and I enjoyed some slightly hilly spots as well as few depressed ones and I am happy to say he was good at what he was doing. I noticed when we get to these two places, it’s as if he would slow down and think how best he would handle these spots. Smart huh…..

By the time we finished our loop it was almost two hours and this must have been about 8 km to 10 km. I believe we could have gone further but that was where my 13 dollars ended and was already held up for the afternoon.

When I said my byes to the staff, I noticed some drawings of horses on the walls that are coming up quite well and I should be back here to see how they finish and the other was the quote hanging on the wall that I couldn’t agree more to but this ride was actually refreshing and made me reconsider my hobbies. Riding is actually good for the soul and should you be on this side of Zambia, do try this farm out and pass my regards to Jumbo.

Don’t do what I did

Not to brag but I could tell Jumbo was a calm horse and was about no funny business so I tried this ride with no protective gear on my head but I feel it’s important to wear one. The place did actually offer one and I wanted it in pink because it’s one of my fav colors but unfortunately the only pink one available couldn’t fit and I chose fashion over safety and crossed my fingers. Luck was on my side.

June 17, 2023 4

Wine and dine treat at The Quorum (review)

I needed a treat and I let my appetite lead the way. My taste buds whispered they wanted something scrumptious and not home made. I looked up a few hotels from booking.com and found a resort called The Quorum. I loved the general outlook of the place and headed there.There are restaurants I know of that are not much of an attractive package in terms of outdoors but the food they serve is on point. I was in the mood to enjoy a meal with a view or in a place that appeals greatly to the sense of beauty.

Arrival

I didn’t necessarily make a call, reservation or anything like that. I just got on a cab and arrived there. The place had a parking lot on the outside and I think I only saw two cars on the inside. Most cars were parked outside. Am thinking there should be a bigger parking lot should there be a big event there. So unless there is parts of the resort I didn’t see, I gave them 3 stars for the parking lot.

Upon arrival, the guard did alert someone to take me to the reception and I saw some smiling and welcoming staff and I must say it was smooth sailing. I however understood in no time that this was a club hotel and there were some parts of it that I wanted access to that well…. I couldn’t get to simply because I was not a member. There was a way around it though. I stuck around in the wait room

About the resort

This resort is a club hotel or those kind of resorts that offer membership and loyalty programs. https://www.thequorumzm.com I went there to have an eat out at the spot I saw on booking.com only to be told ‘access denied’ because I was not a member. Ouch! I didn’t let that slide. After digging deeper, I found out I could still have access as a non member if I had one of the services in the resort like spa and spend about $30 dollars minimum there. It was fine by me.

Fast forward, I finally stepped into the restaurant I wanted to dine in because of it’s views. Though found at the resort, it had another name called Mafinga Peak Rooftop Restaurant. This place boasted a sophisticated yet informal atmosphere. There was another restaurant downstairs that I could easily access but that’s not the one I saw on booking.com. I had to get access to the rooftop restaurant.

I don’t think I want to rate their loyalty or membership programs that almost caused me to miss my dining opportunity because this is the lifeline of this resort, it’s a club hotel and ‘members only’ is the password for most services here. I am sure it has its pros but a con is definite, there are one time customers that they may miss out on that may never necessarily want to be all timers or regulars. It’s good that the way out of this was to make customers like us make use of other services as key to another.

The dining area

The dining area had two sides. One side had tables with four seats and others two seats closer to the bar area and covered by a glass demarcation and the other side that was more spacious had comfy sets of casual chairs. The theme colour was lime green a bit of white here and there with a brown floor. There was a seriousness to the place with a touch of casual. What a combo! The place can be ideal for family, business and group gathering yet perfect for an intimate or romantic get away. The beauty with this place is, the restaurant area is not all you see but as you enjoy your food, you have a beautiful view to go with it.

I loved that the place and neighborhood aren’t noisy. The music playing in the background was soothing. Rating the dining area as far as the general vibe is concerned was a 4 star. The reason for not having a 5 star was because the rooftop glass shield meant to enjoy spectacular views has to be super clean all the time because it’s glass. Had this been of other material like marble, a definite 5 star here. Glass easily shows blemish.

The other things that added a touch of beauty to the place is the fountain like structures around the restaurant that added to the relaxed mood. The orange flower pots added a touch of cheerfulness. The ceiling had beautifully hanging simple chandeliers which am sure look heavenly at night time. The rest rooms had a chocolate brown theme and the walls were slapped with modern oval mirrors.

Let’s order!

I was in the mood to have something meaty, a bit of Greek salad and my forever favorite, mashed potatoes. I want to always remember the medium grilled meat I was served. This steak was mildly charred on the outside and still had the brown all through and am sure it was a slow process to avoid it being too tough but succulent.

My Greek salad had simple yet perfect combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, crisp onions, olives in olive oil. I found my mashed potatoes creamy and full of amazing flavor. They were fluffy and well served in a cute bowl.

The bar informed me that the cocktails they had always contained egg whites and they were nice enough to ask if I was allergic. I wasn’t. Funny thing is I have forgotten the name of this cocktail but it had strawberries, fresh lime juice, gin etc. Totally loved the cute glass they used.

As far as the food was concerned, the level of yummy was definitely a 5 star and I should have congratulated the chef. I spent about 40 dollars for the meal and that’s because of some taxes to go with the kind of place. I had two of those cocktails.Wink wink.

Lasting impressions and recommendations

The place is cosy and I loved it’s vibe. The staff bent over backwards to give great service. No place is perfect but so far it’s living up to it’s stars. I would go back again but this time to enjoy the room services.

January 30, 2023 3

Safari vibes at Chaminuka Game Reserve (Part 2)

The last time I filled you in on this safari trip, I was still on the part where I have a dream to be licked by a baby giraffe in Kenya. I have seen this happen and would like for it to be my experience but anywho this safari got me exposed to lots of animals I mentioned earlier and even the giraffe which I have not been so lucky to spot on my tours.

After seeing the animals I mentioned earlier, I then saw a handful of zebras but tonnes of impala! These animals and it’s relatives,species or look alikes do out number many animals you will see here and in most game parks maybe because the others are more shy , I don’t know but it’s either that or they breed per second!Lol! And it is for this reason that I never have the ‘WOW!’ moment when I see them because I have seen too many of them.They are otherwise a beautiful creation!

If by any chance, Zambia is on your hit list, do drop by this place and enjoy lots of their services like boat cruising, lion feeding, cheetah and elephant interaction, game driving , cheese tasting, fishing, horse riding and lots more!

The other thing I enjoyed as part of the package was the buffet lunch! There was such a wide range of foods like barbequed chicken, variety of sausages, lots of cheese types, potatoes cooked in many ways.You will thank them later but you surely need this heavy lunch after close to two and a half hours game drive and an hour boat cruise.

After the game drive, we got to a place in the game reserve where there was a water body called Lake Kasenga.If you like, you could enjoy some fishing but since this was not part of the package, it will come later I guess. The same group that I went with on the game drive was with me on the cruise. The word ‘cruise’ makes you think of the fancy boats and all but we used an ordinary looking boat that kind of looks locally made but with an engine.It still did the trick. I wish I spotted hippos here but nope. Beauty of the views and some animals coming to refresh themselves made the trip so memorable.

PRICES?

Their price ranges for some activities I recall inquiring on were as follows:

-Elephant interaction -About $30 -Cheetah experience -About $30 -Horse riding – About $30 -Lion feeding -About $12 – Boating – About $10 I did find the prices in this range but do check out their website for more or latest info : https://www.chaminuka.com

LASTING IMPRESSIONS AND OPINIONS

1) REMOTE LOCATION: The place is in the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia and offers outdoor activities for outdoor lovers and this is one thing I loved about this place.

2) TOURISTIC: It had a touristic touch and of course that is why I am writing about it. Many tourists flock to Zambia to go to the south for the Victoria falls but this place can be described as the hidden gem for those that just don’t want the usual, ordinary or the norm.

3) PRICEY ACCOMODATION:Because it was in the outskirts, accomodation was more on the pricey side and I did a day trip for that reason but if your piggy bank is full then why not spend a longer time? My thought was for the place to consider a backpackers as well.

4) HELPFUL STAFF: The staff, absolutely organized and helpful,very professional and knowledgeable, a reason to stay there longer.

5) WOULD I RETURN? Definitely.

December 27, 2022 4

Safari vibes at Chaminuka Game Reserve (Part 1)

You probably have big issues if you don’t enjoy discounts. Almost every one of us enjoy freebies. I enjoyed a good package of a game drive, boat cruise and buffet lunch at Chaminuka lodge which is the same place you find the game reserve in the town of Lusaka, Zambia. I have pushed my luck in things like lotto, competitions and what not…..I suck! I am proud to say though that the trip was at a discounted price and off I went to enjoy this package. When you visit Zambia, do consider doing this tour, it is worth it. The place is known for giving discounts on some packages and this particular deal was for teachers on Teachers Day.

If the truth be told, I was kinda getting tired of having this place on my bucket list, I was so happy when I checked it and it was worth the while.I was not just day dreaming about it long before it happened….nah!It kind of just was a boom! I have to do this today kind of thing.

DISTANCE AND LOCATION

I was not mobile or driving because I was in Lusaka for just a few days. When you arrive in the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka at the airport, you are basically an hour away from the place. You could even get on the metered cabs from the airport provided you download the app called Yango or Ulendo using a Zambian sim card or better still, ask one of those nice people at the airport to book it for you on their phone. Both is good. After close to an hours drive from the airport, you will find this sign post welcoming you to one of our most beautiful havens of game life.

WHAT WAS IN THE PACKAGE?

The animals!

One thing is for sure, I wanted to spend a night at the lodge in the game reserve but their rooms were more on the pricey side and because this trip was not planned for, I was doing a day trip and that’s it! Because I got there by 9 o’clock, I just waited an hour for the game drive guests from the lodge to fill up the vehicle we were using. So I was not alone on this drive. Little Miss Solo traveller was not going solo. The game drive vehicle was full and off we went.

The first animals I saw were the cheetahs which were actually caged because they are used for an interaction tour and because that wasn’t part of the package, I could not ( with a tear from my left eye) enjoy this beastly interaction. I just interacted with them with a wire barrier in between.Even though I desired to interact with them, I heard they were also on observation of some sort.I also was not in the mood to say the ‘ let them not shred me to pieces’ kind of prayers.

We then spotted some elephants with a man and I thought we could have close interaction with them as I am very sure they are also used in an interaction tour but we were only allowed to view them from the vehicle. The same thing was true for the caged lions that I heard roaring .

I am ashamed to say but this was my first time to see ostriches! My desire was to see them run because I hear they could win in the Olympics. In this game drive, you will catch a glimpse of the above mentioned animals.

The animal I have struggled to spot in most of my game drive tours is the giraffe.

I am not sure about the population of giraffes in Zambia but I know for sure I have missed it on my past game drive adventures. My time came. I had my chance to view giraffes up close! I have never seen such peaceful looking creatures and my dream is to be licked on my face by a baby giraffe in Kenya!!!!!

November 28, 2022 3

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

Two Day Camp and Hike in Kafue

The goal of this hike and campout was to build endurance and so the guide only helped carry our tents in his car and the really heavy stuff otherwise all those personals like our bags, food, drinks, and all were for us to carry. I can’t stress enough but this load caused a lot of energy from me to be sucked dry. I thought the challenge was just taking that hike carrying nothing but boy was I wrong.

I am not sure what expert campers carry for food, snacks, drinks, and all but this is not glamping and my sleeping disorder of having ‘earlier nights’ really tried my patience. I am not gonna stay up late cooking up a storm! On our menu which the instructor had us make were 2 minute noodles, canned beans, and vegetables. Mother nature did supply us with some mushrooms. We picked some fresh ones and added them to our meal. What a treat it was!

THE HIKE DISTANCE

DAY ONE

The starting point was set for us. Maps were given to us as well. The guide had given us a mini training on how geography works. (Geography was not exactly my favorite subject in school…..so) but if I could understand the map so can you.

We studied it. We also had never been down this trail but the guide had been and he wasn’t supposed to spill all the beans about where we headed.

Off we went down this endless trail and frankly speaking, it was refreshing. We told stories and all until we stopped for water, rest to take a leak, or to allow rest for our bodies since they protested against tiredness. We covered both flat and hilly places, stony and watery places. The good news is we managed to cover half the required number of kilometers for the day.

The target was to use this one route that was like 10 kilometers to the camping grounds. We started at about 9 o’clock to 5 pm and found the guide had prepared our camping spot, pitched the tents already and all that was left was to tell some night stories and call it quits for the day ….. and we did!

HIKE DAY TWO

I woke up to music from the birds and the ground was wet from the night showers and I hoped to hike on dry ground. We didn’t need continental or English breakfast but we did stuff ourselves with some bread, beans, juice, and the remainder of the previous night’s meal. It was perfect to start another day of a 10-kilometer hike.

At this point, I was done enjoying nature. I just wanted OUT!! I picked up my tired pieces with the help of my team and we walked through that trail. The second hike had more hilly and stony land. Very uncomfortable. My teammates developed blisters on their feet but their drive to want to finish the 10 kilometers fueled mine. Fast forward, we made it!

THE HIGHS AND LOWS

The high of this hike and camp was how I got a certificate to be a Duke of Edinburgh Award and Adventurous journey leader. I also enjoyed nature and being away from the usual.

The low was that at one spot which happened to be a picture taking place because of the beautiful scenery, we were stopped from taking pics because it was believed to be a shrine, and taking pictures would upset the spirits. Can you imagine!?

November 5, 2022 5

Lunch at Radisson Blu Hotel review

I really get bored being in one place for too long.I don’t know who suffers from this condition but it’s depressing to have a monotonous life.

The same feeling applies to food and views.Sometimes I am okay having my traditional Zambian staple food which is called ‘nshima’ but I wouldn’t want to give my mouth a bore by having it continuously the way I see it get eaten here.

Having a mother that was a hotelier,was literally married to food and fussy about food presentation, those things kind of rubbed on to me.

I feel eating out refreshes your soul.Leave your fridge, stove, pots, pans alone and head straight to a place all that can be done for you PERFECTLY.

No one wants to visit a four or five star hotel and come back loaded heavily with disappointments.We all expect perfection or something close to it!

I had already listed lunch and the target upscale hotel in mind was Radisson Blu hotel.

I may never be sure whether Radisson Blu is a four or five star hotel but the bottom line is it is an upscale hotel where only the best should be good enough.

Being in Lusaka at that time, I took a cab and off I went only to be so well received by a guard at the main gate and the other enterance.No one wants a grumpy waiter, guard or whatever.

I chose to have my lunch at the pool side.I found just few people outside, nothing that could interfere with my looking like a weirdo taking selfish selfies or asking employees to take photos of me for me…..coast was clear, just enough noise.

LET’S ORDER!

I ordered pork spareribs and mashed potatoes. I love potatoes! This was definitely going to go well with a cocktail. And it did! There is a lot of tantalizing that goes on from order time, to eating time and since I was not in the mood to go through that agony, I found something to keep me busy.Viewing!

I went round the hotel enjoying site seeing.When you seek meals in an upscale hotel, even the decor and vibe of the place are a biggie!

I went round and I must say the decor fits well in the theme of the hotel.The hotel has some lovely decor and interesting art work that clients with an eye of art would fancy.My honest opinion is they should not let the same decor up for too long.There should be some changes every now and then .

EATING TIME!

One of things to use to rate a good restaurant as far as I am concerned is length of time of the order. It shows how efficient the staff is.Of course other things come into play like the number of clients. Judging from the length of time it took to prepare the food to it’s mouth watering taste, one may think it took forever to prepare it.

The chef took a good 30 to 40 minutes which I think is the average waiting time for the kind of meal I ordered.Besides, I even inconvenienced the chef by changing my order slightly eating into preparation time.

The first thing I noticed when I saw the food was the generous portions. I have dined out with a 25 dollars I spent on the meal but left with my stomach protesting it didn’t get enough. I was not only stuffed but satisfied.The former has to do with quantity and the latter, quality. My general rating food wise was 9 out of 10!

FINAL RATING

The location of the place is perfect if you want an urban, boutique, close to everything kind of location which was a 9 out of 10.

The staff were super helpful and friendly and this is treatment they gave not for show but if it was fake, I am glad it looked real! That was a 9 out of 10.

I however didn’t appreciate what appeared to be a mini bar right next to the pool which I believe is for those enjoying the pool.I wasn’t there to swim but my eyes told me that place needed a touch up, ASAP before more critiques spot it.

My unbiased rating is a genuine 8.9 out of 10.Experiences differ.Mine was awesome!

October 18, 2022 2

Day trip to Nsobe campsite

Every time one thinks of a campsite, it has to include spending a night there and though that is the main reason for a campsite, a day trip to a campsite can be so much fun too.

Depending on the campsite location, you could end up having lots to see in terms of nature and just enjoying an outdoor experience. That thought crossed my mind. I didn’t want to camp out, I just wanted to be up close and personal with nature.

I hired some transport, had some company and we bought what was necessary for a day trip in the outskirts. What sort of food can I recommend for such a trip?

1) Roasted chicken

2)Drinks and water period

We aren’t camping out so that should do.

We got there. We finally saw Nsobe campsite in Ndola city of Zambia. The campsite is perfect for fishing for those who love to do so. I didn’t go for that.

The one-hour road trip was filled with upbeat music, stories to tell, and anticipation of seeing giraffes! I knew I was gonna love this trip!

My quest to find giraffes may not have been a success as I heard that the campsite just had about six to seven of them and they were probably in hiding but I spotted zebras, which was a good alternative.

Nsobe camp site or game reserve has in it some caged reptiles and my favorite was a python snake at the snake spot.

I just learned you could mingle with them because their bite is not venomous.

For that reason, I did have a show time with them. I did mingle with the tiny snakes too and the funny thing is how even in pictures, it would take an eagle’s eye to see that was a snake I was holding.

Believe you me…. that’s a snake not a shoe lace

If camping is your thing and you happen to be in Zambia, do give this place a try. As the day came to an end, I appreciated the beauty of sunsets in this place.

October 4, 2022 4