Doctor Willy, I presume? A Zambia Trip Report

[DrWilly]

Per capita income is only slightly above $3k compare that to Thailand at almost $19k, Philippines at $9.5k Indonesia $12k & Malaysia at a whopping $28k… (not even going to mention Singapore).

These kind of stats are a blunt tool to use but they do paint an interesting picture, particularly when you consider that former British colonies of Rhodesia and North Rhodesia were the bread baskets of Africa (or at least Southern Africa).

Poor structures from the colonial times set them up for failure? A book I’m reading by Andrew Sardanis suggests exactly that, or was it the transition period wasn’t long enough, or just that the Black man really wasn’t ready to rule?

[Edmond]

Thailand at almost $19k, Philippines at $9.5k

I didn't realize that the Philippines average half of what Thais bring in. Explains why so many Filipina teachers come to teach in Thailand I suppose.

[cyrille]

I didn't realize that the Philippines average half of what Thais bring in. Explains why so many Filipina teachers come to teach in Thailand I suppose.

Seems like you're learning a lot.

Filipinos teaching in Thailand for circa 20k a month probably can't earn that much at home.

The average life expectancy in Africa can be very low.

'Oppenheimer' doesn't have any car chases.

What an eye opening experience daily life must be for you.

[malmomike77]

It also turns out putting things up with screws instead of nails is a lot more complicated.

[Edmond]

And I suspect this Tesco Beef Burrito may in fact be more horse than cow.


My neiiiiiighbour gave it to me.

What an eye opening experience daily life must be for you.

Bugger, I'm not allowed use that emoticon since new year's.


Oh well, as long as the attention of Willy's photo travel thread of chugging through central Africa before nearly dying has been diverted to Edland, it's all good.

[DrWilly]

Oh well, as long as the attention of Willy's photo travel thread of chugging through central Africa before nearly dying has been diverted to Edland,

It is a slight diversion. Perhaps I need to get on with posting. Plenty more to add.

[malmomike77]

Did you get a wax and polish?

[DrWilly]

Lusaka National Park is pretty much right in Lusaka. It's about a 30 minute drive or so from our hotel. Though the video below will show that roads are less than optimal, especially in wet season.

messy road on the way to Lusaka National Park - YouTube

*pinched these last 2 pics from travel advisor, because I didn't think to take any.

Entry was about 20,000 Kwacha each (less than $1) and includes a visitor centre and access to game drives and so on. The visitor centre had a number of huts explaining conservation efforts, and includes some skulls and what not but the kids weren't much impressed.

We were here to see the orphaned baby elephants.

They have built a viewing platform and a small feeding yard which occurs around 11:30am each day.

baby eles - YouTube

Noisy buggers.

Each elephant had a name and the staff explained their story of how they were found and why they were orphaned. One elephants mother had been found in a ditch apparently left behind by the herd, another they had to euthanise the mother after her foot had been caught in a wire snare.

The ultimate aim is to rehabilitate these animals and release them.

After feeding the elephants played around for bit.

baby eyes playing around - YouTube

We then had a quite reasonable lunch at the cafe outside the visitor centre. Sorry no pics.

All in, not bad for a short day trip. Just needed a vehicle.



*PS. They also have dual pricing for locals vs visitors. Shock, horror. Paid it anyway.

[hallelujah]

I've always fancied doing the same route Paul Theroux did for his book Dark Star Safari.



I'd no doubt need a holiday to recover from my holiday after that though. As interesting as it would be.

Good thread, Willy.

[hallelujah]

Some of the pubs along the way looked a bit grim (it was a 7 hour road trip)

Attachment 110273

Attachment 110274

Photos taken through the window of the car we were in as we weren't stopping. But I am sure they had 'character'.

I'd be all over those boozers.

I'd probably end up swerving the safari and getting pissed in there with my new mates!

[david44]

Glad you are on mend and a snaphot of a place I'll likely never go.
Send more pix of local life hop cafes vehicles etc, , wildlife and scenery any time any quality.
Green owed, you restored my faith in TD batard!

[helge]

Green owed, you restored my faith in TD batard!

Good for you, Dave

He just voted for you to fuck off from TD !

[DrWilly]

Managed to fit in some golf while the wymmin went shopping.

Lusaka Golf Course is the oldest golf course in Zambia. The entrance ensures you will not miss it.

This looks promising. Certainly busy.

Half the car parks were reserved for various committee members, life members and so on. They also had spots reserved for the Zambian Airforce and Army.

Attachment 110456

Played a decent enough round and the rain held off nicely.

Attachment 110457

Some noisy fruit bats around the 7th Noisy fruit bats - YouTube

On the green in two. shame I then two putted for a bogie.

I'd probably end up swerving the safari and getting pissed in there with my new mates!

It was certainly a temptation. But there where better places. Like this 19th hole.

[DrWilly]

No idea WTF is going on with picture uploads there…

[Joe 90]

I used to be a member of that golf club Willy!

I got my first birdie on the 9th hole.

I was there when Chris Harrison won the zambian open Safari tournament.

Brings back memories.

[Joe 90]

When was..when ?

HIV/AIDS in Africa - Wikipedia

There was a common myth amongst local men that having sex with a virgin would cure you of Aids.

Needless to say there were lots of horror stories coming out of the "compounds", local goverment housing estates/shanty towns near the capital.

[katie23]

@willy - thanks for the pics, stories & social commentary. Very interesting.

@edmond - it's not just Filipinas who go to TH to teach, it's also Filipinos (male). I met some Filipinos (collective term = male, female & LGBTQA+) in one of my trips to Thailand. There are also Filipinos (collective) who teach in international schools in the middle east. They earn 2x or 3x of what they eould earn in PH. (As an aside, I think Graceless Fawn was a TEFLer in BKK in her younger days, prior to settling down in Palawan.)

A housemaid's salary in Brunei is 3x of that in PH (based on overheard convo at the airport).

[Stumpy]

Keep'em coming DW. Great thread and thanks for sharing.

[DrWilly]

I was there when Chris Harrison won the zambian open Safari tournament.

he didn't win it.

I got my first birdie on the 9th hole.

who remembers their first birdie?

I used to be a member of that golf club Willy!

Really? I've been members of golf clubs in other countries, normally you need a handicap and someone to propose and second you. And then you paid however much for a yearly membership? In Malaysia there was a special covid deal of 50,000 Ringgit or roughly $1500 for a pretty ordinary course outside of KL.

How much was it in Zambia?


I'm not saying I dont believe you, but you do have a history of lying.

[DrWilly]

While at Livingstone we were able to go on a game drive. A game drive is not a safari as it involves driving around in a modified jeep to spot animals. Whereas I think a safari is going camping for an extended period of time to spot animals and can include several game drives. We did a few, some just outside of Lusaka and some at Livingstone.

[malmomike77]

Is it me or are there a few duplicates? The times i have been out trying to photograph wildlife it is very difficult to get good shot so not a bad effort, we aren't all blessed like the BBC Bristol Wildlife teams who can spend a month getting one shot.

[DrWilly]

Close to Lusaka one of the animal parks had a cheetah ’experience’… so why not!?

[DrWilly]

^ sorry about the double ups, but after the palaver of uploading I’m not daring to try and fix it. FML and TD’s photo upload system.

Is it me or are there a few duplicates? The times i have been out trying to photograph wildlife it is very difficult to get good shot so not a bad effort, we aren't all blessed like the BBC Bristol Wildlife teams who can spend a month getting one shot.

Therr could be duplication, the team door system doesn’t make it easy, and I’m shooting everything on a small camera phone, so there is that too. We saw baboons, several species of gazelle, hippos, crocs, monkeys, elephants, zebra, giraffe, lion, warthogs and hundreds of birds.

[malmomike77]

Close to Lusaka one of the animal parks had a cheetah ’experience’… so why not!?

Presumably they are orphaned or were to sick to be able to re-naturalise? were they purring? i came up lose to some in an enclosure years ago in Kenya where they were being treated for illness prior to being released and it was amazing how loud they were.


Many years ago i go badgered by a mate into one of those Thailand Tiger "Experiences" and to this day it shames me when i later learned that they are drugged, declawed and finally their carcasses sold on to chinkies to keep their little egos and peckers up.

[DrWilly]

Yep, I know of those tiger experiences in Thailand. I don’t have full knowledge so happy to be corrected but I think this cheetah one was very different. Certainly the guides were very much more on edge and one had to follow their directions immediately in case the cheetah got upset. They were orphaned and lived on the game park their entire lives. They also had lions there but said lions could not be domesticated in the same way as cheetahs can.