Kasanka National Park is yet another one of Zambia’s unique niches. It is a lovely tranquil Park located 70km north of Serenje (turn left off Great North Road at Mansa/Samfya turnoff) on the fringe of the Bangweulu Wetlands area.

Kasanka is unique for two reasons. Firstly, it is run as a Trust with funds being raised both in the U.K and within Zambia and secondly because of its special collection of birds and beasts.

The Park is managed primarily by Edmund Farmer and his girlfriend, Kim, who do everything from ordering game scout uniforms to planning the menus and many things in between. They are ‘jacks of many trades’ you could say – Safari guides, caterers, mechanics, police officers, counsellors, first aiders, builders, fundraisers and the list goes on. There is a lot involved in running an entire National Park.

Edmund and Kim live at Wasa Camp, located on Lake Wasa, the camp nearest the Park Gate. About an hour’s drive through the Park will take you to Luwombwa Fishing Camp. We had the pleasure of visiting both camps as well the hive of wildlife activity Fibwe Hide, so we were able to sample several aspects of Kasanka’s natural beauty and unique flora and fauna.

Last month’s Lowdown featured an article written by Heidi, the resident bat expert who enthused about the Straw-Coloured Fruit Bats and their habits, and in particular their eating habits at this time of year (November and December). Just after dusk at Fibwe, about one million of these critters make a mass exit from the mushitu to search for the evening meal, primarily masuku fruits. This is a spectacular sight that should not be missed.

Another main attraction from Fibwe Hide is the shy, gentle Sitatunga, usually spotted in the early morning or late afternoon. They are truly one of the most beautiful antelope species and unique, with their splayed hooves, for easy movement over damp, marshy terrain. They rest in the cool Papyrus beds during the day, sometimes even immersing themselves underwater with only their nostrils above water level. These Bambis of the dambo have been seen in numbers of up to 70 at a time but even seeing one or two at a time is a special treat.

The blue monkeys are another unique species that one may be lucky enough to see, possibly in the Mushitu below Fibwe Hide. This is a tiny little pocket of paradise bursting with activity and is well worth taking an hour to wander about in it.

We drove to Luwombwa Fishing Camp for the day, where our picnic was kindly laid out for us by the friendly staff. Later we were escorted down the Luwombwa River in two canoes in search of nothing but tranquillity…. and that we found instantly. This was enhanced by a far off sighting of a Cape Clawless Otter.

On the drive to and from Luwombwa, we were lucky enough to see a number of antelope species.  A special appearance by ten roan antelope made the entire trip worthwhile – they are apparently not spotted very often nor very recently.  Other antelope species were a number of puku, which are quite common at Kasanka, waterbuck and bushbuck, two personal favourites…. always a pleasure. Also along the way were some warthogs trundling off with antennae tail in the air and various dynamic bird species, Lady Ross’ Loerie, a beautiful sight to start off with, whitebacked vultures airing their wings after a quick dip in the local pool, spurwing geese, a hammerkop enjoying a day of fishing and tawny eagles, both adult and juvenile. To our pleasant surprise, we saw elephant spoor, both tracks and dung on the road. Some migrant elephant do travel through the Park and are occasionally seen.

The flowers at Kasanka were also a lovely sight at this time of year. We were greeted on the way in by the mauve and white blossoms of the Fifuti plants or brooms and brushes as they’re called, the stems of which are used for traditional brooms. These flowers are a rare pleasure as they only flower for a few days. Within the Park we enjoyed the yellow blooms of the yellow trumpet flowers (costus spectabilis) with the flat leaves lying against the ground, the delicate pyjama lily (crinum macowanii) with its pink and white striped petals bowing gracefully down and a personal favourite Leptactina Benguelensis, a member of the gardenia/coffee family, a low-growing pure white and beautifully fragrant flower, plentiful throughout the Park. I’m sure Kasanka is a flower show equal to none regardless of the month of the year.

Besides all the activity that occurs in Kasanka’s natural environment there is also a lot going on in the people environment as well. There is now a volunteer, Stephanie, who will be running community development programmes to help with education, health and activities to raise income in hopes of curbing tendencies to resort to poaching.

Research is often carried out on Kasanka’s flora and fauna. Heidi hopes to be working with Chris and Tilde Stuart, South Africa’s wildlife guidebook writers to study the bats and various other species within the Park.

For Edmund and Kim, life continues to be a never-ending stream of activity. New chalets of brick and thatch are being constructed at both Wasa and Luwombwa Camps, with beautiful views of the lake/river, plans for new energy sources are always in the works and tourists keep the managers and staff busy throughout the year.

One of the advantages Kasanka has over many Parks and other areas of Zambia is good accessibility year round. The roads in and around the area are a pleasure to travel regardless of the season. So perhaps you had best book now for your Christmas holiday, as Kasanka will be filling up quickly. For bookings and information or donations contact: Kasanka Trust Ltd., P.O. Box 850370, Serenje, or email: kasanka@aol.com or by Satellite phone: 00873 762 067 957. Full catering and camping is always available. (We were unable to travel to Tigerfish Haven near Samfya so a review will come on that experience later on, next season)

The Christmas spirit died many years ago in Livingstone. As soon as Livingstone became a tourist town, it meant that Christmas became a time of work. For the weeks running up to the holiday period, all the lodges make special preparations for their guests. From Christmas to New Year the lodges are often full and the staff are run off their feet. It may be different this year as the problems in Zimbabwe have had a devastating effect on many of the lodges. Clients from overseas have been watching the news and will not risk coming to Livingstone. Clients from Southern Africa usually come through Zimbabwe on their way to Livingstone and are worried about the fuel crisis there. So, all in all, it looks as if we are in for a quiet time this Christmas.

For many of us Zambian residents now is a good time to visit Livingstone before the new hotel is finally complete. By April, the hotel will be taking its first guests and things will change at the Victoria Falls. Now it is still as Zambian as it has been in the past many years. There are few people who wander through the Falls area and it is a personal experience. When the hundreds of guests arrive at the Sun Hotel, visitors to the Falls will have to join the crowds. It will be quite different. Anyone thinking of coming to Livingstone should consider staying at one of the small lodges along the river. Along the Upper Zambezi with the Zimbabwe National Park on the opposite bank, a river full of hippos and a generous supply of water birds you can find Thorntree, The River Club, Tongabezi, Kubu Cabins, Chundukwa, Mawala and Zambezi Royal Chundu. There is also Jungle Junction on an island in the river. Along the gorges of the Lower Zambezi and with the most spectacular views there are Songwe Village and Taita Falcon Lodge. They are all great places to stay and offer personal service. The prices vary quite a bit so check first. Karien Joosten at Active Link on tel 323-726, can give you details.

Shopping in Livingstone is generally a dull experience. We have a mixture of the old and the new. The old shops are the ones where you can buy anything and nothing. Everyone knows these shops, they are all over Zambia – you can buy a bag of mealie meal, spares for your bike, a plastic plate and a length of chitenge. The new consists of the likes of Shoprite, Pep, Supreme and HiFi Centre. For my Christmas shopping list I bypassed all of these (Shoprite is OK for some stocking fillers). I found myself with not much choice. Kubu Crafts was my obvious first choice for present buying. It is a small shop crammed full of furniture and other household items, most of which are made in the workshop at the back. At the lower price range there are things like a wine rack at US$20, candlesticks at US$15, lamps at US$30 and picture frames at US$20. If you want to splash out, there is a selection of garden furniture – a lounger at US$175 and garden chairs at US$65. There’s also a great four-poster bed at US$640, a lounge suite (two morris chairs and settee) at US$650. The furniture at Kubu is all handmade and beautifully finished off. It is furniture which is made to last a lifetime and everything there makes a very special Christmas gift. Next door to Kubu Crafts is another small shop – La Mirage. It has a range of safari clothes which are of very high quality. Men’s shirts are K45,000; men’s shorts are K35,000; ladies’ safari suits are K85,000. There is also a selection of T-shirts – adults K28,500 and kids K18,500. My next stop was just down the road to an area we know as Two-Seventeen. It became known as this because of the plot number and the name has stuck. Here is African Visions Art and Craft Gallery. Its market is the tourist but there are some interesting things us residents can buy for Christmas. I found at some Moore pottery – a vase at US$12, mugs at US$2.50 and table candle lights at US$20. There are also some beautiful wall hangings from Luangwa – prices range from US$60 to US$220.

We used to have a bookshop in Livingstone (it was mine). I have recently closed it down. Last year I sold 4 books over the Christmas period. That was a good month. Business generally in Livingstone is still not good. Will the new hotel make that much difference – we shall see in a few months time.

Seasons Greetings from us all here in Livingstone.

by Gill Staden

During the last month, I have been privileged to accompany engineers from the National Roads Board when they have been inspecting various works that are taking place on Zambia’s roads.

As a resident of Lusaka, you have probably been annoyed when the traffic flow has been disrupted because of a gang of workers sweeping the road surface or cutting grass on the verges.  What these people are doing is keeping the drains clear of litter and other debris and making sure that there is somewhere for the water to run, because as the engineers say ‘when building roads there are only three things that matter – drainage, drainage and drainage’.

These contracts are funded by the National Roads Board, from the fuel levy, which is included in every litre of fuel that you purchase.  Unlike most road contracts, payments to the contractors are based on performance during the month and each month the roads and drains are inspected to assess how much the contractor should be paid.  The rationale behind putting these contracts in place was to ensure that the roads, which have recently been rehabilitated, remain in a good condition, so as to protect our investment.

During the inspection, the contractors mentioned a number of problems that they were experiencing – the public use the drains to dump their rubbish, rather than disposing of it is the proper place; many drains have been closed by people who need to cross them either by foot or in a vehicle, rather than building a culvert so that the water can drain away; and of course, the fact that Lusaka’s drainage needs a complete overhaul because many of the new areas do not have any drains at all and what drains there are, are not big enough to cope with the water after a downpour of rain.

Having been on these inspections before, there is certainly a lot of work that has been done, but there is still much that needs to be done, and especially with the imminent onset of the rains – this will be the proof of whether the contracts are going to meet their objective.

The other trip that I did was on the Great East Road, as far a Kachalola.  Work on resealing the road from Luangwa Bridge to Nyimba has commenced and it is expected that it will be completed before Christmas, which will mean that the road all the way up to Mwami Border Post is in a good or fair condition (roads are graded as good, fair and poor).

Originally this road was only going to have the potholes patched, pending total reconstruction within eighteen months to two years.  Instead it was decided to reseal the road completely, which should extend the life of the road by a minimum of five years, and if we are lucky, ten.

What amazed me the most was the condition of this road where work had not yet started.  The road was built during the early 70’s and was one of the major transit routes for cargo to and from Malawi, via the South African seaports, throughout the civil war in Mozambique.  There was extensive overloading of the trucks during this period (the Luangwa Bridge suffered major structural damage as a result of it) and since then, the overloading still continues, but the traffic volumes are lower.  Normally the life of a road is twenty years, but this one is now almost thirty years old (as are most of Zambia’s trunk roads) and according to the engineers, the base of the road is still perfect in the majority of places.  There are a couple of places where some reconstruction needs to take place – one example was a culvert approximately fifteen feet under the surface which had collapsed.  Considering that until a few years ago, little or no maintenance was done on these roads, they must have been very well designed and built and no doubt, there has been a little bit of luck thrown into the pot as well.

Of course, there is still much work to be done on the roads, but at least progress is being made and more importantly, the roads that are being rehabilitated are being put onto a proper maintenance programme.

About Billboards!

Billboard create a pathetic sight. First they block the beautiful scenery. Secondly, they may lead to accidents especially for motorists as they tend to admire and reading what is displayed. Thirdly, they may fall on pedestrians especially in times of heavy storms.
Linda Nchimunya Chipuma Mbangweta, E-mail

I visited Zambia in 1997. I remember small billboards along the roadway that were small and painted by hand. These were very attractive to me. I like to see them. They had a good message. But I also remember many signs in the city that were painted on the long walls. These did not look so good. Billboards are best if put in designated areas only. They should not be allowed in areas of much traffic. They can cause automobile accidents if drivers look to long at the billboard. They should have some nice handpainted artwork to make them more attractive.
I live in the United States of America. We have many billboards. They look bad. All are made by computer imaging. Very boring. Your billboards have character because many of them are very different from each other. Keep it that way! Do not become like American advertising.
Just my opinion.
Rocky Nichol, E-mail

I have always hated billboards–wherever they are found! However, I especially detest the ones I have seen in Lusaka that advertise condoms.

TJKAFORHIM@aol.com

I am happy to commend the City on how lovely the area along Independence venue is looking lately. The trees are in bloom, bursting with bright colours, and the roundabouts are looking clean and well groomed. Yet sadly, the beautification project comes to an abrupt halt at the Woodlands roundabout and shopping centre, which frankly has become an eyesore for the neighbourhood. The roundabout itself is horribly neglected with debris and rubbish strewn everywhere. It looks as though repairs were started at one point, but then suddenly abandoned.
The shopping centre across from the roundabout is even worse. Despite signs proclaiming, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” and “Litter Spreads Disease” the area could not be dirtier or more unkempt. What should be a pleasing, shaded area is marred by an unsightly charred rubbish heap right in the middle, dust bins overflow with trash; bags, rubbish, and debris litter the sidewalks, grassy area, gutters and street. I have even seen employees sweeping dirt from the shops directly onto the sidewalks where shoppers are obliged to amble through it. The whole shopping area is filthy and honestly is a real deterrent to those of us who would otherwise appreciate the convenience of shopping there.
I commend the city’s efforts to clean and improve its roundabouts, but please do not stop the process short of Woodlands Roundabout! I beg the shopkeepers, for the sake of their own businesses, to monitor the sanitation in front of their own shops and ensure that no rubbish is thrown onto the sidewalk or street. I would urge both the City and shopkeepers to ensure that adequate dust bins are provided and that rubbish is collected on a regular basis and, most importantly, to mount an anti-litter campaign to clean up the Woodlands roundabout and shopping area for once and for all. If everyone works together, Woodlands will be just as beautiful as the rest of Independence Avenue.
K. Cavanagh, Woodlands Resident

With an estimated 75% of Zambia’s population living in dire poverty, over 70,000 Aids orphans and average life expectancy down to 38 years, there is a temptation to feel that there is nothing we, as individuals, can do to help, and so retire behind our garden walls with a cold beer instead.  However, we can support effective organisations like Lusaka’s YWCA, in several ways.

The brave ladies of the Y run a home for abused girls; a hostel for battered wives and their children; and a drop in centre offering advice and guidance to the desperate – ranging from legal to medical to the simply practical.

No need here to repeat harrowing accounts of pregnant wives being beaten by violent husbands, of small girl victims of incestual rape, or devastated widows ruined by property grabbing. There are plenty of cases in the press, but they are only the tip of the iceberg and the worst details are often excluded. (Certainly domestic violence exists elsewhere, but in Zambia poverty brutalises people and it is therefore much worse.) One look at the worn faces of the silent women waiting for help from the YWCA advice counsellors, or the frightened girl being taken to hospital for venereal disease treatment, says it all. The Y deals with these things daily, so what can you do?

You can clean out your cupboards this Christmas for women’s and children’s clothes; toys, children’s books and school supplies; knitting and sewing materials; household equipment; cash for petrol, the phone bills, and, sadly, the surgical gloves needed for hospital examination of the damaged and infected girl children.

The Y also needs some of your time, as support group members to provide transport, to raise funds, to share any expertise you may have in giving legal advice, AIDS counselling, and so on.

So try to get over to the YWCA on Nationalist Road (before UTH), telephone 252-726, with all your extraneous gear, soon. Start 2001 with cleared cupboards and a New Year’s Resolution to support at least one charity for the year. Remember that old school hymn “Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean and a pleasant land.”

We certainly can all make a little difference, if we‘ll make the little effort needed.

In September, we asked whether Zambia’s musicians were ready for the big time.  Whilst we don’t yet have the answer to that question, at least one musician of Zambian extraction (her father is Zambian, her mother Irish) has made it.  She is Samantha Mumba, born in Dublin, Ireland, 17 years ago.

When Samantha left school last year, she knew she had a record deal to look forward to. She’d been so busy performing on stages and in studios for the previous six months that she would get into school in the mornings feeling exhausted.   Since she had a good academic record she decided that she would concentrate on her music and she could always go back to her education if things fell flat.  But, listen to Samantha’s music and you realise this isn’t going to happen too soon. Her songs, which she co-writes, are a confident collection of pop-inflected R&B making her a match for TLC, Brandy and even Britney Spears.

In Dublin, Samantha has already become something of a celebrity.  Between the ages of three and fifteen, she performed at Dublin’s famous Billie Barry Stage School.  In September 1998 she landed a lead role in a production of The Hot Mikado, a modern take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s celebrated opera. This raised her profile and saw her invited to sing on various Irish TV shows.

When a friend introduced her to Louis Walsh, manager of Boyzone and Westlife, in a Dublin club one night. Samantha managed to blag her way into the club pretending she was an R&B singer from New York, recording her debut album with producers in the city. Impressed by Samantha’s talent and potential, he signed her up as a complement to his existing roster of triple-A acts. After signing with Polydor, Samantha spent several months of last year moving between Denmark, Sweden, England and Ireland, co-writing and recording her debut album, Gotta Tell You. Her debut single iby the same name went  to number one in Ireland in a record breaking 4 days!

Samantha has also signed a lucrative modeling deal with a top London agency, but a spokesperson for her says “She’s still going to concentrate on her music career.” She has also been offered several movie offers, one staring opposite singer turned actor Will Smith.

Samantha Mumba is the all-singing, all-dancing, all-real pop prospect you can’t help but take seriously.

Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org

Chinzombo Safari Lodge is a small (only 9 chalets) highly personalised safari camp. Opened by the Late Norman Carr on behalf of Zambia Safaris in the early 80’s, it was purchased by Save The Rhino Trust (SRT) in 1984 to generate funds for anti-poaching. The lodge was run by the Trust until 1990 when it was leased out to the present management. The rentals received are still used to assist in anti-poaching activities.

Situated in a shady grove of ebony and mahogany trees on the banks of the Luangwa River, the chalets are either double or twin and two of the chalets have large enclosed verandas, in which extra beds can be placed for children. Chinzombo, unlike some of the other lodges in the Luangwa Valley, welcomes children although children under twelve years of age may not go on game walks. They are, of course, welcome on game drives and the lodge considers itself the leading family oriented lodge in the Valley.

Each chalet is en-suite with hot showers and flush toilets and as they are connected to the national electricity grid, all chalets have ceiling fans. The open-air ‘chitenge’ with a fully stocked bar overlooks the Luangwa River and also the plunge pool, which is extremely popular during the day. Vervet monkeys and Chacma baboons swing through the canopy, elephants occasionally drop-by to feed on the winterthorn pods and hippos trim the lawn most nights reducing wear and tear on Chinzombo’s lawn mower.

Game drives are conducted in open Land Rovers and the early morning ones leave the lodge at first light, following morning tea and a snack. Drives last for about two to three hours and return to the lodge for a sumptuous breakfast, after which you can relax until the afternoon game drive. Afternoon drives leave the lodge at about 4 pm so that you can enjoy sundowners on the river before you experience the wonder of the ‘bush’ at night. With the help of a sport light, the night drives are something not to be missed – you will more than likely see a leopard stalking its prey or a pride of lions hunting. But even if you miss these, the odds of seeing a hyena loping away or a lumbering hippo bursting from a thicket are excellent.

Walking Safaris are also available from June to November. Chinzombo prides itself on accommodating guests specific requirements, provided ample notice is given, so if you want a full day game drive or want to go on a microlight safari, all you have to do is discuss it with the management and they will work it all out for you. Chinzombo’s rates are extremely reasonable and include full board and accommodation, fees to enter the National Park, all game viewing activities, bar, laundry and airport transfers from Mfuwe Airport. They have two rates, one for the dry season from June to October and a lower rate for the green season from November to May and unlike a number of the other lodges in the Valley, Chinzombo is open throughout the year.

For bookings and enquiries contact your travel agent or the Lusaka booking office on tel: 225-976, fax: 226-736 or email: chinsaf@zamnet.zm

With Christmas almost here, we thought we would see if we could find any interesting cocktails to drink at the endless round of parties and here is what we found.  We have not tried all of them yet – we  didn’t think it was a good idea to do that before we have got this issue to the printers – so you are the guinea pigs.  But please remember – if you’re going to partake of these, don’t get into your car and try to drive home – we can’t take responsibility for the results.

Enchanted Forest
Ingredients: Blue Curacao, Vodka, Sprite,

Orange Juice, Cream Soda
In a large Glass mix: 1 part vodka, 1 part blue curacao and 1 part Sprite. Add orange juice until the drink turns turquoise or lime green. Pour this mixed drink into shot glasses but leave enough room for a dash of cream soda. Pour a dash of cream soda into the shot glass slowly and let the cream soda settle at the bottom (you don’t need too much). Now you have a double layered shot of purple and green. Drink up!

Stoned Smurf
Ingredients: 1/3 oz. Vodka, 1/3 oz. Southern Comfort, 1/3 oz. Blue Curacao, Fill with Sprite
Pour all ingredients with ice into a glass, shake once or twice to get a uniform colour and enjoy.

Grass Hopper
Ingredients(for two drinks): 3 oz vodka,
2oz creme de cacao, 2 oz creme de menthe, 2 oz milk

Directions: Start with 2 cups of ice in a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour it into a chilled/frosted glass and drink up.  If you like mint, you can throw in some as a garnish.  You can substitute the milk with scoop or two of vanilla ice cream for a slightly different flavour

Nutty Irishman

Ingredients: 1/3 Bailey’s, 1/3 Jameson’s Irish whiskey, 1/3 Frangelica or any nut liqueur

Pour into shaker with ice, shake well and strain.

Munda Wanga Wildlife Park and Sanctuary is definitely open to the public.  The new lion exhibit, the sixth new enclosure of the year, will be completed and ready for business by the middle of December.   This new exhibit has been a long time coming for its resident nine lions but at least their relative freedom is close at hand.  The lions will be moved from their current cramped quarters to a two-acre enclosure, where they will have the space to roam and play in relative solitude.

Its principle sponsor, Chilanga Cement, and several other smaller contributors i.e. The American International School, and Munda Wanga’s very own Simba Fund have made this new enclosure possible.   Their support is very much appreciated by all at the Park.

It is important that the Park be financially self-supporting in the future, which is why a drive-thru enclosure has been built.  Such driving safaris are commonly found in many countries around the world including Zimbabwe and South Africa and it is hoped that such an adventure here in Zambia will become a huge money-spinner for the Trust.  Such funds will enable the Park to maintain and improve conditions for all the animals and will help secure their future.

With the assistance of Zungulila Zambia Car Hire, customers will be transported from Lusaka to Munda Wanga for an intimate lion viewing adventure and game drive through the grounds of the Wildlife Park.  Prices are US$30 per person, and will include a braai in the Botanical Gardens afterwards.  Minimum tours of 5 people per viewing (max: 25).  Please contact Sarah Wagner at Munda Wanga 278 456 or 278 529 or Caroline Linehan at Zungulila Zambia Car Hire 273686, 272934/37 or 784081/2/3.   Bookings will be taken from the 16^th December and will be limited to one vehicle per evening.  So book now to avoid disappointment.

Munda Wanga would like to take this opportunity of thanking Kembe Cold Meat Storage and, Galaunia Farms for all of their assistance with meat donations for the Park’s very hungry, demanding carnivores.  Without such support our lions and tigers would not look as healthy as they do now.

So come see the pride of Munda Wanga at first hand as well as all the other new animals.  Rest assured that your support will help us continue the renovations and turn Munda Wanga into a Park to equal any in the world.