Travelling Zambia — the beginning

My travelling Zambia seriesThis is the **first** article in a series about my 2010 experiences travelling in Zambia. If you haven’t had a chance to read earlier articles here’s the beginning.

I am one of the two members of the Best of Zambia team that is currently based in the UK. In April 2010 I spent two weeks travelling around Zambia with Liam, my soon to be fiancée, (unbeknown to me this was to become the big proposal trip) and his parents Trevor and Shirley. I really should have started taking pictures in London but the first image of our trip starts in Zambia — so Liam’s graduation will have to do, even if it is completely out of context.

Liam and I travel to Zambia regularly but this trip was different. This was Shirley’s inaugural trip to Africa. This was about taking Liam’s parents (whom I have known for 10 years) to my home country and I really wanted them to love the place of my birth, childhood, schooling and life — until I decided to study in England. Here I met Liam, this nice Englishman who would keep me in England for a while. (The simplest reason why I am still here).

The whole thing started with a fairly innocent conversation about new year resolutions as the year 2010 dawned. Two of Shirley’s new year resolutions were to travel more and be more adventurous. This quickly spiralled. “Why not push yourself out of your comfort zone and travel to Africa,” came a voice from the corner. Typically heads turned my way. After all I am the resident African free spirit. “We could do a Zambia trip,” I said grinning. And that was that.

I thought nothing would ever come of that new year’s conversation. But in early March, Shirley came to our house for a meal — as she regularly does when Trevor is away on business trips. A brief search on-line, a British Airways sale and before we knew it four tickets to Zambia were booked! Being from Zambia (and apparently knowing everything we would need to know) I was left to sort out the rest. It made sense to use our Best of Zambia clients as much as possible because, frankly, I believe in our service.

Over the two weeks we experienced the services of:

• Eight Reedbuck Hotel, Lusaka
• Gerritz Restaurant, Lusaka
• Proflight, Lusaka
• Prana, Livingstone
• David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa, Livingstone
• Maramba River Lodge, Livingstone
• Rhapsody’s Restaurant, Livingstone (now only in Lusaka)
• Armadillo’s Restaurant, Livingstone
• Ngoma Zanga Restaurant, Livingstone (temporarily closed)
• Mukuni Park and Curios, Livingstone
• Frank the taxi man, Livingstone
• Kaingu Safari Lodge, Kafue National Park
• Puku Pan Safari Lodge, Kafue National Park
• African Tracks, Lusaka
• Debonnair’s Pizza, Lusaka
• Ababa House, Lusaka
• Arcades Shopping Centre, Sunday Market, Lusaka
• And probably more as I unravel my travel diary

So this is the beginning of a series of weekly blogs covering my two weeks’ travel experiences in Zambia. If I can convince the rest to write something I’ll cover that too. So do check back regularly!

There is one other thing I should clear up. Why has it taken me so long to cover this trip that took place in April 2010? First I was waiting for the relaunch of the Best of Zambia website, then the relaunch of our blog. I wanted to wait to give the good people and services we experienced the best possible coverage. Design and development projects really do take that long especially when you are juggling the challenges of growing a business from the ground up, with nothing but your passion for fuel.

*My travelling Zambia series**This is the **first** article in a series about my 2010 experiences travelling in Zambia.*

1: Travelling Zambia — the beginning2: Travelling Zambia — Heathrow to Lusaka3: Travelling Zambia — our Lusaka arrival4: Travelling Zambia — tribal accommodation5: Travelling Zambia — the zen like Prana in Livingstone6: Travelling Zambia — the human mind at night in Africa**

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