(Zambia) What to live as African means.

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Everybody has their own life. All of them have to live with what only they have. What does it mean to live as African?

10th to 15th May 2013
I’ve stayed for a week in Livingstone. It is only 6 $ for camping. The place is very clean and there is hot water! A cat has visited every day. What a cute. But I don’t allow coming inside of my tent later!
It is very expensive to use WiFi that 30 minute is one dollar. I wrote journals on ms word before I pay WiFi. But one hour is not enough so that I pay another one hour. My website is too slow that I can’t stand anymore. My webhosting company is hostmonster.com and I do want to change. But I don’t know which is better.

 

This is Zambian beer. There is their proud Victoria Falls.

 

I’ve heard that sometimes people set up their tent at the top of the car. Now I got how it works!

 

16th May 2013

I have pain again on the hip. It is similar like before that there are many hills. I’ve met Japanese cyclists. I think it is popular to cycle in Africa to Japanese.

 

It is the photo of congratulation of 16,000 km! Someday maybe it will come to take photo of 30,000 km?

 

I am being nervous that it is first day to cycle into Zambia. I arrive in some town which is called Zimba. As I reach, I go to the school building.
The principal lets me set up my tent. He says the area is very safe that there are security guys. So, I don’t need worry about to sleep.
I didn’t sweat much today, but I wanted to take shower. One lady brought water with one basin and I take shower with cold small water. It is very hard to take shower, but after shower I feel better.

 

17th May 2013
I woke up at the midnight often when I slept in the tent. Anyway here is another morning coming.

 

This time I meet Irish cyclist. He stared from Egypt, and it takes four months to here. I think African touring route which tourist use is not big.
He says that he got water from local people. Sometimes he boiled that water and no problem to drink. He is used to sleeping in the bush. Brave! He and Japanese cyclist had told that Ethiopia is worst to cycle that people throw stone to them. Actually I’ve heard this one many times. I think Ethiopia people has some problem that I will not pass there.

 

To travel Africa is actually not difficult as much as people think, because most of country tourists pass is the same. South Africa-Namibia-Botswana-Zimbabwe-Zambia-Malawi-Mozambique-Tanzania-Kenya-Uganda-Brundi-Rwanda-Ethiopia-Sudan-Egypt = this is popular route (It can be said this is safe route and easy route).
West and middle Africa is too hot and there is some civil war. Also it is hard to get visa.

 

When I go to buy bread, I see woman sewing front of grocery. I ask to take picture. She makes clothe and sell to people.

 

In Zambia there are ten million people that it is 10 times more people than Botswana, but the territory is only 1.5 times bigger than Botswana. It means more people on the road in Zambia. They sell meat on the road. I saw this kind of thing in Latin America.

 

I heard that it is easy to grow a tomato. That’s why many local people are selling it on the road. I am wondering how much it will be.

 

I ride over 120 km (75 mi) without enough resting that I just arrive Choma before sunset. I ask security guy of Museum to set up tent. He says it is okay that he will guide all night. Then one owner of restaurant in Museum comes to me and says I should set up tent in front of her restaurant. So, I try to set up tent at there, and then a worker in restaurant says it will be better I go to her home.
I think that it will be more comfortable to stay in the tent for the rest, but I decide to accept her inviting, because I want to meet local people and have experience.
Today again I take shower with one basin, but thankful she boil water for me that it is not cold.
It is dinner. The white one is called Nshima. At this time I don’t ask fork, and I eat with hands like them.

 

Her name is Queen who invited me. She is the same age as me, but she has already 4 years daughter and 7 year daughter.

 

The left is Queen and the right is her husband. She works from Monday to Saturday from 7:30 am to 6 pm. But she only got 300 k (60$).
Education for daughters per month 41$+ small one room house rent per month 70$ + water per month 10$+ Electronic 30$ = 151$
She needs at least 151$ per month. Also she must pay for food and other stuff. Totally her salary is unfair.

Fortunately her husband makes 1700 k (350$) per month.

 

Queen is so sweet and kind. She wants to give me her pictures. But I know the photo is really important for African. So I suggest her that I take the photo of it with my camera. I wish I have small printer that I can print her picture of which I took.

 

18th May 2013
After farewell I am hitting the road again.

 

I bought bananas, tomatoes and chickens at the local market. This banana is smaller, but taste is very nice. Tomatoes is only one or two dollars for one basket.

 

On the hill there are chickens. He says it is 50 k (10$) that it is cheaper than city. In the city it is 60~70 K (12~14$). Some chickens are at the inside and some of them are on the top.

 

In Africa there are traditional African doctors. But I’ve heard that traditional doctor doesn’t have license that they are just witch. Sometimes they give patient terrible tragic advice that people must be careful.

 

Local people are farming.
In the night I get the chance to sleep at inside of local people. The house is not much good as Korean house. But I feel like it is heaven that washroom is at the inside and there is running hot water!!!

 

19th May 2013
I can see many people selling charcoal. The next country, Malawi has the problem that people cut tree and make charcoal too much so that the nature is destroyed. There are not much big tree anymore. But the thing is they are too poor to stop it. That big one is only 50 k (10$) that it is much cheaper than a big market.
I feel like I can never compare my bike to them. I think it is really hard to live in Africa.

 

Too many people are in one truck.

 

zambia023

Here is better than the before truck.

 

Local children sell sugar cane. I am wondering how much they can get as selling. To go to government school is 20 k (4$) for one term, but many local people are too poor to pay it.
They pose Chinese movie. Always all of people think I am Chinese. I think the third country people can think there are only two or three races. American, Chinese, African.
Anyway I give kids candy for thanking and then many of children run to me.

 

The city today I pass is popular for sugar cane. Usually on the sign at the front of city company name is bigger than city name like coca cola or other thing. But it looks that this city is very proud of themselves that this sign is very nice one. They don’t put any company name on it.

 

People fix bike on the road. There is no building. Many people don’t have money to use building, and they do their business on the road.
I’ve seen many poor people. Many people waking without shoes. Many people sitting on the tree all day to sell small one. Many people carrying something on their head to long distance. Some people asking me to get some food. Many people asking me money.

As being born in Africa, they have to live with being very hard and difficult way. I am so sorry about it. I have many things when I compare to them, but I have too much thought and it makes my life too hard.


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