by Here is our route through Zambia:
Click here to read all our blog posts from our time in Zambia.
Francois’s highlight: Meeting Jeremie and Claire from France on their bicycles just outside Lusaka. We had a lovely lunch next to the road with them and listened to their stories of cycling down West Africa. Then, after lunch, they played some music for us on their accordions. It was a great lesson, seeing them so relaxed, in taking it easy and not rushing the trip. Seeing elephants just outside Livingstone was another highlight.
Favourite pic: Frenchies playing their accordions.
Francois’s lowlight: This has to be when we stayed in Chipata for two night during the national elections and we saw an entourage of about 20 4×4’s coming into Mamarula’s where we stayed. We didn’t go and ask what was going on until after they’ve left when we learnt it was then-president Banda coming over for breakfast. Ge’s good friends of the owners and they said he would have met with us if we came over to say hi. The lowlight was learning this too late, as it would have been great to meet him!
Tania’s highlight: I loved meeting Jeremie and Claire, the French couple on bicycles. They were such an inspiration and I was utterly impressed with their crate of vegetables strapped to the back of Claire’s bike and the basil they kept trying to grow in a small tin attached to the frame of the bike. The other highlight of Zambia was definitely seeing Vic Falls for the first time. And yes, the elephants roaming next to the road in Livingstone was absolutely awesome too.
Favourite pic: I like this photo of Francois and Boyd very much. He is the Steers delivery guy and we enjoyed chatting to him about the bikes.
Tania’s lowlight: The day we left for the border between Zambia and Malawi we stopped to refuel at a small petrol station in Chipata. As I was sitting on the bike waiting for a pump to become available my right foot slipped on some oil and slam bam I fell over my bike, ass over head. It was quite a show. The petrol station was very crowded and all witnessed this fall with great interest. At that time it wasn’t funny at all and my ego was bruised, but if I had to do it over I would have jumped up, made a small bow and said “Tadaaa!” as I smiled. Funny how your perspective change after completing a trip like this. I definitely try and take myself a bit less serious now…
Zambia Trip Stats:
Distance: 1 375 km
Time: 6 days, 21 hours, 6 minutes, 48 seconds
Highest point: 1 350.3 m
Lowest point: 363.1 m
Maximum speed: 97 km/h
Fuel consumption (Francois & Tania): You will unfortunately have to wait for the Crossing Africa book to come out for this (Along with other detailed information e.g. the accommodation and food budgets)
Video of Claire and Jeremie in action playing their accordians:
Looks like you had such an incredible time crossing this region of Africa. I love going to Zambia to visit Victoria Falls, my husband and I would love to do this journey also. We are both avid bikers and love Africa so the two are a perfect combination for us 🙂