The train arrived at Kapiri Mposhi at around 6.30. John was already on the Lusaka bus, so we paid $2 each for the busride. The journey was 2½ hours and pretty uncomfortable, but at least the end of the 43-hour journey was near.
When we arrived in Lusaka, we were relieved to see that it is quite an attractive city. Not as good as Nairobi, but a million times better than Dar es Salaam.
We were were quite friendly with Steve by now, so the three of us got the same minibus to the YMCA, which turned out to be the YWCA. It cost us K902 each per night, which we thought extortionate, even though it is a nice place.
After a little lie-down, we headed into town with Steve, where we ate a cheap meal at the Garden Restaurant. We then wandered around town for a while. We nipped into Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya Airways to enquire about our flight from Harare to Nairobi. The cheapest was Kenya Airways at $300. Unfortunately Aeroflot do not do this route.
During our wanderings, we met a couple of American women Steve had met on the train. We arranged to meet up for some beers later at the Ridgeway Hotel, which was recommended in Steve's guide book.
Steve wanted to change some dollars, so that he got an official stamp, so we went to the Lusaka Hotel. After the transaction, we wandered round to the bar and quite quickly met someone who changed our remaining $10 for K160. Another guy said he would do it for K190 if we got more dollars. We arranged to meet him in the same bar at 11.30 the next day.
After a couple of beers we got a bus to the Ridgeway Hotel. When we found the bar, the Americans were already there, as were three hookers, who stood out a mile as such. There was also a drunken, fat slob from Cardiff, who seemed to have been in Africa for quite some time. He was a bloody nuisance, but he pissed off eventually.
The night went OK. The Americans were reasonably interesting company, but I wouldn't say that I actually liked either of them.
There were no buses running when we left the hotel at 9.30, so we walked back to the YWCA. It was a long way.
When we arrived in Lusaka, we were relieved to see that it is quite an attractive city. Not as good as Nairobi, but a million times better than Dar es Salaam.
We were were quite friendly with Steve by now, so the three of us got the same minibus to the YMCA, which turned out to be the YWCA. It cost us K902 each per night, which we thought extortionate, even though it is a nice place.
After a little lie-down, we headed into town with Steve, where we ate a cheap meal at the Garden Restaurant. We then wandered around town for a while. We nipped into Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya Airways to enquire about our flight from Harare to Nairobi. The cheapest was Kenya Airways at $300. Unfortunately Aeroflot do not do this route.
During our wanderings, we met a couple of American women Steve had met on the train. We arranged to meet up for some beers later at the Ridgeway Hotel, which was recommended in Steve's guide book.
Steve wanted to change some dollars, so that he got an official stamp, so we went to the Lusaka Hotel. After the transaction, we wandered round to the bar and quite quickly met someone who changed our remaining $10 for K160. Another guy said he would do it for K190 if we got more dollars. We arranged to meet him in the same bar at 11.30 the next day.
After a couple of beers we got a bus to the Ridgeway Hotel. When we found the bar, the Americans were already there, as were three hookers, who stood out a mile as such. There was also a drunken, fat slob from Cardiff, who seemed to have been in Africa for quite some time. He was a bloody nuisance, but he pissed off eventually.
The night went OK. The Americans were reasonably interesting company, but I wouldn't say that I actually liked either of them.
There were no buses running when we left the hotel at 9.30, so we walked back to the YWCA. It was a long way.
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