Lusaka 31st July

30th July. Luwanga Bridge. Zambia
Charles Dickens began one of his books: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’ (or words to that effect). That’s a bit like this trip is turning out.
We crossed over from Malawi to Zambia the day before yesterday, travelled 30 kms to Chipata where we stayed the night all set to travel on to South Luangwa NP the next morning. 80kms into the 130km trip to the park’s entrance we had a puncture which I didn’t pick up straight away due to the corrugations and rough road. Hence the side walls were damaged. The bolts releasing the spare wheel seized due to the dirt and dust on the thread. I repaired the damaged tyre then decided to forget the park and hobble back to Chipata on the damaged tyre where we m ay be able to buy a new tyre. No such luck. The tyres on the van are 17”, not a size used often in this country. We had the spare put on after grinding the problem bolt off and using the damaged wall tyre as a spare. Lusaka is over 500kms on but we were told we would be able to buy the tyres we required there. While getting the spare tyre fitted we noticed the front left tyre was also losing air. We found the hole which was quickly repaired but there were another 3 minute leaks in the same vicinity. I said to the bloke, I had a compressor and would put air in it when required. All this problem reverts back to the service we had in Lilongwe where they topped up the tyre pressures for me but their gauge must have been incorrect: instead of putting in 3.0 bar and 3.1 bar I realized later the tyres had 3.45 bar and 3.55 bar in. On corrugations it is advisable to reduce the pressure not increase it
Eating lunch today on the side of the road today I glanced down at the spare tyre we had fitted the day before and noticed a bulge in the side wall. The spare was damaged, we had to go on with the damaged tyre still in place. Three faulty tyres, these were the worst of times.
Luangwe Bridge is a small settlement 2/3rds of the way to Lusaka from Chipata, the Bridge Camp Site is this amazing place built on the edge of the Luangwa River. The lodge bar and restaurant has a 180 degree view of the river in which hippos can be heard and a good eye has to be kept out for the crocs that lie in the rushes on the edge. We are the only ones in the camp, the Southern Cross is very visible in a clear sky, monkeys are making a b-line to our rubbish, we have enjoyed a drink sitting around a fire in the open at the bar and after that cooking an appetising meal on the open fire near the van. It has been a lovely evening, one we will remember. The best of times.