Zambia Archive
Zambian wildlife
Written on April 7, 2018
in Zambia

In an earlier post – Urban Safari – I wrote about my trials and tribulations photographing wildlife in Zambia. Now that my embarrassment has faded, I’m ready to talk about it again. Starting with the wildlife itself, you can expect to have a marvellous time in Zambia. Its national parks are relatively
After the rain
Written on February 28, 2018
in Zambia

This year the rainy season was late in Zambia. But once it started, the rain came with a vengeance. Where we live in Lusaka, the area between the blocks of flats is for car parking. Drainage is poor and the ground has been compacted by the weight of cars. Not surprisingly, the
Mr and Mrs Mop
Written on January 17, 2018
in Zambia

We recently bought a new mop – the old one looked worn out. I didn’t take much notice at first. But then I saw Mary, our niece, soaking the new mop and putting it on the balcony to dry. Apparently new cotton mops have to be ‘broken-in’, by soaking them in clean
Man with a tin bath
Written on December 6, 2017
in Zambia

My friend Ann lives in Woodlands, on the outskirts of Lusaka. From the middle of town, it’s a good hour’s walk along Independence Avenue. Laid out by the colonial government, with two lanes for traffic each way, the road was originally called Ridgeway. Its best feature is the wide central reservation. Mature
King of the jungle?
Written on October 31, 2017
in Zambia

Walt Disney’s ‘Jungle Book’ has a lot to answer for. Having watched the film as a child, I was convinced that a jungle was thick tropical forest where the animals danced to swinging jazz. The truth isn’t as entertaining. Apparently ‘jungle’ comes from the Hindi word ‘jangala’, meaning open, savannah-like terrain, uninhabited
The charcoal carrier
Written on August 20, 2017
in Zambia

It’s springtime in Zambia and the weather’s getting hotter. So when I can, I get up early to enjoy the cool mornings. As a bonus, the light is perfect for photography until about 8 o’clock. Last week I went out looking for charcoal carriers to photograph. For me, the sight of a
The Goose and the Maid
Written on July 11, 2017
in Zambia

In Zambia, road junctions are multi-purpose. Of course roads meet at them – but so do people. And where people meet, why not advertise and display your goods for sale? I took this picture on the Leopards Hill Road in Lusaka. Nearby, there’s Crossroads shopping mall, which could be anywhere between Cape
Zambian fast food
Written on June 17, 2017
in Zambia

Are you hungry and short of time? In Zambia, the traditional fast food is sweetcorn cooked on an open brazier. For two or three kwacha each (about 25 US cents), you can enjoy freshly roasted corn on the cob. Traders sit by the roadside with their charcoal brazier and a stock of
Lusaka wildlife
Written on April 28, 2017
in Zambia

There’s not much wildlife in Lusaka. With a population of more than two million, the Zambian capital is crowded and built up. The mini bus drivers can be wild, but that’s a story for another day. Walking round the city, I’d seen this metal sculpture before, but hadn’t taken much notice. The
The Copper Bullet
Written on March 1, 2017
in Zambia

Take the Great North Road from Lusaka and as you approach Ten Miles you’ll find this sculpture in a maize field. Zambians love their maize and their football. Nshima, made from maize flour, is the staple food in Zambia – and football is the national game here. The Zambian national team are