Zambia World Wide

I arrived in a daze toward early evening to be met by husband and his colleague. We then journeyed by car to Kitwe and I recall my astonishment at the amount of trees and other vegetation converging on the road. This was the Tropics not only in heat, but the vegetation as described in so many books and articles I had read. I couldn’t believe I’d found myself in this green denseness and I felt like an explorer, bewildered and lost but, oddly excited and not at all fearful of what might jump out at us. Strange smells assaulted my nose. Perhaps I should say scents but then Africa always has that certain smell as soon as you land. Eventually blindfold you could tell where you were and when you are away, you long for it!

We had been allocated a house in what was then Lister Avenue. After such a journey I took little notice but was happy to drop into bed as was my poor tuckered out child. The following morning the adventure commenced. I had a male house servant to get used to, cement floors, a whole new neighbourhood and the wonderful colours of the Flamboyant trees. We were situated directly opposite Freedom Avenue Park and the town centre was a fair walk. My first thunderstorm was terrific and I loved every thunderous crash and dazzling lightning streak. I had never seen rain on this scale before and soon found out why there were storm water drains alongside the roads.

This was meant to be my temporary home for the dream still awaited … I didn’t bargain for falling in love with the country, nor my compatibility with its peoples.

The dream turned to dust as I happily began my years of residency …