Zambia World Wide

Because our passports had been stamped entry refused we had to go to the Tanzania Embassy and explain the position that we found ourselves in. We were a little concerned but there was no need, we paid a £15 fine and were free to go. The journey back to Kapiri Maposhi was uneventful and we were glad to be back. We should have been met at the station by Stewart but of course he wasn’t there, so we decided to catch the bus. (We had been told shortly after arriving in Zambia not to use the local transport as it was not safe). We travelled back to Kitwe on the bus and although it did take a long time, we found the Zambians that we travelled with to be a polite and happy crowd. From the bus station in Kitwe to our house we hired a local taxi. (We have now used all three forms of Public Transport and have had no problems with any). It was a relief to be home, we had been travelling for more than three days and were hot, dusty and tired. As I said at the beginning, a holiday to remember. After a few days it felt like we had never been away. “I am now having to think how to carry on as my memory these days is not so good.

Over the next few months nothing of great interest really happened, we went water ski-ing and camping, even at work life was quite uneventful. Ski show practice went on as it did every year, we went to local places of interest where we would spend many happy hours. We would spend many an evening at the company club where we would play golf, tennis and bowls, it was also about this time that we bought a bigger power-boat. The boat unknown to us at the time was to make a big difference in our lives as we could now go to places which until now would not have been possible. It was also about this time that Jan started sailing which meant our Sunday’s were now quite busy. Jan would leave the house at about 07.00 as the sailing always took place in the morning. I would give Gary and Craig breakfast, hitch the boat trailer up and load the cool-box. We would then drive to the boat club, launch the boat and get ready for the afternoon. By the time we had finished ski-ing and packed the boat away it would be time to get the Braai going. There would be a number of people there, as it was the best part of the day. Good food, a few beers and good company, end to a perfect day.

It was about this time that an incident occurred at Mindola Dam, we were sitting and chatting at the powerboat section. We saw a rowing boat leave the far side, it was about halfway across the dam when we spotted two children hanging on the stern of the boat. The men in the boat were hitting them on their hands with the oars, for a moment we were frozen, not believing what we were seeing. Mike and I were first to move, we ran to our boats and went out to get the children and bring them ashore. We were too late, Mike grabbed one child and we searched for the other, but there was no sign of the child anywhere. Mike continued the search while I went after the boat which by this time had reached the Fishing Club. I went back to see how Mike was getting on, however he had found no sign of the missing child. There was no telephone at the club, so one of the others drove to the police station and reported what had happened. Meanwhile Jan and I kept a watch on the Fishing Club, in case the men from the boat tried to leave before the police arrived. The men were arrested and we all gave our statements. The police “who had no boats” asked if we could take them out on the Tuesday as they felt the child’s body would then be on the surface of the water. We agreed and on the Tuesday went to the dam and met the police. Mike and Iris went clockwise round the dam and Jan and I went anti-clockwise. We had been searching for about twenty minutes when Jan and I spotted the child in the reeds at the side of the dam. The police got him into the boat and we returned to the shore. When we reached the shore the child’s parents were waiting for us, they thanked us for finding their child. I was a little confused and said to the police, why are they thanking us, their child is dead. The police said yes he is but now they can grieve, they have their son back. It was not until many years later that I really understood why they had thanked us. Now I am older I can understand. If we had not all sat there stunned by what was happening the outcome might have had a happier ending.