Closing in on Lusaka - capital of Zambia.

February 22nd
Trouble! Riots, road blocks and nobody really knows what’s going on...no wifi for the whole southern region of Zambia, starting in Livingstone and up to Lusaka. Right were we are cycling our way north.
Just a couple of days ago we feared elephants, lions ...wild animals and now it’s people! We spent a night with a caring couple on their farm..off a dirt road, near a communication tower. We weren’t sure we were on the right track. We are using the iOverlander app which is exceptional helpful when it comes to finding camping, lodges, hotels, backpackers....any kind of place to spend the night.
So here we were - we hollered at the gate until a person showed up: “Are you Rob?” “Yes, I am and you are welcome to pitch your tent, have a hot shower and be safe”
We slept well, got to use the outside kitchen and shower and got acquainted with our warm and generous hosts. But before we left the next day, they both shared their concerns about the state of Zambia at this time. Peaceful, friendly Zambia is in trouble with their own people fighting each other.
Rumors? NOBODY really seemed to know what was going on! No research possible for us, since wifi wasn’t working.
Rob took the truck to the next town north - only a few km up the main road. We made our way in that direction and all seemed well. Rumors surrounded stories about gassing (they search commuters bags for kerosene cans) people and taking their blood and organs ...roadblocks, riots, setting their own on fire.
When there is no real news and everybody is telling something, it is really hard to get an understanding on what is going on.  The stories appeared quite absurd.
What to do in a situation like this?
We got a warning about roadblocks, rioting, killing, gassing...but what does it mean for us and what do we do?
James and I decided to keep going and stay hyper aware.
We reached the next village of Kalomo and saw Rob. He stopped us with warnings of road blocks ahead of us where some local fanatics take spray bottles from people for the kerosene to gas people in their houses at night when they sleep to take their blood. We gave him our bug spray can in case our bags were searched too.
Our goal for that day was Choma, some 86km and check in with the police. Trying to find out what is actually going on - somebody has got to know!
All was fine on the way there...hard to tell if people we came across seemed restless or scared, angry or what? With conflicting stories in our heads we told ourselves to refrain from judging...we really have NO CLUE! (Which can be dangerous - or not). We were greeting everybody as we always do and were greeted back with big smiles and welcoming gestures. So? What is going on?
Choma is pretty big and we found our hotel not before checking in at the nearby police station. Busy place! Seems like we were talking to the chief...not sure, but he appeared to have some kind of authority. All appeared casual and almost too relaxed if any of the stories going around had any truth to them. Chief was standing there, in front of the building, three kids (maybe his) between 6 and 8 years old in school uniforms,  peeling and chewing peanuts out of a huge plastic bag laying on the ground dropping the shells around their school shoe feet. Nothing urgent.
We voiced our concerns and were told that things are under control -at the moment - but still nobody could tell us what the actual problem was/is. The advice was to check in again before leaving town tomorrow morning. Of course we did and this time the friendly officer told us that we’ll be OK, because:  “You are innocent! You are white and not part of the conflict”  is what he said.
So, we kept going - Gina’s lodge..only 66km. We got there at lunch time in spite of the head wind. Maybe we cycled just a little faster?
Anyways...the place was taken! The whole damn thing! Not a single, tiny room for us! And they all took a break and came out to greet us too. They had a conference for “World Vision” an organization to educate about HIV.

“Gina’s lodge” host felt bad and gave us advice to ride ahead north- about 17km to the Mayfair Lodge. Because: “it is safe there!”
Ok!
Mayfair Lodge it is and when we rolled in..first thing we saw was a big....I am talking HUGE....... safari truck and a bunch of people buzzing around.
Mayfair Lodge is FULL we were told.
Geez Louise!
Abigail said: “Wait, I am checking with the owner, we’ll make it work somehow”
And they did! We got to stay with the owner’s family in their house on the same property.
You just never know how lucky you can get!

I wish I had pictures of mom, grandma and dad, but I “only” got a picture of me and the kid....figures!

Claire the safari leader who occupied the Mayfair lodge with all her employees tried to explain what was going on - there was still no wifi - which was not a coincidence - she and the group had been harassed in the bush trying to set up camp for 14 tourists who were arriving that day and had to flee back to the main road threatened by locals in those rural areas.
Anyways this is what I got from the papers a day later:

Well, we cycled to Mazabuka without an incident. We loaded up on groceries (you never know when you come across another “ShopRight”) and met a curious woman who was also a guest in our “Golden Pillow Lodge” who offered James and I each a massage that night we arrived. When does something like that ever happen?
We got oiled with essentials and rubbed in our room right after a very fishy and lovely dinner. We got a few kinks worked out in our shoulders/necks, legs and backs and fell asleep soon after, feeling ok with the world for now.