DOWN ON THE RIVER KAFUE

I enjoyed my stay in Zambia. Each day faster than the last and packed with travel, both nearby and hundreds of kilometres away. We had no time to slow down despite the extreme October heat. I took countless litres of water, faithfully wore sunscreen, kept my cap on and was always quick to stand under a shade. That’s how you beat the heat, unless you prefer staying in the cooler indoors only to melt with boredom.

And this brings me to the Kafue River, my neighbourhood river and life line of Kafue town. We didn’t notice it the first day as it was already dark when we arrived. But with the subsequent trips, it was hard to miss. Initially, it was nothing more than just a river, but as the heat took a toll on me, I got drawn to it because, water really is life!

It was a public holiday, Zambia’s Independence Day, and a few guys had planned to head out for a boat cruise. I tagged along. The “Lady Betty”, that’s what they call her, was docked at the Kafue River Cliff. We hopped on at a small fee and off we went. I don’t know if was the idea of being on water, but those were definitely the coolest hours of day I had experienced in a while. I don’t recall if we had a DJ on board, but I’m pretty sure the other boats did. Drinks are sold on board, but you have to carry your own snacks.

It was a smooth sail that gave me something to day dream about for the days that followed. Didn’t last too long though, coz we were already off to the next adventure!