Today is Thanksgiving (in the US) but there’s no turkey and stuffing, no pumpkin pie, only Pringles and chocolate candy bars. Which is much tastier than the chicken and fries meal they try to get us to buy. We spend today on the train doing more of the same as yesterday and finally arrive in Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia at 5pm.
Now we should have really checked, but we only realise at this point that Kapiri Mposhi is not actually that close to Livingstone (about 10 hours by bus with a transfer in Lusaka), and is nothing more than a few shops and a market along a short stretch of road. However, in the absence of any other plan, we have to press on. After waiting for a bus for a little over an hour, it starts getting dark and becomes apparent we won't be getting anywhere near Livingstone tonight. In fact, getting to Lusaka is even starting to look unlikely. That is until we strike up a conversation with a small group standing nearby with big bags and also looking a bit weary – clearly some fellow train passengers. They turn out to be from Lusaka and quickly reassure us that a bus will arrive, eventually. They also confirm we will have to stay the night in Lusaka as there are no Livingstone buses until the morning - a bit disappointing to hear, but a good night's sleep is very appealing at this point so we get over it pretty quickly. Not too long later a bus arrives, and within a couple of hours we're in Lusaka.
One of the women we met at the bus stop kindly insists that we get in a taxi with her and helps us find a place to stay near the bus station. She is very sweet and wanted to make sure we’d be ok. (Lusaka isn’t the safest place for Mzungu’s at night.) It’s a good thing she’s with us too because there’s some event going on and loads of places are fully booked. In fact, she had to call her sister, who works in a hotel, to get us a room for the night. We’re so thankful we met her! After 2 nights on a train we’re also thrilled to see a stationary bed.
