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OK so this originally started as a travel blog for my drunken Euro Adventures this year, however I've been lucky enough to jag a job where I get to travel so I'm gonna keep throwing a few stories in here and there. I've been bouncing around Perth, Johannesburg, Ravensthorpe (including a short stop at the Hopey pub which must have a mention as it is one of my happy places) and now I've been planted in Solwezi Zambia for the last couple of weeks.
WHERE to start??? I fired up early on a Monday morning after a quiet weekend in J'burg - first one in a VERY long time. My Liver definitely thanked me for it! Rolled into the airport and hopped on Zambezi airlines flight to Ndloa. You need to check out the international airport at Ndola, its basically 2 big Sheds!! Haha! I've got some photo's.After making it thru border control easily (Thank f*** as I was a bit nervous with my Aussie passport in hand) I jumped on a domestic flight to Solwezi. One of those 10 seater prop driven planes where the pilot is in the seat in front of you. Best plan of attack is to turniPod up REAL load and hold on for dear life!!...nah wasn't really that bad.
Got the airport and after wandering around aimlessly for about 10 minutes a local lad walks up to me and says "you work for the mine boss?" I was like yes mate, "hop in the car boss". At this point I was a touch nervous but the Company logo on the side of the Ute (which they call a bucky) made me feel a bit better! Driver's name is Jack - most of the Zambians seem to have an English name as well as a Zambian name as I'm sure his Mum didn't name him Jack! Rocked into the Royal Solwezi, AWESOME accommodation, nice bar, cheap beer…and I mean VERY cheap beer like not even a dollar a stubbie and wicked food. I was a happy Benny when I went to bed.
I'll fast forward a bit now, my travel plans for work basically landed me Solwezi till just after new years so I've moved from the hotel to the Mine's Golf Estate. Sorry to say it Lads but we're getting stooged on the accommodation on the mines at home, I've got a 1 bedroom flat, my washing gets done every day and I'm staying on an 18 hole golf course with a five minute walk to the pub. AND there's bloody Zebras and Impala everywhere! Pretty cool! Nice change from the Roo's and Emus. I think you can eat Zebra too…have to hook that one up…
Lets roll on to Christmas day at the Kansanshi Golf Estate, being my first Christmas away from home I wasn't really too sure how this was going to go down, the day kicked off with a 4am phone call from Craig - cheers mate, gotta love the time difference. So I hammered the old skype account in the morning to touch base with all the fam and friends at home. Cracked my first beer at 8.30am..after a coffee first of course. Then one of the IT lads and I hit the pub at lunch time where most of the estate was booked in for lunch. Food was awesome and it was an authentic African day with 3 power outages!! Haha they kept the bar open though. I managed to start drinking with some of the younger guys (round early 20s - yes I'm partying with younger people all time time!!)who were crashing with their folks over the Christmas break and after about 7.30pm Things turned into drunken madness. The Zimbabwean's def proved they know how to Drink and Dance. I def was the TOKEN AUSSIE as there was not another one in sight! After about 20 beers, a few rum and cokes, 3 shots of tequila (I think) and about a whole packet of cigarettes it turned out to be an excellent day! Def a unique Christmas experience, loved everyminute…
Next trip here I'm hooking up a trip to some Game Parks…keep an eye out for those pics! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!
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