Day 90. Lusaka 01/01/13

What a way to start the New Year - we woke up to hot BACON sandwiches! Then it was on the road through more of the same scenery - to an outsider, it looks as if a lot of the land is ideal for agriculture (long green grass and abundant shrubs and trees) but is left to nature. Our leader says that Zambia can now largely feed itself, due to the arrival of farmers who have been forced to leave Zimbabwe. Unlike in Malawi, where many of the signs are in local language (although Latin script), Zambia seems to have virtually everything in English with exception of names.

As usual, there is a large number of churches (quite a few kingdom halls for the J.Ws along the road) - you can certainly see why it is said that Christianity is far stronger now in Africa than in Europe. Seventh Day Adventists also seem to be very strong.

Drove through Lusaka and visited a shopping mall for provisions etc. Citylooks almost as if it is a European one - long good quality dual carriageway on approach, rather impressive university campus, and modern buildings (not by any means all high rise) etc. Rest of the country may seem second world, or even third, but the capital seems to be making a bid for first world status.

Camped on the outskirts in the grounds of a farmhouse with their own herds of zebra and impala wandering around, and elegantly thatched shower blocks marked "Bruce" and "Sheila" which presumably shows the numbers of Aussies that pass through on this route.

It seems that Malawi and Zambia are simply countries that need up be "passed through" on one's way to southern Africa proper, with little tourist industry of their own.