Lusaka Half-Marathon

Last weekend Henry and I ran the Lusaka half-marathon. We did it on kind of whim, and were slightly hesitant not knowing what kind of support the course would offer. Most things don't have a great online presence here in Zambia, and the little info we could find wasn't too encouraging. There were going to be no port-a-potties, but they would have water stations. Results from previous years also suggested it would be a pretty small crowd of runners.

We left for Lusaka the day before the race, a harrowing 6 hour drive from our home in Kitwe. Henry and I have made this road trip all too often, and it never seems to get shorter. This trip includes passing at least 6 police checkpoints, and it's always a gamble which ones will stop you. We celebrate every check point we pass without incident.

Although the road trip isn't fun, spending the weekend in Lusaka is. We always look forward to new restaurants and food we can't get in Kitwe. We often also try to go see a movie, since we don't have any movie theaters. The night before the half we decided to eat Thai food, which we were both really excited about. This did not end well for me, and I had an upset tummy all night and in the morning before the race. Our race packet/info came with a specific warning not to run if you had had diarrhea in the past week - info I haven't gotten in other races. It was promptly disregarded. That's life in Africa.

The race started really early. We had to leave our hotel around 5:15, and the race started at 6:00 am. We were super skeptical that the race would actually start on time, but I was super impressed with it's promptness!

warming up

While waiting in our holding pen (they had squares roped off for each race - marathon, half, 10k, & 5k), we met another American, a peace corps volunteer. Turned out she and Henry were born in the same hospital in Washington. Wow!

This half was significantly smaller than other races we've run, and much warmer. Running in Seattle in november usually means huddling in the car until the very last second, and keeping your coat on until the very last second. This was a comfortable change. Although it was so early it was still dark, it did also mean that it also wasn't too warm.

Other runners also not huddling in coats

Pretty much everyone was dressed like a typical race, but I have to acknowledge the people running in socks that totally kicked our butts. That was new to me. Having so few runners in the race meant we were really close to the front at the start. They also started us with a gun shot, which spooked me so much I almost darted off in the wrong direction.

The course was closed (meaning no cars on the roads) for about 45 minutes, then it became very intermittent. It was fun to see new areas of the city, especially since our usual routine takes us to the same places every time we visit. It was really different having so few runners on the course. In Seattle, you are constantly surrounded by tons of runners. At this race, there were times we couldn't even see the next runner in front of us. It felt kind of lonely to me, or like Henry and I were just out for a practice run. I missed the camaraderie I usually experience. I'm extra glad Henry ran with me.

I had stashed some jelly bellies in my runner's fanny pack (trust me, it's very stylish) and substituted these for a gu or any other subsistence along the way (I really missed the guy with krispy kremes who usually hangs out at mile 10!). Although they did have water on the course, they didn't have anything else. They also handed out entire bottles of water, which I appreciated.

Other notable things about this race: the smells. I don't know what we ran past, but one or two times we were hit with some pungent fumes. It was funky. It was also interesting how few spectators there were. There were two small groups over the entire course cheering. I kinda missed that as well. If I were to do it again, I would introduce the cowbell to the Zambian running scene.

Finished!

After we finished we stuck around to watch the winner of the marathon finish (only had to wait a few minutes....).

The most important thing after collecting our medals was to get some food. Not sure I'd do it again but I'm glad I did it once.

Contemplating our run

We spent the rest of the weekend in Lusaka, and saw the Jungle Book. Then we got to enjoy the long drive back to Kitwe.

We have everything except whatever you order

One of the things we have come to accept as normal is the inconsistency in availability of...well....everything. Multiple times we have gone to the bureau of exchange only to be told they have no kwacha (the local currency) and we can't exchange money. Today's lunch was another typical example:

[at an Indian restaurant]

me: I'll have chicken tikka masala and naan.

waitron [local term for waitress/waiter]: we don't have naan right now.

me: okay. what else don't you have right now?

waitron: we have everything else.

Henry: I'll have the saagwala mutton (a spinach dish).

waitron: we don't have spinach right now.

Henry: okay. I'll have the lamb & pea dish.

[waitron leaves to place our order, then returns]

waitron: we don't have peas right now.

[slowly walk away...]



It is a a fierce reality check to be shown how much I take for granted the availability of anything I could want in the US.

Easter Weekend and a Rant

(posted late, I know....) I am worried that my current circumstances are going to give what was otherwise a lovely weekend a negative slant. I am at our house in Kitwe, where it is growing ever darker and ever warmer. We haven't had power really since last night at 10:00 pm (it was on for about an hour this morning before shutting off again). Henry made a lovely Easter meal, including a turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. Sadly, all the leftovers are probably spoiling in our ever warming fridge. We also don't have water. The warmer I get, the more I just want a shower, and would gladly welcome a cold one at this point. However, we certainly don't keep enough water in reserve to accommodate that request. We are already having to ration our toilet flushes. I wish I could say this was a rare occurrence. While it is uncommon to have our power off for this long, it is not uncommon to have to plan our days around not having it and it is not that rare to have our water shut off for hours at a time. We find that having a pressing laundry need is a good way to predict when you won't have water...otherwise, it can happen any time without warning.

Our current dilemna is figuring out how long we can make it using only the waning sunlight without turning on our battery lamps. I'm not sure they would last from now until bedtime, and it would be pretty annoying to find out they didn't.

So let me back up a few days when things weren't feeling so grim. Easter is a national holiday, so the university was closed on Friday and Monday. Henry and I had a relaxing weekend of doing some work, cleaning, taking care of things around the house, reading, watching movies, and playing some games. We decided that we were going to watch all of the police academy movies again (let that be your guide as to what the entertainment options here are like).

On Easter day, we were invited to one of Henry's colleague for lunch. It was really pleasant. Dinner was served at 10:30 am because they were expecting their power to go out at 2:00 pm. Of course, Henry and I often take advantage of these situations to get clarifications on things we've observed in Zambia that confuse us. Most interestingly, we got into a long debate about beliefs around witchcraft, magic, and things that do not have immediate and clear explanations. Henry used his excellent sleight of hand skills to make the point that just because we can't immediately find the solution does not mean there isn't one. What I found fascinating was how common beliefs about witchcraft seem to be.

For Easter supper, Henry cooked one of his favorite meals: Turkey. He gets all of the credit for the meal - I think my only contribution was looking up a recipe for mashed potatoes. I didn't even make them. It was very tasty and a nice reminder of home.

delicious!

Siavonga

A couple weekends ago Henry and I visited the southern part of Zambia. Henry wanted to do work related to micro grids he is helping build in that area, and I tagged along. We drove, and it was quite the road trip. It took us two days driving each way. We probably could have made it in one day. However, driving is so stressful here that we preferred to break it up. The roads are so poorly maintained, you never know when you will come across a pothole that shouldn't be passed at more than 20 mph. The roads are also full of cars and trucks of variable quality and condition. This means everyone is going a very different speed, and there is a lot of treacherous passing. I was very glad to get safely there and back and do not look forward to the next driving trip.

We stayed in a moderate sized town called Siavonga, located right on Lake Kariba. The town has very few amenities, but because of the lake, did have some resort type hotels. This made for a lovely stay. As is our experience, however, even the most lovely places still have some reminders that we are not in the US. Before I could enjoy our room, Henry had to kill a massive spider.

Landed right in our coffee service, effectively squashing any coffee drinking for the rest of the stay.

The room and facilities were lovely, and welcome treat compared to our day to day. The biggest luxury: air conditioning. Not just air conditioning, but air conditioning AND 24 hour/day power. Which of course didn't actually translate into 24 hour/day power. There was still a 1-2 hour power outage in the middle of one day. But hey, I'll take. 

Best TV we've had in Zambia...included perhaps 3 watchable stations. 

Because the hotel was on Lake Kariba, it had a gorgeous view of the water, and a gorgeous pool that I sadly did not get into.

I wouldn't mind this in Kitwe.

We were there only 2 days, and most of the time was spent working. If you have to work, better to have an office with a view. 

This was also my introduction to the fruit tree beverage - essentially blended juice.

The resort had zebras and impalas roaming everywhere. I was amazed how close they would let us get.

Hello, friend!

Because Henry was collaborating with some of the engineers working the dam, we got an exclusive tour. The dam on Lake Kariba is the primary source of power for Zambia. This is also the source of much consternation. Part of the reason for the load shedding we are enduring is the low water level in Lake Kariba.

Dam...

The dam is huge, which makes sense given that it generates enough power for most of two countries (it is shared with Zimbabwe). Henry can give a lecture on both the engineering considerations and politics of the dam and the current load shedding. I, however, can really only speak to the day to day frustrations of it. The many, many frustrations

Lake Kariba is huge (biggest man made reservoir ever!). While there I also ate bream, a local fish harvested from the lake. 

Checking out the water level...

The river divides Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the dam provides a link between the two. So we made a quick trip to Zimbabwe just by walking across.

Walked from Z to Zim.

We had a free morning before starting our drive back, so we decided to do a quick boat safari. We went to a lodge a little further east, and boated around the Kafue and Zambezi rivers.

We got wet bums because of course the boat wasn't covered last time it rained...

On this trip we mostly saw hippos... so many hippos. We also saw a lot of vultures. Cruising around on a boat was a really pleasant way to spend the morning. If we weren't moving, however, it was so so hot (I'm sure I haven't said that about my time here yet...). In general, it was much hotter in Siavonga and around than in Kitwe. Henry thinks he has really adjusted to the climate, but right now it doesn't feel like I ever will. Regardless, you just have to accept it and relish the air conditioning when you have it.

Always hanging out together.

Although this makes it look like all we do is travel, there is a lot of boring work that happens in between trips. Look forward to a potentially boring blog about it...

Safari

While in Tanzania, we also got to go on Safari. We left the lovely island of Zanzibar, and flew to the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania. Surprise, there are no major airlines that fly into this game reserve. Instead, we flew on very small plane, seating about 12. For one of the flights, one of our crew actually got to sit in the co-pilot seat. 

 

It was very cool to fly low enough over the landscape to get a good view of the terrain and what we were getting ourselves into. You can also see the grass landing strip we utilized to get close to our camp in the picture below. On our landing, a giraffe ran right in front of the plane, probably within 30 feet. It definitely got my heart pounding to be that close at that speed.

Clear of giraffe!

The camp had really nice facilities. There was a common area with a gorgeous deck and view of the river.

Shade was a necessity...

 They also had a bar built around a very old baobab tree (we were told thousands of years old).

We would go out early each morning (usually in a jeep but once in a boat). Then we would come back during the hottest part of the day and hang out at camp. In the evening we would go back out in the jeep looking for animals. It is really cool to be able to see the animals in their habitat.

Cape Buffalo - one of the big 5.

A hyena eating an impala. Don't look too close.

Mama giraffe and baby!

Baby baboon hitching a ride.

After dark and for our evening meal, we always had a guide escort us from our tent to the common area. Animals would routinely visit the camp, and this was a safety measure. Hippos would come into our camp every night, and we woke up on several occasions to the noises of their feeding. Hippos eat grass, and essentially have to spend all night grazing to consume enough.

Our tents and the hippos' lunch buffet.

Our "tent" was very nice. The camp was not grid connected, but ran a generator 2x day, which charged a battery for each tent. The battery would run lights and fans, but would drain after about 1.5 - 2 hours. That meant that you could have a fan running while you fell asleep, but that fan would stop and you would inevitably wake up in the middle of the night soaked in sweat with no relief.  It felt like you were trying to fall asleep in an oven.

Too hot for shirts.

One of our friends got a little heat stroke (at least, that is what a bunch of people without medical training self-diagnosed his symptoms as). His solution was to take a shower with his clothes on and then stand in front of a fan. Instant swamp cooler.

We did have a lot of down time in between our morning and evening safari times, so we did a lot of reading and a lot of crosswords.

It was also interesting to see a new part of Africa which looked very different from our corner of Zambia. This tree is believed to be thousands of years old. Pretty amazing.

Most people fly out of the game reserve back to Dar Es Salaam. Henry and I decided we would go by car. This turned into a pretty interesting road trip. As expected, nothing goes as expected. So of course we had to wait hours for our driver.

Waiting for our driver. Still waiting....

The rains had definitely made the roads deteriorate, and it was difficult going. The first 3-4 hours were on dirt roads, and our driver was definitely going faster than conditions indicated. Case in point: after hitting some pot holes pretty hard, the driver had to get out of the car to remove part of a now dragging bumper. Later, the driver had to wrap twine around a window that was being bumped loose. That trip destroyed that car. But we safely arrived.

Along this route I was desperately trying to get a signal on Henry's phone to check where I had matched for internship. I got enough of a signal at one point to know the information had been released, but it took another 30-45 agonizing minutes to actually get the correct e-mail to load. I was super excited to learn I had matched in Seattle and am grateful just to finally know what the next year will look like!

Locked Up Abroad

Not really, but I had my first real interaction with the local police in Zambia. The police routinely set up check points, in which all cars driving through are asked to stop and the police verify that you are up to date on your registration, taxes, and insurance. This is done through a series of stickers placed on the windshield of the car, so it usually requires no actual interaction and we are usually waived right on through. This time, while driving alone, I was asked to pull over. I knew there was no problem with my registration or taxes, so it's unclear why they asked this of me. They then asked for my drivers license, so I handed my international drivers license over. At this point I was asked to step out of the car and go speak with the other police officers.

The police officer informed me that I was supposed to carry my US drivers license in addition to the international drivers license, which I didn't have on me. This lead to some confusion. The police officer kept telling me that I needed to have my US drivers license. I kept repeating that while I understand the expectation, I did not have it on me. No amount of me telling me I needed it would change that fact, although they seemed to wish it would. Eventually, another police officer informed me I would have to drive to the police station. I told them I had no idea where it was, so they told me a police officer would ride with me.

I called Henry to let him know what was happening, and he encouraged me to bring the police officer with me to come pick him up. The police officer refused, and insisted we drive straight to the police station, even after talking to Henry. During this exchange, the police officer threw trash out of my car window. So while they are clearly sticklers for driving with a license, littering doesn't seem to be a concern.

The officer and I arrived at the police station, at which point she asked for my car keys. I replied by saying I didn't feel comfortable handing them over, and clearly I was complying with all of their requests. I didn't get asked for them again. I waited for a while while the police officer at the station completed a phone call. She again told me that I needed to have my US license. I explained that it was at my house and that my husband was trying to pick it up to bring it. I further explained that because I had the car, he was having to arrange a ride. I had tried to go pick him up myself, but the officer with me would not allow it. The police officer at the station told me I was released but needed to return to show my US drivers license. So I left.

Police Station

Since Henry was already on his way with my license and legal counsel from CBU, I just waited in the station parking lot. CBU staff carried my US license in and the entire thing was resolved.

Survived my first police interrogation.

Overall, the police were incredibly polite and respectful to me, for which I am thankful. It was my error for not also having my US license, however, I was surprised how important that was to them. Henry has had to show his license many times in the past, and has never been asked for anything beyond his international license. So I never thought it would be asked for. It also seemed like a lot of of trust in people following rules. If I had originally told the police I would drive to the station myself, I could have driven away with presumably no consequences. There was no documentation at that point. Additionally, once released to go bring my license back, it's hard to imagine anyone would have done anything if I had never returned. Regardless, I complied and everything was worked out.

A Week in Tanzania

Henry and I had some friends come visit Africa, so we flew to Tanzania to meet up with them. Our first stop was the island of Zanzibar. It had some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.

We got to stay in a beautiful bungalow that was open to the ocean, including a private beach area. Never has a mosquito net looked so fashionable. I could fall asleep listening to the ocean every night.

Although it was even hotter in Zanzibar than in Zambia, the ocean, the pool, and the ocean breeze all provided exceptional relief from the heat. I cannot get enough relief from the heat...

 While on the island we also took in some snorkeling.

Henry is thrilled to have gone snorkeling without throwing up in the ocean.

We also did a lot of relaxing, napping, reading, and just plain nothing. It was glorious.

 

After a few days at the beach, we headed to Stone Town, still on Zanzibar. The highlight of Stone Town was definitely the tortoises on Prison Island, a 40 minute boat ride away. They were huge. We got to feed them some greens while trying not to get our fingers bit. They slowly meandered around, and seemed very used to people.

A noble beast!

The boats we took too and from the island off the island did not inspire confidence, but delivered us safely. 

We also wandered around Stone Town, did some shopping, and visited some historical buildings/locations.

The city is a web is small, winding streets. It is very easy to get lost and I am sure we walked some of those streets over 10 times in the course of 2 days.

After Stone Town we headed to the Selous game reserve for a Safari, which was an adventure all on its own.

Quiet Riot

I am still very much trying to figure out what my routine is going to be while here. Of course, there are many things about life in Zambia that can often throw a wrench into your carefully laid plans. The most obvious of these is the unpredictable load shedding and not knowing when you will and won't have power. Today I encountered a second unpredictable factor: student riots.

It is my hope that I will be able to regularly work on the campus of the university where Henry is teaching. I was executing that plan today, working on my laptop in an unused lecture room, also populated by a handful of students. This was going swimmingly until someone came into the room and announced that it was getting hostile outside. I immediately left in the hopes of finding Henry to discover that, indeed, it was becoming hostile. Students were gathering in large groups, and there was a lot of yelling. Students were beginning to create a barricade across the road out of the university. I narrowly avoided being locked in the engineering building as the faculty and staff locked up and left (fire codes are a different beast here and locked in takes on a whole new meaning). I got in contact with Henry and we quickly left campus as well.

Of course, the road to our house goes by the other entrance to the university, and the police prevented us from taking this road. We can only assume this was due to the student riots.

When the university is evacuated and you can't go home, the only thing to do is go to the nearest British pub and work from there!

More grapetizer, please!

Welcome Party

As Americans, we can expect to be the first ones to everything here.

On Sunday afternoon I was thrown a delightful welcome party by Father Bob. Father Bob is a Jesuit Priest who has been in Zambia for over 15 years. Coming from a Jesuit University, Henry has gotten to know Father Bob during his time here. Other attendees included ex-pats from Ireland, Zimbabwe, and India. Some of them had been living in Zambia for over 40 years. It was fascinating to hear them talk about their time in this country and the changes they have seen. The party was planned for 12:30, specifically to account for the load shedding that would occur in the evening (for an explanation of load shedding, see end of post). A lack of electricity can really make it difficult to prepare food and even socialize. I felt really honored to be welcomed by this group and enjoyed the best home cooked meal I expect to have during my time here. I hope I get to see many of them again and hear more stories!

Ready to party.

Load shedding: there is more of a demand for electricity in the country than is currently generated. As a result, the entire country is experiencing load shedding, or planned power outages. There is a rotating schedule, and you will either be without power from 10:00 pm - 6:00 am, 6:00 am - 2:00 pm, or 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Of course, the schedule is not always followed, and it is not always discernible.

Arrived in Zambia

I am now into my fourth day of living in Kitwe, Zambia with Henry. My first few days have been a fight to get over jet lag and adjust to a much warmer climate. Although really not that hot (upper 70's mostly), it has come as quite a shock to my system.

Kitwe is the second largest city in Zambia, with a population of about 500,000. In many ways a bustling metropolis and in many ways not. For example, Henry has been told there are under 10 robots (what they call stoplights here) total.

If you are interested in getting a glimpse of the city, you are in luck. Someone filmed themselves driving through the city which you can enjoy here:


In between naps, I have spent a lot of time shopping for things like soap and a cell phone and generally getting situated. I have also had to overcome a lot of very ingrained routines and muscle memory - like getting into the car on the left side when I am not driving or stopping myself from automatically rinsing my toothbrush in the sink (have to use bottled water instead). I expect that to become much easier quite soon.