In Zambia!!!!

We arrived at two am here last night in Lusaka, and man it's like being in America. We got off the airport and bam! It's clean, orderly, the cars in the parking lot are brands I recognize and driving down the road in the taxi there are shopping malls. Actual shopping malls! And some lady bumped into me and actually apologized!

Hard getting here, trying to figure out a flight that meets PC safety standards. We had to fly direct (only to arrive at the airport and have the screen flash 'via Harrie' which I know PC says is sketch and to be avoided, but when we actually checked in learned that Lusaka was the first stop) and we got to the airport 3 hours prior to our site and needed most of them to get through all the security checkpoints and check in line because Ethiopian Airlines thinks, oh, night shift=less people, but really? most of the International flights leave then. My poor feet. I do not have the footware for 3 hours of standing around.

However, the plane was awesome. A 737 filling with only 20 people. The meal came quickly and I was offered seconds for every round of drinks. And who cared if it was 10 pm, I had coffee!

I can already tell this will be an awesome (if slight pricey) trip. The hostel we're staying at has more amenities than most I had in New Zealand (towels, soap, toilet paper that's pink, a pool, wi-fi) and while we'll only be here one night, I think the hostel in Livingstone will be wonderful too.