08.37 It's been good to hut sleep here in the Elephant Room at Jollyboys Backpackers (http://www.backpackzambia.com) in Livingstone, Zambia. Above and around us, we have had a blue large mosquito net each. It all felt like to be in a huge burqa.

09.20 Christer has left our home for some showering in a building further away. I'm sitting in a folding chair outside our hut. Now I'll stop writing and start reading instead.

09.59 BBC News counts down for the ten o’clock news which is coming on soon. We´re sitting in the bar area here at Jollyboys and are waiting for the breakfast we just ordered. BBC now says that Yassir Arafat will be dug up to determine the cause of his death. Moreover, they speak about the economic crisis in Spain.

Breakfast at Jollyboys Backpackers.

11.37 We left the safe wellknown area inside Jollyboys and have made it out into the town's hustle and bustle. We did not go far though. We are at the Livingstone Museum, which is just 100 meters from our hostel. Here, inside the museum, we have followed the human development, from the early Stone Age to the modern city life. Now we are sitting among a bunch of wild animals. They are stuffed. Before we went in here, we met two young men who wanted to sell something to us. They were waiting for us on the street outside Jollyboys. We promised to return after the visit to the museum. We'll see if they're still there or not.

12.30 Now I sit on a small open space in the middle of the museum. We just looked at a lot of things related to the famous explorer David Livingstone, who gave name to our town. His African helpers have taken down most of his life and it is presented here. We'll soon get out of here and continue the day with other activities.

12.47 We did see some more things before we left the museum, including the motorcycle which the former president Kenneth Kaunda went around on at the beginning of his career. We also found some postcards at the reception and wrote our names in a visitor’s log.

Christer is visiting Livingstone Museum.

The heart of Livingstone Museum.

President Kenneth Kaunda´s old motorcycle.

13.03 As we came out of the museum an intense negotiation with the men we met earlier, Bruno and Mike, started. After coming to an agreement, we promised to come back when we had the appropriate denomination of money. After that we went to buy a bus ticket to Friday's trip from here. They are however only sold on the day before departure so we will buy the ticket tomorrow instead. Then we met the men again and did some business. We bought some carved, black jewelry each. The jewelry depicts Nyami-nyami, the river god who lives in the Victoria Falls. It's good to be on good terms with God. (http://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/african-mythology.html) Now let's go and have lunch.

13.19 The sun shines and we are walking south along Livingstone's main street. We are heading to the restaurant Olga's (http://www.olgasproject.com), which in addition to an Italian restaurant/pizzeria has rooms for rent and operate a project for vulnerable young people in the neighborhood.

13.39 We have ordered pizzas and beer. Pizza is, as Christer just said, something to keep us alive for a while. Here at Olga's, it is quiet and peaceful even though there are Americans here. They are usually quite loud.

Pizza lunch at Olga´s Restaurant.

Peter is exploring Livingstone.

Schoolgirls on their way home in Livingstone.

15.28 The sightseeing in Livingstone is over for today. The town has plenty of shops and good restaurants but not so much more to see than the museum we visited today. It's Victoria Falls which is the major tourist magnet here in southern Zambia. We bought some things at the supermarket Shoprite before we went home. Christer has bought needles and thread. He will mend the tear in his pants. Now we will read in our crime novels by the pool.

15.56 I have walked down to the swimming pool from the waist and down. Anything more than that is not good. It's way too cold in the water. It is a pity that we have not been able to enjoy our pools on the trip but it depends on the season with its cold nights.

18.14 Dusk falls and we're back in the Elephant Hut. Christer is working hard to repair the tear in his shorts. It's a hard job but it must be done. The bad lighting here does not make it easier either.

19.14 It went, after all, quite fine to manually fix the pants with thread and a sewing machine needle. The only needles Christer found were needles for sewing machines and it was complicated to have the thread through the tip of the needle when sewing. Right now we have written the postcards. We did find some cards today, it's not the most easily found things in parts of Africa.

Livingstone

Christer is mending his shorts.

19.50 The postcards are written. We hear hammering, porcelain jingle, buzz from other guests, crickets and music. We are waiting for tonight's dinner. Today, everything has gone so fast.

20.30 Here we are sitting in peace and quiet enjoying coffee after the food. Suddenly, and not just once, but twice, skips the small packages that have been around malaria tablets out of the ashtray we put them in. Have they lives of their own? Some American youths have howled more than a little loud. Both boys and girls in a major U.S. travel group seem more interested to look into their glasses and bottles than watching Zambia. Certainly, we have been in their age, but was it really so cool to drink alcohol and to be without the parents?

21.34 On the local radio they are talking about family planning, the importance of condom use and the importance of informing young people about this. We are hanging out in our little house and are listening to Christer’s travel radio.

21.56 Now we listen to sports on the radio. A rugby match ended 87-88. A football game was canceled due to a funeral; was it the ball that was dead? In a match between two police teams the regular referee refused to take part, he did not dare when it was police teams which played. A replacement referee took over but when the match was over, the losers refused to recognize the result because it was the wrong referee. Some of the team names in the lower series are African Explosives, Tenth Planet and Chipata Municipality Council. Also, there were some prison teams that had played. Was it the guards or the inmates who played?

Thursday 12th of July

08.23 In a month from now I will wake up at home for the first time in a while. Today I woke up for breakfast, a minibus trip, fall views and a whole lot more. I am looking forward to an exciting and eventful day.

09.03 Sky News television report some tragic news. O2's mobile network is completely down in the UK. You can not use cell phones to text, surf internet and more. From time to time it should be possible to conduct telephone conversations with spoken words though. We just ordered our breakfast here.

09.29 We are still waiting for our large English breakfast. Now we are running out of time. The free shuttle to the Victoria Falls departs in half an hour and we want to make ourselves ready before then, including brush the teeth and change shoes. People who ordered well after us have had their breakfasts already. The guy at the counter just said that our breakfasts are coming soon. This is good.

Tourists from Congo, Israel, United States, Slovenia and Sweden are waiting for the Victoria Falls shuttle to depart.

09.52 There were no breakfasts arriving at all and we went to cancel them. They had not even start to cook our food. We got two toast sandwiches as compensation. However, we have paid for more than that! This we´ll discuss with those in charge later today. We are now, after a quick visit to the toilet and slightly mad, aboard the shuttle. I wanted to arrive at the falls calm and peaceful. Now I am mostly just upset and in a bad mood. Bloody Hell what a crappy start to the day! Up early to sit and wait for a breakfast that did not come and then a long daytrip on an empty stomach is not a great start.

10.02 Our minibus took us from Livingstone down to the border with Zimbabwe and the entrance to the Victoria Falls. The driver warned us that the baboons around the waterfalls are grouped five to five and will take food from people. How lucky that we have not brought any food.

10.09 We have written our names in a guest book, paid 20 US-dollars as entry fee and we walked into the area surrounding the Victoria Falls.

10.20 We've walked a short distance on a paved trail and reached the first lookout point. Water mist rises slowly up through the double rainbows. An incredible amount of white frothy water is throwing itself headlong down to my right. The roar is nearly deafening. We are at the Victoria Falls or as they are also known in the local language lozi, Mosi-Oa-Tunya. The name means, the smoke that thunders.

We are walking along a path to the Zambezi River.

Double rainbows over the Victoria Falls.

Peter is writing down notes in his travel journal and enjoys the marvellous view

The water from the Zambezi River continues to one of the world´s largest waterfalls.

Christer is sitting on the Zambezi shore.

Christer wanted to take a closer look at the waterfall.

Interesting tree along the Zambezi river.

Victoria Falls (Mosi-Oa-Tunya).

10.42 I'm right now sitting upstream the eastern cataract of the Victoria Falls with the right foot down in the Zambezi River. Totally cool! Up to 500 million liters of water pass every second here in the Victoria Falls, named by David Livingstone in 1855. He was, of course, referring to Queen Victoria.

10.55 We've walked on, away from the Zambezi River’s calm water. We are now walking with new views and angles. On the way we passed a statue of David Livingstone. It is dry season and sunshine but here at the falls with the water in the air the vegetation is green and lush.

11.15 We have a fabulous view of the falls. Between us and the cataract are a fence and a gap where the water tumbles down. Christer has covered his small backpack in the yellow rain cover included. This is the protection which he unexpectedly found earlier this year in Istanbul.

11.24 We have again seen and met some German young ladies who were on the same bus as us, the one that brought us here from Namibia. We passed by people walking around here in rented raincoats. We do not have any rain coats. It feels nice with moisture after all those dry days.

11.31 Now we have walked, no we ran at full speed over the Knife Edge Bridge. It is the walkway that extends high above the river downstream from the falls. The haze, the spray, the rain from the falls made us wet, soaking wet. Now I sit in the middle of the greenery and the falls roar. This whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A short distance away is the railway bridge, Victoria Falls Bridge, connecting Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is, among others, a popular spot for bungee jumping.

12.02 Once again the Knife Edge Bridge has been briskly crossed. Before that, we wandered around the various forest trails in the lush greenery. This time I had the protection of my umbrella on the bridge. Now we are sitting on the same bench as we did an hour ago. I have started to run out of words to describe how amazing it is here at the Victoria Falls.

Christer is trying to make a video clip in the wet environment.

A wet place to watch the falls.

The bridge betwewen Zambia and Zimbabwe.

We didn´t have time, money or was it another explanation?

Knife Edge Bridge

Fisherman in the Zambezi River.

12.17 So we are back upstream the waterfalls. Out in the Zambezi River there is a black man with a white tank top and a landing net. This place, this area is absolutely amazing. Sure, I've heard of it and read about it before, but a personal experience beats everything.

12.57 After enjoying the falls we both enjoyed a carbonated drink each purchased in a small kiosk inside the forest. The vendor asked us to bring back the empty bottles. Now we have started walking along a path and have just met some baboons. They are everywhere here in the woods and slopes at the waterfalls.

13.15 The baboons were photographed and filmed by us. One of the monkeys sat on a tree branch and played with a blanket he/she had found somewhere. Another had found a Pepsi bottle as a toy. Now we are at a memorial monument to those who died in the First World War. Around us a watering device spreads water in the dry vegetation.

13.39 Now it is over with water falls views and monkey business for today. After buying a few more postcards in a souvenir shop, we now head back to Livingstone in a blue taxi.

A baboon with a new toy.

Baboon riding.

Peter is taking some wildlife photos.

Our friendly taxi driver stopped and we could take a look at these elephants.

13.57 On the way back we saw some elephants standing in a nearly dry riverbed. Once in Livingstone we went and bought bus tickets for tomorrow. There are two types of buses, Business Class and Ordinary. We were told about the difference between the two and chose business class. The price was affordable. Now we are at Rite Grill and Pub and will have lunch. The waitress pointed out that my choice, Ranch Sirloin wasn´t too good, and so I switched dish. While waiting for the food, we will write some postcards.

15.13 We had to wait a while for the food but it was worth it. The waitress came back to our table and wondered uneasily whether it was really good. I got the dish I first ordered after all. Now we just catch our breath before we go to the reception at the Jollyboys and talk about the breakfast incident.

15.33 Now we have donated two novels by Carin Gerhardsen here at Jollyboys. We have also purchased computer time and received money for the difference between what we ordered and what we actually received during breakfast. After this effort we have put ourselves in a large comfortable sofa below the Lookout Tower. Next to us is a black cat and it cuddles as well.

16.29 I do not know if it's because I sit comfortably, the book, the sound from a ukulele or the strong paint smell. Anyway, I feel tired. Maybe it's time to do some other things?

17.19 I feel like I've written this before. We have been in the supermarket Spar and purchased things and now we drink coffee. The first journal is coming to an end but there is another one.

18.27 Now we are back in the Elephant Hut. Tomorrow we will travel to the nation's capital. Before it became the capital Livingstone was actually the capital. This however was not in Zambia, but when the area was called Northern Rhodesia. The city also has an African name, Maramba. A Christian radio station that we listen to reports that a little spanking is educational and leads to success in school.

20.38 After a good dinner here at the hostel we have surfed a bit on the internet. There we learned that Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia took the gold medal in tennis in 2000 and Nicolas Massu of Chile won it in 2004. Imagine what you forget! Now the journal is at its end and soon this day as well.

Here, the guests at Jollyboys sit and read, play games or just relax.

It's nice to relax after a day full of experiences.

Friday 13th of July

06.50 It's refreshingly cool inside the hut. It's another travel day. This occurs on a date that we associate with strange occurrences, July 13. Further more, it is Friday the thirteenth today. One wonders what will happen. A new travel journal is started. This one is a gift from Patricia, an Indonesian woman who follows our travels well.

08.03 Today we got our English breakfast just as we ordered it. It is so much better here than in England. That's because the bacon and sausage are very tasty and of a meaty quality. The staff at the bar were very willing to service us today. Have they been scolded since yesterday hassles? Now we will pack and in an hour we are heading on.

08.40 So we checked out from Jollyboys Backpackers. A guy asked us if we were from Sweden. He himself came from Norway but had African origin and was going with the same bus as us. Now we are sitting on the blue bus from the company Mazhandu Family Bus Service Ltd.. Each place has its own display on the seat in front. Outside it is +14° and a 71% humidity. A little tubby British lady just told a young man that he was more likely to fit her up on the luggage rack than his sports bag. Before I boarded the bus I bought three 10 trillion banknotes from Zimbabwe. They are sold as souvenirs now. The country has given up its own currency and now uses the US-dollar instead.

We are departing from Livingstone. You buy bus tickets from the blue shed in the background.

Today we are traveling with a new luxury bus.

09.21 We have left Livingstone, Jollyboys and the Elephant Hut behind us. It's been an OK accommodation but it felt a bit too simple and dark inside the hut from time to time. However, it was nice to sleep in there. Now the seat TV offers the movie First Blood.

10.20 We have travelled north on a good road and the journey is comfortable. A stop was made in Kalomo. In the outskirts of the town, we saw an American school bus. We saw plenty of those last year in Central America and now here. All small towns we pass through has a post office. How can they afford having that in Zambia but not in Sweden?

11.07 A number of seats behind us the African Norwegian is talking to an American who seems to be a Latter Day Saint (Mormon). He talks incessantly about Jesus, family and various moral issues. Many of the passengers seem to be heading to Lusaka to take a flight home from there. We will, however, stop there.

12.27 The sun shines on us at the half-hour stop just outside Monze. We were promised that this break would last a whole half hour, but it has ended as a nearby car honked and most of the passengers returned to the bus. They thought it was a signal from our bus and that it was leaving. We are still outside. Here is a man selling fish. Once back on board we will taste the snacks included, Mirinda orange drink and a little toast in a pack. It's a bit of luxury when you travel Business Class.

Our bus has made a stop in Kalomo.

Mazhandu Family Bus are using modern Chinese buses.

We are allowed to take a break just north of Monze.

12.48 We went back on board and the stop was less than 30 minutes. All was on board so why would the bus wait. The landscape is dry and we are getting closer to Lusaka.

13.48 On the left side, it is dry and sometimes black burnt grass. To the right the grass is dry as well as green.

14.17 There are mountains on the horizon and just now we went over a river. We are coming closer to the capital.

15.29 We slowly rolled into Lusaka and finally got to a chaotic bus station, Inter City Bus Terminal. It was a miracle how our driver managed to drive past the station area without crashing or run over someone. Now we travel in a taxi with a friendly driver who was waiting outside the bus. His name is John.

15:51 John drove us to our pre-booked hostel Kalulu Backpackers Hostel (http://www.backpacklusaka.com). He wrote down his phone number, 0977700296, so we can call him if we need a ride again. We paid and are in a new room. There is no room number but the key has a star on the key ring. Now we are waiting for the change of 6000 Kwacha. Lusaka is, unless I counted wrong, the 75th capital city that I write a travel journal in.

17.33 I've been outside and taken pictures of the dog and the two rabbits in the garden. The dog seemed to like playing and so did the rabbits. They went round the tents in the garden before they got tired of it all.

Souvenir from Zimbabwe.

Kalulu Backpackers, Lusaka.

He is a thief, he chases rabbits, he is the dog at Kalulu Backpackers.

A dog and a rabbit in the garden.

18.13 Now we have decided to go and eat dinner here at the hostel. I wonder if it they serve rabbit.

18.18 Just as we had ordered hamburgers and Spaghetti Bolognese the lights went out and it immediately became completely dark at our table. Moreover, now the news came that there is no spaghetti today.

18.47 The candlelight is shining as I write this. We are still without power. But it's July 13. On top of this the toilet, which is next to our room, is unflushable. Hey, the light reappeared and an annoying alarm sounds in the neighborhood. Now it is silent and the candles are blown out.

19.21 Now the food arrives, this should taste good.

19.53 Both Christer and myself are full. The burgers were no culinary sensations.

20.21 There was a knock on the room door. I opened and there stood the cook. He asked if we wanted to pay. We told him that we had paid at the bar. However, you should pay to me he said. OK, I said we'll do it from now on! Good, he said I'm in the kitchen, go there and pay. But we have paid, I countered. Have you? Yes, in the bar. OK, fine, he said, smiled and left. From now on, we´ll order all the food in the kitchen and the beverages at the bar.

No electricity.

Saturday 14th of July

09.13 Today is the 35th birthday of Sweden's princess Victoria. We are not invited to the party. Instead, we have been to the kitchen here at Kalulu Backpackers and ordered our breakfast. Kalulu by the way is the name of a fairy rabbit found in traditional stories here in Zambia. I guess this fits well with the rabbits in the garden.

10.25 It was great with breakfast. A lot of flags are hanging in the bar and we had a flag trivia before we went back to the room. Now we are outside the property's gate. We're going to take a look around in the capital of Zambia.

Peter eats breakfast and learn more about flags.

10.48 Imagine what can happen on a walk from the hostel. A passing car slowed down and a woman in the car suddenly said "Sweet and sour". However, it was not to us, and the slowdown was due to a speed bump. One wonders what their conversation was about, Chinese food? Later, we saw military police trucks. The back of the truck was full of uniformed men. One of them blew in a yellow vuvuzela. Now we have reached the Levy Business Park/Mall. It is a large modern shopping mall, which opened in November 2011.

11.38 We have looked around in the new mall. Here, we feel simple as a person and in our clothes. Among other things, we have seen a family with Indian features, mom, dad and a daughter age of five. She easily carried her mother's hand bag and walked just like her mother. The daughter viewed both shoes and bags in a nice shop with great interest while her mother did the same. Now we are at the restaurant/café Mugg & Bean. It will be morning coffee.

The gate at Kalulu Backpackers Hostel.

Our "home street", Broads Road.

We are going to a shopping mall that is so new that it is not on our maps.

Inside the Levy Mall.

Peter is walking through Lusaka.

Cairo Road, Lusaka.

12.16 It was a bit boring with just coffee here at Mugg & Bean but it felt a bit early for lunch and other snacks was unnecessarily expensive.

13.04 We eventually left the mall behind us. We tried to find an internet cafe there but with no success. We have now moved one block west and have walked along the busy main street Cairo Road. We have found an internet cafe and did some surfing. It's been a while since we updated us about the world.

13.34 White, I told the waitress as an answer to the question of which kind of bread for my Serb swarma. We are at Zoran Café on the second floor of the mall Levy Mall which we returned to. The restaurant is owned by a Serbian family. The couple at the next table could also be from the Balkans. The language and appearance suggest it.

14.49 It was really tasty lunch. On the way home, we donated 1000 Kwacha each to some children who represented a Christian organization. They were eager that all of them should receive a respective note. It was not enough to give money to just one of them.

Christer is waiting for his lunch at Zoran Café.

Lusaka

15.17 After I made a quick estimation of the budget and Christer noted that there is hardly any water in the sinks away at the showers in the backyard, we are now sitting by the pool to relax.

15.37 We got a visit here at the pool by the dog that lives here. Pretty soon, we were not so interesting anymore. The dog's focus switched to a plastic bag which a guest had left. In the bag it found a piece of bread which was cheerfully and quickly consumed by the happy animal.

16.32 Not much happened and we finished our soft drinks. The borrowed chairs were returned and now we're back in the room for a moment.

18.01 I've been away and I washed my clothes. The first attempt failed due to shortage of water. The second attempt was better and now my laundry is hanging on a clothesline.

18.38 I've just got back the kwacha (change) from the reception and here I sit in peace and quiet, waiting for Christer, who is away and washes. Suddenly I hear not one, but two, consecutive horrified screams. I went out to see what had happened. It turned out that a small boy had looked into the room of the British young women nextdoor. His sudden arrival scared one of them and she screamed right out. This scream scared the little guy and he cried out as well.

We have returned from our adventure in the city centre.

I´m the boss here!

19.01 It was time for dinner and we went out to the kitchen. There, we did not find anyone at all and instead we went to the bar to ask for food. The bartender disappeared and we started talking with two tipsy men in their late 50´s. One seemed interested in us and our journey. The other man was talking some weird language, Afrikaans? The bartender returned with the news that the chef had returned home for today. The bartender recommended another accommodation, Broads Backpackers Lodge along the same street. We went there and at the entrance to their restaurant we ordered Spaghetti Bolognese. On the TV, a football match from the Kenyan league just started.

19.32 Sounds and people are coming from the kitchen. No food has been seen though. The match in the Kenyan Premier League is between Ulinzi and Western Stima.

19.45 A man at the entrance just made a call. One of the words that could be heard was "spaghetti". The first half of the Kenyan TV match is about to end. In addition to tables and chairs, there is also some containers with buffet food here. People enter, put their food in Styrofoam boxes, pay and leave.

20.03 The second half of the game has begun. An Irish girl at the table next to us said a while ago that she had waited an hour and a half for their food. But as Christer says, in a small kitchen with a lot of orders, it may take some time. Now the neighboring table with the Irish woman and 5-6 people got some dishes.

20.37 We just got the news that the food is on the way. At first we thought they said, "The dish is out." What was said was "They are about to dish out."

20.59 Our food arrived and while we were eating we saw a chef and an Indian guest having a discussion about how a specific dish should be prepared. Now we are back home and found that the toilet outside our room is flushable but it is clogged, hurray! Now I'll go and check my laundry.

Finally, our dinner was ready!