Trip to Livingstoe - what planned was not what had done.......

This was one of the trips that I wished to do since I knew I was to come to Zambia......well, early 2011 when I knew that Ba Hamangaba's wife was to expect a baby in a few months (people here don't tell the pregnancy till it been seen physically) and in their custom the first born had to be delivered at either grandmas' homes, and both grandmas are in Southern Province, so I offered to go visit and accompany new Mom and baby back to Luapula......So the day came, baby was delivered on early April and there is 4 days weekend for Easter so all this was planned with Ba Hamangaba.

While ready to plan for bus tickets, etc., Ba Lloyd's wife is a school teacher and now is in the school break for a month now so she is back visiting her parents in Southern Province. Ba Lloyd suggested we all take night bus on Thursday, April 21, so he and Ba Hamangabe and I were to go straight to Victoria Fall for a day than stop on the way back to visit each of theirs and their wives parents homes and the last stop be at the new mama and baby's so the two couples, new baby and I will travel together back to Mansa than Mabumba and Yasakwa homes.....I told Barbara, a PCV in Northern Province this plan and she wanted to come too......so planned to meet her at Lusaka bus station than all four of us will spend one whole day at the Fall........exciting.....

The fact was that on April 17th there were many young girls been found collected in Mansa for whatever reason (some said it was for cleansing ceremoney, some said it was for organ hearvest) people in Mansa were complaining that the police did not act quickly and efficiently so more and more people came into town on Monday to protest, and marching than turned into riot.....later I heard there were wholesale stores and few cars burnt, don't know if all were true.....

I did not know a thing about this in Monday morning and went back to my village to work as scheduled......mid afternoon when I was visiting Shio-Bai before came back to town (my neighbors are still not fixing the bore hole and well, even up to today) I got the phone call and text from PC officers from Lusaka and Mansa that I should stay in my village till the riot is over. Whao, than my change cloths and food are in Mansa.....I just had to collect all I have in post house to get by and hope the next day all will be over for people here are gentle, I can't believe they could be in riot....

Shio-Bai was happy that I was at the house again, she came miawing outside of the door at 5 or 5:30 for she is sleeping at neighbor's since my trip to Seattle.......the riot continued Tuesday, Wednesday so I had to have kids to bring me lot more water to do my laundry for nothing left to wear now...I had to make fire just to dry them before I go to bed and up early to make fire again to dry them to wear...

Wednesday night I heard traffic from the road were getting busier as time go by.....Thursday morning I've got the OK to go back to town....that is the day I have to take night bus to the fall..........just because of this riot Mrs. Lloyd was worried to leave sisters at their home if Ba Lloyd traveled out with their neighbor - Ba Hamangaba (both of them are supporting their's and their wive's sisters to go to school from each of their homes in Mabumba) and Ba Hamangaba was tight up with schedule could not come on Thursday night bus...I got my bus ticket a week ahead so "only" I went on as planned.......

Met with Barbara at Lusaka bus station and went on to the to 6 hour bus ride to Livingstone and it turned out to be 8 hours when we got there. With help from Budget store manager at Mansa and their people I knew at Lusaka, all helped to have had their store manager in Livingstone to book us two backpacker's bunkbeds to stay one night at Jollyboy's (little out of town) and one night at Fawlty Twoer (in town) for our trip was planned late and all booking was not possible.....also the return bus tickets were bought ahead too.....thanks to you all Budget people....

Often what planned was not what had done.....another time......Cheng 4/29/2011