Still Kayakless and first day on the river.

The bad news is I still haven't got my kayak and equipment, the good news is I finally got on the river in some borrowed kit.

My gear seems to have got lost again. It arrived in Lusaka on Sunday and was sent by Fed Ex on Monday morning (i.e. it should have arrived Tuesday morning) but it is now Wednesday evening and there is no sign of it. Fed Ex don't know anything about it and Ethiopian cant seem to be able to give me a reference number so I can track it. Everything takes longer in Africa (I spent 2 hours in a bank withdrawing money yesterday) but this is getting ridiculous I'm here a week now and they have had it for 4 days. It cant be that hard to get it here.I'll continue to badger them, not allot of spare gear going around here so its not a case that I can just borrow some other stuff. Should be able to get a boat, but nobody has spare decks or paddles around.

Nevertheless I did get on the river today. I rafted rapids 10-14 and than swapped into Jack's Kayak and paddled the remaining rapids to No. 25. These rapids are not particularly difficult, the occasional large wave is the main obstacle. However this is a big volume river, and there are very substantial boils and Whirlpools! Swimming is pretty much out of the question on a few of these rapids. It doesn't look like I'll be able to get out again tomorrow, so I really hope my gear shows up soon.

Livingstone!

I've finally arrived in Livingstone. Got in late on Saturday night. The bus journey down from Lusaka was very long. we were 7 hours on the road and I was stuck in a seat with a mother who decided not to book a separate seat for her child (and not a small one mind, she was about 10!), so I had to share with two people instead of the Campsite/hostel here is nice, has a good pool/bar area and seems to be pretty busy with backpackers. There are not a whole load of paddlers here, 6 in all including Jono and Jack who I paddled with last year in Uganda.

It appears that Ethiopian have found my boat in London and sent it on to Lusaka, so hopefully I'll get it down here soon. They are trying to get it on a plane here, but apparently its small so they are not sure if it will fit. If it does I could have it by tonight, if not who knows when?

Hampered by gear, high water levels and other logistical issues, I still haven't managed to get paddling yet. Apparently the river is much higher than normal for this time of year. I need to get out on some of the lower sections and shake of the rust before I can start paddling the more well known rapids. Unfortunately that seems easier said than done. I should be able to hop in on a rafting trip, but there was none today. Hopefully I'll get out soon and have some pictures and videos to show for it!

Kayakless in Lusaka

Yes, I'm on a kayaking trip and I no longer have a kayak. or a paddle. or my camping gear. It's Ethiopian airways fault for that, as after charging me €40 for my paddle they promptly lost it. Don't know what I'll do now. Will probably head to Livingstone in the morning as planed and try and wing it form there, Ethiopian reckon that it will come on tomorrows flight and that they will send it on to me. However I'm not sure if I believe them, either about the sending it on or it arriving tomorrow as they have no better idea on where it is than it probably never switched planes in Addis.

So I'm toren between staying here (in Lusaka) for another night and waiting for it myself, or going on to Livingstone and trying to wing it. They also have my first aid kit with my Malaria tablets, so knowing my luck I'll probably catch that now too!

Only (small bit) of luck I got today was getting the last bed, in the 3rd (of 3) hostels in Lusaka. It seems nice, opened today judging by the smell of the plaster and paint.

Zambezi bound

Tomorrow I leave for the Zambezi, similar to last year in Uganda I opted for the cheaper flights which were way more hassle. I said last year I wouldn't do that again, saw the price difference and changed my mind and am beginning to regret it already.

I'll be leaving tomorrow morning on the most charming Ryanair, facilitator of much stress in previous trips, to London Gatwick, making my way across London to Heathrow, and flying with Ethiopian Airlines to Lusaka. I'll be attempting to find accommodation there for the night, (Kuomboka Backpackers don't seem to respond to e-mail, so I'm not quite clear if I'm booked in there or not!) After that it'll be a six hour bus journey to Livingstone. It seems to be recommended that I go with the "Blue bus", hopefully Lusaka Bus Terminal is nothing like the one in Kampala, or else I'll be looking all day.

But once all the logistical stuff gets sorted It'll be some of this!

Zambezi - Gopro HD Hero from Peter Csonka on Vimeo.

I've purchased a similar camera, so watch out here for some (hopefully!)epic footage!