Driving through Choma

Driving back from Livingstone we passed through Choma where there was a large gathering of people awaiting someone important. Kids were climbed up on buildings and electric towers to get a good view. We stopped to ask one boy and he said the President is coming. We asked if it was RB (President Rupiah Banda) and he said no it's HH. He is the leader of the opposition party that is running to become president in the election. People were lined up all along the road and some even dressed in tribal wear and carrying spears.










As we were driving just outside of Choma we saw a motorcade of vehicles, with loudspeakers and then a fancy mercedes benz and we figured we had just passed HH himself!






Then as we got closer to Lusaka we saw something I have not seen yet in Zambia, but of course it was not surprising. When you have seen Cow heads being unloaded from a car trunk into a wheelbarrow to sell in Chipata, I don't think much more could surprise me. But this was like a little farm on wheels.
A blue mini bus was towing a trailer and at first I just saw the chicken on top. Then as we drove past ( and the picture is bad from snapping it through the window) I saw not only did they have chicken, but also pigs and goats and ducks! all in this trailer attached to the mini bus.






Then as we were leaving Victoria Falls, I took a picture of the Zesco station.
If you look at the skyline on the right you will see 3 tall trees that "blend in" with the other trees and scenery.
This is the first time I have seen this in Zambia, where they created the electric towers to look like trees.
James said they do that in Namibia. I am sure it has everything to do with the fact that alot of important and wealthy people fly into Zambia to see Victoria Falls and they want everything to look nice. It did make it much nicer, especially as it is right across from where you pull out of the park.





Unfortunately though as we left the beauty of the falls and drove past where we had pulled off earlier another day to see the river before it goes into the falls we saw a group of 3 young people standing on top of the picnic table chucking empty glass beer bottles into the river. They were laughing hysterically and watching as each one made its way out into the middle of the river. We drove past and had we not been soaking wet I probably would have gotten out of the car but as it was I just rolled down my window and said, "What? " "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? " Why?

I am sure the why was...because its cool and we are young and acting foolish. Why not? ( and as a side note I don't think my getting out of the car would have mattered anyway and really what more could I have said? Except maybe, hey! this is your own country, why are you trashing it like that? )

Since my question stopped them in mid air holding a bottle to throw in they just stared at me for a minute I gave them a look like "come on!" Then they just started laughing and waiting for us to leave. Maybe they thought it was even cool since they were throwing Mosi bottles in. Who knows. But it was a bit disappointing coming from the beauty we saw and then to see just a few minutes later people throwing trash into the falls.

I know this happens back home alot and everywhere. It just seems like littering is so common here. I have been with friends and they finish a drink and just roll down the window and throw the bottle on the ground. You will be driving behind a bus and people are just throwing stuff out the window. Still not quite used to it and the thing is that everywhere you walk there is trash on the ground. Zambia is a pretty country if people took better care of it it would be even nicer. Every day on the way to school we drive past a area with nice trees and a big sign, Don't litter written in both English and Nyanja. Thing is its the biggest trash pile I have seen outside of the compounds.