Another year has come and gone.The New Year is here and more adventures have come my way. I was set on welcoming 2017 with a tame night in reading books. I considered watching my phone as midnight finally rolled around and raising a glass in silent toast. Instead, I was convinced to take a last-minute camping trip to Lake Tanjanika with some friends of mine. Adventure ensued!
Making Our WaY to Lake Tang
I happily agreed and spent the next day searching for camp gear and delicious campfire veggies. The skies poured down and streets transformed before our eyes into rivers while we shopped. Six of us piled into a tiny taxi without an inch to spare. We held our breath and made our way in our newly converted boat. Like sailors do, we sent up prayers to arrive home safely and our taxi driver-captain navigated the shifting water ways. Eventually we made it home and with much relief, we enjoyed our last night with warm water and electricity.
In Zambia, you hitch rides to get around. So, early the next morning we sat alongside the road to hitch. I had high hopes, despite the lack of sleep and groggy eyes. The morning slowly melted away into the afternoon, but we were still waiting for a hitch. We considered getting a private taxi, but the life of a volunteer means limited funds. Once again we sat by our bags and waited.
Waiting is always easier with both food and friends. Despite the several hours that passed, it was still not too bad. The travel gods finally took mercy and we crammed into a mini bus. The mercy was limited though, and we sat in seats that zigzagged. Half of us sat legs spread eagle, and the other half sat sideways so we could all fit. Adding a cherry to top this travel Sunday, I soon realized the seats were wet. Each time we got out to stretch, I appeared to have peed my pants—a great learning opportunity for me to grow in humility.
Our 3-hour trip to Kawambwa took closer to 5. The private car we booked to take us from to Kawambwa to Lake Tang didn’t have enough seats. We looked more like a can of sardines than passengers in a car. We didn’t make it 15 miles before our transmission failed and we were once again sitting on the side of the road.
As the afternoon passed and we all just sat alongside the road, Lake Tang seemed more and more like a dream and no longer a possibility. Cars drove by. Some stopped to help, but a blown transmission is not a quick fix. After we devoured at least half our stock of chips and finished off a flask of feel good elixir, we conceded that Lake Tang (still at least 7-9 hours away) was no longer our NYE dream destination.
Accepting what is and moving on to Ntumbachushi Falls
We climbed into the back of a canter and considered our good luck despite travel set backs. Our car broke down less than 15 miles from Ntumbachushi Falls—not a bad alternative destination. We arrived just before dusk and quickly hiked up to our site to pitch our tents before nightfall. We were more or less successful, but the wood was wet and we still had no fire. It made the prospects of fire starting about as difficult as our travel situation had been. We gathered wet firewood and piled our TP up to start a fire.
As for my girls, I’ll raise them to think they breathe fire.
-Jessica Kirkland
And breathe fire we did. The ladies of the camp brought flames to brighten the night. It was no easy task, but after much persistence we worked magic to make wet wood burn. We would welcome 2017 in with light.
The evening continued with warm flames, good conversation, reflections of the year past and a polar bear swim. Swimming in the cold waters in the dead of night was invigorating and cleansing. It felt like we were washing away the old and welcoming in the new. We walked out of the water with quivering bodies, but strengthened souls.
NYE was nothing like I planned it to be. But that seems like how most my life is. The plans I make rarely ever work out, but living through the unplanned ones, is like discovering hidden gems.
