The Porcupines


It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together. This way they covered and protected themselves, but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions, even though they gave off heat to each other.

After a while, they decided to distance themselves, one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: Either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it was the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

There is a moral to this story: The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person’s good qualities.

The Moral?

LEARN TO LOVE THE PRICKS IN YOUR LIFE.

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Tough Test!


I saw this on Gill Staden’s interesting Livingstonian Online which she produces weekly. I re-publish it mainly for Len Norman, ex Zambia police and a loyal and regular reader of the blog. There’s a picture of Len and some of his family taken at Chanters Lodge some years back.

So, what would you do if you were a Zambian policewoman or policeman? A young police officer was taking his final exam at Police College in Zambia . Here is one of the questions:

You are on patrol in the outskirts of Lusaka when an explosion occurs in a nearby township. On
investigation you find a large hole has been blown in the footpath and there is an overturned van lying nearby. Inside the van there is a strong smell of alcohol. Both occupants – a man and woman – are injured. You recognise the woman as the wife of your Divisional Inspector, who is at present away on a peace making mission.

A passing motorist stops to offer you assistance and you realise that he is a manwho is
wanted for armed robbery. Suddenly a man runs out of a nearby house, shouting that his wife is expecting a baby and that the shock of the explosion has made the birth imminent. Another man is crying for help, having been blown into an adjacent dam by the explosion, and he cannot swim.

Describe in a few words what action you would take.

Well?

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Shupiwe Mulenga

Meet Shupiwe Mulenga, one of the famous ‘Chanters Girls’. Shupiwe joined Chanters Lodge, Livingstone on 13th April 2009 as a trainee. She’s 23 and has one brother and one sister, both younger than her.

Shupiwe’s dad passed away in 2006 which must have been traumatic for a then 19 year old. Her mum is still alive and runs a pre-school/primary school in Kabwe, north of Lusaka. She has about 100 children in school Shupiwe tells me.

Shupiwe completed her Grade 12 at Hillcrest Technical Secondary School in Livingstone, just up the road from Chanters Lodge and stays with her Aunt Cecilia – secretary to the general manager of Zambezi Sun Hotel. “Won’t they poach you away to Sun” I asked Shupiwe. She shook her head.

Shupiwe is single, loves music (like all the Chanters girls) and clothes! (The latter I’ve observed for myself.) “What’s your favourite kind of music” I asked her. “Slows”.

In November Shupiwe will become acting head cook at Chanters Lodge. She’s a talented, careful cook and a good organizer – just the skills we’re looking for. She also happens to be very pretty and highly intelligent.

We wish her the best of luck in her new appointment.

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Avoiding Momentum


As usual Seth Godin’s blog gives great food for thought. When you read the piece below it amounts to self-confidence doesn’t it? That’s not always common in this part of the world. Seth writes:

“Some days, even the best dentist doesn’t feel like being a dentist. And a lifeguard might not feel like being a lifeguard. Fortunately, they have appointments, commitments and jobs. They have to show up. They have to start doing the work. And most of the time, this jump start is sufficient to get them over the hump, and then they go back to being in the zone and doing their best work.

Momentum is incredibly useful to someone who has to overcome fear, dig in deep and ship. Momentum gives you a reason to overcome your fear and do your art, because there are outside forces and obligations that keep you moving. Without them, you’d probably stumble and fall.

And yet…

And yet many of us fear too much momentum. We look at a project launch or a job or another new commitment as something that might get out of control. It’s one thing to be a folk singer playing to a hundred people a night in a coffeehouse, but what if the momentum builds and you become a star? A rock star? With an entourage and appearances and higher than high expectations for your next work. That’s a lot of momentum, no?

Deep down, this potential for an overwhelming response alerts the lizard brain and we hold back. We’re afraid of being part of something that feels like it might be too big for us.

Hint: it probably isn’t.”

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The Ben Reed Interview (1)


I was recently interviewed by Ben Reed from Adventures With Ben and here’s the first part of what he had to say about me and us!

“Richard Chanter and his Lodge

Tucked away down a small dirt road, around the bend lies an assuming guest lodge in Livingstone, Zambia. But don’t be fooled, this 11-room complex in the middle of a bustling residential neighborhood is one of the premier places to stay when visiting Victoria Falls: Chanters Lodge.

Chanter’s Lodge was my home away from home during a 3-day/ 2-night stay in Victoria Falls. It was truly the perfect retreat for this travel blogger after a hectic 40-day sprint through South Africa. During my stay I had the opportunity to catch up with the owner, Richard Chanter, and ask him what makes Chanters Lodge so special…

Having accumulated over 40 years in the hotel industry (30 of them in Zambia), Richard knows how to manage a hotel. “This business is about people” he says.

It Started on Trip Advisor
And it’s the people that keep him working all these years. A chance encounter with an ill guest led Richard into the world of social media and the Internet. He explained,

“I took him to the doctor and brought him back. He said, “Have you ever heard of Trip Advisor? Join it. It would be in your best interest.””

And so Richard did, “It was very easy to join in the early days. I registered and put a picture of the lodge.” Shortly thereafter, his first review appeared from the guest he assisted…

“There’s nothing that Mr. Chanter won’t do to help you.”

It was at that moment that Richard realized the potential of the Internet. “We said, hey, we need more of this stuff.”

Thanks Ben

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‘Uncle Jumbo’


Meet Mr Evaristo Webster Mutanga (and his sister Naomi), who featured on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient, our regular 20.30 hrs Sunday night radio show, that goes out on Zambezi Radio 107.7 fm every week. Evaristo is much better known as ‘Uncle Jumbo’, and he has a great programme of his own on Tuesday nights on 107.7 when he plays oldies for an hour – ‘Down Memory Lane’. Twice I’ve been honored to be his Guest on that show and it was definitely time to ‘turn the tables’.

Uncle Jumbo worked on Zambia Railways for 27 years and enjoyed those days. He has a great interest in music – both old and new. We sharpened him up with Katy Perry’s latest ‘Califurnia Girls’ and my favourite at the moment ‘Candy’ by Aggro Santos ft Kim Wyatt. I’m getting mighty sick of these Zambian DJ’s Milli Jam and Soulchild – every time they play one of my latest saying ‘but this is hot Richard!’ What do they expect from Zambia’s most famous Mzungu DJ?! We played Turn Turn Turn by the Byrds for Jumbo and his sister – for old times sake! And TY2’s latest ‘This Feeling’.

A certain Nambayo won a dinner for 2 for telling us Uncle Jumbo’s real name, which we’d only mentioned once! Evaristo looks after all the transport arrangements for the 107.7 fm staff and he’s an essential worker – DJ’s being how they are when it comes to time! He first met Swithin Haangala the owner of 107.7 fm back in 67/68 when Jumbo was a footballer with City of Lusaka and he told us he was a good Badminton player too!

Great show!

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It’s In The Eyes!


I love Seth Godin’s blog. This is what he had to say the other day in his usual succinct manner. Read it a couple of times and think about it:

“You can see the determination in his eyes That’s the way a friend described someone she had just met. She was sure (just as I’m sure) that he’s going places. Once the determination is in his eyes, the learning will take care of itself.

On the other hand, if I can see the fear in your eyes, then I’m not sure that learning alone will take care of the problem. No one can prove that the path you’re on is risk free or guaranteed to work. Searching for more proof is futile. Searching for more determination makes more sense.”

There’s some nice brown eyes there!

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