The Norwegian Experience 2015!

Meet Rakel Trondal and Robert Hovde (above) from Trondheim, Norway. Rakel and Robert were Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz, our weekly Sunday night radio show airing on Zambezi 94.1 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Robert is the Deputy Head Teacher at Saksvik Primary School and Rakel is a secondary school teacher at Hommelvik Secondary School in Norway. Both were staying at Chanters Lodge as part of a group of 17 educationalists from Norway on a visit to Zambia.

For both Robert and Rakel it was, they told our listeners, their first visit to both Africa and Zambia. “Is it what you expected?” wondered Milli Jam. “Far, far better!” Replied Rakel quickly. So far they had visited Chobe National Park in Botswana and had loved the wide range of animals they had seen ‘in the wild and not in a zoo”. They had experienced a real tropical thunderstorm during the night on that trip. They had plans for a visit to Victoria Falls during their stay and would be spending three nights in Mongu, Western Province.

“Mongu’s not usually on the tourist itinerary” commented Milli Jam. Our Norwegian guests explained that the purpose of their visit to Zambia was to make physical contact with the schools in Zambia with whom their schools in Norway were ‘twinned’. In Robert’s case his school is a friendship school with Zambezi Basic School in Livingstone and Rakel’s school is a friendship school with Holy Cross School in Mongu. They had brought letters and books to give to the students in the Zambian schools with love from their fellow students in Norway. They expected to collect similar from the Zambian schools to take back to Norway.

The music on the show was good as usual. We opened with tracks from DJ Fresh ft Ella Eyre and Ne-Yo. The guys dropped work from West African Wizkid as well as Zambia’s T-Sean ft Tyce. Other were from Chef ft Macky 2, Ed Sheeran and Ozzy. Ozzy’s ‘If Only’ was our oldie of the week and the prize we give to the first listener to text us the name of the artist on the track was quickly snapped up. Our pick of the week was Sam Hunt’s major country smash ‘Take Your Time’ We closed with 5AM from Calvin Harris ft Tinashe.

Rakel told us that she’s married with three children, two boys and a girl. Robert is also married and has a boy and a girl with ‘another one on the way’. Didn’t they wish that their families had travelled with them to Zambia. Of course they did but pointed out, rightly, that it was an expensive undertaking. Robert revealed that he’s a fan of Rosenberg FC in Norway and of Watford FC in UK. But, he told us ‘handball’s my game’. Rakel loves ballroom dancing and travel. She and her family had visited many countries in Europe in the past including Turkey, Spain and Germany. She is an ardent fan of U2 and is looking forward to attending their concert in Berlin later this year – a treat afforded by her husband.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Robert hoped to still be involved in education, Rakel in education and in politics. We wished them the best of luck, thanked them for coming on the show, and for supporting Zambian schools as well as our lodge!

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Zambia/Zimbabwe Uni-Visa

From November 28th for 6 months, the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe have launched the KAZA UNIVISA:

The visa is US$50 and is a 30 day multiple entry visa for both Zambia and Zimbabwe. This will also cover a day trip to Botswana; however, if a guest would like to stay overnight in Botswana then a new visa would be required upon their return.

Citizens of the following 40 countries are eligible:
Argentina; Austria; Australia; Belgium; Brazil; Britain (UK); Brunei; Burundi; Canada; Cook Islands; Czech Republic; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Monaco; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Russia; Rwanda; Slovakia Republic; Slovenia Republic; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; UAE; Uruguay; USA

A ‘ normal’ visa for Zambia is still available which is US$50 for a single entry visa, or US$80 for a double entry visa and is payable in US$ cash only. You will need to specify which type of visa you would prefer. If you obtain a double entry visa, and would like to spend overnight in Botswana, then this would be fine.

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The Travellers’ Experience

Meet Verrinia (VJ) and Stephen (Steve) Rees (above), travellers and Guests on the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. The Experience is our weekly Sunday night radio show airing for an hour on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. VJ and Steve, Guests at Chanters Lodge, told listeners that they had only just arrived in Zambia following a trip through South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

The couple told listeners that they hail from UK. In 2008 they decided to give up their well paid managerial jobs in local government and start to travel. They had subsequently been just about around the world following an itinerary they had drawn up in their early days together. They had met through work and friends and had been married for 19 years. “Was it love at first sight?” Wondered Milli Jam, who loves that question! Steve replied that he was ‘smitten’ while they were dining out for the first time together in an Indian restaurant in Maidstone, Kent, such that he failed to eat his curry!

VJ explained that she had been mostly employed as an archivist back in the day, while Steve was an environmentalist and clearly still maintains a deep interest in environmental and eco issues. Their visit to Zambia would not only include a visit to Victoria Falls but would continue with visits to both Kafue and South Luangwa National Parks. Steve said he had had a passion to visit South Luangwa ever since he had seen a programme in the Survivor series on UK TV when he was very young. He would soon realise his dream! Both VJ and Steve have a love for, and a keen interest in, wildlife. They talked of leopard and wild dog that they had seen on their travels in Southern Africa.

The music on our show was international, local and latest as usual. We opened with tracks from Lilly Wood and Ariana Grande. Milli Jam and Jay chose music from Pompi, Elbow, Eve and Chester ft IC. Our oldie of the week was a track from Jo Klasic ft P Jay called ‘Method 2’, and the prize of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge that we give to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist on the track, was quickly snapped up by a certain Musa.

Steve and DJ told listeners that so far their visit to Livingstone had mostly consisted of sorting themselves and their laundry out, following months on the road mostly camping. They planned to visit both sides of Victoria Falls during their stay and were also interested in a sunset cruise as well as a swim in Devil’s Pool on Livingstone Island.

After their visit to South Luangwa they would be off to Malawi and Mozambique. They told us that due to more family issues than they had expected back in UK, they had in fact been back to Europe more times during their travels than they had originally planned.

Music wise Steve singled out Peter Gabriel as one of his all time outstanding artists. Generally he was in to rock but both said they had not much time to listen to music while they were travelling. Steve loves rugby and being Welsh born especially the Wales national team. He also supports Swansea City in the EPL.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years’ from now this appreciative, friendly and fascinating couple said they would like to be travelling – Europe in summer, the rest of the world when Europe was cold!

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The Sikalongo Experience

Meet Kathy and Ed Barlow (above) from Elizabethtown, PA, USA, Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. ‘The Experience’ is our weekly radio show airing from 20.30 to 21.30 hrs CAT on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show is a smooth mixture of Zambian and international pop music interspersed with chat with our Guests. On this occasion, as the headline reflects, the chat was about Kathy and Ed’s two months spent as volunteers at Sikalongo Mission in the Southern Province of Zambia.

Sikalongo Mission is run by the Brethren in Christ Church out of the USA and trains Zambian pastors for their church. Kathy and Ed, both teachers by profession, told listeners that Kathy had spent most of her time teaching English to the trainee pastors’ wives, while Ed was busy helping with maintenance at the mission. They had learned some Chitonga during their visit and Milli Jam was quick to start chatting away with Kathy in his own language. Others of us just listened….

This quiet, charming couple, told listeners that their daughter Kelly had visited them during their time in Zambia. They took the opportunity to thank staff at National Airports at Livingstone Airport who, after Kelly had arrived in Livingstone from a very long journey from USA, had safely recovered and returned Kelly’s wallet which she’d left in the ladies rest room at the airport. Everything in the wallet was in tact including cash, credit cards and passport. “Wow!” we said, and meant it. Kelly is trained in physical therapy and had taken the chance to help some of the Sikalongo residents with exercise programmes during her visit.

The music on the show was good. We opened with tracks from Avicii, Melissa Street and Bakermat. Milli Jam and Jay dropped tracks from DJ Cassidy and Robin Thicke, Pompi, and AKA as well as Mampi featuring Judy. Our oldie of the week was ‘Dilemma’ from Nelly and Kelly Rowland. We closed with ‘Faded’ from Zhu.

Ed and Kathy told listeners they had been ‘wowed’ by Victoria Falls and were happy that they had been told before they arrived. that they could not come to Zambia without seeing this particular natural wonder of the world. Their trip to Zambia had been inspired by Dr Dwight and Mrs Carol Thomas, Zambian/Sikalongo veterans and neighbours of the Barlow’s in America. The Barlows had visited Chobe NP in Botswana during their visit and had been delighted and awed to watch a leopard kill a guinea fowl. They had also seen a pride of lion, their first time to see big cats in their natural state. This was their first visit to Zambia and indeed to Africa.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years’ from now, Ed and Kathy said they would like to be retired and free to be the ‘hands and feet of Jesus’. We thanked them for volunteering their time and resources to come and help Zambians in Southern Province.

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Canadian Guests On ‘The Experience’!

Meet Tom, Lisa and Kate Marr-Laing (above) from Alberta, Canada, part of a family group who stayed last month at Chanters Lodge in Livingstone. Other members of the family, Chris Kate’s brother, as well as Tom’s parents remained at the lodge while Tom, Lisa and Kate appeared as Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. The show airs every Sunday from 20.30-21.30 hrs CAT on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station and is sponsored by the lodge.

Tom told listeners that he and his family were just a day or two away from the end of a month long trip to Africa which had included several members of the family climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. “Wow!” We said, and meant it! They had also visited Kenya and Zanzibar as well as of course Zambia. During their Livingstone visit they had also crossed over to Zimbabwe and had travelled to Botswana, via Namibia, as well. Tom and Lisa are both involved with an NGO in Canada concerned with worldwide social justice, as well as having one or two businesses, one which supplies mini storage facilities and the other dealing with the recycling of empty drinks containers. Kate, sweet sixteen, told listeners she is still in high school. Tom and Lisa have been married for 21 years and had met when they were both involved in protesting the US involvement in Nicaragua. “Was it love at first sight?” Wondered Milli Jam. “Pretty much!” They said.

The music on the show was good – we opened with Canadian outfit Magic!’s hit ‘Rude’. We also featured tracks from Cheryl Cole, Gesh ft Kantu and Franciar. Our oldie of the week was ‘Book of Love’ from Peter Gabriel but no-one won the prize of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge which we give to the first person to text us the name of the artist. It was a tough one! “Tune in to dine out, next weekend!” We said. Our pick of the week was Bastille’s ‘Oblivion’ and we closed with a new track from Pharrell Williams ft Miley Cyrus.

Tom and Lisa told listeners that they had loved their high tea on Livingstone Island right on the lip of Victoria Falls where they had swum in the ‘Angel’s Armchair’. They wished the guides would not balance right on the edge! They had also thoroughly enjoyed their one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana, as well as their view of the Falls from Zimbabwe on the day of the show. Tom and Lisa had also very much enjoyed a visit to Livingstone Museum and had been lucky to catch a performance of traditional dancing from the Zambia National Dance Troupe while they were there. They said they would be sad to leave Zambia the following day at the start of their long journey home to Canada.

When asked about his taste in music Tom revealed that he plays the bagpipes and therefore loves music with a Scottish feel to it. Kate told us that Mumford and Sons are one of her favourite acts though she was sorry that they had recently broken up. Talk of UK football was curtailed on this show as our Canadian Guests were more into ‘hockey’ and triathlon!

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Kate said she would love to be back in Zambia working to promote social justice. Lisa wanted to have grandchildren, while Tom would still like to be working although he would have reached retirement age! ‘Good luck!’ We said.

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The Dutch Experience!

Meet Michelle de Moor and Bram van Veen from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz. The Experience is our weekly radio show airing at 20.30 hrs CAT every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Bram and Michelle told listeners that they’d met in Cape Town some seven years ago when they were both on internships at the end of their respective degree courses. At that time people in South Africa told them they should take time to visit other African countries including Zambia, and they had made up their minds there and then one day to do just that and here they were! They revealed that although they’d been together all those seven years and owned property together in Amsterdam. they were not yet married. “What are you waiting for?” We wondered. “Errr um err” said Bram while Michelle just ‘rolled her eyes’!

This lively, funny very Dutch couple explained that Michelle was a social worker and Bram a sales manager, but both had given up their jobs in Holland before setting off on their ‘trip of a lifetime’. They’d been travelling for the past six months and had already visited Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi and Mozambique before arriving in Zambia. They’d been to the Lower Zambezi for a canoeing trip but laughingly told us that within five minutes of boarding their canoe they’d ended up in the Zambezi, soon faced by angry and indignant hippos! What a start! They went on to tell listeners that of all the places they had been in Africa, the Lower Zambezi was probably the most beautiful, and they were both firmly against the establishment of a new copper mine planned for the area. They told Milli Jam that they’d arrived in Livingstone by coach from Lusaka a few days before our show.

The music on the show was good. We opened with tracks from Rixton and Nicole Scherzinger. Jay dropped tracks from Tank and Zambia’s very own K’Millian. ‘For You’ is his latest hit. Milli Jam chose Nicki Minaj and Roberto for his selections. Our oldie of the week was Sinzia by Nameless. We give a prize of a dinner for two at the lodge each week to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our oldie and this week the prize was won by Innocent. My pick of the week was John Legend’s ‘You and I’.

At the end of the show we played Diamonds by Rihanna, a special dedication to Edward Chanter’s late special friend Tanya Johnson who had passed away in England during the week. She had loved Rihanna and we felt this was an appropriate song. She was indeed a ‘diamond’.

While in Livingstone Bram and Michelle had visited the ‘amazing’ Victoria Falls and had loved the cheetah walk at Mukuni Big 5. They told us that from Zambia they would proceed to Namibia where they would hire a car and tour around that country for a while. They had no satisfactory answer when Milli Jam asked them why Holland had (again) been unable to win the World Cup. Bram, an Ajax and Manchester United supporter at this point wanted to start talking about England’s World Cup efforts, but we weren’t having that kind of red herring! Michelle told us her favourite band is The Killers and that they both like rock music.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years from now, Bram said he wanted to be in a canoe on the Zambezi, as opposed to being in the water, Michelle wanted to be a mother. Would Bram be the father of her children we wondered, “yes” she said. It doesn’t get much clearer than that!!

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The Mudaala Experience!

Actually every edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz is a ‘Mudaala Experience’! Why? Well Milli Jam’s real name is Milimo Mudaala! ‘The Experience’ is our weekly radio show airing on Zambezi 107.7 fm at 20.30hrs (CAT) every Sunday night, and we were delighted to welcome Milli Jam’s younger brother Munyama (pictured above) as our Guest on the most recent edition of the programme. Munyama is Sales and Reservations Manager with Robin Pope Safaris, based in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Robin Pope Safaris launched in 1986. The blurb says they ‘have always believed in offering exceptional customer care and bespoke holidays’. Munyama confirmed that this was true telling listeners that he has been with the company for seven years. The firm specializes in walking safaris in the South Luangwa National Park. Munyama went on to tell listeners about Robin Pope’s extensive business interests including Stanley Lodge in Zambia near Victoria Falls as well as lodges in Malawi. Robin Pope himself he described as a ‘legend’ in South Luangwa. The company has a justifiably awesome reputation.

Jay asked most of the questions on the programme as Milli Jam already knew most of the answers! We wanted to know if Munyama was married, whether he had children and if so whether his family was there with him in Malawi. He confirmed yes, yes and yes, revealing that he and his wife had married on Livingstone Island during the days he worked for Tongabezi here in Livingstone. “Did you swim in Devil’s Pool after the ceremony?” I asked. Unsurprisingly they had not! . “Does your wife work in Malawi?” I wondered. “She works for me in the office!” Was the sharp reply – “a real family affair then!” I said.

The music on the show was good. We opened with tracks from Avicii, Rita Ora and the Common Linnets. Jay and Milli Jam featured tracks from Calvin Harris, Eddie Black, Runnel and Trey Songz. Our oldie of the week, for which we give a prize to the first person to text us the name of the recording artist, was ‘Hope’ by Twista and the prize was snapped up by one Sanford. My pick of the week was Ed Sheeran’s ‘All Of The Stars’ and we closed with 5SOS’s ‘Don’t Stop’.

Munyama told us that he had completed secondary school at St Raphael’s in Livingstone before going on to study hotel management at HTTI in Lusaka. He supports Manchester United FC naming his favourite all time player as Roy Keane and current star Wayne Rooney. Milimo and I quickly reminded everyone which club had won the 2014 FA Cup the day before the show! Milimo revealed that his young brother Munyama had gone as far as bribing Milimo’s kids to switch support from Arsenal to Man U. Such devious tactics came as no surprise to those of us familiar with Man U supporters and their methods!

Musically Munyama revealed that he has broad taste and that his favourite acts are Boyz 2 Men along with Bob Marley. Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time, he said he would like to have retired and be living on his farm back here in Zambia. We closed by thanking him for appearing on the show and holding him up as a great example to young Zambians of how you could make good with hard work and application.

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The Swedish Experience!

Meet Carsten Sommer (left above) and Gert Krantz staying at Chanters Lodge and hailing from Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden and the fifth largest in the Nordic countries. Carsten and Gert were kind enough to appear on the most recent edition of our radio show – the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz – airing from 20.30-21.30 hrs every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Milli Jam asked them at the top of the show “how long will you be staying in Livingstone?” and was surprised at the answer “three weeks altogether”. “Just in Livingstone?” “Just in Livingstone!” Carsten and Gert confirmed. They went on to explain that when they travelled they liked to stay for some time in the same place to be able to make friends and really get to know the local culture. “It’s good for Richard’s business too!” Quipped Carsten. I quickly agreed…

Gert is a civil servant and works for the Swedish tax authority in civil registration, he told listeners that he is just a couple of years away from retirement. Carsten told us that he had been a chef for some thirty years as well as a sailor in the Swedish merchant navy, he is virtually retired but still works from time to time in the food section of a local supermarket. Did he miss not working full time? Not a bit of a it! He and Gert had spent three weeks in Ruanda in January this year and they would not have had time for so much travel if Carsten was still working. Gert had accumulated enough leave days to also be able to undertake both trips.

The music on the show was good with latest tracks from Pitbull, Foxes, Avril Lavigne and Usher. Milli Jam and Jay chose music from Roberto, Timaya, Tommy D, and Kelly Rowland. Our oldie of the week, chosen by Milli Jam, was ‘Soldier’ by Destiny’s Child with Lil Wayne and TI. Surprisingly the response was poor and no-one won the prize we give each week of dinner for two with drinks at the lodge for the first person to text us the name of the artist on the oldie track. We surmised that our listeners (apart from Man City supporters) were out drowning their sorrows on the final day of the UK EPL and not listening!

Carsten and Gert revealed that they are both single without children and to Milli Jam’s disappointment, that they had no real interest in sport! Music wise they loved the Zambian music they’d heard around the bars and cafes in Livingstone, only regretting that they could not hear the words and did not know the names of the performing artists. They also revealed they had spent quite some time in Cuba and the Caribbean, and loved the music from that part of the world.

Since arriving in Zambia they had enjoyed the lion and cheetah encounter but had been unable to complete the elephant safari due to the encroachment of a wild elephant into the area, disturbing those beasts used for the safari. They were looking forward to their first sight of Victoria Falls. They had loved the sunset cruise on Lady Livingstone and had been lucky to see elephant on the river banks during that trip.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Carsten said his only plan was to live life one day at a time. Gert wished to be both healthy, rich and still travelling.

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The Curio Experience!

Meet Kebby Chimunya (above), Livingstone businessman and Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz, our weekly radio show airing at 20.30 hrs CAT every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Kebby has a shop at number 41 Mukuni Park in the city, just a ten minute walk from the lodge, selling curios, carvings and other souvenirs to visitors. “I always tell our Guests they must haggle the prices with you when they visit your market!” I told Kebby at the top of the show, “do you give them a good deal?” “Always!” The unsurprising reply. “What’s your best selling item?” Milli Jam wondered and Kebby told listeners there is an angel made from sisal and banana leaves, in various different poses, selling at about ZK30 (US$5). Light in weight it is the most popular item with tourists. “Not wire warthogs or carved giraffes”! We laughed.

Milli Jam wondered how our Guest had first got involved in the souvenir business and Kebby explained that his elder brother had helped him make the breakthrough. Leaving Linda High School he had found it very hard to find employment and with his brother’s help he had now been involved in the curio business for about eight years. “How’s business?” We wondered. Kebby replied that the best months were from May to September but that business was very tough for the rest of the year. “Much the same as the lodges.” I commented, and then made the point – not for the first time on our show – that the city of Livingstone needs Zesco (Zambia’s electricity company which diverts the water above the Falls) to let the water go over Victoria Falls on the Zambian side for at least an hour a day, every day, during the dry season. A plea that will presumably fall on deaf ears – again!

The music on the show was great with latest tracks from Calvin Harris, Coldplay, and Ariana Grande. Jay and Milli Jam picked numbers from Mubby Roux ft Tommy D, Davido, Michael Jackson ft Justin Timberlake as well as Karasa. My pick of the week was D’Banj’s ‘Bother You’ which samples Lionel Richie’s ‘All Night Long’. Our oldie of the week was a Zambian track ‘Kedike’ by Chidinma. The prize we give to the first person to text us the name of the the artist was won, with lots of contestants mostly getting the answer wrong!

Kebby told listeners that he is married with one child. Music wise he loves the Gospel genre and mentioned Ambassadors of Christ and Exile as his favourite performers. On a more worldly basis he likes Westlife! He has enjoyed quite a few of the tourist activities available in Livingstone including the museum, sunset cruise and fishing. He has never bungee jumped. His favourite football team is Barcelona and when it comes to England – Liverpool. He told us that he gets visitors from all over the world to his shop, but especially many from USA, Canada and Italy.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time, this hard working, enterprising entrepreneur said that while he would like to still be in business for himself, he also wanted to undergo further education and training as a nurse.

We wished him the best of luck and thanked him for coming on the show.

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Chris Taxis and Tours

It is inspiring to see how Chris Mweetwa (above) has expanded and developed his company over the past five years. The latest addition to his ‘fleet’ being a luggage trailer (parked at our lodge) – and they are not cheap. Chris looks after most of our Guest and staff transport requirements and comes highly recommended. Here’s the link to his website. Don’t forget to review his operation on Trip Advisor if you have used his services. Here’s the blurb:

“We are a travel and leisure company offering excellent and cost effective Tour and Car Hire Services in Zambia. We are located in Livingstone home to the Mighty Victoria falls.

The Company, since its establishment represents transport products, which have been carefully, selected from major activities provided in Livingstone. Acting this way, Chris Taxi & Tours Ltd has managed to continually enrich its product line, from simple ordinary taxi business to the modern transport system of the new millennium and to recently expand its activities to offer tours to the tourism sector.”

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