It was a great pleasure to host Nadia, Dinanda, Detlev and Edwin Hagenbeek from Utrecht, Holland on The Chanters Lodge Experience, our Sunday night radio show on Zambezi Radio 107.7 fm last Sunday, and with Milimo (Milli Jam), George (Soulchild) and myself on hand too, the studio was very full – great fun nevertheless! The family photo was taken outside our new offices just before we left for the studio, Nadia left to right!

The Hagenbeek’s had stayed at Chanters Lodge, Livingstone for a few days last week before setting off for the Kafue National Park in the hope of seeing cheetah. They weren’t lucky with that, but had a great time anyway. One of their special moments was an audience with His Excellency the Litunga in Mongu, King or the Paramount Chief of the Lozi people! They also enjoyed a visit to Sioma Falls. The rest of us admitted shamefacedly we’d never been there, but agreed we’d love to!

It was the second of the Hagenbeeks’ trips to Zambia in a short time. They’d been here last year but were suddenly recalled to Holland when Dinanda’s father became very ill and subsequently passed away. We were sorry to hear this sad news. This year the family decided to come back and see what they’d missed in Zambia. I don’t think, though, they’d thought about guesting on the Chanters Lodge Experience! As mentioned The Hagenbeeks are from Utrecht, and Edwin has been responsible for training Zambians nurses in Katete, though this trip they didn’t visit the East. Dinanda also has a health related project on the Copperbelt.

It was nice to talk to Nadia, 14 going on 19, who rocked to the music we played and told listeners she wasn’t yet sure what she wanted to do when she was through College (though Robin van Persie got a mention.) Detlev 10 was nervous because of speaking in English but told listeners that he was very interested in photography and was waiting to see the photos of leopards he’d taken in Kafue! Wish I spoke another language as well as Detlev.

Music? George, I hope, will write up the Zambian content, Milli Jam was into BoB ‘Nothing On You’ again, and I chose ‘Just To Be Good To Be Green’ by Prof Green ft Lilly Allen and ‘Bang Bang Bang’ Mark Ross and The Business. Oh! And we played ‘Love The Way you Lie’. Great track from Rihanna and Eminem which we all loved!

On Monday we put the family on to the Mazhandu Family Bus Service 09.00 hrs service to Lusaka to start the next stage of their adventure, which is a trip from Kapiri Mposhi north of Lusaka, all the way to Dar Es Salaam by train. They have family in Dar and hope to have a rest on those beautiful Tanzanian beaches. It’s unusual for European or American families to take all the surprises that Africa can offer, both good and not so good, with such patience and good grace as Edwin, Dinanda and their great kids do!

On the show we tried, but failed, not to mention Holland not winning the World Cup! We gave away a dinner for two at Chanters to the first listener to text us the Hagenbeeks’ country of origin and we greeted Guests, Staff and Family! The prize was quickly snapped up!