General Images

A chance opportunity in 2001 saw Nic return to Mufulira, on the Zambian Copperbelt, in September. Yvette joined him in December, when Philip had completed his university entrance in Melbourne. This particular period in Zambia lasted until the end of July, 2002. Subsequently Nic & Yvette returned briefly to Europe before they returned to Melbourne again in September 2002.

These photographs are intended to give a general background of images of where we lived, and the towns themselves.

In August 2001, dissapointed with his job in Melbourne, Nic took Yvette to a job interview in Zambia. The journey from Melbourne is rather long, and required an overnight stop at Johannesburg, where we visited old friends. Not only was the company excellent (it is remarkable how nice it is to see old friends in remote places!), but we had the nicest Japanese food that Nic has tasted outside Japan!
Hotel views, at Johannesburg airport.			Heading off for Zambia later that morning
Views of the area around Ndola, capital of the Zambian Copperbelt Province, as we come in to land.				Looking south along Indpendence Avenue, in Kitwe, roughly towards the railway station
Various views around the city of Kitwe, the first town we had lived in back in the 1970s. The recent privatisation of the mines had brought a lot of new money into the economy, which was almost certainly the source of wealth that had been used to buy all these new taxis and cars. Despite a recession and the long decline of the Zamb ian copper industry, the general infrastructure looked in reasonable condition.. However, the overall impression of Kitwe was one of neglect and decline, in stark contrast to the improved condition of most motor vehicles!
This used to be the Nkana Mine Hospital, now bought by one of the Chinese companies that have invested in the region. Victoria was born here in 1980.	General views around Kitwe			We had once lived in this house - initially without children, and then with Victoria after she was born in 1980.
Another view of the house we had live in, when we were in Kitwe, and a view away from the houses towards the Kafue.		Grounds of one of the local schools that friends' children had attended in Kitwe. None of our children had been old enough to attend school in Kitwe. Victoria and Philip had both started school in Mufulira, much later.
Another shot of the school	Heading up Central Street from where we used to live, towards the centre of Kitwe			In the "Second Class" (industrial area) part of Kitwe
The Kitwe market has now extended tremendously - what had been a couple of hectares now covers several blocks!	Driving past the main part of Kitwe on the way to the Kalulushi road, which would lead to the Mindola Dam. We used to row and windsurf on this dam	Now off the Kalulushi Road, and heading to the Mindola Dam. A section of the land outside the grounds of the boating club has been turned into a dirt-bike track		The dam itself, looking from the powerboat area.
Various views around the Mindola Dam
More views around the dam				I think this is the road from Kitwe to Mufulira
Mufulira town centre	The Malcom Watson Hospital - which used to be the Mufulira Mine Hospital, at which Nicola was born in 1984.		General interest - a large bug and large denomination notes.
A very pleasant evening out with friends of our hosts - people we mostly knew by sight from many years ago + some old colleagues and friends.	Kitwe potholes!	Back at Ndola airport, following our visit, getting ready to return to Melbourne. Following the visit and various interviews, Nic accepted a job at Mufulira - which had always been our favourite of the several towns we had lived in over the years we were previously in Zambia.
Departure, and views around Ndola from the air				Johannesburg from the air - this is a mighty city!
More views of Johannesburg from the air.		On the way home - landing soon in Sydney
Landing and subsequent departure from Sydney airport - destination Melbourne			Less than 2 months later, in early October, Nic's bedroom in Mufulira. Nic returned to Zambia alone for the first couple of months while Yvette stayed in Melbourne with Philip. The lad was finishing his university entrance in early December. Yvette then went to visit her mother in the UK for a while before joining Nic in Mufulira
Views around Nic's temporary house in Mufulira: 66 Gashi Avenue. Nic also selected a rather nice Pajero as his personal vehicle - which was almost immediately going to be used for extensive touring and general exploration.
Nic was a regular visitor to Ed & Clair's place in Kitwe on the weekends. Ed and Clair were living in the Nkana Guest House.		Views around Mindola Dam
Mindola Dam and the Club House of the Boating Club (Rokana Sailing and Boating Club)		Nic visited Kabwe early on in his time back in Zambia. Kabwe, the town where Philip had been born, was also one of our favourite spots. The huge fig tree on the left is hundreds of years old, and provides cover for a regular market. The building in the centre is the Mine swimming club (Nic did not check if the pool is still in operation). The last shot is of the road to the East of the Lusaka road, just to the South of Kabwe, leading to a farm owned by old friends Reinhold & Emily Will.
Being back in Zambia was very sociable. Here are some scenes from one of Ed's functions
	Another of the great pleasures - taking part in the dirt bike racing! There was a long cross-country course set up in the countryside around the Mindola Dam.
Nic had more fun than success! One of the local ladies let him use her Honda 250 scrambler, and various others found coloured strip. The pause for taking photos did not greatly affect his final result (not quite last)
The bike was fun, but only foreshadowed the fun that Nic had later with his BMW 1150 when it arrived a couple of months later.	Now January 2002, and Yvette has arrived. Nic and Yvette went to Chembe Bird Sanctuary with Toni & Christian Heili and Varney & Liz.			Inspecting the back garden (one bit of it, anyway) - the walled section containing the swimming pool and guest house. Nic & Yvette are by now living in 66 Funda Avenue
Entertaining in the pool	Nice combination - Nic's new motorbike and the Pajero parked out at the back of the bouse	View out from the kitchen window	The road North from Mufulira leads over the border into the Congo. Nic had the great entertainment of going through the border at Mokambo and riding further on through the Pedicle (that projection of the Congo into Zambia). The road is good quality tar in Zambia, becomes dirt (and in some places very rough) in the Congo, and becomes tar again when the road re-emerges into Zambia's Luapula Province in the North.
Although the mini-busses were in pretty good condition, the poverty in this part of the Congo (compared with Zambia) is evident.				The border guards were remarkably friendly and let Nic take photos. This is what the Mokambo border post looks like
The Mokambo border post	Scenes around our garden at 66 Funda Avenue			A barbecue with friends at Itimpi (also known as Garneton). Victoria had come out to stay with us for a few weeks & she came along
More scences from the barbecue with Steve and Priscilla
Yvette always loved chickens - we got 10 organised as soon as possible after she arrived, and they created havoc in the garden!		Immediately after our return from a drive to South Africa, Victoria used the tent we had bought in Johannesburg to go camping at the Mufulira Boating Club		We had a couple of eagle owls who considered our garden to be their territory. They were vaguely bemused at how pleased Yvette was to see them. They caused the silly chickens to panic every evening when they came out of their roost.
Various views around the approx 1.5 hectares of our garden at 66 Funda
Various views around our garden at 66 Funda
Various views around t our garden at 66 Funda. Most of these shots show our veggie garden.
Various views around our garden at 66 Funda
Nic working on the internet in his favourite sitting room	Victoria's sacred stick, bought during our trip to Victoria Falls	The chickens waiting for attention.	Nic & Yvette did a quick run down to Bell Point (in the bush, accessed via Kabwe) on the weekend before a more significant expedition. We needed to check our memories of the last sections of the rather remote track leading to Bell Point itself
Just across the road from the main Kabwe Division offices (the mine has long been closed), heading off towards Mulungushi Dam		To cut a long story short, we lost the track around 8 kms from Bell Point (the GPS had assisted our memories). Didwell (the Zambian with us in these pictures) found us camped overnight near their village, and then guided us for the last stretch. Our tyre tracks guided the expedition the following week. We thought that the area we camped was perfectly safe, but Didwell told us that a large pride of lions had come up the escarpment from the Luangwa Game Park only a couple of weeks before and massacred the local cattle!		Skip another patch of time, and we are back at Mulungushi Dam, getting ready to cook our evening meal.
The Mulungushi Dam had been a regular weekend haunt for us while we lived in Kabwe, from 1981 to 1983. Here are some views around the clubhouse and part of the camping area.
Back in Mufulira - we were in the process of having the house decorated. Some local paper wasps took advantage of unsecured fly screens to get in and make a nest.		More views around our garden
More views around the house and garden, 66 Funda.			The edge of Mufulira town centre	Mufulira town centre
Driving from Mufulira to Kitwe, via the Chingola Road. The junction with the Chingola Road was the site of a regular police roadblock.
Traders sell their wares to travellers and truck drivers at this junction	On the way into Kitwe			Repairs on the dual carriageway in Mufulira on the "Ndola Road".
Various views of the roads we regularly used in Mufulira: first of all crossing the main road, coming from the Ndola Road; then showing the main road as we cross; heading up past Gashi and Hombwe Avenues, and then driving along Funda Avenue towards our house at no. 66				More views around the garden at 66 Funda
Various views around our garden at 66 Funda
More views of our house and garden at 66 Funda
More views of our house and garden at 66 Funda
More views of the house and garden		Yvette left on 15th May 2002 to be with her mother who was very seriously ill	One of our evening spots - the Pizza restaurant at Parkside in Kitwe	Yvette entertaining the chickens!
Nic and Yvette went on the motorbike to visit the Sunken Lake not far from Luanshya. Although Nic had been to find the lake more recently, this was Yvette's first time since maybe 1980.
Riding home from the Sunken Lake in the evening, just before sunset.			A quiet afternoon only a couple of weeks before our departure from Zambia, probably for the last time.