Life cannot get any easier as I bask in warmth and revel in the fact that I have cooked 2 meals in the last 4 weeks .... I have been treated like a paying guest....as we have a lot of rain which I may have mentioned, I have come to Zambia in the rainy season, much to my disappointment, but it beats the cold weather of minus degrees, so hence NO golf for the past week as the course is bogged and muddy. Every time one goes out one's shoes are caked with this red rich mud, but, the shoes are left at the entrance of the house and like a magical fairy they are cleaned and placed as if they are brand new, I am starting to wonder how am I going to leave this all behind...
On "Old years Eve" Shayne's maid Miriam made me a traditional meal that is eaten here in Zambia, well, I was so excited to try this as I have eaten the maize staple food (Zimbabwe Sadza) when I was young so that was no problem at all, the maize staple food is called Nshima which is maize ground into a fine flour mix and cooked with water and salt and when it is cooked it has a dough like feel, one then moulds it in their hands and dips the Nshima into the sauce and meat or fish and consumes...the Africans always eat with their hands no utensils are ever used.... now Miriam cooked me Capenta which is a very small fish, like a baby sardine these are bought locally and they are dry when bought as there is no sell by date and they last longer if dried with salt.... it is then cooked with tomatoes and onions which will make a sauce....well, the smell is acrid, and quite a laugh for the Africans to watch me eat as they are used to the product....I tried to allow the smell not to get to me so I could show my appreciation, but, then I had to eat it and as far as I was concerned the taste was no better.... it was just very YUK!!!!! Hence eventually giving it to the dogs which was an utter treat and they simply enjoyed the meal more than I did.
My sister and her husband went to Ndola for New Year a 6hr drive and as I have mentioned earlier the roads are terrible...so i was not prepared to do the trip I would have rather stuck pins in my eyes.... anyone that has ever been in a car with me will understand that I am the world's worst passenger and I Whoop and Hoop and make terrible noises as though we are going to have an accident with any slightest movement whether it be a mirage on the road ... so not a good idea to have me in the car on these roads....
So, I waited patiently for an invitation, and Corne a lovely young lad was my escort for the evening...I couldn't have wished for anyone better, he is so well mannered and looked after me like a princess.... we had a few G&T's on the veranda with the music in the back ground to get us in the party mood, and then headed into town, well, "Town" it is not a town that we know in Europe it is a few shabeens (African drinking spots) and there is a fantastic hotel called "The Royal" ...this Hotel clearly services the business that is going on with the First Quantum Mine....we had a few drinks at the Hotel and then headed back...stopped into a bar which I frankly stick out like a sore thumb, with me being large and blonde, which I must inform you, if a lady is large in the African custom this signifies that they are extremely wealthy, which clearly I am not, I have just eaten and drunk too much and don't exercise, this cannot be explained in Africa as anyone that eats and drinks too much and does not exercise means that I have the wealth to eat and drink and I have many servants that do everything for me....mmmmm....anyway moving on... we took photo's and had a drink with the locals... as they are so dark in colour when I did take the photo's and showed them all that appeared to be seen in the dim light was me and white teeth ...they found this so fascinating that they made me take loads of photo's ...it was amusing... we then stopped at another African place and it was simply rocking which I danced to the 80's music and we had a shot and moved swiftly to our next party which was the club...by this time it was 10.10pm and we were Starvin Marvin and desperately needing something to eat... with all the intentions of a fab meal in our heads... we arrived bought our round of drinks and did our meeting and greeting, and to our massive disappointment the Club ran out of food...... what!!!!! what place runs out of food.... NO FOOD!!!! we got over ourselves and celebrated New Year and by this stage the alcohol was starting to take effects....we got given paper lanterns to light and set off into the wilderness.... could Corne and I do this right ....NO!!!! we managed to burn a hole in it and still we were determined to set the lantern free, but it collapsed and died a slow death on the green.... anyway off to the next party which was a street party been held in the Golf estate .... it was rocking with youngsters.... I managed to find the owners of the house and ask if I could make a sandwich for Corne, the worst sandwich I have ever prepared...processed cheese, polony and mayo.....yuk .... but Corne received the sandwich as if I had made lobster thermador ..deep joy!!!! I started to drink coke which was a blessing, as all parties with too much testosterone and alcohol ... a fight broke out, well, it was interesting watching punches thrown and they were complete air shots and the stumbling and rolling all over the place... it didn't ruin the party, I gather this happens quite often....
On New Years day after getting home at 5.45am... and waking up at 8.00am to take the new puppy out for wee's ...I just wanted to stay at home and chill, 2 friends Guy and Steph came round and I cooked steak, salad and baked potatoes, we spent the day on the veranda just laughing, chatting and chilling, absolutely perfect day...
On "Old years Eve" Shayne's maid Miriam made me a traditional meal that is eaten here in Zambia, well, I was so excited to try this as I have eaten the maize staple food (Zimbabwe Sadza) when I was young so that was no problem at all, the maize staple food is called Nshima which is maize ground into a fine flour mix and cooked with water and salt and when it is cooked it has a dough like feel, one then moulds it in their hands and dips the Nshima into the sauce and meat or fish and consumes...the Africans always eat with their hands no utensils are ever used.... now Miriam cooked me Capenta which is a very small fish, like a baby sardine these are bought locally and they are dry when bought as there is no sell by date and they last longer if dried with salt.... it is then cooked with tomatoes and onions which will make a sauce....well, the smell is acrid, and quite a laugh for the Africans to watch me eat as they are used to the product....I tried to allow the smell not to get to me so I could show my appreciation, but, then I had to eat it and as far as I was concerned the taste was no better.... it was just very YUK!!!!! Hence eventually giving it to the dogs which was an utter treat and they simply enjoyed the meal more than I did.
My sister and her husband went to Ndola for New Year a 6hr drive and as I have mentioned earlier the roads are terrible...so i was not prepared to do the trip I would have rather stuck pins in my eyes.... anyone that has ever been in a car with me will understand that I am the world's worst passenger and I Whoop and Hoop and make terrible noises as though we are going to have an accident with any slightest movement whether it be a mirage on the road ... so not a good idea to have me in the car on these roads....
So, I waited patiently for an invitation, and Corne a lovely young lad was my escort for the evening...I couldn't have wished for anyone better, he is so well mannered and looked after me like a princess.... we had a few G&T's on the veranda with the music in the back ground to get us in the party mood, and then headed into town, well, "Town" it is not a town that we know in Europe it is a few shabeens (African drinking spots) and there is a fantastic hotel called "The Royal" ...this Hotel clearly services the business that is going on with the First Quantum Mine....we had a few drinks at the Hotel and then headed back...stopped into a bar which I frankly stick out like a sore thumb, with me being large and blonde, which I must inform you, if a lady is large in the African custom this signifies that they are extremely wealthy, which clearly I am not, I have just eaten and drunk too much and don't exercise, this cannot be explained in Africa as anyone that eats and drinks too much and does not exercise means that I have the wealth to eat and drink and I have many servants that do everything for me....mmmmm....anyway moving on... we took photo's and had a drink with the locals... as they are so dark in colour when I did take the photo's and showed them all that appeared to be seen in the dim light was me and white teeth ...they found this so fascinating that they made me take loads of photo's ...it was amusing... we then stopped at another African place and it was simply rocking which I danced to the 80's music and we had a shot and moved swiftly to our next party which was the club...by this time it was 10.10pm and we were Starvin Marvin and desperately needing something to eat... with all the intentions of a fab meal in our heads... we arrived bought our round of drinks and did our meeting and greeting, and to our massive disappointment the Club ran out of food...... what!!!!! what place runs out of food.... NO FOOD!!!! we got over ourselves and celebrated New Year and by this stage the alcohol was starting to take effects....we got given paper lanterns to light and set off into the wilderness.... could Corne and I do this right ....NO!!!! we managed to burn a hole in it and still we were determined to set the lantern free, but it collapsed and died a slow death on the green.... anyway off to the next party which was a street party been held in the Golf estate .... it was rocking with youngsters.... I managed to find the owners of the house and ask if I could make a sandwich for Corne, the worst sandwich I have ever prepared...processed cheese, polony and mayo.....yuk .... but Corne received the sandwich as if I had made lobster thermador ..deep joy!!!! I started to drink coke which was a blessing, as all parties with too much testosterone and alcohol ... a fight broke out, well, it was interesting watching punches thrown and they were complete air shots and the stumbling and rolling all over the place... it didn't ruin the party, I gather this happens quite often....
On New Years day after getting home at 5.45am... and waking up at 8.00am to take the new puppy out for wee's ...I just wanted to stay at home and chill, 2 friends Guy and Steph came round and I cooked steak, salad and baked potatoes, we spent the day on the veranda just laughing, chatting and chilling, absolutely perfect day...
