What were we doing on a Zambian country road filled with huge potholes, in the pitch black, 80 kilometers from Lusaka?
Amazingly bad planning took place, I tell you. And then for some weird reason we decided to combine said planning with neither of us, me and the hubby that is, never having changed a tire in our lives, and having very little clue as to how such a thing happens. So, of course, as the sun was setting we hit a monster of a hole on the road, which enabled us to leave behind a sizable part of the mysterious underbelly of the chevrolet we were driving, and witness up and close to what happens to a tire when it completely splits. SPLITS.
One thing no tourist is ever to do in Zambia is to drive on the highways after dark. "What if you break down?" they say. Well, normally you get robbed by Zambian dacoits of some sorts, or in the worst case you get killed.
Hmm. In our case you meet the coolest guys who stop to pray anyways because the sun is setting and they decide to give you light until they find out you were, in your infinite wisdom, going to put the jack neatly through the bottom of the car, and then they just change the tire.
Praised be... hrm... hrm... Guys who wear cool Vans and pray at the side of the road?
12 comments:
nice to know that Vans are available everywhere. had you borrowed deputy manager's car? and do you think you'll still be in line to be mrs. deputy manager after this (if it was)? and if it wasn't, did you take the insurance on the rental or just say "naah, we're good."
the WV word is fakinics - a couple of silly expats on the road after dark in zambia.
at least please tell me you had alcohol in the car. what if you'd been stuck there all night?
Rental car that we will pretend someone trashed during the night while we are fast asleep, because what stupid person would get half-stuck in a pothole out in the middle of nowhere, that even the gps defines as a the middle of a corn field, and with only one bottle of wine in the trunk.
Not us. No ma'am.
That happened to me on the way to Durban, I was way paranoid my mom and I were going to get killed. Luckily a nice man and his family stopped and changed our tire. Five minutes later when our second tire went flat, another car stopped and helped us get to the next town over to buy a new tire since our spare had already been used. It's nice to know not everyone is out to kill tourists :)
Karma can be pretty cool too. Now, blackonyx how did you pay it forward? I'm frantically looking for my way, lest karma get into a mood...
Cool story. It's always kind of heartwarming to meet friendly people.
How lucky! I would probably be scared shitless!
These guys really were the coolest, and so interesting. One of them had just gotten back home to Zambia from England, where he had been studying Islamic history and politics.
I know i should get scared more though, but I'm a Finn and have awesome amounts of false sense of security, almost enough to spare.
you're very funny!
Innerspace Yoga - or can I just call you Inner or Yoga? Or maybe just IY, or Y? Anyhoodles, Thank you!
just kelly is fine!
That is a fabulous story!
iasa - Thank you. I'm still not admitting to myself what could have happened though and dangerously close to thinking that things will always go well, even if I do something completely moronic...
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