Whilst at Fringilla, on our return stay, we met Dorothy (British) and Mother Jane, (a Canadian) two remarkable women in their late 70s who have lived in Zambia for about 15 years and run an orphanage and mission some 100-kilometres from Fringilla off the Great North Road. The mission has no electricity, just a few solar lights and a gas refrigerator which, incidentally, died a few months ago so they now cannot keep perishables. Vegetables are grown at the mission while rice, noodles and mealie - the staple diet - is purchased or traded. The womens' stories of hope, despair and achievements were deeply moving.
Serenje more
June 29

An early start from Fringilla for the 380-kilometre drive from Fringilla to Serenje, where we chose to stay in the basic accommodation at the Malcolm Moffatt College complex  more. For K100 000 a night you get a 'fairly' decent rom with television (two channels) and a refrigerator, plus warm water which comes on occasionally! At least it does come on, unlike the new Mapontela Motel (where we stayed last year) where we couldn't get water at all and paid about K300 000 a night for the privilege! However we did have a meal at the restaurant adjacent to the motel which has been refurbished but the menu seems to always stay the same. We stuck to our usual omelette and salad, to be on the safe side.
Tips: 1. To get to the college, once you arrive in Serenje continue driving along the main street, past the markets and onto a dirt road, turn right where indicated at the college sign.
2. Get up extra early if you want hot water!
Mpika more
June 30, July 1 and 27
From Serenje it's a 250-kilometre drive to Mpika more where, just on the outskirts of town, you will be stopped and ordered to pay an entry fee of K10 000! We stayed at what was formerly the Mpika Agricultural College in a (very) basic thatched roof chalet which at least had a shower and hot water and only cost K70 000. There is also a dining room and bar at the complex, but we chose to cook our own food.

To say that Serenje and Mpika are not towns in which  you would stay for any great length of time would be an understatement! Unfortunately,circumstances forced us to stay in Mpika longer than the planned overnight stop.
July 1, and we were all packed up and ready to go: sadly the vehicle wasn't! For some reason or another the steering wheel lock/ignition packed it in so we were unable to move. Fortunately Sampson, the caretaker, found a wonderful mechanic, who happened to be having a day off from his work as a driver with a long distance haulage company (and in Zambia, when you're a driver you also have to know how to 'fix things' using the most basic  equipment) and numerous 'helpers'. Seven hours later a temporary fix had been made to the ignition and fuel pump.
Whilst all that was going on Anne wandered around the complex trying to locate the source of music and singing: it turned out to be a Sunday morning church service conducted by the United Church of Zambia more.She was invited, and welcomed, into the modest old building which served as the house of worship and spent two very humbling hours as part of the church community. There were no fancy statues, pews or floor coverings; the altar was a small wooden crate on which empty old soft drink cans served as vases to hold bits of foliage; and members of the congregation, some in well worn old clothing, either sat on the floor or on rickety old forms and sang their hearts out in praise of the Lord. Anne commented afterwards that she had taken part in services in several famous cathedrals in Europe, the UK and Australia, but none had had the impact of her two hours with the congregation in Mpika.
The next day, with baited breath we turned the igntion key on in the vehicle and, 'bingo', it started and we headed off to the dreaded Zambian/Tanzanian border. The temporary repairs to the vehicle lasted all the way back to Namibia and the end of our holiday!
On our return to Mpika on July 27 we once again met up with Sampson and our mechanic, both of whom were happy to see the vehicle still going. We had lunch at the newly-opened CIMS Restaurant situated on the highway at Mpika.
The Border
The usual bedlam prevailed at the border, on both sides. Even though we have passed through many times over the years we still find it so much easier for David to help us through. Words cannot describe what it's like - truly unbelievable. It took us about one-and-a-half hours both ways before all the necessary documents were 'signed off'!
Tip: Have photocopies of your passport, police clearances and vehicle registration papers etc done to present at the borders, and you will save a lot of time.
Mutinondo Wilderness Camp more
July 28 and 29
If you turn off the highway some 70-kilometres south of Mpika then travel 25-kilometres along a well-maintained dirt road you will find another 'oasis in the bush' - Mutinondo Wilderness camp. Run by Mike and Lari Merritt this absolutely remarkable lodge is just the place to relax in peace and quiet for a few days. The area consists of 10,000-hectares of privately-owned land encompassing pristine Miombo woodland, massive chunks of granite inselbergs, crystal clear rivers to swim in and drink from and picturesque waterfalls and glades. The (four) secluded, open chalets, complete with ensuite and small verandah, are nestled in the hillside, giving breathtaking views. Everything is run by solar power, there is no television, and the meals and hospitality are superb. It might seem pricey at K480 000 per day for dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch, but it's well worth splashing out, just to experience the views, hospitality and tranquility. Campsites are also available. Definitely not to be missed.

Our chalet	Open sided to a verandah	The view	Small waterfall

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