BLOG: From Zambia with love

Sarah Marsh reports on the Demelza trip to Zambia....

DAY 12

Well that's it folks! Job done as they say.
A final visit to the project to say goodbye to everyone and now it's an evening at our campsite for a farewell dinner.
We're sad to go but glad to be going home too ... can't wait to see everyone and tell you all about our adventures.
It's been another fantastic visit to Zambia and we all hope we'll return soon to the friends we've made.
Signing off from Zambia .... see you tomorrow ;-) x

DAY 11

Totally chilled out day today .... everyone doing what they wanted.
Some rode elephants, some walked with lions, some swam on the edge of the falls or went for a helicopter ride.
Others simply went to the falls and chilled by the pool by the side of the river. A treat to ourselves after all the hard work.
It's been a bit on the warm side today - 45 degrees .... shame ;-)
We're heading back to Lusaka at 6am tomorrow for our last day - a final visit to the project and a farewell dinner.
Can't believe it's nearly over .... x

DAY 10

Oh boy it's been a long day!
Left our fly camp home at 6am and got on our coach to take us to Livingstone... arrived here at 5pm. A few numb bums after that journey.
A shower, clean clothes, good food and a cold beer and we're happily refreshed.
This is the fun part and there are plans afoot for lion walks and elephant rides tomorrow.
And of course a trip to Vic Falls - can't come all this way and not see the national treasure of Zambia :)
A few more beers by the river I think before we head off for bed... x

DAY 9

Definitely an animal day today - went wandering in the bush this morning and on a boat safari this afternoon. It was incredible to be so close to elephants, buffalo and crocodile.
Some of the boys were up fishing at dawn today and we have freshly caught fish for supper tonight.
It's a double birthday today - Alan and Jan - and we're celebrating in as much style as we can muster here in the middle of nowhere.
Sad to see one of our group leave today - Kelly returns ahead of us to the UK and we wish her a safe journey home.
Have to sign off now ... it's birthday party time ;-) x

DAY 8

What did we do today? We canoed and then canoed some more and then a bit more!
Thirty miles altogether - should have got it sponsored.
We set off at 6am - no human being should be doing any sort of exercise at 6am - especially not people who had 3 hours sleep the night before! We had a slight panic when we stopped for breakfast ... halfway through the bacon we suddenly spotted three canoes drifting off down the Zambezi!
Quick rescue paddle by our guides ;-)
But we eventually made it to the oasis of our fly camp - complete with shower and toilet (fed up of bushes and shovels ;-)
A night game safari drive beckons .. well earned!
Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings X

DAY 7

I wish you could all be with us now ... we're sat on an island in the middle of the Zambezi and the sun is setting in stunning African style.
There are hippos just off the bank and elephants grazing round the corner.
This is true escapism and the world feels a million miles away.
We've canoed for three hours to get here and seen all sorts of wildlife - including some very big and scary crocs!
Soon the campfire will be burning ... and dinner will be cooking.
We're a happy bunch tonight ;-)

DAY 6

We're done! All finished. Job's complete!
We had a bit of a whip round this morning and went shopping for the Day Centre at Jon Hospice - think we eventually spent around 900 dollars on food which can literally keep the kids fed for months, a good feeling. Instead of a literacy problem - we had a numeracy issue today ..... ever heard of a hopscotch that goes 1, 3, 4 ....? HELLO! Bang goes our academic credibility again!!
Worrying because some of the group took the class instead of the teachers.
Off to the mighty Zambezi tomorrow morning ... hoping I can still get updates through.
Off to see the elephants .... this is going to be such hard work ;-)

DAY 5

It's 7 o'clock here and the team have only just arrived back at base.
They are working so hard and are determined to finish what they came here to do.
The hospice is finished, the classroom is nearly done and the murals that have appeared are amazing.
We've even painted a hopscotch on the path around the hospice. The challenge tomorrow is to teach the kids how to play!
I can only sit here and wonder at these people - they are tired, dirty, hot and they keep laughing, they keep working. They are extraordinary.
Think they all deserve a beer tonight... or two :-) x

DAY 4

Another classroom wall up, more painting at the hospice and more digging.
Some of the group helped in class with the kids .... and bizarrely performed an impromptu conga across the playground!
Colourful murals starting to appear in one of the classrooms at our school - we painted an alphabet which was all going well until we got to 'V' and we painted a whale!
The literacy of the group needs to improve - we've ruined the education of these Zambian kids before they've even learnt the alphabet!
Bit more emulsion and start again: A for apple, B for ball ..... V for violin, W for whale!
Love from Zambia xx

DAY 3

Going to have to find a way to slow this lot down! Another wall up at the school and one knocked down, the entire day care building painted outside and most of the vegetable patch dug.
I'm running out of projects!
Lots of laughter as well as lots of work ...... and the sunburn is coming along nicely too!
Feel like everyone's mother: 'Have a rest, have a drink, where's your hat?Put some sunscreen on'.
It's like going away with the kids...

DAY 2

What an extraordinary group of people! We start the day with a shopping trip to the Zambian equivalent of B&Q - more paint than than Picasso ever needed!
One classroom is already painted and the other has half its walls already up.
We return to our camp hot, tired, very very dirty .... but truly the best days work we've done for a long time.
Rev Zimba, our host at the school calls our group 'miracle workers'. Well maybe if the wall is still standing in the morning hey ....

DAY 1

Arrived safely, been to see our projects. We are going to build a classroom, paint another classroom, paint the hospice building inside and out and create a veggie garden too.
Tons to do - but we are all up for the challenge! Group are fabulous and getting on great already.
Finishing off today in a tough way - swim in Dr Tim's pool followed by drinks on his balcony whilst we watch a very beautiful African sunset. Good to be here and wonderful that Demelza has been made so very welcome.