Luxury Camping in Zambia vA 133
(Serenje, Zambia) - How are you? - Good. How are you? - Good, good. Nice bicycle. - Nice bicycle. Yes. - Yes. - Very nice. Thank you. - How are you? - Good. How are you?
- You are good? - Yes, I'm good. Yeah. - Okay. - And you? - Yeah, I'm good, good. - Okay. - Yeah, my name... I'm Royd. - You're? - Royd. - Royd? - Yeah. - I'm Yves. - Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you. Yeah. - Yeah. Where to? - Lusaka. - Lusaka!? With this? - Yes.
Morning, my friends! Let's go. Okay, bye. - Bye. Safe journey. - Have a good time. Yeah. Bye-bye. - How are you? - Hello. Good. How are you? - Fine, fine. - Good, good. From Serenje. Bye-bye. From a very nice lodge in Serenje. Hello. Morning. And here we rejoin the road.
So the plan for today — 260 kilometers to Kabwe, which is the first real city on my way in quite a long time. And I'm gonna do it — I'm gonna try to do it — in two days. Hello! So the first part today — 138 kilometers to a lodge.
It seems there's a nice lodge on the way. Let's go, guys, for two very long rides on the way to Lusaka! Hello. - Hello. - Hello! - Hello, hello. - Hey! - Hello! Hello, hello! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah! Hello. Hello.
Hello! It's funny because you have so many of those guys selling potatoes and sweet potatoes, but they all sell the exact same stuff. Hello. - How are you? Oh, nice. - I'm fine. Hello! How are you? - I'm fine. And how are you? - Good, good.
I'm good. - Where are you going? - I'm going to Lusaka. Potatoes and sweet potatoes. Wow! I mean, as far as I can see, there are stalls of potatoes and sweet potatoes. That's really crazy. Wow. The amount. I don't know how they can sell all this. Hello.
Hello. Hello! - Yeah, I'm fine. - Hello! Hello, hello! - Hello, hello! - Are you fine? - I am fine. I am fine. - Where to? - Lusaka. - Okay, okay. - It's funny. Actually, I learned something interesting recently. "Mzungu", at least in Swahili, means... It's very funny.
It doesn't mean "a white man" or "a white person". It means a person who spins around without any reason or without any sense for it. And apparently, this name was given to Europeans, I think in Zanzibar, when Europeans arrived in Zanzibar, and the locals were seeing those weird people walking around and doing things all the time without any reason basically, being active for no reason. And it's funny because it actually describes Europeans very well, because Europeans are very talented at doing things and being active for no real reason, while people in Africa know how to enjoy life much more, I think.
Hello! Yes, yes, yes. This is the sweet potato land. Hello. - Hello. - I am fine. Hello! Hello. - Okay.
- Hello! - Hello, hello! What is this? What are they selling? Hello, hello! Hello. - I am fine. - Hello. It seems there's a problem here. - Hey. - Mulishanje. - Bwino, bwino. - Cape Town. - Go to Cape Town? - Yes. Oh, man. That's a very cool primary school. Look at the space!
That's one of the things I prefer in Africa: when you pass by a school, and you see all the kids running towards you. Hello. - Yes. - And interestingly, the border with DRC is just one kilometer away from the road here, there in the bush on my right. Hello. - Hello.
- Mulishanje. - Bwino. - What's up, mzungu? - Hello. Hello. - How are you going? - How are you? - Hello, man! - Hello, white man. - Mulishanje! - Hello. - Mulishanje!
- Hello! - Hello. - Sorry for disturbing you. - Oh, it's okay. - I think I saw you. I've been following you from Kenya. - Yes, yes. - Yes. - Yes, it's me. - I saw you when I was coming on the other side. The other day, I saw you ride. - So you saw me... - Yes.
- ...several times then. - Yes, I've seen you. But I've been following you on YouTube. - Okay. - ...stuff like that. So where are you heading to?
I guess Cape Town. - Cape Town. Yes, yes. - It's very good. - Hello. - Hello. How are you? - Yeah. And I've quite supported a number of people who do come all the way from Cape Town maybe to Cairo, people biking all the way to Russia from South Africa.
- Okay, okay. Wow, nice. - Yeah. Yeah. - So you're used to this kind of people doing... - I'm used. Yeah, I'm used. - ...doing these long overland journeys. - Yeah, I'm used. So, this is beautiful. I get inspired... - So you work in tourism or...? - Tourism. - Yeah. - And also in a conservational way.
So tourism is my private business. But I'm an environmentalist. Like I work... - Okay, so like in the national park. - No, no. - Parks. - Around climate change. - Ah, okay. - Yeah, also environmental conservation. Yeah. - Okay, nice. - Waste management. - Okay. - Yes. We get more inspired by people... - Oh, yes, yes.
- ...what you're doing. Yes. - Yes, it's true. You can travel in... - Yeah. - More sustainable ways. Yeah. - Yeah. So, are you doing a campaign or what? - I don't do... No, no. - Or just raising awareness of people traveling, a sustainable way of traveling.
- Not really. I just do what I do, and then people see, they can go... Yeah, so you can do it by bicycle. But I don't... No, I don't often talk about it. - Yeah, it's good sometimes not to talk about it. - Ah? - That's why I've stopped talking about certain things. I just...
- Because the thing is also as... If you get political, people... - Yeah. - ...get annoyed also. - Yeah. - So, for some things, I cannot avoid not being... You cannot avoid being... You cannot never be political.
Sometimes you're a bit political. But... - Yeah. - I avoid it as much as I can, but... Yeah. Sometimes you just cannot avoid it. Yeah. - Where are you coming from? - You are on Instagram. - France. - Oh, from France? - From France, with this. Yes. - With this?!
How did you pass through another African country? - I've been following him. - That's okay. Yeah. - ...on the other side. - This is like... - It's very far. Yes. You wanna take a picture or...? - Yeah, pictures. - With... So what's your name? - Billy. - Billy? - Yeah. - Nice. Billy from Zambia who... - Yeah.
- ...works in environment, climate change, and tourism. - And tourism. And I was in Paris for COP21. - Oh, really?! - Yes. - Wow! - In the Paris Agreement. - Oh my God. - I was there.
- Yeah, wow. That's good. Yeah, yeah. - Yes, and I went to the Eiffel Tower. So... - Okay. Wow. Yeah, Paris is beautiful. Yeah. - Though in hotels, the rooms are too small.
- Ah, it's just too expensive. Paris is... - But the rooms are too small. - Yes. Because even for a very small one, it's very expensive. - Yes. - So if you want to have a big one, you're gonna pay €500. - Yeah, it's true.
I know in some countries you've passed, things were difficult. Crazy. - Some… Yes. - Like in Ethiopia. What?! - Ethiopia is difficult. I mean, I love Ethiopia, but it's difficult to travel.
- I remember the guy... - Yeah. - ...he wanted to... - Yes, yes. - They know you are staying. - But Zambia is very easy. Here it's... - It's very easy. - Here it's very easy. It's super, super nice. Yeah. - So, I wish you all the best. - Okay, thank you very much. Yeah. - I'll keep you in touch as you move up.
- Okay, thank you. - Yes. - Yeah, great. Yeah. - Bye. Nice. - Have a good day. Yeah. Nice meeting you. Yeah. - Nice. - Bye-bye! - Bye. - Friendly Zambians. Zambia is just really...
It's super easy. It's kind of like Africa for beginners, I would say. Like really, really friendly people. Very easygoing. Very easy to travel. Let's stop a bit here for lunch, guys! So… Nothing fantastic again.
Still sardines, this time with crackers. And I will have some of my guavas. Zambia is not a country you come for...
It's not a country you visit to enjoy the food, I think. Not really... Not really fantastic. Ah, merde! I don't even know if I really know how to eat a guava.
You tell me if I do it correctly. So I'll just peel it and I'll bite in it. Is this the correct way? Good. There are not many fruits in Zambia. I'm very surprised. It's... Maybe it's not the right season. I don't know.
It's hard to find fruits. Let's go, guys! Okay. It's far enough. Let's go. Let's go! 57 kilometers left for today. Oh man.
Hello. - Hello. - The road is really, really good today. So it's very, very pleasant to ride on this really nice Zambian road. - Hello! - And now the tomatoes. Hello, hello! - Hey! - Hello, hello, hello! - Hey!
- How many tomatoes! We went from the sweet potato land to the tomato land. Mkushi. Alpha Food Court. Oh my God. Hello, hello. Oh, putain. Ah! Ah, the... rainbow bumps. So I think I'm starting...
Slowly, slowly, I'm starting to arrive in the developed part of Zambia. - You! - Hello, mulishanje. - Yeah! - Yeah! - Come, come! - Yeah! I know him from one lodge. Yeah, from Serenje, from where I left this morning.
Hello. Hello! Hello. And here it's watermelon... Watermelon land. Hello. And I'm almost at the lodge. 136 kilometers today. A very easy day actually. It's three o'clock in the afternoon.
25 km/h average speed today. So it was... On average, it was very slightly downhill. So it was a dream day. Perfect road. Fast. Beautiful weather. 136 kilometers. Easy. - Hello. How is it going? - Yeah, it's going well. Yeah. - Something? Bottle, something? - No, it's okay. I'm stopping just here. - Okay.
- I'm stopping at a lodge here. So it's okay. My day has finished. It's okay. Thank you very much! Yeah. - Have a good day, brother. - Thank you, thank you! Yeah. - Fika lodge. - Yeah, I stay at Fika...
- We are also going to Fika Lodge. - Ah, you're also going there. - Yeah! - We'll meet there! - So we'll see you there. I'll see you there. - We follow you. - Great. Yeah. So they were at the lodge this morning and they... We're going to the same lodge, which you see is just here. So it was a few hundred meters.
Fika Lodge. Hopefully, they have a bed for me. They wanted to give me water, which is always very nice. That's what I need, actually. Hello. How are you? - Fine. How are you? - Good, good, good. - Coming from where? - From where? - From Serenje today. - From Serenje? - Yes.
- Just like this? - Just like this? - Just like this. Yes. It's downhill. So it's okay. - It's okay? - And the road is very good. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - The road is very good. So it was... - Okay. - Very nice. - You are not tired? - I need... No, it's okay. I have... Ah? - You're really strong. - Thank you. But it's electric, so it's easier. - We come by car.
You come by this. - Yeah, we took the same time. Yeah. - The same time. - That's funny. - Amazing, amazing. - So you keep videos all the way? - Ah? - You make videos all the way? - Yes, of the way. When I... - He will keep on editing... - When I ride. I will probably stay maybe a couple of days. Usually, I stay some days everywhere. - Okay. - So I can edit. - Oh, yeah. - And I will stay longer in Lusaka, so I can also edit.
- We are going to Lusaka. - Yeah. - Where will you stay in Lusaka? - I don't know. I have someone... I don't know because someone invited me to his place.
So I don't know. - Airbnb? - I don't know. It's a guy. I met him in Kenya. - Kenya? - And he lives in Lusaka. - Are you coming from Kenya? - Yeah, I came from France with this. - France? - France? - Yes. - This is amazing.
- Like this from France? - Like this from France. Yeah. - Where are you going? - On this. - Do you also go to India? - Yeah, one day I'll go to India, but it's gonna take some time because first I need to go to Cape Town. - When you go to India, come to our home. - Okay. Where do you stay in India? - New Delhi. Mumbai, Jaipur, everywhere. - Everywhere! - Yes. - Oh my God!
- We have homes everywhere. - Okay, great. - Okay. Bye-bye, brother. - Bye-bye. Enjoy. Yeah, you can take a photo. It's okay. - Yeah, yeah. - Yeah. - Can I sit on it? - You can sit. Yeah. Not ride it, but you can sit. - Okay.
- From here, from here. - From here? - Just a minute to take a photo. - Just a photo. - Come here, come here. - You come from Serenje. - From Serenje. - From Serenje with this? - From Serenje today. - Today? - Let's take a photo, a photo at Fika Lodge. Please.
- Fika Lodge! - Yeah. - At Fika Lodge. Photo. - Photo, photo. Yeah. - Wait. - Fika Lodge. - Also, include us. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Okay. - Come on. Come, come. - With our Indian friends. - Yeah! - Yeah! - Yes! - Yeaaaahhhhh! - E-bike tour! - Enjoy Zambia! E-bike tour! - E-bike tour! - That's a nice arrival at Fika Lodge. - Yes, yes, yes. - Fika. - Very nice. Yeah. I cross what? - 200... 200,000. - 200,000. - 200,000. - Subscribers.
- Subscribers? I'm close to it. Yeah, yeah. I'm almost at 200,000. 195,000. - How many? 15? - Ah? - 15 added. - 15 added. Yeah. - Subscribe! - Subscribe. - All subscribers now.
- Get the mobiles out and subscribe to him. - So I've got a lot more… 15 more subscribers. - [Both] Everybody, subscribe! - Target — 200,000. - Subscribe! - 200,000 target. - Almost at 200k. - Yeah. - 200. - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Campsite — $20. Single — $60. Wow! Hello. - How are you? - Good. How are you? - Fine. Thank you. - Good. So, you have rooms or...? - Yes. - Yes. - Okay. I think I have one, but let me just confirm with my colleague because he said the one who was supposed to come was not coming. So how many are you? - Just me. - Just you? - Can you show me where the camp is? - The campsite? - Yes. - Okay. He's going to take you. - Okay. Thank you.
That's the toilets. Okay. - Yeah. - And shower. - Yeah. - Okay. - This is our campsite here. - Okay. So it's this area. - Yeah. - Okay. So anywhere... I can put my tent anywhere here? - Yeah, anywhere. - Do you have plugs accessible? Do the...? There is electricity here? - Yeah, there's electricity inside. - Okay.
So I can use the electricity here, no? - Yeah. - Okay, great. Okay. - We have sockets here. - Okay, perfect. Well... Okay. Okay, great. Thank you very much! - You're welcome. - Thank you. I guess that's the generator.
So in the end, I'm gonna camp because the only room they had left was for $85. I'm not paying $85 for a room. So in the end, I paid $20 for camping. It's funny. It's quite... Zambia is quite expensive: it's more expensive than the campsites in France, actually. Anyway, I should have access to electricity in this house. And yeah, it looks like it's gonna be a very nice place to camp.
It's gonna be luxury camping. I thought I was gonna be doing luxury life here in Zambia. But it's gonna be just luxury camping. $85. I'm not paying $85 for a room.
Morning, my friends! Let's go. So it's actually... I complained a little bit, when I arrived, of the price. But actually, the facilities were really good. So even $20 for the campsite is worth it. Bye-bye! - Bye-bye. - Just a bit sad that they don't have cheaper accommodation. But the lodge is very beautiful indeed, and the food was absolutely fantastic.
I stayed for two days just because of that, because it's been such a long time since I had good food like they have here. Oh my God! It was awesome. Bye-bye. - Bye-bye. - Thank you! So let's go across... Look at this beautiful arrival place.
Let's go across the Copperbelt, guys! So today we are riding across the Copperbelt in Zambia. So it's a region of southern DRC and northern Zambia that is known — or central Zambia that is known for... Because it's very rich in copper. In the '50s, it was even the largest... Well, this region was the largest producer of copper in the world.
And so for today, 126 kilometers to Kabwe, which is kind of the first real city on my way. So let's go to Kabwe, guys! Yeah. Hello, hello, hello. - White man, hi. - Hello. Ah, putain. Putain [keeps speaking French]. Oh, f***!
A big hole through the bridge. Usually, the bridges are well-built here, but... Well, this one had a huge hole. You know, the part that makes the bridge flexible, because the bridges extend, and it gets bigger and gets smaller with the temperatures.
So at the beginning and at the end, you have parts, flexible parts. Usually, when it's well-built, you don't notice it. But here it was a huge line. A very deep hole. Hello. Sorry. - Hi. - Mulishanje. Hi. - Hello. - Hi.
Hi! - Hi, hi. - Hi. - I can go? - Hi. How safe are you? - I'm very safe. - So where are you going? - Today Kabwe. - Kabwe. From where? - I go... From Fika Lodge today. - Okay. - I go to Cape Town.
- Hi. How are you? - Good. How are you? - Fine! - Fine! - Fine, fine. - Give me money! - Give me money. Hello. Yes! Hello. - How are you? - Good. How are you? - I'm fine. - Hello, hello.
- Morning. - Morning, morning. Hello. I'll never say it enough. Zambia is so awesome. Hello. - Hello, hello. - Yeah! - Hello, man! - Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hello, hello, hello! Oh, nice. Barbecue. Hello, hello.
Hello. - Are you not tired? - Nice. Geometer. Once upon a time, my friends called me a geometer because I was thinking in trying to become a geometer. Well, I don't know. Geophysicist. I don't know what you call the guys who do these things. Hello, hello! - Hi. - Hey, hello. - Hello. Mulishanje. Hello. Lusaka.
Hello! - Yeah! - Hi. - How are you? - I'm good. And how are you? - Good, good, good. I can go? - You're good. - Have a safe journey. - Okay. Thank you! - Good. How are you? - Good. How are you? - Fine. - I'm good. - Good.
- Where are you going? - Kabwe. Cape Town. - Cape Town? - Yes. - I love you. - I love you, too. Hello. - Hi. - Hi. - Hi. Hello. Hello! Watermelon. Hello! And we're arriving in Kapiri Mposhi, which should be my lunch break.
That's a lot of stuff. - Hello. - Hello, hello. Yeah, big shops.
- Hello! - Hello, hello. - Wait, wait! Come here, come here! - Bus station. Hello, hello, hello! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hello, hello. Hello, hello. - A good boy. - Good, good. Good boy. Yes. Look! ShopRite, guys. Amazing. It's almost like a proper city. Oh, rainbow.
Hello. Ah, that's where I want to go. Yes. The petrol stations always have the best shops in many countries in Africa. Look at that. There's pizza. There is a burger. - You seem to come from very far away. Where are you coming from? - Today Mkushi. - Mkushi? - I come from France. - You are coming from France? - Yes.
- You have covered how many kilometers? - 15,000. Probably… Maybe more. 16,000 now I think. - Where did you start from? - France. - You started from France? - Yes. - With the same thing? - With this.
Yes. - Up to here? - Yes. - Okay. That's good, that's good. - So you're from where, sir? - France. - France. - France. - From Mkushi today. - With this same bike? - Yes. Is this dry? This is dry now. Yes.
Okay, let's get some food. Ah? - You are just riding? - Yes, just riding. Yes. The restaurant is here? - Yes. - The entrance is here. Okay. - That's right. - Okay. Hello. Do you have a menu somewhere or...?
It's up there. Yeah. - Yeah. - The single pork rib is only with chips. Do you have it with rice or...? - It's only chips. - Only chips. - Yeah. - I'll get the single pork rib. - Okay. - So it's 210. It comes with a drink?
- No, it doesn't come with a drink. Just it is pork ribs as well as small chips. - How much is for a Coke? - Coke is 15 kwacha for a main meal. - 15 kwacha? Okay. So I'll get a single pork rib with a Coke, please. - Sit… Take away or sit down? - Eat here. - Okay. - I'll just eat outside. - Just give us eight minutes. - Thank you. Ah? - Eight minutes. Eight minutes. - Eight minutes? Ah, okay, okay.
So who is watching the bike? - There is a... - You or the guy? - There's a guard that's... - Okay. - ...watching it. Don't worry. - Okay. - Safe. - So I give something to who for...? - Okay, thank you. - Okay, you can share it with him. So... It's for the bike, so… To take care of the bike.
- I give you a Coke? - Coke? - Yes. - Yes, please. It's fresh. - Here you go. - Thank you. So here are my ribs. Back in the modern world! Look at all the sauces. Good fries.
Very good. Let's try the pork. Oh my God. Oh, the bone is so soft I could bite in it. It's okay.
It's funny. The bones are really, really soft. The pork is really good. Very good. Thank you! - Okay, thank you. - Thank you! - Hello. - Hello! How are you? - Hi. - Hi. - Greet me now. - It... I'm sorry. I'm wet... - Ah, okay. - Okay. - You're from? - France. - Oh, okay.
How is France? - It's good. Yeah. - I love this bike. - You like this bike? - Yeah. - Yes, everyone likes it. Yeah. It's nice. - It's very nice. Like serious. - It's very comfortable. - Yeah. So where are you going? - Today Kabwe, but I go to Cape Town.
- So you came from France with this? - I came from France with this. Yes. - And you are going back again to France with this? - I will go back again to France with this actually. Yes. - How are you feeling? Your body, your legs. - Good. I do sports.
So I feel good. - Oh, you... Yeah, yeah. I think, yeah, you're a sportsman. - Yeah, when you do sports, you feel... I mean, it's tiring, but then you feel better. - Oh, okay. - So it's... I feel very good. Yeah. - Yeah, that's interesting. How many days? - Ah? - Or how many months? - It took me two years. - Two years?! - Two years. Yes. Yes, because I also film my journey.
That's why it takes so long. If I don't film it, from France to here, it would take me seven, eight months. But because I film, it takes more time. - So like people are going to watch me? - Maybe yeah. You don't want it? - Ah?
- You don't want people to watch you? - I'm... No, I don't want it. - You don't want it. Why? - You want to go and show people this is Zambia. - This is Zambia. - And then these Zambians will be asking me... - Nice. - You would have allowed me to sit there? - You wanna try? - Yeah. - Yeah, you can try.
Just sit. Not ride it, but just sit if you wanna try. - I just sit? - You can sit from here. - It's comfortable? - It's very comfortable. Yes. - You do like this? - Yes. - It's interesting. - Get. Get up. Let me try. Come. - This is interesting. - From here. The legs from here. - Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah!
- Nice. - Boss, boss. - See you. - See you. Yes. Ah? - Next year. - Next year. Maybe. Yeah. - Okay, okay. - Bye-bye. - Okay, bye. - Safe journey. - Thank you for keeping the bike. Okay, bye-bye. - Okay. - Thank you. Bye-bye. Nice. Okay, let's go. Let's go to Kabwe! 60 kilometers left. Let's go, guys!
- Hi, hi, hi, hi. - Hello, hello. - Hello, hello! - My friend, come here! - Hello, hello. - Stop, stop! - No, no, no. I need to continue. - Stop, my friend! You stop, stop! - Hi! - Hello. - Hi! - Hi, hi, hi. - Hi, hi. - Hello. - Hello. - Hello, hello. Wow, that's a lot of charcoal. That's a lot of trees burnt.
Yeah, sadly, we are in an El Nino year. And in East Africa, where I was before, El Nino was bringing more rain than usual. But here it's the opposite. So here it's not raining enough.
Apparently, this year, people... The corn crops were really bad. So when this happens, to keep being able to eat, people just cut trees, burn them, and turn them into charcoal. What is this? Hello. - Honey! - Ah? - Honey. - Honey? Ah, it's okay. Thank you. Oh, they were selling the full... The honey in the beehive.
No, I cannot transport that, because that's awesome. I mean, it's so good to eat honey straight from the beehive. What the hell is that? Abnormal. Wow, it's so freaky. That's crazy. What's that? That's mental. Whoa! I've never seen anything that big on the road.
Hello. - What's this? - A tricycle. - All right. - Hello, hello, hello. Oh, putain! What the f*** is this guy doing? Oh, putain! Yeah, he blocked me. What the hell? Almost went upside down here. This truck just completely blocked me.
- Hello. - Hello! - What's happening? - I'm going to Kabwe. - You're going to Kabwe? - Yes. - Are you all right? - I'm all right. Very all right. - Okay. From where? - From Mkushi today. - From Mpika? - Mkushi. - Mkushi? - Yes. - It's a very good exercise. - Very good exercise. Yes. - It's funny. - Very nice. - You're funny. - Yes. - Safe journey. - Thank you very much! Have a good day!
- Okay, okay. - Bye-bye. It's funny. The roads you see are all completely melted by the heat. The asphalt is melted, and you have these curves, these waves on the road. What's this? Honey again. - Honey, honey, honey. - Oh nice. - Honey, honey! How beautiful. Look at this road! That's crazy how melted it is.
Look at the other side; it looks like trenches in the dirt road almost. That's mental! I'm really lucky to arrive here at a time when it's not hot. It's not hot at all. Free highway for bicycles. Hello. - Hello, hello! - Nice. Hello, hello!
Hello, hello, hello. - Hello! - Hello! - Stop, stop, stop, stop! - Hello. Welcome to Kabwe! Hello.
Hello, hello. Okay, guys. We made it to... We made it to Kabwe. 126 kilometers today.
See you for the next adventures! Ciao, guys.
2024-08-28 13:39
