Weekend in Siavonga, July 1-3, 2007

One of the things that I really like about Zambia is that it celebrates at least one national holiday every month. This month, we actually had two—Heroes Day (July 2) and Unity Day (July 3). Hence, it was another extended weekend for us. My friends and I, of course, took the opportunity to see more of the country, as we have been wont to do every month.

In May, my co-volunteers and I celebrated our first month in Zambia in Livingstone, home of the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls.

In June, we set off to Kitwe (in the Northern province) to celebrate Philippine Independence Day with the rest of the Zambia-based Pinoys.

For the month of July, our proverbial ruby slippers took us to Siavonga, a quaint town in the Southern Province characterized by tranquil waters, winding roads, and steep slopes. The town has an artifical layout which, according to the Bradt Travel Guide (McIntyre, 2006), is “the result of being built on the upper sections of three or four hills—the lake’s recently created shore.”

Lake Kariba

The lake in question is Lake Kariba—a body of water created by the construction of an enormous dam (1956-1959) designed to provide hydro-electric power for both Zambia and Zimbabwe. Bradt Travel Guide describes it as “the largest dam of its time—579m wide at its crest, 128m high, 13-26m thick…It was a huge undertaking that turned some 280km of the river into around 5,200km2 of lake.”

Impressive figures, if you ask me…

The Kariba Dam

…And it becomes even more impressive when you’re there, right on top of the dam, betwixt the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. I could almost feel the full force of the two nations’ victories and struggles pulling on us, as if in a tug-of-war contest that would determine which country would make the most headway towards development the soonest.

Betwixt two Countries: The view from the top of the dam

My friends and I couldn’t help but wonder, though, what price the two aforesaid nations had to pay for creating such an engineering wonder. The completion of the dam, for sure, was a prodigious feat—but it also displaced entire communities and destroyed ecosystems on both sides of the border. Not a few lives were lost. Nevertheless, it was reported to also have opened up new industries centering around the lake, as well as closed off possibilities of exploiting the richness of the game areas in that part of the Zambezi Valley. So there you go, the double-edged sword called progress at work. Impressive BUT…. (There’s always a but in the end, isn’t there?)

As far as I am concerned, however, the most “impressive” things about Siavonga do not solely revolve around the dam or the lake it created. More than these engineering wonders, the charm of Siavonga, for me, was in the hearty home cooked meals and late night conversations we shared with our gracious hosts (owners of the Nyami Nyami Adventure Trust, an NGO that works with street kids). It was in playing and laughing with their three adorable kids—along with their dogs and puppies (and I don’t even like dogs!). It was in the getting-to-know-you’s with other volunteers (from various organisations) at the back of a pick up truck, or by the bonfire after dark. It was eating a sumptuous meal of crocodile’s tail by the poolside of a famous inn in that area, and pretending it’s fish.;) It was in staying warm in our cozy tents on a windy (but fortunately, not so cold) night. And most of all, the charm of Siavonga was in sharing this experience with my two lovely companions.

Travelling Troika: Juliet, Sharon, and Pia

Brothers Murphy: Keido (7 years old) and Taiyo (4 years old)

Taka, 2 years old

So yes, while the dam and the lake were worth the trip, it’s the simple “everyday” things that would make me come back to Siavonga again and again.

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Note: More photos from our Siavonga trip THIS WAY