You know you are in for some fun when your bike tyres are sprayed for foot and mouth disease at the turn off to Eureka Campsite. 200 metres later you are dodging zebra and getting eyed out by buffalo bulls.
We soon learnt that Eureka is home to not only home to zebra and buffalo, but also seven giraffe, hundreds of impala, waterbuck and kudu, all of which we managed to spot during our stay. Game viewing can be done at your own risk and an evening stroll to stalk some buffalo was the best way to end our day, and then see the evening in with a G&T at the bar.
It was Saturday morning and we were waiting anxiously for John and Robbie to open the bar. Kickoff was in ten minutes! South Africa vs New Zealand. Nine o’clock we were glued to the box,and supporting the Bokke for a Tri-Nations victory. What a game! It felt like ’95 all over again. Well done to John Smit and the boys for bringing home the silverware.
Unfortunately the spider bite on my arm was not healing. My arm kept swelling and the headaches and fever were just too much. I was off to the doctor for advice. The advice was predictable. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and another consultation when the arm is less inflammed.
The medication had me drowsy and battling to sleep at night. Not a problem at Eureka Camp. During the heat of the day you can catch a snooze while watching DSTV, and let the drugs do their thing. Eureka Camp normally comes alive in the evenings, Overlanders start arriving around five and keep the bar busy till 12. After then you are treated to the sounds of nightjars calling their eerie cries into the African night, while zebra munch on the sweet grass around your tent. Be aware and keep your eyes open when going to the toilet at night, there is the possibility of walking into a pyjama donkey: they are well camouflaged in the dark.
After three days of buffalo stalking and heavy medication, Eureka owner and new tour mom, Doreen van Blerk, took us into Lusaka to get the arm cut open and to treat us to the ‘city life’ of malls and a damn good cappuccino.
It was almost instant relief once the arm was lanced, draining an unbelievable amount of unpublishable matter and dead tissue. The doctor’s orders were clear, check up the following day, then we could hit the road once I felt comfortable but I must continue on the antibiotics.
It only took two days to get back on the bikes. We said our goodbyes to all at Eureka Camp and pedalled out only to get a puncture stop 15km further. Qe laughed it off. It was good to be back on the road.
