Certain things scare certain people!! Bugs for example. They don't scare me, yet others are terrified of them. But there is one thing that I reckon could scare anyone. The road we drive from Lusaka to the lodge will oneday be a thing of legend. Take today for instance, having done what we consider to be the bad section and reached the valley floor, I came round a corner and was confronted by two trucks side-by-side coming towards me. The delightful thing about it is that the truck casually flashed his lights and expected me to hit the dirt at 110kph??? Thankfully, the one thing a cruiser does well though is just that!!....Two gears, a whole lotta brakes and a few deep breaths and 'oh my God's' from Ella later, we were cruising the gravel shoulder and comfortable enough to present the passing offender with the big middle finger out the window. Nothing like a spot of mid-afternoon adrenalin to remind you, you're still alive!! 
Not really the right time to admit it but we also managed a new personal best of 2hrs23mins from town to the lodge. Beating the previous record of 2hrs24mins set by the 'blue-bomber' way back in 2005. We even had some time to stop and take some sunset pics on the way!! But the new record is bittersweet if we consider the fact that we now have the new pontoon and the roadworks have made it some 4kms from the driveway. I reckon an early morning run(without water/photo stops) in about two months time could shave another 10-15mins from that. All it really takes is clear road. There's no need for mental driving. Not on that Road!!! Willy WaliT, as was to be expected, was absent from work aswell. He made some excuse about being on assignment. But we all know that if you don't watch him like a hawk he'll take any chance he can to schive. But I dragged him in by his ear and managed to get another superb piece from him.
Arrive Alive....The Commodore;))
Ndola farmer, 26, tells court ‘evil’ whirlwind killed his granny
By Times Reporter
A PEASANT farmer appearing for defence in a manslaughter case in the Ndola High Court yesterday said a whirlwind with evil spirits caused the death of his grandfather.
Before Justice Muyinda Wanki was Julius Sibanda Masoja, 26, of Masaiti district, who was accused of killing his grandfather he was staying with.
It was alleged that on October 22, 2002, in Masaiti, Masoja murdered Petro Mwelemuka, his grandfather, by beating him with a bamboo stick and a stone.
In his evidence, Masoja said before his grandfather died, he said something bad was going to happen in the village and that he was going to die because he had killed a lot of people.
He said after some time, his friend, only known as Sam died and when he informed the grandfather, he answered him that he did not care.
Masoja said he afterwards saw a whirlwind which blew his grandfather a few metres high and threw him to the ground.
He rushed there and noticed that the body of his grandfather was swollen.
He also said his relatives used to tell him that his grandfather was a wizard.
In cross examination, State advocate Mwape Bowa questioned why two State witnesses who were his relatives said they saw him beating and dragging his grandfather to his friend’s funeral house.
Masoja answered that they were jealous of him because he was comfortable.
In making submissions, the defence lawyer applied that the court should not find him guilty because the prosecution had failed to prove its case and that the evidence from one witness and that from the arresting officer was contradictory.
In reply, Mr Bowa said that having observed the credibility and the demeanor of all witnesses, there was no contradiction in the evidence. He said the State proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and asked the court to convict him accordingly.The matter was adjourned to January 6, next year for judgment.
Before Justice Muyinda Wanki was Julius Sibanda Masoja, 26, of Masaiti district, who was accused of killing his grandfather he was staying with.
It was alleged that on October 22, 2002, in Masaiti, Masoja murdered Petro Mwelemuka, his grandfather, by beating him with a bamboo stick and a stone.
In his evidence, Masoja said before his grandfather died, he said something bad was going to happen in the village and that he was going to die because he had killed a lot of people.
He said after some time, his friend, only known as Sam died and when he informed the grandfather, he answered him that he did not care.
Masoja said he afterwards saw a whirlwind which blew his grandfather a few metres high and threw him to the ground.
He rushed there and noticed that the body of his grandfather was swollen.
He also said his relatives used to tell him that his grandfather was a wizard.
In cross examination, State advocate Mwape Bowa questioned why two State witnesses who were his relatives said they saw him beating and dragging his grandfather to his friend’s funeral house.
Masoja answered that they were jealous of him because he was comfortable.
In making submissions, the defence lawyer applied that the court should not find him guilty because the prosecution had failed to prove its case and that the evidence from one witness and that from the arresting officer was contradictory.
In reply, Mr Bowa said that having observed the credibility and the demeanor of all witnesses, there was no contradiction in the evidence. He said the State proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and asked the court to convict him accordingly.The matter was adjourned to January 6, next year for judgment.
Definitely a big difference from what it was like two weeks ago
The weekend also brought with it some interesting times with the rising 'floodwaters' around chalet number four. A broken water pipe meant that I got to spend Saturday morning splashing 
