Monday, January 14 I left Mukambi Safari Lodge with a chilly sun after a rainy Sunday. I traversed the 270 km up to Lusaka with many speed reducers at the entry and the exit of the villages and, especially at least seven police check point; admittedly good child with always the same questioning: How are you? From where do you come from? Where do you go? It is to occupy time and to justify their function. At the entrance of Lusaka I renewed my supply in food for me and for the truck. Then I returned to Wanderers Backpackers for three days.
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Tuesday the 15th I left visit some in the vicinity of Lusaka. But before I controlled the pressure of the tires. The rear left tire had lost 2.5 bars. The day before on the road from Kafue NP to Lusaka I had heard noises of bearing; I had stopped but I had not noted anything of abnormal. On the way towards Lilayi Elephant Nursery I warned a fitter of tyre I asked him to control the rear left tire; the tread was very degraded, cf the photograph below. A spare wheel was assembled. After the visit of the nursery I moved towards Lusaka NP to see white rhino. Alas I was taken in a big congestion without advancing during more than 10 minutes. I gave up this visit. During this latency I decided to change the four tires of my truck. I left in search of a BF-Goodrich dealer which I did not find. Consequently I went to Mercedes-Benz to have this information. Tyre King was recommended in the downtown area. The person in charge of the fitter proposed Chinese tires which I refused. He was 16:30. He tells me that he will send a proposal the following day around 10:00. I returned to Wanderers.
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Wednesday, January 16 I expected the email of Tyre King which I did not receive. After lunching I went to Tyre King which affirmed me to have sent it. But I had noted at Wanderers that Internet did not function. There were no BFGoodrich tires. I went to TS Tyre which had changed the left rear wheel. Admittedly there were no tires available but an arrival last Monday was under customs and could be available, perhaps on Friday, but surely on Monday, January 21. According to the proverb “a bird in hand is worth two in a bush!” I decided to wait rather than to consider other random alternatives.
Thursday, January 17 between two tropical downpours I left on a tour in Lusaka downtown area which is in conformity with the description by Lonely-Planet:
"The nation's capital and largest
urban zone, with mishmash of dusty tree-lined streets, bustling African
markets, Soviet-looking high-rise blocks,
and modern commerce, doesn't
easily justify exploration by the causal visitor."
TThe railway station is unworthy of a capital with a muddy access and a antique vapor locomotive. Wading in mud I visited the City Market as well as a mosque. Then I stopped my investigations under the rain to return to Wanderers.
Friday 18th January I went downtown on foot, 8 km back, inquire at the most important seller of automotive spare parts, Automotive Equipment. The answer was unequivocal, there are no BFGoodrich tires the size of my truck. Federal tires were offered to me at the same price as the BFGoodrich but the difference is that the first ones are in KMW and the second in US $ with a rate of 12/1! The pensive head I returned to the Wanderers waiting for the message of Ts-Tire. Certainly I could buy Federal tires knowing that I have to do at most 20,000 km to visit Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya with a return to Mombasa to ship my truck to France in a container. BFGoodrich tires have been four times more km for a price 12 times more expensive! Regardless of the safety provided by the BFGoodrich, but my cruising speed is slow. The four current tires have identical wear. If I do not change the three used tires like the one already changed two days ago. There remains only one spare tire, the risk lies in the probability that more than one of the three used tires is out of order like the previous before finding, hypothetically, BFGoodrich in one of the three capitals to coming, Lilongwe, Malawi, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, or Nairobi, Kenya. I am not naive, the providence in this situation will be of no help to me. I have just received a message from Ts-Tire telling me that four tires will be available Monday afternoon, three days of waiting to see the truth of the offer. I am reminded to have stayed in Kathmandu looking for Michelin 14.00R20XZL tires for my MAN truck for 11 weeks from October to mid-December 2006.
Monday, January 21 I received an e-mail from Ts-Tyre Services informing me that the four BFGoodrich tires will be delivered at 16:00. I presented myself to the garage at 15:30 and I came out from it with the new tyres at 19:00 with a return to Wanderers at 19:20.
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