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After some very eventful days, we get back behind the wheel and set off north toward Lusaka.

We don’t get very far before we reach the first of several toll booths. At first, though, it’s not entirely clear what we’re supposed to pay there. That’s because they distinguish between cars, minibuses, “cars,” and trucks—but we don’t fit into any of these categories. The staff want us to pay 200 kwacha (about 9 euros). A “car,” on the other hand, has to pay just 50 kwacha (about 2.25 euros) and is even allowed to weigh more than we do.

Since there’s unfortunately no category for campers, we try to negotiate—and actually succeed! In the end, we only have to pay the 40 kwacha (approx. 1.80 euros) that applies to a minibus. This quickly becomes our standard rate for all future toll booths.

There’s a lot of traffic on the road, but the road conditions are surprisingly good. So we manage to cover a full 450 kilometers that day—a really long distance for us. In total, the drive takes us about eight hours. Just as the last rays of sunlight fade, we reach our campsite just outside Lusaka. We’re allowed to spend the night on a woman’s beautiful property right on the Kafue River.

After a restful night, we set off the next morning, heading into the hustle and bustle of yet another African capital. Traffic, people, animals, and countless street stalls—there’s certainly a lot going on here. But we manage to handle this challenge, too. To celebrate the day, we even go to the movies again. Whenever the opportunity arises while we’re on the road, we’re of course happy to take advantage of it.

Since Dominik has to fly to the North Sea for two weeks for work, we now need to find a suitable place for Anna, Nala, and Simba. The first campground we head to, however, turns out to be a total bust. Two Jack Russell terriers live there, and the owner says she can’t guarantee that they won’t attack or even kill Nala and Simba.

It’s immediately clear to us: this is no place for us to stay.

So we head to another campground—and this time we’re in luck. A beautiful property with plenty of green lawn, lots of plants, and even a pool awaits us. Just the right place to spend the next two weeks.

And so Anna, Nala, and Simba make themselves comfortable there. While Dominik goes to work, the three of them spend quiet and pleasant days at the campground, patiently waiting for his return. After that, the journey can finally continue together.