The Savoy hotel in Ndola has seen better days and looks a little bit run down but it is the best hotel in the copper belt I was assured. I was out in a rather expensive room but it did have working air-conditioning, a good TV, hot water and it was away from the noise of the street. My host went on to Kitwe which was to be the venue for the seminar. Kitwe is the main mining town about 60 km further west from Ndola; the mines are gradually following the ore bodies towards Congo .
The local beer is called Mosi and was OK to drink but a bit pricey in the hotel. Anyway the cash card from Lloyds worked in the ATM across the road so I could buy a beer. The hotel coffee shop provided a selection of basic grilled dishes and was perfectly adequate . The view over town was pretty average however.
Every morning it was a drive to Kitwe - 60 km to the east along a dual carriageway road with fairly low traffic density and a number of interesting side stalls selling charcoal, furniture, local handicrafts etc,
The entry to Kitwe is dominated by the slag heap from a smelter that is no longer working,
The seminars went pretty well over the three days and we had some good discussions. But as always all too soon the time was up and it was Saturday mornning and I was off to the next destination. Zambia had been quiet and interesting but I can't say I saw too much of the countryside.
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