What should have been a straightforward drive quickly turned into a long, lesson-filled day. Toll gates demanded cash we didn’t have, CoffeePea Farm in Mazabuka saved the day with fresh food and a jungle gym, and Kafue on a public holiday tested every ounce of patience. My parents even phoned in horror-humour updates — “they’re skinning a goat next to the car”

Lesson one: always carry cash. Lesson two: tackle Kafue early in the morning. Slow roads, chaotic towns, it was a proper introduction to the reality of moving to Lusaka.