My alcohol consumption has dropped dramatically since my arrival in Zambia. There is only one interesting nightspot, the Castle Hotel, and the novelty of a post-war "Norman castle" wears thin after a few visits.

As such my partner, Betty, and I have taken to investing every now and then in a crate of beer that we finish slowly at home. For me, this has been an important dose of normality that has helped me adjust to a life without luxury.

Sadly this has now been taken away. Zambian Breweries stopped supplying Lundazi in January due to the appalling state of area roads. According to the company, supplying Lundazi has become unprofitable, since delivery trucks either break down or the beer loses its taste on the bumpy road. One local transporter pegged delivery costs at $1 for every kilometer of road traveled.

This would normally not cause too much concern. Malawi's borders and delicious Carlsberg beer are only 20 kilometers away, with smugglers doing roaring trade across the border. However, a fault in the Carlsberg factory has meant that production has dried up, and with it the smuggling route.

While I am well prepared for the days without electricity and have created elaborate systems for conserving water, this enforced and unplanned alcohol abstinence seems cruel now.

But this is just a small consequence of living without adequate infrastructure. Of course there are many worse consequences - access to medical care and markets among them. For the residents of Lundazi, the road is something you just have to live with. Or in this case, without.

Comments

I agree

Michel S. on March 20, 2009 01:02

I fully agree with you. Access to a good cold beer is more important than anything else. You should always have an exit strategy and a plan B, a plan for Beer. :-))

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