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This evening, after closing the door of the kids’ bedroom - “Godnight goodnight!” - I went to the living room. Punky the cat followed me. For a while we played “cat and mouse”. My hand was of course the mouse. I still have some marks. The cat is not a little sweet thing without teeth anymore. We played until I heart some noise in the kitchen. Rats! Punky the cat reacted not-at-all. So I took the cat and went to the kitchen. Turned on the light and saw nothing. Punky the cat went a little bit in different corners. It seemed that there was at least an interesting (new?) smell. However, Punky the cat found quickly my foot more interesting. I turned of the light and waited. Punky looked at me, sat down and waited too. The rat(s?) waited too. After 2 minutes - I am not a very patient person – I turned the light on again. Took a stick and pushed a few things in one of the dark corners, where my dear man has all the old oily “spare” parts for his cars. Finally, some movement: a rat running from one corner to another. Than jumping out, biting Punky the cat, who in the meantime had come closer. Rat jumped back, I screamed and Punky looked confused.

Punky and I, we are a great rat-hunting-team. Very successful indeed. I am impressed or shocked about my scream. Who would have though that I would scream like a Barbie? Hey! I did NOT jump on a chair! A little bit later, still angry about myself, I used bravely again the stick. Punky was very interested in the noise that I mad with the stick or in the stick itself. How to teach a cat how to hunt rats? I spotted the rat again (not sure if Punky did too) but after a few more attempts to make the rat move and Punky realising that it is a cat and should be interested in rats, I gave up. I decided to close the door to the kitchen. We will see how cat and rat spend the night… I dare to hope to find a dead rat (despite negative Karma points) but I don’t really believe in it… just hope that Punky will be ok!! Yeah yeah I know. Punky is a spoilt cat, that does probably not even realise that it is a cat (and not a human being). Yeah yeah I know, if we would give the cat less food that for sure the rats would be more interesting. But I am not at home all day long and it seems that other people in this family also can’t resisted giving food when Punky is doing its little “please” (holding one of its paws up and looking straight at you, after having followed you through all the kitchen). Hm, maybe Punky thinks it is a dog (our neighbour has dogs). Do dogs hunt rats?

While I write this, Mosquitos fly around me and try to find a nice spot for sucking some blood… Isn’t it great to be back in Zambia? Well, it is good to be back. When I arrived first, everything seems so unreal. But now 4 days later, I am pretty much fully here again.

What I mean with unreal? Difficult to describe. I arrived around 6am in Zambia. Managed to my own surprise (thanks to some red wine?) a few hours of sleep during the 10 hours nightflight from London. However, I was still tired when I walked down the stairs from the plane. Tired, but happy to arrive finally home. With other passengers I walked over the landing area to the gate. My back bag heavily on my shoulders. A little bit wind, but the air was warm and dusty. Zambia. I was one of the first and did not to stand long time in line for the passport / visa check. My suitcases also arrived both and I walked happily outside. My welcome committee had not yet arrived – thanks to the President all cars on the way to the airport had been stopped. Zambia. I sat outside, watched the taxi drivers asking “taxi madam?”, “taxi sir?” und a white family with 5 kids waiting for their two cars. The Danish couple that was sitting next to me in the plane, walked to the “intercontinental hotel bus” and the Zambian guy with the fancy glasses and the British accent was warmly welcomed by some (shy or drunk?) friends. The air was not fresh or cold at all. Palm trees and those trees that are have purple flowers in August and September (and always remind the time I arrived in Zambia for the first time) where further signs that I was really back in Zambia.

The little girl that jumped out of the car, which was waiting in line, and run all the way to me, another nice welcoming sign. A strange young woman watched us turning around happily and smiled with us. Once in the car, lots of questions and stories. Nice to be back. On the way home, Manda Hill, the strange bridge, Great East Road, Kabwe Roundabound and then our street. More of those purple threes, more dust and a hot wind (7am!!!). Zambia looked unreal. Dusty, poor and so much like somebody in Europe imagines a country in the southern part of Africa. I have never seen Zambia this way. Maybe it is the first time that I arrive without being excited (after 2 years, I don’t feel like a tourist anymore). Zambia felt “naked”.

A little bit surprised Punky at home. What is all this noise about? Hey, I know this person!

I got some stuff I had brought with me for the kids out of the suitecases: Games, t-shirts and chocolate. Than, I felt happily in our bed. There is no better place in the world then our own bed!

Saturday we dooozed away. Sunday we made order in the house. Where ever I went, I had Precious and Punky following me. Well, they actually followed me even to the bathroom! Monday I went to work, today as well. Right now I am alone. Matutu is still working. Precious and Lucky are sleeping. Punky and the rat(s) are in the kitchen, and the door is closed… and I have finally arrived in Zambia, which does not feel unreal anymore, but just normal

Good night my friends!

PS: while I waited for the internet connection, Precious came. Could not sleep. Went to the kitchen to get some water. Now the kitchen door is open. I cant find Punky. Punky the cat has become either ratfood or is now sleeping in the kids' bedroom...