My first day in Lusaka I had to go to the store. I had been warned about tucking my money and jewelry into my bra because inevitably (I was told), I would have a pickpocket or many of them attach themselves to me as soon as I got there. But nobody warned me about the incredible smell I would have slap me in my olfactory glands...the dirt, the sweat, the urine and feces....made even worse by the glaring heat and jam-packed shops with no air conditioning or even windows to open.

african food market

The stench made me vomit and nearly pass out. I swore I would never go into the capital city ever again but, of course, I had to. Even after traveling just about everywhere in the world and coming across really challenging situations, I was shocked that, eventually, I didn't notice the smell after a while. Thank God!