Now I’m on an adventure!
I arrive in Maputo, Mozambique via Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s almost impossible to get here directly from anywhere since Rona chaos has befallen the planet. A long jump from Dubai, UAE to South Africa – and a 9 hour layover. Just getting here was an adventure after my flight was canceled and I had to rebook at the last moment, and always another PCR test the take .…. But I make it.
Straight away you can see this is a different place. Third-world welcome by the immigration staff. Treating me with high suspicion, queueing through two completely separate immigration lines – each taking pictures, each checking documents (Rona pass, entry visa, hotel, reason why I am there). Taking pictures of my phone info with their phones. What can they possibly do with that?
TIA – it begins.
But since arrival, everything has been on plan. Although I see guards at every hotel, every restaurant everything imaginable (apparently being a guard is the number one occupation here) …… yet, I am NEVER worried for my safety.
Maybe its just the places I traveled before, maybe the way I carry myself. But everywhere here, the Mozambique people have been welcoming, smiling and kind. They clearly want me here. Maybe the reality of the long Rona lockdown, and how it impacts the economics of the world is affecting their behavior towards me – hard to say. But I feel welcomed and wanted – not someone to fear! And that it a warm feeling to carry.
Maputo, their capital is an education. I walked the area near my hotel. Promenades overlooking the Indian Ocean, scattered fruit stands, an outstanding Art bazaar – I need to get back there is I can. Everything needing repair.
My hotel, another Serena is a re-vitalized grand Hotel overlooking the ocean, with first class service, outstanding dinners and breakfasts. When in Africa, there are few middle-class hotels. This is my 4th Serena in Africa. There is often either First-class, or back-backers hostels. I choose Serena.
I had an afternoon Maputo city tour. With my guide giving me a history lesson on Mozambique…so cool. 500 years of Portuguese control, a 10 year fight for independence, and a 16 year civil war. They only began stabilizing their poor country 25 years ago. Primarily of Zulu origins, the many tribes of Mozambique have formed a huge nation. The far north of Mozzy is still not safe to travel, and is under UN protection. Islamists control those sections and endanger the roads. The government of Mozambique is still not fully in control of its country.
Portuguese it the primary language. But English is again the common thread everywhere…and 30+ tribal languages. Almost everyone can understand a few words of English, someone blurting out ‘Obama’ when I share I’m American.
When I asked about why the promenade – clearly once a spectacular walk along the Indian ocean was not maintained. Broken sidewalks, broken benches, trash… He explained, these thing where built by the Colonial ‘rulers’. “That they taught us how to build things, but didn’t teach us how to maintain them.” Such an interesting insight into Mozambique – a lesson on 3ed world life.
I push onto Tofo for diving. Jumping around Africa in De Havilland’s, the French workhorse airplane. Fantastic view of endless green lands. Mozambique is not lacking in resources, just education and leadership.
Dive.dive.dive. Tofo should be a blog unto itself. A tiny village on the edge of Africa. Diving is adventurous here. Beach departures and landing’s by zodiac, pushed into the ocean by a John Deere tractor. Rough seas, deep dives on air – watching Deco time. Not for the weak. But once conquered, a memory that lasts. Here I find pelagic’s !! Whale Sharks, Leppard Sharks, Whiptail Rays. And a huge variety of Macro life. My, my, a treat for sure. Currents can be ripping, dives shortish and dictated by Deco time - diving just on ‘air’, it limits your bottom time at 30m. Wow,,this is diving.
LiquidDiveAdventures dive shop and hotel in Tofo is my kind of adventure. Just the right quality, just the right authenticity. Don’t drink the water! Plan your food. – Two dives per/day.
I walk and eat local in Tofo. My room is perfect, if Spartan. Awaking to birds and the thunder of ocean waves crashing the beach. Walking to dinners in the evenings, down unlit, completely black, the Milky Way leading the way, dirt roads, passing shacks and local bars – this is an adventure!
After a week of diving here, a Cyclone blows in. Stopping the diving for 4 days. Time to catchup on Onward travel prep, blogs and posts. Relax time. The hotel is empty and I can share stories with the staff. Traveling without a tight schedule, rushing back to the chaos of the world – this is meant to be – I love every minute. Everyone not local has run from the Storm, I have run to it. I always seem to go against the tide.
On a no-dive day, I get a tour (by jeep) of the Inhambane province, where my dive hotel is located. Sunset lodge for beers overlooking a magnificent estuary, Neptune’s for surf-life, White Sands Point and dramatic Lighthouse coastline. Mostly dirt roads. Also a tour of the city of Inhambane, watching the ferry’s cross the bay, stopping at the city market, and a small museum. Tons of colorful murals, an old city movie-house that is in disrepair. And a curious statue of Vasco de Gama….that formally was located where a modern statue of Samora Machel currently is. Machel was the first president of Mozambique and an independence leader.
Once the Cyclone passed, I finish up my time in Tofo with additional fantastic dives with Liquid, I then fly back to Maputo…another tiny plane, maybe 15 passengers, a Dash 400(?). Always there is trouble with my luggage, I am over weight again. And now, their credit-card machine is not working…and I have no local money…and they don’t like my $50 bill… Somehow I make it on the plane! be flexible, patient and be prepared in Africa.
One final night in Maputo at Serena again. A gorgeous Indian Ocean view room this time. This time figuring out my own taxi. All-good. Wow! And fantastic dinners at Serena again!! I make another quick walk to the local art market near my hotel, and purchase a small painting as a souvenir. Its like I almost know the city!!
Last part of my Mozambique adventure is the departure. At the airport, the police corner me at check-in, asking strange questions. It took a-bit to figure out they wanted a bribe. Sort of a shakedown in the middle of the airport. Finally asking directly for a bribe to leave the country. TIA. I manage to get past them without paying… I think they liked my backpack, and my new to-be added patch of Mozambique’s flag.
Everywhere in Africa, you must say “No” a hundred times a day. Everyone wants to sell you a souvenir, give you a tour, pressure you into something.. but that is expected, and I’m accustomed to that way of life in Africa. They have only 10% employment here, no money, struggle to survive. All made 100x worse by the world lockdown’s ‘triggered’ by Rona chaos. But, having the police, in the airport pushing for a bribe! I’ve experienced this on the roads of African countries, but not the airports. Well, guess that’s normal for Mozambique at-least. And maybe many more African countries I have yet explored. More to learn every day.
Just one last strangeness about Moz.
Their flag is the only one in the world to have an automatic rifle emblazoned upon it. They have a violent and difficult history, and still are on a long journey. I leave loving this adventure, and adding another patch to my backpack! Dive Liquid. Dive Tofo.
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