Kruger to Inhambane

In true Moz style, as soon as we reached the border, we were inundated with people wanting to help us through the border, ….a mass of people, buses, trucks with not a sign to tell you where to go or where to park. We employed Fernando our ‘facilitator’ if only to get everyone screaming at us, away from our windows, it cost us R200, …..I didn’t even have to get out the car!!! The border lady asked where I was, and Lionel said that Fernando said that only he needed to come in, ‘Oh Fernando,’ says she,’no problem’…..stamp, stamp, and we were through!!!!

The lush fields of produce that were evident in S.A. give way to Karoo- like scrub, and all the way along the road to Maputo, there are people selling large bags of something with straw on top, very puzzling to us, and we later found out, from a couple from Beira, that they were bags of charcoal, we then understood all the structures that looked like pizza ovens that we had seen along the way. Unfortunately the people are chopping down trees, to make charcoal, as this is the main fuel used for cooking, and a means of making money. We drove around Maputo for about 2 hrs, looking for accommodation, but found nowhere reasonable, that had security for our vehicles, so we decided to push on up the coast to an inland overnight stop. We were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and picture this, if you will……….a single lane road, with a wide eroded sandy verge, and millions and millions of people, taxi’s, buses and any other mode of overloaded transport that exists, triple it, and then imagine that all these vehicles are roaring from the tar to the sand road, and , if there is no space on their side, well how about going into the oncoming car lane, and if that’s full, well, there is nothing for it but to go onto the sand on the other side, Oh, there’s a whole foot of space to push in, so lets just veer across the road quickly, I hope that that puddle is not too deep……….. and then the whole scenario starts again. All this I might add is not done at a snails pace, but at foot flat speed, coupled with screeching brakes, (but only when absolutely necessary)!!!!! The local stall-holders peddlars, and shoppers are all going about their business totally unconcerned, and there are people dodging and dashing willy nilly between the traffic. We took an hour to get through, but no matter, people pay huge amounts of money for entertainment such as this, we were fascinated, and I am really cross that I didn’t think to get it all on video!!

In Bilene, we camped at a good spot on the beach, and spent 3. nights there . Great, I thought I can get the washing done, well, it rained on and off for 2 days (still warm though) , and our camp looked like a Chinese laundry.
Wherever you go in Moz, you can buy freshly made rolls or small French loaves. Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cabbage, coconuts, cashews, prawns,…. everybody is a seller, and even along the smallest roads there are people hoping to sell something in order to eke out an existence. I have never seen so many women with tiny babies slung around their bodies…no guessing what the national pastime seems to be, …….. so little employment and so many mouths to feed. There are so many children in Moz that they have two sessions of schooling in the same building, Morning school and afternoon school with different children. In Inhambane there 3 sessions of schooling a day in some of the schools.

We had been advised to go to a place, Bamboozi’s, but found that they no longer had campsites, so we had no option but to spend one night at Fatima’s Nest in Tofo Beach, a disgusting place where we promptly got stuck in thick sand. No water , no electricity and very suspect ablutions …..I was not darkening their ablutive doors, that was for sure, and my systems seized up, only to be released when we arrived at our present campsite, Pandane resort. We have a magical site on the dunes above a bay where there are a lot of humpback whales spraying and cavorting around. Our tyres are down to one bar as we got stuck again, and this resort is on a definite 4X4 road. We went on a drive back into Inhambane for some photography, and have found that the best way is to park and walk , and to just snap as you go along. Being part of the masses going about their business, means that we don’t get pestered all the time for sweets, cellphone time, or people just trying to part us from our money!!

After all our plans to ensure that we have fresh drinking water, we have found that our water tanks in the caravan are tainted with an awful taste that neither of us are prepared to drink, we have now poured half a bottle of Jik into the 150 litre tanks, in order to eliminate the taste, and have organised to go to the water factory (reverse osmosis) that supplies bottled water to Moz, tomorrow, to fill up again. Hopefully this will sort out the problem.

Lionel is in seventh heaven as the fishing is so good that he has had prawns, crab, crayfish and this evening he had his favourite yellow-bellied rock cod………… all this and he hasn’t put his line in the water yet!!!

Tomorrow we plan to move on a little further north to Morrungulo…………………more, next time.

Africa, here we come!

July 15 2009

The start of a 5 month trip up the coast of Mozambique, Tanzania, and Kenya and then back into Tanzania past Mt. Kiimanjaro, into the Serengeti, Masai Mara, over the top of Lake Victoria to the source of the Nile in Uganda and then down the west side of the Lake to Malawi, through Zambia, Botswana and Namibia and home to Knysna via Cape town.

Left Knysna, in a Nissan Pathfinder and a Conqueror Companion off road Trailer, on time for a change, to a wonderful send off from our friends. Very heart-sore at leaving the dogs behind, but know that they will be well looked after while we are away. My overall feeling was one of disbelief,……… we were finally on our way after so many months of planning, preparation and packing!. When we travel I am always blown away by this wonderful land that we live in, wide open spaces , towering mountains, beautiful sunrises and sunsets. (Not being an early bird I see more sunsets, but hope to address that little problem on this trip…..is there a knack to getting up before it is light?)

Our first night away was at the Cape Mountain Zebra N.P. We found a great camping spot and were very impressed at the firewood, water, and a basin that was left on site for the campers. We had just finished erecting the tent, when a Kombi pulls up and asks if he can collect his stuff that he left to book his spot, while he was out on a game drive!!! Our first lesson in camping etiquette…………..

It was freeeeee eezing, but like good scouts, we were prepared!!! Hot water bottles, a blow heater and a down duvet, were the order of the night, and, after a delectable meal of Lamb Shanks, at the restaurant, we were as snug as two bugs in a rug!!!! We had a bit of a rude awakening in the morning with ice everywhere outside, and all the water pipes in the caravan were frozen! No matter, a good breakfast, and we travelled to Bloem where the lady refused to allow us to camp, ‘too cold’ she said, ‘take a chalet’. So we did!!!

We had a wonderful weekend visit with all the family, in and around JHB, and we stayed with Adam and Tanith,….. we loved being in their home and felt very relaxed there. Heather’s surprise 60^th lunch, was a happy and joyous occasion, and we are proud to be a part of such a great family!

We have spent 4 nights in the Kruger at the Berg n Dal campsite now and are mightily impressed. We have a site facing out into the Park and have been visited by hyena, elephant, buck (all on the other side of the fence of course), and all the other little creatures in the camp……miniature mongoose, tree squirrels and the beautiful birds that are a part of the KNP. The ones we could have done without were the monkeys!!!! Camping lesson Number two….don’t leave anything edible out, and unattended!

During our time in the Park we have visited Nelspruit and Malelane towns and are really surprised at the growth that there has been in the last 4 years. The stadium in Nelspruit looks impressive and everybody has been very friendly. Super shops and even in Malelane the new Superspar is clean and has just about anything. We had work done on the car at Nelspruit Caravans, and they went out of their way to help us, even to the extent of taking us to Midas to get a steel plate for the wiring for the caravan, and then fitted it for us! No Charge….. How’s that for service! It doesn’t end there…Lionel had his cell phone cleaned….no charge, he also had to consult an attorney to prepare a power of attorney and send it off to our Knysna attorney, and, you guessed it….NO CHARGE!!!! We are talking an attorney here!!! We are very aware of the fact that there is so much poverty and that security is a huge issue here, but there is also a buzz and a great atmosphere. The scenery here is spectacular with rolling hills and sugar cane plantations intermixed with citrus.

Tomorrow we will be crossing into Mozambique. Don’t know where we will be staying tomorrow evening yet but will make a plan as we go, it all depends on how fast we clear the border posts. We will be ready for those corrupt officials in Mozambique, looking for a bribe…….maybe…..