Cheek to cheek in Mozambique

Tofo

We crossed the border into Mozambique at 5am on Saturday morning, the lines were long, but the process swift, and before the sun fully rose we were inside the green, fertile lands of Mozambique. Maputo, with its wide, tree lined streets and absence of traffic, felt too quiet to be the country’s capital. We sat outside a local café and simply pointed at the strange Portuguese words and waited for our mystery meals to arrive.  Before long we discovered the most scrumptious Portuguese tarts, and mouthwatering chocolate croissants, washed down with strong espresso, from tiny white porcelain cups. The pace felt lazy in Maputo, kids played in the streets, old men gathered to drink espresso, and puff on cigars. The Mediterranean style building, all the more charming for their decay and neglect, vines clinging to the sides and unruly trees, bursting with flowers, strangling the gardens.

We awoke at 4am, after a restless night’s sleep of plus 30 and overwhelming humidity, to begin our journey north to the coastal village of Tofo. Our bus was over an hour late, and shortly after picking us up, stopped at the main bus station, refusing to leave until all seats were filled by a paying customer.  At the break of day, the bus station was chaotic; hundreds of people being pushed onto buses, by the men, whose job it was to fill the seats. Buses overflowed with people, and all kinds of things were strapped to the rooftops, cupboards, wardrobes, it seemed entire houses were moving north.

The 8 hour bum achingly long journey took us through flood soaked plains, over a bridge, which judging from the crowd of workmen and locals shaking their heads was about to be washed away (we learnt later that it did in fact wash away, less than an hour after we crossed). Finally we arrived in Tofo, a charming beachside village, long sandy beaches, rustic bungalows, and incredible fresh seafood washed down with the local beer “2M”.

We are staying at “John’s place” a hidden gem, which I read about on someone else’s blog, and 10 times cheaper than any of the places listed in the increasingly irrelevant Lonely Planet.  John’s place is not even called “John’s place” it is sign posted as “ A street bar named desire” , although the locals all know it as “John’s place”. Run by John, an aging hippy, complete with grey beard, reminiscent of the ZZ Top, the bar is a tribute to the music of the 60’s and 70’s. I am sitting in the bar right now, with the faces of all the old rock legends staring down at me, while Janis Joplin crows in the background.

It is the off season, and for the first two days, rain poured down, lightning flashed, and the power was off for 72 hours. The bar was our refuge, complete with candles in beer bottles, and ice cold 2m, pretty decent beer for 1.50$.

The sun is out now, and each morning we wake up and have a lengthy morning swim, followed by a hearty breakfast of Preggo Rolls ( garlic steak rolls), a bit of a walk and some serious hammock time on the beach, before our afternoon swim and then our elaborate seafood feast for dinner. Life is good for us. Not so good for the skinny kids, with their bare feet and thread bare shirts, who follow us relentlessly, trying desperately to sell their hand made bracelets: “Please sister, just buy one and then it is finished”. Eyeing off the pen and notebook in my hand, one small boy said “Please give me pen, tomorrow I go to school”.

Juho’s words

Vasta vajaan parin tuhannen kilsan jalkeen ollaan jo huomattu kuin paljon aikaa tuo paikasta toiseen meneminen vie. Penkit on kaikkea muuta ku mukavat ja bussit on ihan varmasti survottu tayteen. 400 kilsan patka vie helposti 8 tuntia + 3 tuntia odottelua, etta se bussi saadaan liikkeelle ja bussithan lahtee aina todella mukavaan aikaa, 4am tuntuu olevan aika normi aikataulu. Ollaan vahan miteskelty plania. Halutaanko nahda monta paikkaa vai chillailla mestoilla vaha pitempaa ja talla hetkella nayttas aikalailla silta, etta otettas rennosti mukavissa paikoissa jonka jalkee sitte pitkia bussi matkoja. Eipahan tarvi herata joka aamu nii perkeleen aikasi. Uganda ollaan jo pyyhitty kartalta ajan puutteen takia pois ja joisaki maisa ei ole mahdollisuutta olla ku se pari viikkoo. Joudutaan lentaan Keniasta Etiopiaan ku rajan ylitys ei oo tarpeeksi turvallinen.