The flight home

Sorry I've not written recently. Alot has happened since Vilankulos. I headed north to Chimoio with friends from the backpackers. I was late booking a ticket the day before and the bus was full but thanks to a helpful local space was found for me in the front seat. There's always space for one more! It was good to make it inland away from the beach for abit. I stayed with two canadians I'd met in Chimoio for one night and then we left for Manica (on the Zim border) because all accomodation was booked up. Manica is even higher up and well away from the tourist trail. I saw some ancient rock paintings after abit of a hike into the bush. An old lady who lived in a small village close by was my guide for a few hundred mts.
The last week I've spent alone in Beira and the long bus trips back to Jo'burg. From Beira to Vilankulos was the worst, in a rickety old chapa that was badly packed and painfully slow. It may have been wiser to fly from Beira but I want to see things more from a local perspective. Having said that the one thing I've learn't is that I'm white and will never be able to travel without being singled out. Africa is reclaiming what was taken by us piece by piece. I hope soon I can walk here as part of a mixed community (as in the uk) but the debt is still to be repaid in full.
My one night in Maputo was spent with a British couple (who happen to know one of the art handlers) who I passed on my advice to since they are heading north to Malawi.

I hope to see everyone soon at various points when I'm back. Just the long flight home to go. I'll use my Zen mind trick that I've adapted to block out intense pain while seated for hours in a row!

Cheers

Sam

Bazaruto Archipelago

Wow, I've just been on a two day snorkelling trip around the islands. There were five on the boat including myself. The first site just off the beach of Margaruque had a lot of fish but the rocks were sharp and visibility was low. The second site was amazing and made the two day trip worth it. The reef was more spread out, clearer with space to dive under the waves. I'd have been a little disapointed if I'd just done the day trip to the first site. The camp was cosy enough and the food was brilliant (all cooked on the small dhow). The second day we had lunch on the beach and climbed the sand dunes. Everyone ended up a little sun burnt.

I'm now looking to head north to chimoio on the 4am bus tomorrow morning.

Ciao

Sam

Vilankulos

I'm enjoying life in Vilankulos on the mainland by Bazaruto where I hope to go snorkelling with some of the guys I've met on route.

After leaving Maputo at 5:30 in the morning (Africa rises with the sun unlike most of us lazy westerners) I headed for Tofo where I met two groups of people from Nelspruit, SA. I chilled out there for a while but the backpackers was a SA haunt and treated as a disco by the sea. I've moved on since through Inhambane (a beautiful colonial/modernist town) to Vilankulos. The roads are a little pot-holed in places but better than the rest of Africa so I'm told. The mosquitoes have had more than their fair share of me (Maputo and Inhambane being the worst).
The internet here is less available, slower and more exspensive so I'll try and write when possible.

Hope everyone is well?

Sam

Made it to Maputo

Hello,

I,ve made it to Maputo. South Africa was abit of a shock. The tall electrified fences and aggressive dogs seem more threatening than those they are there to keep out, but having been followed in Nelspruit by two blokes in the middle of the day I can understand why. I am not sure though that turning your house into a fort really helps. I felt very limited not being able to walk around. Maputo has been very friendly by comparison. It is certainly alot warmer.

More later

SamM