Life's a beach!

J18/09/15

We write now from Hlane Game Reserve in Swaziland. Yesterday, listening to waves at night and last night, listening to lions roar in this game reserve. Sadly not a lot of game, birds and soon trees, left in Mocambique. We need to write before we move again, lest we forget the sequence of sand, surf and sky that was Mozambique ! Each country has been so different and Mozam was certainly no exception. What surprised us the most was the almost absence of English spoken anywhere. Portuguese still reigns as language of choice. It took two days to get to the beach- some of the roads are as bad as we had been warned they were - others are really good. Police road blocks - some good, and some not so good! 

Our first stop was at Baobab backpackers in Vilanculos/Vilanculossh!

A boat trip to the Bazzaruto archipelago was amazing and the sea really is turquoise.  

My tummy felt as if it was doing flick flacks when I saw the color and clarity of the water.

We snorkeled....

and climbed dunes....

   

and had lunch on the beach....

and had space....

and searched for shells....

The assortment of housing was interesting. The ones below almost seemed to be 'kit form' houses made from corrugated iron but they were all different.The coconut palm tree features significantly in their constructions, diet etc.

Morrungulu/Nelson's Bay and we could pick any campsite and still have space for all our washing!

At last we found a use for the calemba that has been carted all the way from the Bay. Coconuts 

are great fresh - still have not mastered getting them out the husk easily though.

"Our beach" - for now. Nobody for miles.

Necia managed to catch up on some runs.

The road to Coconut Bay. Miles and miles of coconuts!

Again we had the pickings of a campsite and were so chuffed to meet up again with Gail and Dudley from Makuzi Campsite at the Lake. They went on ahead of us and had similar requirements for good places to visit. They then messaged us where they were and their recommendations - which is what it is all about. Great. 

We celebrated by sharing our red wine and prawns bought in Maxixe, and crayfish and fish bought fresh off the beach.

Catching up on news. " So much of excitement" when wifi is found in the most unexpected places.

Note the dress code from sunup to sundown - the best!

Coconut Bay goes on forever - thanks for the recommendation , Gail in Zim!

The museum in Inhambane.

The Portuguese influence is seen a lot. Inhambane en route to Tofo beach. 

The sunrises are great. Tofo beach.

Views from the deck at Fatima's.

A luxury kitchen at Fatima's Backpackers, Tofo. Calamari curry in the making. 

Necia taking a picture of cottages she stayed in when she was 12, to show Richard, her brother.

Colors are vibrant. Markets are interesting with prices starting at extremes and haggling an expected and tiring game. This was in Tofo.

After three days in Tofo and waiting for the wind to die down and a "window" to appear, we took our chances on an Ocean Safari to try and snorkel with whale sharks . The boat trip was exhilarating; the dolphins always evoke such feelings of complicity with nature; breeching whales are a sight to behold and treasure, but Lady Luck did not provide the hoped for sightings of even one whale shark.

So, we packed, and rolled on down the coast.

Our camp site at Zavora Lodge.

Necia making sure lunch was dead. 

The chaps below brought the crayfish and when we cooked them they were still moving....

Wallowing and trying to get warm and out of the wind after a magic snorkel in a tidal pool at Zavora's.

These are part of the lodge at Zavora's. So many buildings are like this all along the coast - it almost seems like they want to leave some reminders of the 'troubled times'.

Our last sunrise in Mozambique, at Zavora's.

Good bye Mozambique. Our beach bum days are over for a bit . Your beaches are impressive and the water is delicious. Our fervent wish is that the situation continues to improve and that generations get to still enjoy the magic of carefree Mozam holidays.

The last of Malawi

5/09/15

When you wake up in the morning and your foot is itching again, then it is time to move on.

Interesting times were spent at Fat Monkeys camp site, Cape Maclear, side by side with the villagers and we realized that we could stay longer but tomorrow would be the same as yesterday and the same as the day after and actually, we needed to move on. Over half of our adventure still remains in the exploring of part of our own South Africa.

Fat Monkeys campsite

We paddled out to West Thumbi island to snorkel for Cichlids.

A village walk - always followers, for kms past their houses.

Supper was had here in the pitch dark - chambo fish, nsima (like sadza/putu) and salad and no utensils.

Always "just looking", "looking is for free".

Some have commented that we are going fast and others that we are taking a long time. The plan (what there is of one) is still fairly relevant. We hope to be in the Cape in early December. I want to watch the Sevens Rugby in Cape Town which is on about 11 December. Liam, my nephew, coaches the Canadian team. So - September in Mocambique, October in Swaziland and KZN and then there is only a month left to get to the Cape ( and check out a lot of prospective places). It's a hard life but we are managing.

Roadside "snacks" - braaiied mice. The chappie wanted more for a photo than for the kebab, so it was not a posed photo. Also seen cane rats and small birds on skewers on sale.

Tonight we are at Buffalo Camp down in the Save River area of Mocambique. We woke this morning in Tete to cloud and rain - total shock as we have only experienced cloudless blue sky days since our start. It has rained on and off the whole day and is raining now at 7.30 pm. It appears our understanding has been terminated and someone has decided to 'p' on our safari. We have had the most glorious days every single day up to today. However this area is probably drier than Richards Bay and so we are happy, as always, for the 'p'.

Tomorrow we hit the beach again and we hope to visit a number of places which we have been told about.

Fantastic Malawi!

25/08/15

The border crossing - no comment! (Necia banished to the car again).

We pushed on until we got to Salima. Quickly realized that the 50km and sometimes 80km speed limit is for the benefit of the myriad of bicycles everywhere. It is the most common mode of transport of people, stacks of firewood, charcoal, live goats, anything, in fact; no gears and often no breaks either!

Check what's on the back of this chap's bike!

We experienced our first taste of paradise at Steps Campsite, Senga Bay. 

Rod loved the bargaining and hunting for treasures.

"Come look. Looking for free. Looking costs nothing".

    

           Y

Provisioning time. 

We dragged ourselves away after three nights and headed North along the Lake and decided to pull in at Makuzi Beach Lodge. 

How can paradise get any better?! This was an absolute gem of a place - turns out the owner is an ex- Richards Bay born and bred chap, Brett Pollard, married to lovely Malawian born Lara. 

Camp site is to the left in amongst the trees.

View from our spot.

First morning on the beach.

Every sunrise and every sunset is worthy of a photo - in our minds and memories forever.

The water really is this clear.

We paddled out to the big island and tried to get a bit fitter swimming to the smaller one a few times a day.

First time we put "clothes" on today was to have a treat dinner on the beach. Cozzies and sarongs are the general order of the day.

We always seem to be eating - fish, onions, tomatoes, cabbage; even tried 'steak' from the open air butcher, and goat too.

Happy, healthy and tanned!

Malawi is such a kaleidoscope of colors and images that words cannot do much justice to. Hence all the photos in this post. 

Road conditions means slowly, slowly. Not the potholes so much - more the edges of the road which can have huge sharp drop offs. Then it becomes a battle for your half of the road with the oncoming vehicles (who don't observe the speed limits).

Hold your breath and one vehicle at a time. This is a main road - the M5 and not a new replacement bridge.

The aim was to get the colorful ladies in the background. I have fallen in love with their multicolored way of dressing in " chitenges" and the way their babies are slung in slings.

Fishing industry is huge - each one of these was once a whole tree trunk.

Children everywhere - "sweet, sweet ! Give me money! Jambule ( take a photo)". If you take a photo then you have to pay.

A night back in Senga Bay at Cool Runnings to check out the fish market and surrounding village.

Fish drying on racks in the sun.

Not quite as pristine as our gem up North, but the Lake and the life it generates is vibrant and lively.