So I made it to Tofu... this was the first time that I probably went on a real mini bus with all the mama Africa s and there are a lot of those here... in a place where normally about 1 people would fit they somehow manage to put 15 plus all the bags, chickens and whatever else people need to move around...
The first days in Tofu was dedicated to find the cheapest diving centre... this was the day just before my birthday and, I was hoping that I was going to be able to swim with the whale shark for my bday present... but the weather was awful and since diving here is quite expensive i preferred to wait it out.... the following 2 days I did go diving but saw nothing... well ok saw loads of fish, got to see some hump back whales on the way to the diving spots but no whale shark..... after I had already given up I decided to go on an ocean safari where for two hours we only look for the overgrown fish..... after 1 1/2 hours we finally saw one... there was already there another company thus there were about 30 people on the water, but shortly everyone got tired and, I managed to swim me and jst another girl for 5m mano a mano with the whale shark.... finally can scratch off that from my list to do b4 i m 30 (which is coming closer and closer..)
Following that, went to Vilanculos, first catching a ride with a fisherman from Imambanhe to Maxixe and after another 6h with the Mama Africa s and my big rucsack on my lap (i really need to pack a lot less next time)... in Vilanculos went to an island on the Bazaruto archipelago for the day which was the only day we got nice weather ...
Mozambique brought some changes.... unfortunatelly my dear travel companion Frieder has left to go back home.... I can not tell you how much he saved my derrier.... from getting lost (specially when trekking in the Berg portuguese style - thus without a map, he was the one pulling my fin down when i missed my safety stop whilst diving.... all and all he become I great friend and, although we only met for 2 months it felt like a life time...
The other big change is the end of the tourist (aka expensive) activities... from now on it will be not so much the destination but the trip there.... and this is were the random acts of kindness come in. I met up a ductchie (Barend) whom I previously had met whilst I was in Coffee bay (he was actually one of the guys that warned me about the packs of dogs - which i know now they are there and they are evil) and I met him again in the Berg.... so we are now traveling together.... as we are two guys who don t really have a plan (although unlike me he does have a guide book and I must admitte that at times it is quite useful) and, because a tourist never knows where he s been and a traveller never knows where he s going, we decided that the best way to continue our journey was hitch hikking... so from Vilanculos to Chimoio we got a ride from a white guy from Zimbabwe who now lives in Vilanculos but has to go to Zimbo to renew he s visa every month ... he as had quite and interesting life having lived in Zimbo when all the white farmers were kicked out (him and his family included...) he lived close to Mutare where they found diomand fields (honestly he said you would kick a rock and a diomand would be under it) so he dedicated part of his time smuggling them outside the country... if on one hand he had loads of fun stories, on the other hand the movie blood diomands was constantly on my mind but, sone people at the hostel vouched for him and, they knew that I was going with him so it was ok....
When we got to Chimoio we tried getting a bus ticket to another Tete from where we could make our way to the malawi border... but you had to buy the ticket in advance and it was a mess to get it, we decided that we try our luck again hitch hikking this time jst on the street... first leg of the journey we got a lift from a South African guy and, the second part with a truck driver.... but this wasn t any truck it was a proper american freght liner... those things are huge.... of course the truck driver Almiton or Tone for his friends wanted money so, we agreed on a price and there we went... luckly he was going to Malawi so he could drop us off the next day... the road there was filled with pot holes so it took us 12h to do 700km... but we used that time to chat... it is increadably interesting to find out what people from different backgrounds think about their country and where it is they believe it is headed.... because we drove so long we had to stay the night in Tete and, by this time, Barend and I (specially me bc of language barrier and also as I have a little problem with keeping my mouth shut) Tone said we could stay in the truck (as it had two beds) and took us to a place to eat where no white man had gone before (or at least very few) ... everyone we passed by - mainly other truck drivers kept asking him who were the two whities (unaware that I could understand them) and Tone very proundly said they are with me.... the next day when we arrived at the Malawi border and we were gonna pay the agrred price he said that only half of it would do.... it was an increadible journey and I must say that, although life on the road doesn t attract me the slightest, it would be quite cool to jst have a joy ride in a truck like that (I did ask him if I could drive a bit jst around the parking lot but Tone just laughted ... I guess that was his polite way of saying no way you crazy portuguese...
Mozambique is a wonderful country with great people and wonderful landscape... I m sorry that I didn t have the chance to spend more time there but, this small part of southern africa is so big that you have to leave somethings behind and Zimbo calls for me.... the only odd thing was that no one understood my portuguese no matter how slowly I spoke ... there was even in a market a guy when I was buying fish (amazing fish and really cheap... one 5kg barracuda for 6 eur) who said that he could see I was trying really hard to speak portuguese and if I prefered I could speak in english that he also understood... I was about to explaine to him that my portuguese was perfet but I decided to drop it and speak even slower ... if another portuguese was around (and there aren t many any more - at least I didn t see them) we would for sure think that I had some sort of mental handicap...
I m now in Blantyre in Malawi and gonna head to the Lake tomorrow and in a week or so make my way to Harare... from here I probably not gonna be able to get online but I m sure I ll be ok...
Hope everyone is well
Cheerios
Ps Thank you for all your bday whishes and comments on the blog
PPs again sorry for the lack of pics...
Monday, 27 July 2009
Monday, 13 July 2009
And then there were two
As I said in the previous post S left Durban on the 28th to go back to the motherland and me and Frieder headed up to the freezing yet majestic mountains of Drakensberg.... the original plan was to go there with S and only spend two days or so but, I am glad that things changed as we got to stay there for 6 days and still it felt that so much could be done also with S gone (remember she was the one that got tired whilst we were mountain biking downhill) we could pursue outdoor activities without any fear of someone being left behind... ...
The landscape is breath taking and words cannot describe them so, I will let the pics speak for themselves (I will upload pics another time cause this internet connection is super slow and I can t stay here all day)..... on the first day we arrived to Southern Drakensberg (or as the local call it " the Berg" we sorted out a visit to Lesotho (one of the Countries within South Africa)... the trip involved using a old trade road - know as the Sanny Pass - using a 4x4 (funny enough we were going to try it with our Fat Cat as Frieder's book stated that a 4x4 was recommended hence, not absolutely needed) into Lesotho... was we got in the country and after driving about 60km (the country is tiny) we changed transport to use a horse (or a over grown pony)...
I have never seen such lazy horses... no matter how much I would kick it in the ribs or scream AI AI AI (as did the horses owner) he would only have two speeds... slow or slower... that is unless the owner said it at which point we would gallop as if running for his life... at night we stayed in a local village where we were served a typical Lesotho dinner (although of course meat was a luxury which not many people can afford...)... the country like so many in Africa was increadibily rich up until the population increased so much that, all the food they used to export was needed to feed the population and, eventually they required also to import much of what they need having since become on of the poorest countries in Africa....
The experience at the village was quite rewarding and, despite them being used to host tourists, it is always from what I gathered a reason to celebrate whenever foreigners were there... on the way back because the ground was freezing my horse was going even slower than the slowest speed which was absolutely fine by me however, the owner seemed to disagree.... as he ordered my horse to galope he obeyed and eventually slipped on the ice and, of course we both fell... fortunatelly I was able to take my leg out so he didn t crush it and I was jst shaken up nothing more and I can thank luck cause I don t think it was my cat like reflexes (which are nonexistent :P)
After we left to Central Berg (Injisuto) were we did some more trecks... we S gone we also have opted for the tent rather then staying in dorms... the difference is not much but, as they say in Tesco every little helps and over the course of the remaining 2 months that I have left it will make all the difference..... The only problem is that at night it went to -5 C which meant that during the morning we woke up to freezing cold and even inside the tent there was ice... we sucked it up one more night whilst in Injisuto but, eventually opted out to go back to dorms once we arrive Northern Berg... Again we did some amazing treks but, one in particular " The Gorge walk" was by far the best one... in terms of landscape all were quite similar however, this one took us along the river into the foot of the Amphitheater wall... Frieder who is becoming ever more portuguese left the map in the car... this was a very demanding walk where many time we had to climb steep metal ladders... we though that we were going off track as we met a mother with two small kids (the older no more than 8y) and carrying another in her back said she was making the same walk... once we passed by a straight in which there were some spikes we had to climb we were sure that we were in another track only to hear (when we stopped for lunch) the kids screamung wuth excitment after they finished climbing the same straight we though was so hard... this of course shattered completely my feeling like Indiana Jones ....
Hluhluve-Umfolozi and Santa Lucia and Cape Vidal National parks were our nxt destination for some more self drive safari and of course going back to the coast and the warmth.... and of course to the tent :D
The next stage was Sodwana bay were we stayed inside of the national park for some great diving.... the day before I got there the group had gone out to the 9 mile reef and saw not only whale shark (which I have been chasing since 2006 without success - although Jacques Cousteau only saw 2 in his entire life so I guess I ll just have to keep hoping) and hump back whales.. in the same dive... I paid (in South Africa don t know if I ve mentioned it before but duvung here is reallllly expensive) for 2 dives and, if it was amazing I would go for another two... one the day of the dive came, everything was great until I actually got into the water.... my mask was letting water in and because my nose was clogered so I couldn t expell the water and I had a panic attack... I was only at 19m so it was short way up and I tried with a different mask but, it even let more water in and the second time it was worst... after I had no other choice but to go back to the boat and of course no refund.... second day ended up not going diving and, have to wait to Mozambique (where I am at the moment - in Maputo) for the whale sharks.....
As I said I will try to post some pics however I make no promises as tomorrow I am going to Tofu for diving and after to Tofinho (close by) to surf and internet there is not only very expensive but also extremely slow...
Hope everyone is ok..
Cheerios
The landscape is breath taking and words cannot describe them so, I will let the pics speak for themselves (I will upload pics another time cause this internet connection is super slow and I can t stay here all day)..... on the first day we arrived to Southern Drakensberg (or as the local call it " the Berg" we sorted out a visit to Lesotho (one of the Countries within South Africa)... the trip involved using a old trade road - know as the Sanny Pass - using a 4x4 (funny enough we were going to try it with our Fat Cat as Frieder's book stated that a 4x4 was recommended hence, not absolutely needed) into Lesotho... was we got in the country and after driving about 60km (the country is tiny) we changed transport to use a horse (or a over grown pony)...
I have never seen such lazy horses... no matter how much I would kick it in the ribs or scream AI AI AI (as did the horses owner) he would only have two speeds... slow or slower... that is unless the owner said it at which point we would gallop as if running for his life... at night we stayed in a local village where we were served a typical Lesotho dinner (although of course meat was a luxury which not many people can afford...)... the country like so many in Africa was increadibily rich up until the population increased so much that, all the food they used to export was needed to feed the population and, eventually they required also to import much of what they need having since become on of the poorest countries in Africa....
The experience at the village was quite rewarding and, despite them being used to host tourists, it is always from what I gathered a reason to celebrate whenever foreigners were there... on the way back because the ground was freezing my horse was going even slower than the slowest speed which was absolutely fine by me however, the owner seemed to disagree.... as he ordered my horse to galope he obeyed and eventually slipped on the ice and, of course we both fell... fortunatelly I was able to take my leg out so he didn t crush it and I was jst shaken up nothing more and I can thank luck cause I don t think it was my cat like reflexes (which are nonexistent :P)
After we left to Central Berg (Injisuto) were we did some more trecks... we S gone we also have opted for the tent rather then staying in dorms... the difference is not much but, as they say in Tesco every little helps and over the course of the remaining 2 months that I have left it will make all the difference..... The only problem is that at night it went to -5 C which meant that during the morning we woke up to freezing cold and even inside the tent there was ice... we sucked it up one more night whilst in Injisuto but, eventually opted out to go back to dorms once we arrive Northern Berg... Again we did some amazing treks but, one in particular " The Gorge walk" was by far the best one... in terms of landscape all were quite similar however, this one took us along the river into the foot of the Amphitheater wall... Frieder who is becoming ever more portuguese left the map in the car... this was a very demanding walk where many time we had to climb steep metal ladders... we though that we were going off track as we met a mother with two small kids (the older no more than 8y) and carrying another in her back said she was making the same walk... once we passed by a straight in which there were some spikes we had to climb we were sure that we were in another track only to hear (when we stopped for lunch) the kids screamung wuth excitment after they finished climbing the same straight we though was so hard... this of course shattered completely my feeling like Indiana Jones ....
Hluhluve-Umfolozi and Santa Lucia and Cape Vidal National parks were our nxt destination for some more self drive safari and of course going back to the coast and the warmth.... and of course to the tent :D
The next stage was Sodwana bay were we stayed inside of the national park for some great diving.... the day before I got there the group had gone out to the 9 mile reef and saw not only whale shark (which I have been chasing since 2006 without success - although Jacques Cousteau only saw 2 in his entire life so I guess I ll just have to keep hoping) and hump back whales.. in the same dive... I paid (in South Africa don t know if I ve mentioned it before but duvung here is reallllly expensive) for 2 dives and, if it was amazing I would go for another two... one the day of the dive came, everything was great until I actually got into the water.... my mask was letting water in and because my nose was clogered so I couldn t expell the water and I had a panic attack... I was only at 19m so it was short way up and I tried with a different mask but, it even let more water in and the second time it was worst... after I had no other choice but to go back to the boat and of course no refund.... second day ended up not going diving and, have to wait to Mozambique (where I am at the moment - in Maputo) for the whale sharks.....
As I said I will try to post some pics however I make no promises as tomorrow I am going to Tofu for diving and after to Tofinho (close by) to surf and internet there is not only very expensive but also extremely slow...
Hope everyone is ok..
Cheerios
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