Acts of Random Kindness...

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...