16.Mozambique - 25 September to 2 October 2009

We crossed the border into Mozambique on Friday 25 September and started the long drive across to the coast. We knew that we could only drive as far as Cuamba the first day as the next possible night stop after that was Nampula, another 6 hour drive further on, and we were discovering that the roads were quite rough. Along the road we started noticing red flags flying at many of the villages, and by the time we left Mozambique, we knew about the two different political parties and often saw cars full of people and flags flying. Elections in Mozambique were definitely not far away.
Shortly after driving into Cuamba we had the uncomfortable feeling that there would not be too many choices when it came to accommodation. The hotel called Vision 2000, mentioned in the guide book as the closest thing to an international hotel in Cuamba, didn't look at all enticing, and we would have had to leave the car parked in the street. We then drove around looking at the other options, all of which were very uninspiring. Most of the locals speak only Portuguese, but luckily, while getting cash at the ATM, there was a fellow who spoke English and after saying 'Do you really want to stay here?", he suggested we try the Sao Miguel Restaurant and Bar which had accommodation, and which we had already driven past and dismissed as an option.
After various attempts at communication, we were led around the back to the senorita who also spoke English. The accommodation looked somewhat ordinary, but we asked if we could spend the night just outside the rooms in our camper in the very cramped but secure 'car park', so all was in place for an interesting night. And it was. We spent the rest of the afternoon slowly sipping coke and eating hot chips in the restaurant, then 'relaxing' in our chairs in the shade of the camper in the thick of the comings and goings around the establishment, until we thought we should go back to the restaurant and have a beer and something else to eat. The chicken wasn't too bad actually, and afterwards we retired for a very early night, Brian repeating his frequent quote, "I take you to some exotic places". We slept to the backdrop of electioneering cars hooting down the street, lots of shouting and noise, and loud music from two competing sources very close by. Lastly of course the dogs and roosters heralded the morning. But in actual fact, through all this, we felt quite secure, and did get some sleep.
The next morning we left extremely early funnily enough, to travel along our roughest road yet to Nampula, but a fascinating drive, with huge basalt outcrops across the tropical countryside, and of course the locals, walking, cycling and carrying loads along the way. We have slipped into the habit of waving to everyone as we drive along, which can become quite a busy past-time, but we found the people less inclined to wave and smile and more intent on their daily living. It seemed every woman was carrying a baby wrapped up on her back, from tiny infants with a little sleeping head poking out, to pre-toddlers with little legs and arms dangling and little heads bobbing and sometimes peering about, but they always looked content and comfortable. And the women wore beautifully coloured fabrics.
Nampula is extraordinary, incredibly run-down, messy, crumbling, ramshackle and full of people, and mad drivers and mini-buses stopping to pick up and drop off people. The Portuguese influence is very visible, though all the buildings in a state of disrepair. But we found a little campsite haven on a man-made lake about 20km back along the road, which we had initially dismissed, but after seeing Nampula, decided it was a good option.
The next day we drove north to Pemba and camped for three relaxing nights at Russell's Place. Russell is an Australian who has been in Mozambique for ten years setting up his campsite on Wimbe Beach, just south of Pemba, so we enjoyed many chats with him, especially as he was from the Sunshine Coast. We had a couple of swims in the Indian Ocean here. The tides are huge and at low tide we had to wade through shallow water for a few hundred metres to find water swim-deep enough. But beautiful and worth the wade.
From Russell's Place we back-tracked along the main road south and then to the coast to Ilha do Mocambique, or Mozambique Island. It is linked to the mainland by a 1.5km long single lane bridge which is a wonderful introduction to the fascination and uniqueness of this island. On our first afternoon after a delicious lunch at Restaurante Reliquias where we sampled the local prawns, we walked around Stone Town, with all the crumbling buildings from the Portuguese era, quite different to Reed Town, or Macuti Town as they call it now. Unfortunately for us, the fortress of Sao Sebastao was closed for renovations, but the next morning we organised a guide and experienced some of the other historical Portuguese architecture, visiting the 17th Century former Jesuit College of Sao Paulo, which was also the governor's Palace before it became a museum, along with the Sacred Art Museum. All incredibly interesting. We also enjoyed our accommodation, the Escondidinho, which was a converted old Portuguese mansion with a big cool, white room overlooking the swimming pool and catching the beautiful ocean breezes.
From the island we travelled back through Nampula, camping again on the lake out of town. The next day we broke all three of the only rules we have set for ourselves!! i) Don't drive too far in one day. ii) Cross borders in the mornings, not the afternoons. iii) Don't ever drive at night. We had decided not to stay in Cuamba on the way back, an experience we didn't need to repeat, and so we wanted to cross the border at Nayuchi which is south of where we entered Mozambique at Chiponde. The plan was to then spend the night in Liwonde National Park back in Malawi. It seemed reasonable and do-able when we made the decision, but although we knew it would be a big day, it was a huge day. It took 6 ½ hours to get to Cuamba, but leaving there at 1:30pm we thought we were still going OK. But it took another 2 ¼ hours to travel the 68kms to the border, which we discovered was a bit of an outpost, especially when we noticed children either running away or crying when they saw the vehicle on its way through narrow tracks through the villages, and most of the locals looking at us wide-eyed as we waved our customary wave. After the border, the road got even worse, and so we checked in the guide book for accommodation options in Liwonde as we knew we wouldn't make the National Park before the gates closed. So as we drove to Liwonde it was dark, and we had to drive very slowly to avoid people walking or on bikes, or mini-taxis careering through everyone at great speed. By the time we arrived in Liwonde, any accommodation would have suited, which was just as well, because the campsite on the Shire River was pretty ordinary, and in the middle of a blackout when we arrived, and once again we were in the car park -but secure! So another of those "...exotic places" to spend the night.