Longest Day Yet

Well what started out as simple 'border run' to get our required 30 day exit and entry stamp for our 6 month multi-entry visa for Mozambique (yea don't ask) turned into a 14 hour day in 3 countries. We left first thing with our company driver to make it into S Africa and visit Kruger Game Park for the day. Unfortunately when we arrived at the border there were over 100 cars and total chaos also trying to cross. So after 40 minutes we bailed not wanting to risk the LONG wait and chance for Pranvera not to be let in due to her passport and visa issues.

So after another 2 hour drive we made it to the Swaziland border for plan B. Mind you all this driving and waiting we a VERY patient 2 year old. But somehow this time we got hassled for Pranvera's passport not having a visa (which we didn't need last month). But we finally pleaded our way in to then drive another 2 hours (were told it would only be 1) to make it to Bushfire Festival, which is a regionally known weekend music festival that the entire expat community from Maputo converges upon. Although we only had a couple hours there before having to make a long 4 hour trip back, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Nothing is too easy out here but sometimes worth the wait (or sometimes not...)

A Different Kind of Mother's Day

The photos pretty much speak for themselves as we drove a couple hours north to a virtually deserted beach with some friends from work. We felt 1000 miles from anywhere and were able to really relax with great surf, sand and feast. However the day wasn’t without incident as the safari vehicle we had to drive the finally part of the journey from ferry pick-up to lodge broke down about 1 km from the beach. Fortunately it was fixed only after we had all begun hoofing it on foot. Then upon return we (Todd) lost the camera as it bounced out of the backpack pocket in the safari ride away from the beach. Luckily he noticed it soon and enough and we were able to retrace our steps within 10 minutes to find it laying on top of the sand track.

Happy Mother’s Day Mommy!!!

Since the internet is painfully slow (3 hours to upload these pictures) courtesy of free wireless at a coffee house, i am posting random pictures of Adi playing with his new friends at the pool in our compound. Some pictures are taken at Adi's school.

Labor Day Celebrated on Inhaka Island

While all the workers were celebrating in parades in the capital city we decided to escape for the day to enjoy the sand, surf and sun that we are fortunate to see everyday while getting around Maputo. Unfortunately this sounds much easier than it is. Apparently with the pollution and the waves, realistically it require a 2.5 hour drive to get to the closest beaches we would want to swim in. Normally this would be quite doable for a day except for the fact that it would require me to drive on the opposite side of the street (I have yet to practice this), drive part of the way on dirt tracks with the 4x4 and to leave by 2:30 in the afternoon to do the return drive before it gets dark when everyone warned us not to drive since the roads are notoriously dangerous with bad drivers and poorly marked streets and vehicles.

So instead, we opted for what in theory sounded like a much better deal. A 3 hour ferry ride direct to a remote island with white sand and ice blue waters for a beach picnic and a casual 3pm return back to the city. So we started the day off at daybreak well before necessary since my staff told is the wrong departure time. But after waiting and searching where and how to buy tickets we fought for our seats inside a very scary looking boat that was to rock the large waves for 3 hours. Added to this motion was the fact they decided to cook some meals for sale inside the cabin and the body odor from most of the locals made for an unpleasant journey. Not to mention as we were nearing the island Adi decided to get sick all over me, himself and then Pranvera who they had to race outside the cabin to get sick overboard. At least everyone felt much better after this but was not a great start to our restful day.

Upon arriving we walked quickly down the beach to find a nice spot to maximize the 3 hours we had on the island. The water wasn’t as clear as it once used to be close to shore so were weren’t able to use our snorkel’s. Adi loved playing naked in the sand and it was fun to swim with him a bit in the water. Some local kids came along to play with him but then decided we were quite interesting so they sat next to us the rest of the day watching our every move and occasionally coming over to ask for food or money. Was really not our idea of a restful afternoon holiday. And even though the ferry boat departed at 3 we had to make our way to the little motor boats around 2 that would shuttle us out to the main boat where we waited for it to fill up for the return trip. Thankfully it was calm seas and mostly filled with foreigners so the smell and motion much more tolerable. We enjoyed an incredible sunset, nice breeze and wonderful panoramic views of our city as we approached from the ocean.

All and all exciting to realize that a day trip for us can now be to an island verses the Eastern Shore outside of DC.