Very excited and eager we left to get to Mozambique, we soon discovered this was not going to be a fun and easy passage! Because of our budgeting we decided not to take first class but second(you also had third but this is still Africa, so we didnt want to get stuck in some dark room in the bottom of the ship).
But to our surprise the ship didnt look that bad for African standards! For a long time we could illegally stay on the top deck(first class) but after a few hours we were send down! Instead of that we went to the restaurant and order dinner, I think we never ate that slow. After we slept in the corridor next to the restaurant not at the least a bit comfortable, but it was better than sleeping between vomiting people and chickens! The next morning our paradise was over and we were send down to our level. Then we almost forgot the stamp out of Malawi at the one of the too many stops the ferry made!
And then after a 24 hour of hell we finally arrived at Mozambique, we got into a small boat and of to our next country we thought! We soon discovered that it wasnt going to be that easy! Because we didnt have a visa(in Malawi they told us we could get it in the village next to this one and it wouldnt be a problem) they didnt allowed us in the country! We tried to explain our situation, which wasnt easy because they only spoke African or Portuguese but we couldnt reason with these policemen! The only thing they could do was yell at us and they gave us 2 option: return to the ferry or go to jail! It wasnt a difficult decision and so it was back to the lovely ferry. Because we didnt have a lot of money anymore we had to sit in third class between to many people, animals and a thousand bags of smelly fish! After 8 more hours we arrived back on Malawian soil and we were once again legal travelers!
After a night sleeping on the floor of a dining room of a hotel we continued our journey to Mozambique over land this time! After a night stop in Magochi were the ants took over my tent(your probably laughing right now, but I can assure you it wasnt funny at al). The next day at noon we once again arrived at the border of Mozambique! At first the man looked surprised that we didnt have a visa yet, but then after paying to much we obtained our important stamp! Finally we were in Mozambique at an as good as deserted immigration office, with only some weird looking people hanging around! And then out of the blue some mini-van appeared who could take us to Cuamba, after riding around for some time to get the mini-van full we headed towards Cuamba. But after a few 100 meters they stopped to get buy gasoline and told us that we had to pay in advance so they could pay for the gas! We refused and said we only pay at our destination(the best way to be sure you arrive there and they dont kick you out faster), after whole argument they gave up! I noticed a guy standing on the side of the mini-van(our bags where on the roof) with one arm on the roof, but Casper said it was probably nothing. After we got the gas we left only to see the guy jump of the van and throw my carabiners on the road! I went crazy and the next stop, only a km further I jumped out of the car and checked the bags! Luckily the bags were still closed and not cut open or damaged, I yelled at the driver but he only laughed at me! I wanted to hit in the face, but I calmed down and just got back in the car! After a hell of a ride on the most uncomfortable road thus far(imagine speed bumps, but smaller and every 30 centimeters) we arrived late at night in Cuamba. Casper and I shrunk at least 5 centimeters, because of constantly bumping our heads against the roof. Happy to be there WITH our bags, so far not a nice meeting with Mozambique!
After a few hours of trying to sleep(there was a party going on), we had to get up at 4 to catch our train to Napula. A 12 hour train ride we didnt look forward to! But actually wasnt that bad, it was a fairly new train so there was some form of comfort. The train didnt go very fast, thats why it took 12 hours but the upside of that was you could enjoy the beautiful landscape. We arrived in the early evening in Napula, were we found a very nice place to stay hostel Ruby. We stayed there for a few days and then we were going to Mozambique island! We also met some nice people at the hostel! The day before we left I wanted to withdraw money from an atm, only to have my card taken by the damn thing the bank was closed so we had to return the next day! Convinced that I had lost my card I returned to the bank, only to have my card back after 5 min.
Of to the island were we are going to stay for a few days. The first thing weve noticed is that the people were a lot nicer then in Nampula, because there they just stared at you like you were some kind of deadly disease or looking what to steal! After 2 days of exploring we took an ocean safari to spot whales, it was a little bit of a disappointment we did see a lot of them, but it was from up far! The captain of our little motorboat told us it was because the sea was to wild, it was still a nice experience though! Before we returned, we stopped for an hour at an idyllic little island. Then we returned back to Nampula, were we stayed at the same hostel. And tomorrow we are back on the road, heading south to Vilanculos!
Until next time!!!
