“Hello Mozambique… do you see me?”
Yes, the mood was right, the air was fresh and the beach was in close proximity. Suddenly, the 15 hour drive was completely worth it. Passports were stamped, the car registered with the officials and we were only 11kms from our hotel. Excited, we drove to Ponta Do Ouro and as expected, people were wearing shorts, flip flops, sunglasses and sun hats. Vacation mode was officially activated.
Driving to the hotel, the car got stuck in the sand and as fate would have it, we had to ask for help pushing the car out. The locals were friendly and very eager to help, until we offered a tip of R50 for their assistance. Suddenly we saw rage, locals engulfed with bitterness and disappointment. They stomped away mumbling in their language.
Clueless and confused about what just happened, we proceeded to check in and go about exploring the destination. A little under 30 minutes post the drama with the locals, two locals from the incident showed up at our hotel threatening to call the police if we didn’t pay them. We were hesitate at first, but our host advised that we pay them R200 because if the police were to arrive, the cost would be higher. We obliged albeit reluctant, but not even this would dampen our mood.
We showered and then made our way to the beach, which was a walking distance from our hotel. Refreshing as always, the beach was fun and from there, we jumped into the pool and made new friends who were from Bloemfontein in the Free State (what were the odds?).
We had a celebratory drink and made our way to a restaurant for fresh prawns (this is why we came to Mozambique right?). Excited we placed our order and said grace. The prawns, the prawns were “life changing”… succulent, tasty and delicious. I’m no chef or wine connoisseur, but pairing the sea food platter with white wine was perfect. A celebration of this nature was incomplete without a bottle of Champagne, so we did just that. Day one, was complete.
Waking up to the calming sounds of the ocean, we decided to have breakfast by the beach and share our 2018 highs and lows and what we would do differently going into 2019.
The drinks flowing, slowly the boundary walls came down and our insecurities broken. We shared our financial goals and career aspirations to name a few. We talked about our failures, our successes, hopes and dreams. This was emotional and inspiring- a reminder of how much we ought to support each other(there is too much negativity as is).
The evening approached and we decided to visit another restaurant and try their lobster. Waiting patiently for the food to arrive, the conversation from the beach continued. Minutes later, the food arrived and disappointed we stared at the lobster.
It was dry, smelt terribly bad and was not appetising. So much for an upmarket restaurant, but we had no time for negativity in Mozambique.
Sunday the 30th of December 2018, we were ready to head back home. We however decided to have breakfast in Maputo (a two hour drive from Ponta) before heading back to the kingdom of Lesotho. Maputo, like most cities had its tall buildings and busy streets. Breakfast was great, good prawns, steak and ribs. Mozambique had redeemed itself after the terrible dinner (and we finally found Katembe bridge). We were ready for the 10 hour drive to Maseru.
Arriving at the border, Ressano Garcia the chaos began. We had misplaced the car registration form. While trying to find it in the car, we witnessed a local guy trying to assault a white gentleman(tourist) who was trying to share information with us as to how we can resolve the matter. The aggression of the local guy and the policeman at the border was concerning. They were trying to get us to pay R3,000.00 for misplacing the form, without giving us the chance to speak or negotiate with the authorities. Worried, we tried to resolve the matter and make our way back home. Personally this was a big turn off for me from a tourist’s perspective. These kind of encounters, usually leave a bad taste about a country. Successfully we managed to negotiate the price down to R500 (although still very high) and crossed the border. Arriving at the South African border was a huge relief- we felt safe after all the commotion.
All in all, Mozambique was a beautiful experience and is a country I wouldn’t hesitate to visit again despite the unnecessary fees you constant have to pay to the local guys.
