Mozambique

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Left Gary's in Harare early AM on the 7th for the 4 hour drive to the border, or that was the plan. We were towing his boat that he planned to leave up in Moz for friends and clients of his to use, and around 2 hours into the journey the tire of the trailer was victim to one of Zim's insane potholes. We changed the spare only to find that it too was almost destroyed and drove gingerly to the nearest town to find a tire yard... which we did. 1 hour, $200 and some very ropey tire fitting techniques later we were on the road again.

Arriving at the border was somewhat tense, we had no idea how much a visa would cost... or if we would even get one, and the boat had no paperwork. However the real issues came when we discovered that the visa office had recently switched to an electronic system; and they had no power. On the first asking we were refused entry and told there was nothing they could do. Nothing that couldn't be sorted out by a few $$$ to the boss and soon enough we were through with some hastily jumbled together stamps.

Moz itself from the border to Tete in one single road flanked by the occasional mud-hut villiage... but stunning despite the terrible storm. Temperature steadily climbing through the 30's the deeper we drove. Arrvied eventually at Gary's house on the lake... pool, bar, boat... all we needed was sun.

Next day we went with with Rupert (Gary's house sitter/DIY man/drinking buddy) for a tour of the land and saw where the Hotel site is planned for on the top of the hill overlooking the lake. We then packed up the boat with beer and fishing gear and headed out (still in drizzle and cloud but mid 30's) This part of the Zambezi is stunning, hundreds of small and large islands with sheer cliffs sticking out of the still lake, fishing was quickly forgotten.

We stopped for lunch at a little restuarant/bar on one of the hilsides for a local dish... periperi chicken and beer while monkeys try and steal your chips. By this point the weather was steadily improving and by the time we had finished the sun was almost out and temp was well above 40... at 4 in the afternoon. We made a few more feeble attempts at fishing to no avail and so slowly made our way back with the sun setting over the lake.

Early next morning it was time to head back... once again in the pouring rain. With no trailer and boat the journey along mud and dirt roads was much easier, however it still took a good 5 hours to reach the border after stopping off in Tete to see Gary's new warehouse. Once again there were issues at the border as the guards on duty were different and our visas were not exactly perfect, a few more $$$ were in order to smooth proceedings along and we were through. Back in Zim.

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