Mozambique

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27-7-19 After flying into Maputo we were met by our guide Antalya, we were soon at the hotel Cardoso where we were to stay for two nights. We enjoyed a delicious tapas dinner with Antalya at one of her favourite cafes on our first night out in Maputo.

28-7-19 In the morning Antalya showed us the city which included the old town of Baixa, central market, museum of natural history and the historic railway station. The highlight of the day was a visit to the fish market where Antalya purchased fresh crab, fish and prawns, we then chose a restaurant from the many on the beachfront to cook it all up for our lunch.

In the afternoon we visited Mafalala just on the outskirts of Maputo here the people live in severely disadvantaged conditions, with inadequate basic services, acute security and health problems, and high unemployment levels. Mafalala is located along the line that the Portuguese drew to mark the division between the white part of the city and its outskirts, where the local black communities were ostracized before independence. As was the case during apartheid in South Africa, black people could not cross this line and access the "city for the white," unless otherwise stated on their indigenous identity card. As it was Sunday the children were out playing soccer in the dirt, kicking homemade soccer balls with bare feet and somehow missing the scattered broken glass. The only clear space within the area was a soccer field that had produced Eusebio, also known as the black panther who became the best scorer of the European leagues. Maria de Lurdes Mutola, who won gold for the 80 metres in the Sydney Olympics was also discovered playing soccer on this field.

29-7-19 Due to another two delayed flights and a two and half hour transfer drive we finally arrived at Mozamibque Island after midnight. Even though it was dark when we arrived we were amazed at the length of the 3km bridge which connects the island to the coast. Arriving at hotel Fetoria around 1am we thought the building was amazing, a restored 15th century warehouse, our room was huge with brass lanterns hanging from the walls.

30-7-19 An early start after just a few hours sleep to take a felucca for what we thought would be a half day sailing trip. The local guide thought he would treat us to an hour and half sail to a small island where he cooked a bbq of local fish and squid for our lunch. He kept stalling leaving the island as they had planned to surprise us by sailing back just in time for sunset, it made for a long but relaxing day. Dinner was in a cafe in old stonetown, it felt like something out of Casablanca, Alex enjoyed imagining backgrounds for the suspicious looking characters sitting alone at tables.

31-7-19 We took a walking tour, at about 3km long and only 500metree wide we were able to see most of the island. We walked through Makuti Town where the majority of residents live in reed and mud houses located in an old quarry which is below sea level and regularly floods. We were interested to see how the wooden faluccas were made, the timber gaps sealed with cotton, one man was forging nails over a coals for use in the boat building.

Leaving from Nampulo airport for our flight to Nairobi, we found there was nowhere to even buy a coffee in the airport and it was a little frustrating to find we had another delayed flight. We eventually flew into Nairobi where we had to transfer to another flight to Kilimanjaro, after another delayed flight we finally arrived after midnight, pleased to find our transfer waiting to take us to our hotel the start of our next adventure in Tanzania.

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