Blogs from Mocímboa da Praia, Northern, Mozambique, Africa

It's rumoured - between travellers, in the guidebooks, and on websites -to be full of pickpockets, hustlers and con-men, and I'd hoped to bypass it by catching a dhow from Tanzania to Mozambique. But with the dhow non-existent, my only option was to cross the border via the somewhat notorious Rovuma River crossing. And it turned out to be everything it was rumoured to be - a beautiful place to be fleeced, but fleeced I was. The crossing began with a bent Tanzanian border official who demanded 2000 shillings (80p) to leave the country. I refused and bluffed, at which point he let me pass, only to point out, behind my back, my rucksack on the truck to one of his cronies outside. I took it as a signal to leave as quickly as possible, and ... read more

It's great when you have three days of motorbike riding madness in front of you to remember that when the destination is reached you can reap the rewards of cheap fresh seafood and even more refreshing cocktails! Leaving the delights of Malawi was comforted by the fact that the women were even more beautiful in Mozambique flaunting outrageously bright-coloured kangas and matching head-dress....slightly distracting! The roads were a disruptive disaster of zigzags across the 'almost completed' new road dipping in and out of river-fords then back onto dry chokingly dusty dirt roads, the journey broken up by our first flat tyre of the trip! Not to worry, 15 helpers suddenly appeared out of nowhere to claim a chance to help the muzungu or at least stand around and stare! And boy can they stare...for hours and ... read more