Blogs from Vilanculos, Southern, Mozambique, Africa - page 2

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Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos August 28th 2012

Sunday morning was spent packing and preparing for the next stage of my African journey… I then went to Thyme Square (one of our favourite cafés) with Ruth, Ian and Sarah for a final morning latté. We’ve become such good friends over the past few weeks, and saying goodbye was sad, but amidst the hugs and a few tears we also made promises to meet again for a reunion at Christmas. My flight to Johannesburg was (thankfully) straightforward and I spent a relaxing evening at the hotel before having an early night, ready for my 6am. airport transfer . I arrived in Vilanculos on Monday afternoon, and it feels amazing to be back. As many people who have spent time here will understand, Vilanculos is a special place. Even after all my other brilliant travel experiences, ... read more
Tofo beach 2
Tofo beach 3
Tofo beach 4

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos July 12th 2012

Mum and Dad left me at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 3. There weren’t too many tears, just excitement for the big adventure ahead! As I queued to check in my luggage, I was already looking forward to leaving the commotion of Heathrow for the calm of Vilanculos’ small airport. The journey started with more stress than necessary, when my flight with Egypt Air was delayed, and we left London an hour and a half later than scheduled. I had a connecting flight in Cairo for Johannesburg, with only a few hours to spare. However, I calculated that as long as we arrived in Cairo by 10pm. I would make my 11pm. flight to Johannesburg, and contented myself with the fact that I was already experiencing ‘Africa time’! My stress was also relieved by chatting to the young ... read more

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos May 19th 2012

Vilancula on a shoestring. It took from 9a until 2p to get here, we are staying at a backpackers hostel. Not exactly what I am used to….but for two nights I can survive. We stopped on the way for a picnic where Ben found a chameleon. Everyone photographed it repeatedly. THEN Ben spotted a green tree snake. I said, I think that snake is venomous, but they said it was not. Photos again! Then Felix checked it on his iphone…and yes, it is a very poisonous snake whose bite can be fatal. I’m grateful no one grabbed it. Right now I am in the “restaurant” of the backpackers, and a momma dog has 9 pups in here. They are so cute, but life is too tough here for these poor dogs. People cannot take care of ... read more
moz 12 vilancula backpackers (2)
moz 12 vilancula beach
moz 12 bazaruto crocodile fish

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos February 15th 2012

Sometimes life is too good to be true, huh! Mozambique is one of the most amazing countries in the world and we don’t want to wake up from this awesome dream. Here you’ll find crystal blue water, friendly and smiling people, incredible weather, white and long beaches, fresh seafood and paradise for every tourist. But reality for locals is much darker than we expected, life isn’t easy for the locals and the tourists don’t make it easier either since they are spending a local monthly salary for a dinner in front of their eyes. We have tried to come as close to the local life in Vilankulo. It has been great an experience to visit the cozy markets, to buy fresh fish from the beach, to laugh and share the new experiences. So we are learning, ... read more
Fish market in Vilankulo Beach
Rainy season but sunny and +40 every day
The rain is calming down stormy sea

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos May 22nd 2011

Day 68, Wednesday, May 4th, we left Tofino by taxi to Inhambane. We took a 20-minute ferry ride across the bay to Maxixe. We had to extend our visas since we planned to head north and explore more of Mozambique. After two hours in the busy immigration office they told us it would take a week minimum (John had been to the office a week earlier and they had said they could do it same day for a fee). Discouraged we walk to the bus station to figure out transport to Vilanculos (250 miles North). It was a hot dusty afternoon and the ground was muddy from rain the night before. We walked from bus to bus asking questions in broken Portuguese finally finding a Chapa going our way. We had to pay extra for our ... read more
Maxixe Beach
Street Vendors selling to buses
Vilanculos Beach - High Tide

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos November 20th 2010

13th – 20th November 2010 Vilanculos – Tofo After one of the worst nights sleep of this trip….I think I managed about 2 hours of actual sleep in the hottest room ever with mosquitos flying around us (the Lonely Planet does rate Beira as the place that you are most likely to catch malaria in Moz!), we woke up at 2am and quickly got changed and finished packing our bags (so quickly that I managed to leave my favourite t shirt behind) and ran out the door as our taxi driver was early (now that’s a first in Africa!) and was tooting the heck out of his car horn. We managed to board the bus etc and had a smooth comfortable ride to our drop off point although the sun threatened to melt us as one ... read more
A little bit of heaven in Moz
Kath enjoying the Dhow ride
Me also enjoying the ride

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos December 14th 2009

Vilanculos might be worth visiting a couple of days. Be ware of thieves though. Robbery has increased and still is. Don't stay at "Dolphin Dows" I was assaulted by 4 guys who stole my handbag upon arrival. Junior, the owner of Dolphin Dhows, seemed at first very helpful and competent. He somehow got my bag back. Empty. He accompanied me to the Police. He knows both the Police and the thieves very well, he said. The Police wrote a list of missing items by hand on a piece of paper but I got no copy. After two days Junior and the Police returned my passport, air ticket and Visa credit card to me. I signed a document for this and got a copy. Junior told me to be happy since theese things were the most important, ... read more

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos September 11th 2009

Hello Everyone! It's been a while since our last entry. Sorry no pictures right now, the computer here won't let Aaron download any photos. We've been kicking back on the beach in Mozambique. Our friend Martina owns a Nissan repair shop in Vilankulos and we stayed with her for almost a month. She is so much fun, we had a great time. It was really nice to just be in one spot for a while, also. Since she let us stay for free, we tried to cook some really nice meals for her. Which was fun and challenging. Aaron loves to cook and it was challenging because she currently only has an electric skillet, a George Foreman grill, and a microwave until her house remodeling is complete. But we managed to turn out some decent meals. ... read more

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos August 29th 2009

The Nampula TCO rep had guessed we'd get to Vilankulos by about 5PM but her estimate is conservative by 100%, a pleasant surprise. Sadly, we aren't actually dropped at Vilankulos but at the junction from which it's a 25 minute chapa ride distant, but the chapa - more like a Sudanese boksi - leaves immediately and we soon find ourselves on a street corner in the centre of Vilankulos. We've barely disembarked when a Portuguese woman offers us a lift to wherever we want to go. Our first choice, the delightfully-named Zombie Cucumber hostel, is full, as is the woman's subsequent suggestion Dolphin Dhow. She then suggests Baobab Beach, which turns out to have a couple of spare huts. It's amusing to see the woman's interaction with her young daughter, who appears to be her assistant. ... read more
Boat
Mast
Balance test

Africa » Mozambique » Southern » Vilanculos September 9th 2008

As you have probably noticed with the scarcity of my updates... internet is not very available in the heart of Africa. I've been on an overland trip through Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and am now in Mozambique. The trip has been amazing so far and apparently great things to come in the last 5 days. I've seen elephants charging, I've dodged crocs and hippos, fallen down the falls... We are only 6 in our group including our fearless leader Chris so we have formed quite a nice little family. We had Jim and Lauren a father and daughter duo from Oz. Lauren is only 16 so we have been introducing her to some "sin" in a nice safe evironment!! :) Next we have Katie the athlete... you can expect to see her rowing for the Dutch team ... read more




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