I'm not quite sure why it's taken me so long to write about the final and favorite leg of my backpacking trip. Maybe it's because with school started, I don't have as much time to write and I knew this one would be a doozy.. maybe it's because I wasn't quite sure how to fit two amazing weeks of my life into a short narrative. Not that I think I can now, but at least I feel like trying.
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After a short stop in Johannesburg to get visas, say hi to our friend Simon, and reunite with Jozi, we took a late night bus to Maputo, Mozambique. This is the part of the trip we had all been waiting for, the magnet that pulled us so far east. The tropical beaches and friendly people of Mozambique. So, it was well worth it when we had the bus ride from hell. 12 hours, 3 sweaty men, 1 completely disorganized border crossing and a broken luggage trailer later, we reached the gritty streets of Maputo, the Mozambican capitol - nearly without said luggage (the thing broke off, went rogue and smashed into some cop car...bad ass. T.I.A., mothalova).
Maputo, Maputo Providence, Mozambique
Our time in Maputo was nothing to write home about. We weren't there for long and while we were, the weather was less than desirable. So two days after our arrival, we woke up at 5am to take a bus at 5:30 and we left around 8.
We took a tiny, rickety old bus stuffed full of Mozambicans, but 9 hours later, we were in paradise....
Tofo, Inhabane Providence, Mozambique
Everything you've ever imagined a tropical paradise to be, Tofo is. Empty, white beaches. Warm, turquoise water. Banana shakes and miles of smiling faces. Tofo was heaven on earth. Our days consisted of swimming, sunning, drinking smoothies, swimming, talking to locals, swimming, reading, swimming and sunning. I think I covered it all. We were there for a week and a half - longer than we had anticipated, but we just couldn't pry ourselves away. Someday we will return for John Tomato and Elvis.
The locals we met in the market, along with the staff at our backpackers (it was Fatima's if anyone is interested... by far the best one in town. Beach access, super chilled communal area and the best smoothies you could ask for. Not to mention, it goes off), were some of the friendliest people I have encountered. The tour books said they were known for being nice, but damn. Although it's one of the poorest countries in the world, people are just straight happy, generous and helpful. It was a sort of "the less you have, the less you have to worry about" vibe and I really dug it. Overall, one of the best weeks of my entire life. I could have set up shop and stayed for a while. However, our flight out was booked through Vilankulos, a tiny town just a few hours north, so we had to move on.
Vilankulos, Inhabane Providence, Mozambique
At this point in our trip, we were all pretty exhausted. We had taken subways, public busses, greyhounds, trains, horses, mini busses, taxis, and boats to get to that point, and we were ready to melt into hammocks all over the place. For this last leg of the trip, we just chilled. To the max. But one day stood out, and I still wish I could replay it every weekend or so. We joined a group of people at our backpackers - some couples and an Israeli dude named Ron that we had seen a couple different times on our trip - and went on a day tour of the island of Magaruque in the breathtaking Bazaruto Archipelago. After an hour long sail over the crystal clear water and spanning sand bars, we anchored off of a long reef and went snorkeling. Unfortunately, the tide changed just as we got there, so it lowered visibility, but it was still a perfectly lovely afternoon. After a few hours of swimming, the crew made us fresh crab and fish (that they caught while we were swimming) and we chilled under palm trees on the sand. Then we walked around the island, catching little crabs as they washed into our feet until we finally met back up with the dhow and watched the sun set as we sailed home. Ideal? I think so. Unreal.
Since the shallow area between main land and the island was dotted with sandbars, there were also several sick days when the tide pulled out 100 yards or so, leaving boats stranded.
And then, we were done.
We had come a long way in that month, and it was time to fly home. Although I was ready to have my bed, shower and boyfriend, I couldn't stop watching out the window of the plane, hoping I wouldn't have to leave just yet. I'm not sure what I miss more - the water, the people, or the delicious 50 cent mangos, but I know it won't be my last time there. Mozambique humbled me in the way traveling is supposed to. More so than in any area I had seen before, these people with virtually nothing were so unexplainably happy. It makes you think about the things that get you down when you have no real problems. Does it take having nothing to be truly happy? Should we cast away all material possessions to live this enlightened, blissful life? ....That's a bit drastic. But, next time I'm letting "First World Problems" get me down, I'll rethink it and remind myself how lucky I am to live the life I live.
Live globally,
KG
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