Day 4 in Mozambique

14 June 2011, Tofo

I woke up in paradise today. Even though the weather was a bit overcast, I was as happy as can be.

We had our own special Mozambique breakfast which consisted of Ouma rusks, fruit, cashew nuts and coffee on the deck overlooking the ocean.

It actually started to rain lightly and we wondered whether we would still go out for the ocean safari but luckily they said we rather postpone till the next day. I was relieved because watching the choppy waters was already making my stomach churn and I wasn’t even on the boat yet.

So as not to waste a day in Mozambique, Neil went out on a dive and I spent those hours lying on the beach, reading and absorbing the sun when it pecked out from behind the clouds.

It was so cute, as I lay there; the crabs started poking out their holes, their beady eyes surveying the beach like a periscope and once they assessed it was all safe, they started scurrying around me.

Later in the afternoon we thought it would be an exciting new experience to go horse riding.

We had a very friendly guide called Alfonso who taught us how to trot and canter. At first I thought I was never going to get this right and would surely end up on the ground but eventually it started to feel more natural and I took that as a sign that I must be doing it right.

We started the ride on the beach and soon we were galloping through the waves with the water spraying up. It was incredible, I felt so alive and free. 

Then without stopping, my horse, Riverdance, raced up the sand dune and we were surprised by the most beautiful view. A wide plain of green bushes and coconut trees stretched out before us into the distance. No one can argue, I am in paradise, on a horse.

We wandered through the sand dunes for a little while before descending down onto the plain. It is surprising how instantly quiet it becomes once you dip down behind the sand dunes. All of a sudden you don’t hear the rumbling of the ocean anymore and the stillness envelopes you, soothing your racing tempo.

Randomly scattered among the coconut trees you will find little clusters of grass huts with goats and pigs sauntering around. Little children playing together while their mothers were milling, I presume, cassava, in a big mortar with a long wooden pole.

There was even a little boy that only looked like he was 4 years old, tugging his family’s goat home. Our guide stopped to talk to him and although I couldn’t understand what was been said, to me, this little boy was conversing with this older man like an adult. It seemed like his responsibility of caring for the family goat and their source of milk has stolen away a small part of his childhood innocence.

On route back to the ranch we wandered along a swamp and enjoyed another breathtaking view. It was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen and made even more special by the fact that we got to enjoy it on horseback. We felt like true cowboys, riding home in the sunset.

We had to walk back to the backpackers but luckily we got a lift from a passerby. My jelly legs were very grateful and so we jumped onto the back of the bakkie and enjoyed a bumpy ride, whizzing through the coconut trees, hanging on tightly to the top bar.

It was rather dark by the time we got back to Fahtima’s and we had a plan to make dinner using all local, tropical ingredients – a coconut, pineapple, prawns and cashew nuts. However, we were quite tired and got so frustrated with our lack of Portuguese and the fact that no one had change that eventually we returned with only a cup of rice and two beers (the two beers was our change from buying the rice).

We decided that tomorrow night we will try again, when we would feel more energetic.

Fahtima’s was buzzing tonight. The usual volley ball game was being played on the beach, the music was pumping, tourists were been taught how to play South African drinking games, there was laughter all around and a vibe of fun energy. We played some pool with two friendly Australian guys who were ruling the table for the night.

Later in the evening, before we went to bed, we decided to take a little moonlight walk down to the water edge to feel the warm Indian Ocean. It was magical.

Have I said I am in paradise?

I have realised that I haven't showed you our hut perched on the sand dune. See the second last hut on the far right? It is that one :-) Jealous yet...?