Well, good news and bad news. Actually, it's all bad news

Yes, we are back to civilisation in SA. (that's the good and bad news). I knew our great times had to be coming to an end soon - we are running out of Marmite.

It's 6:30AM, the sun is rising to my right, and far off in the distance I hear the trucks on the N2 grinding down to Durban, about 250Km to the south. This is Iqana Game Ranch - a truly lovely place about 80Km south of Mozambique

I have just made a coffee for Ilge, it's really strange to think that our post Mozambique concept of a good coffee is one made with instant and actually has milk in it. This idea will no doubt only last as long as it takes to finish it, but gives you some idea as to how primitive Mozambique actually was.

Of course, being here means that our glorious adventure is about to end.

We have come this way to drop in to see Mike & Kerry en mass in Durban, rather than fight our way through Gauteng to drop Aiden & Kayla off in Johannesburg and then Kayla & I head back to Durban. But, the fact remains, that Durban is very civilised, and for us, not the adventure location of our choice any more.

Our adrenaline wind down has been going on for about 3 weeks now. Since Chimanimani, we have come to the realisation that this lifestyle and life expectations, will actually end once we get onto our flights. Now only a matter of days away. Aiden is actually ticking off the days, (10 till he's back in Toronto), not that he is anxious to leave here, more like (as with Kayla) anxious to see their friends again. 2 months plus with only each other to beat up on, occasionally leaves them wanting fresh concepts of how to bug people.

Not only that, my server has been a real pain for being down at all the wrong times, so I have not been able to email since Bulawayo 6 + weeks ago. Even phone calls have been severely restricted. The good side of this however, is that we have absolutely no clue as to what is going on in the world, and personally, I'd like to keep it that way. However, this is as much of a dream as it ever was, and I know that within a few days, reality in the form of George Bush, various bombs, killing various folk both notables and obscure, anti this and that resulting in more killings, corruption, politics and the normal obnoxious style of what I term "CNN Life", will return with a full vengeance. Interestingly, we have lived and passed through one of the highlighted "hot" areas of the world, Zim, and have just come through an area of almost unsurpassed poverty (Mozambique). Strange how we can now associate with these places so much easier than "home". Hmmmm. I'm not sure if there is something "wrong" here, or we have finally come to realise where we belong.

I suppose that this is my last few days of total blissful ignorance of what has been going on in the world (Hah! as if I cared), for 2 months. Honestly, this state of complete ignorance, is highly recommended - you really do not need to know what is happening out there with the likes of George et al etc. Even a giant comet and the final destruction of Earth and life as we know it, is of only passing interest. After all, there is not much you can do about it any way.

Cannot say that I am looking forward to us returning "home".

Once again, I digress.

We arrived here last night after a fairly leisurely drive (in Mozambique, it's a big mistake to travel any other way). Our last few days in Moz were all enjoyable, even if it was only because we were going to be leaving there soon. Afraid that after Zim, nowhere is going to come close, so Moz which is even poorer than Zambia, less organised (apparently that is possible) and culturally, wildly out of my viewing area, comes way down the scale of place I enjoy being in.

After nearly a week in Vilanculos, we have packed, had our photo op time, buy a few more touristy items, say our goodbyes and get on the road South.

Margie, our local Mozambique guide, has given us some useful tips on where to head for, and we at least have a destination. She uses our questionable guide to Mozambique as the basis for recommendations. We also talked to a local at Na Sombra last night, and have an address for a place in Maputo. Maybe we will be lucky, lets hope our streak of well informed, or just plain Serendipity.

On the road, without a map or reasonable facsimile thereof, what was hopefully 180Km, is in fact 320Km. On route, we stop at local bus stops which seem to have loads of fruits and edibles. At one place we get pinapples, bananas and "Nartjies" clementine oranges. They are incredibly delicious: a whole bucketful for 20cents. Also cashews. As we drive, we see rows of people lined along the roadside selling all sorts of foodstuffs from the jungle, occasional fish and chickens, ubiquitous bags of charcoal, here and there.

We reach a town with fresh water lakes Marjie recommended we should stop at as it supposed to be lovely, but our sense of journey bids us just to move on. Obviously, we are into our endgame now.

For the last 50Km before Inhambane, we notice the whole region is suddenly coconut plantations. From way back Portuguese days I understand. Maybe it's to help get the coconuts to market, but the roads appear to be better (on average) here, and the villages look (ever so slightly), more prosperous. Lets be frank here, on a scale of 1 - 10, the prosperity index here is still hovering around 1.03 something. We are impressed enough to try stopping at a roadside café (this in itself was enough to create wild excitement amongst us) . Quite a large place though we were not up to asking for snacks. Just main course here.

Inhambane is another 30K north of the intersection with the EN1 as it is right around the bay, we end up heading North again for 30Km.

We get to Inhambane, with enough time to check out the town, and to find someone with some limited command of English.

The town looks like it was once, quite well thought out, now, it appears to be gently decaying (gently is good here, most are actively deconstructed way back) - which is a pretty good indication of how well it's doing. Beggars, still quite a few with one leg, and albino's spot the horizon. Both here, and all the villages on the way down appear to be totally over run with school children on the roads. Sometimes a kilometre of kids as you pass on the roads. There is no rhyme or reason, early or mid morning, mid day afternoon late into the evening. Piles of them on the road, mainly with at least a school shirt or blouse, oftem with simialr "aid" satchels for their books if such a thing exists here, almost invariably without shoes. In town, being mid afternoon, there are bunches of kids waiting around most places. We do not feel any antagonism here.

The place to be appears to be Tofo Beach. It's another 30Km, but the road is pretty good. Arriving there at 3:00 is quite an unusual occurrence. We have the luxury of investigating all possibilities (3 actually), for our R&R locale for the night. There are several on this prominatory, all trying to capitalise on a small stretch of beautiful beach. Three tourist spots are almost literally right on top of each other. We eventually settle for the place Marjie recommended: the Albatroz. About $US75 for a cottage with a sort of view, but what the hell? It's lovely here, and safe!

I was happy to stay for a couple of days here ( what the hell?), but it seems that end of trip frenzy is grabbing everyone, and we are all just as happy to carry on rolling slowly down the coast.

Once again, after a long drive, it's time for a beer and a few games of cards overlooking the Inhambane bay just in front of us. We have dinner (very small portions is all I can remember here), and throughout the night, we hear the generator kicking in and out as the power dies and returns. I have parked on some water pipes which the local builders need for water (they make their own brick for building here), so the car alarm is set off at 6:00 this time.

Next stop Xai Xai - another 220Km south. A couple of hours of driving. It's raining. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the standards of roads, buildings, clothes, shops, markets and general well being improve. Poverty still demands attention, but is not as all prevailing as 500Km north.

Xai Xai has an ATM auto cash dispenser, that's about it. Still very basic, but slowly we see the environment improve. No longer a subsistence economy, it begins to resemble Africa as we knew it.

Once again, huge numbers of kids out on the road. Last time we said it was because it was Friday, now Thursday. Must be the Pope!

Just before the main town, we head off down the beach road to Xai Xai beach. It looks like this place has also seen better days. Luckily, after a few round trips looking for anything that looks like a place to stay, we chance on some resident Americans who point us to the local city camping spot. It's an ok kind of place, a little decrepit, but a great view. We take a family room. Four beds in a run down little building - hardly a bargain at $70.00 per night, bit it has a sort of kitchen where we can chop up our gathered fruits and cans from the markets and snack a bit. It suffices as a bed for the night, and the prawns turn out to be excellent. The Indian Ocean is pretty well unconfined here. Pretty deadly if you get stuck in these waves.

There is a security guard here, but his main job seems to be to chase off the local kids who sell shells and tourist crap. Funny when the guy in charge asks one of these kids to show us the places on offer.

Early morning and the rain starts again. The car alarm wakes us up. It's RAINING! This security device is a little over the top. Still, rain or not, the security guy was there within 10 seconds. At least he takes his job seriously.

Again, we are heading out, this time to Maputo. Supposedly a fantastic city.

Again, on the road, we see lots of police road blocks. Typically they ignore us totally. Its Friday, and they are far more interested in the traffic heading out of Maputo. After only 2 hours, the city comes into being as large amounts of the roadsides become taken up with warehouses, large markets and an endless pile of rusting discarded vehicles. On the city's outskirts, Maputo is dirty, dusty noisy and extremely confusing.

We are aware again of who we are: Tourists with money and lots of items with good resale value on the black market inside their vehicle. "Shields up!"

Our first stop at the house recommended by out restaurant buddies, is a wash out "by reservation only", We are directed to any old hotel, $US110 per night, only street parking. Forget it. After driving through the city for an hour or so, I'm suddenly aware that the place reminds me strongly of "Damascus - this is a very good sign. It also has it's poverty. This is a large vacant plot right in the centre of town. There are lots of people eking out some form of "living" out of city garbage.

Eventually, we settle (long story) for a 5 star hotel for $US125 per night. The Girassol Bahia Hotel on the Central C, Avenida Patrice Lumumba, We all agree it's worth it.

The kids, god bless them want to stay in the hotel - could be the TV with thousands of channels suddenly appeal to them. Ilge & I head off to catch the ferry across the river (Sabe) on a really tiny rickety boat. At the village of Catembe. On the other side of the estuary, we again live it up with prawns, and watch as the cook prepares the food in the spacious kitchen (outside in the dust).

We have lucked into a map of the town at the local backpackers. It has a lot of very useful information like where the "NO GO" areas are (lots) and also the craft markets. Its Saturday, so there is the weekly crafts sale in the city today. It finishes at dusk. As we get off the boat, the sun is getting close to sunset. We have 30 minutes and $100 to spend.

As we arrive, everyone is packing up. No problem. We are after Makonde - carved Ebony. There is a feeding frenzy for 10 minutes, and we end up carrying arm fulls of stuff back to the hotels. We are almost out of local cash.

Dinner at one of Maputo best restaurants. Mimos.

We seem to have a much higher hit rate where everyone finds the food "perfect" in Africa than we are used to in North America, and certainly Europe. Here is another. This place was truly a fantastic meal - everyone agrees this was one of the top three

Sunday, after a great night of lounging in 5 star comforts, and we are out looking for final bits to buy with our last Mozambican money - it's not worth anything except perhaps in Zim. This place certainly has its pleasant side, and I could happily work here for a few months.

While packing the van, a begger type guy approaches me with his tale of woe. I am usually totally impervious to these sad stories, but this one really is very sad. He says he's a teacher from Tanzania, who has fallen out with the government. He's trying to get to South Africa, but has been waiting for a visa for months. His family is still back in Tanzania. He is a teacher but cannot get any work, and lives hour by hour as he is constantly robbed by others. Not unusual, probably not even terribly tragic compared to some. I give him some cash. I wonder how he survives and he heads off to buy some food.....

We have all decided the the pleasures of Maputo have been had, and again head out, East and South, this time toward SA. It's not what any of us want anymore, its just a gateway back to Toronto. In itself, no longer any great shakes when it comes to living.

No doubt we will come to terms with "civilisation" especially the Canadian version when we have to endure it again.

I think back to when Ilge & I first left Africa back in 1980. I needed to update my career, it being at least 5 years out of date after so long just doing things I had training and experience in. For 20 years after that, we forgot all about what Africa had. No, that's not quite true, we simple decided to live somewhere else and withdrew from Africa's potential. Now in retrospect, we see that it is all still here inside us in all of it's multi faceted and many obscure, obtuse and downright awful pitfalls and dangers. For those of us with a bit of adventure in them, it still enthrals and captivates us.

For those who do not know it, cannot love it, or are simply ignorant of the place, it's just a continent of war, nepotism, drought, stupid dictators, poverty and worse.

Living it, daily, accepting it's faults and potential, you are quite simply on a different planet.

Odometer: 313581 Distance Travelled: 1106Km Trip Distance: 1050Km, Total Trip 7904 Km