A Year in Africa

Part of the journey has been to look for work opportunities en route. Hospitality, one of the avenues we were exploring, has been decimated by Covid and while there are signs of improvement and recovery, nothing happens quickly in Africa.  I believe that in life you create your own opportunities. One of my favourite Oprah-isms is: "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity".  We believed that an opportunity existed in Mozambique and decided to pursue it. Fortune favours the brave. For my sins (and there have apparently been many), I had to travel Mozambique's challenging roads again. We left Tanzania and headed south back into Mozambique, travelling 10 to 12 hours a day, for 3 full days, back to a concession a few kilometers south of the Zambezi River. We put together a proposal which has been accepted and all the signs are very promising. We are currently cutting through all the bureaucratic red tape and jumping through all the necessary hoops in order to ge...

KERIN - Tantalising Tanzania! The moment you enter Tanzania you can see that it's a wealthier, more prosperous country. From the good condition of their roads, infrastructure, housing, their waistlines and the sheer number of motorbikes and cars on the road. Compared to Mozambique where the prominent mode of transport is bicycle. A bicycle in Mozambique costs 4400 Mets ( R995 ). Poverty certainly exists but the Tanzanians rely more on trade than charity. The roads are always teeming with children on their way to and from school in the tropics. I would have been in my element as a kid to go to school in flip-flops. Tanzanians are definitely better educated. Interestingly, Primary school is taught in Kiswahili and secondary school is taught in English. I absolutely love Tanzania. I love the country and I love the people. Oh, did I mention the roads? I did? I LOVE the roads. After Mozambique it felt like the autobahn. With the exception of one or two people...

ROSÉ - Mom was talking to 'the girls' last night and she thought I was asleep but I overheard some of her conversation. She was complaining that she had had a hot flash, or a hot flush? Something like that. And that she had turned bright pink, just like me. Not sure what that means but this tropical weather doesn't seem to agree with her.  They all laughed and laughed when she said: "When I asked for a smoking hot body, menopause is not quite what I had in mind". When I asked Dad what that meant, he said I should go & ask my mother or even better, to just steer clear. Parents! 

KERIN - I tried to have no preconceived ideas or expectations from Zanzibar. I was met with varying levels of success - there were some disappointments and some unexpected highlights. In hindsight I think we could have stayed for a shorter period in Stone Town (7 nights was too long) and longer on the more remote coastline. There is lots to do on this beautiful island, what follows are some of our activities: NAKUPENDA - Only in Africa can you take a tiny spit of sandbar & turn it into a tourist attraction! About a 30 minute dhow ride from Stone Town, this tiny patch of pristine white sand was our oasis for the day. While snorkeling and swimming, the boat captain cooked an amazing lunch, cooked African style on the beach (braais in South African, barbecues for the uninitiated). Blown away by this experience, it was worth every penny. SPICE TOUR + COOKING CLASS - This was an Airbnb experience which I absolutely loved! Our ...

ROSÉ - So, before I am allowed to go into the ocean, Dad and Mom said that I must learn how to swim in the lake. It's like I was born to do this & I took to it like a duck to water. I progressed quickly & Dad took off my 'training wings'. Mom accompanied me on my 1st swim but I was then left all on my own (being supervised from the shore of course). Sometimes they worry about me too much. I'm so excited for my 1st beach visit and can't wait to feel the sand in my toes and take a dip in salt water. We are leaving for the coast this morning. I hope it's not too far or too bumpy, I sometimes get a bit car sick which is definitely no fun at all. 

KERIN - After 3 weeks of being on the road (travelling & dealing with the breakdown) and spending time in mediocre hotels in Mozambique, Mbamba Bay was the perfect spot to relax, unwind, recharge & kick up our feet. I do feel huge relief that we are one country removed from SA. My fear was that in the event of Mozambique closing it's borders, we would be forced back to SA as Malawi & Zimbabwe are both currently closed to tourists. We spent 15 lazy days chilling, paddling & relaxing at Bio Camp  in the bay. On the shore of Lake Nyasa, with coarse sand and views of Malawi in the distance, you could be mistaken for thinking that you're at the beach. The lake has a mean shore break which also sounds like the ocean. Our first weekend there was  Easter and there were guests staying in the bungalows but aside from those 2 days, we were largely the only guests there during o...