Dag 84, 19 September

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 13

Caia na Vilanculos

Teen sewe uur is ons op die pad. Dis nadat Nina amper Pat se houtstoor leeg gekoop het. Hulle maak die mooiste hout items by Catapu.

Hierdie is een van die slegste paaie in ‘n land wat daarvoor bekend is dat daar besonderse slegte paaie is. Ant het vir ons raad gegee om eerder onder om Berg Gorongosa te ry. Dis ‘n grondpad, maar die vordering is veel vinniger. Daar is nie die diep, skerp slaggate nie.

Ons stop by die dorpie Gorongosa. Nina maak ontbyt. Sy het heelwat tyd om dit te doen, want daar moet ernstig aandag gegee word aan die dakrak en daktent op Francois se kar. Die voetjies is besig om mee te gee. Ons moet die dakrak met toue aan die bakwerk vasmaak.

Toe is dit verder. Francois is nie op sy beste nie. Hy vermoed al hoe meer dat hy malaria het. Hy ken die siekte. Hy het dit al voorheen gehad.

Ons ry heeldag. Plek-plek word die pad beter. Maar die vordering is maar traag. Dis moeilik om meer as 50 km/h gemiddeld te handhaaf.

Teen 5 uur is ons by Buffalo Camp. Dis die laaste moontlik stop voor Vilanculos. Maar Vilanculos is nog twee uur se ry weg. Dit beteken minstens een uur in die donker. Ons besluit om deur te druk. Sal soveel lekkerder wees om die volgende oggend by die see wakker te word. Net na sewe kom ons aan by Villa la Mar.

oOo

We leave at seven. This is after Nina raided Pat’s store of wooden artefacts. Catapu produces some of the most beautiful items.

We hit the road and find ourselves on one of the worst roads in a country that is known for bad roads. Ant gave us the advice to pass Mount Gorongosa on the southern side. It is a gravel road away from the national road, but much quicker. There are none of the deep, sharp potholes.

We stop for breakfast in the town of Gorongosa. We must spend time in the town as Francois has to pay attention to his rooftop tent and roof rack. The legs of the rack are collapsing. The rooftop tent now needs to be fixed to the canopy.

We continue. Francois is not at his best. He is more and more under the impression that he contracted malaria. He knows the illness, as he’s had it before.

We drive all day. At certain stages, there is some improvement in the road surface, but the progress is slow. We struggle to get to an average of more than 50 km/h.

At 5 o’clock we reach Buffalo Camp. This is the last possible campsite before Vilanculos. But Vilanculos is another two hours by road. This implies at least one hour after dark. We decide to press on. It will be so much better to wake up next to the ocean the next day. We arrive at Villa la Mar just after seven.

Dag 85, 20 September

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 13

Vilanculos

Dis ‘n dag van ontspan by Vila la Mar. ‘n Dag van tot verhaal kom. Drie maande op die pad was ‘n lang tyd. Daar is soveel om in te neem. Soveel om te verwerk. Ons het ook so ‘n bietjie administrasie en e-posse om in te haal.

Die rusdag kon nie op ‘n beter dag vir Francois gekom het nie. Hy het malaria. Ons voer hom Coartem. Dis die wonderkuur teen die gevreesde sieke. Die pille maak mens ongelukkig ook nie baie goed voel nie. Dis gif wat teen die siekte moet veg. Hy kan heeldag lê en herstel.

Die middag gaan loop ons op die strand. Middagete is by een van die strand kafees. Dis heerlike garnale, hoender, Prego's en hamburgers.

Die aand nooi Linda en Jacques van Green Safaris, en Lida en Christo van Villa la Mar ons oor vir ‘n braai. Carlos, die hoof van die Vilanculos Nasionale Park en sy vrou, Morgan O ’Kennedy, diepsee visserman en ‘n klompie ander gaste kom ook saam. Dis ‘n lekker kuier. Net Francois is nie saam nie. Nina voer hom klein bietjies kos en baie water. Hy moet regkom voor ons huis toe ry.

oOo

It is a day to relax at Villa la Mar. It’s a day to reflect. Three months on the road is a long time. There is so much to absorb. We also have some administration to catch up on.

This resting day could not have come any sooner for Francois. He has contracted malaria. We dose him with Coartem. This is the cure for the dreaded disease. But the tablets have serious side effects and makes one feel sick. It is a poison that fights the illness. But Francois can lie in bed all day long.

At noon we take a walk on the beach. We have lunch at one of the beach cafes. We have excellent prawns, chicken, Prego’s, and hamburgers.

For supper, we are invited by Linda and Jacques of Green Safaris, and Lida and Christo from Villa la Mar, for a braai. Carlos, chief warden of Vilanculos national Park and his wife, as well as Morgan O’Kennedy, deep-sea fisherman and his guest, join us. It develops into a very pleasant evening. It is only Francois who is not able to join us. He needs to get better before the long drive home. Nina feeds him food and water.

Dag 86, 21 September

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 13

Vilanculos

Nog ‘n rusdag by die wonderlike Vila da Mar by Mosambiek. Dis selfsorg huisies waar ses mense in elk kan slaap. Dan is daar ook ‘n gemeenskaplike swembad en braaiplek.

Die oggend gaan stap meeste van ons op die strand. Dis tyd vir refleksie. Die Mosambiekse kus is perfek daarvoor.

Middagete is by die uitstekende Kilimanjaro Restaurant in die dorp. Dit behoort ook aan Lida en Christo. Die spyskaart bied ‘n wye verskeidenheid. Daar word egter groter klem gelê op dit wat vars is. Ons eet almal baie lekker.

Net buite die restaurant verkoop die smouse Tiger prawns vir 100 Meticais elk. Dis spotgoedkoop. Maar dis reuse garnale. Ons koop vir elkeen vier.

Vroegaand gooi ons die garnale op die kole. Dis ‘n besonderse smaak. Dis eg Mosambieks. Daar is ook een voordeel met die sous waarmee ons dit bedruip – Norbert is allergies vir garnale, en hy is ook nie gek ook peri peri nie. Die res van ons almal eet dit graag. Nou kan ons die Tiger behoorlik bedruip met die peri peri knoffel botter sous. Norbert moet tevrede wees met stokvis en visvingers. Dis nou die manier om ons besoek aan Mosambiek af te sluit.

oOo

Another day to relax at the wonderful Vila la Mar in Mozambique. These are self-catering units that each sleep six. There is a communal swimming pool and braai as well.

Most of us go for a stroll on the beach. It is time to reflect on the journey. The coast of Mozambique is perfect to do this.

For lunch, we visit the excellent Kilimanjaro Restaurant in town. It is also the property of Christo and Lida. The menu has a wide selection. The emphasis is on freshness. We all have an excellent meal.

Just outside the restaurant hawkers sell Tiger prawns at 100 Meticais each. This is dirt cheap, and the prawns are massive. We buy 4 for each of us.

We start the braai fire early and put the prawns on the coals. The taste is pure Mozambique. There is another advantage in basting it with a special sauce – Norbert is allergic to shellfish, and he is not a fan of peri-peri either. The rest of us enjoys it. We can now baste the prawns with the peri-peri, garlic, butter sauce. Norbert must be satisfied with hake and fish fingers. This is a perfect way to end the Mozambique leg of our journey.

Dag 87, 22 September

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 13

Reis na Komatipoort

Vyf uur is ons op. Toe die son half ses sy kop oor die see uitsteek, val ons in die pad. Vandag, so weet ons, is ‘n lang dag agter die stuur. Gelukkig het Francois herstel van sy malaria. Hy kan weer sy plek inneem agter die stuur.

Die pad oppervlakte is heelwat beter, en die vordering vinniger. Dis verby Maxixe en Xai-Xia. Sowat 80 km na ons die Limpopo gekruis het, draai ons van die groot pad af verby die Tongaat Hullets suikerplaas, rigting Magude. Dis nie ‘n goeie pad nie. Dis plek-plek ‘n slegte grondpad. Maar dis ‘n kort pad wat ons help om die verkeer van Maputo te systap.

Laat middag kom ons by die grens aan. Eers is dit die COVID 19 toets. As jy negatief toets kan jy huis toe gaan. As jy positief toets moet jy huis toe gaan. Dis onduidelik hoekom die toetse gedoen moet word, maar die diens is flink en baie professioneel. So ook die amptenare by die grenspos. Ons is deur in ‘n japtrap.

By Komatipoort gaan bly ons by Sundown Lodge. Reinette is die gasvrou. Ons kry ook ‘n heerlike aandete in hulle restaurant. Die diens is uitstekend, en die pryse baie billik.

Vir die eerste keer in bykans drie maande is ons terug in Suid Afrika. Dit voel goed.

oOo

We’re up at five. When the sun rises over the Indian Ocean at six-thirty, we hit the road. Today will be a long day’s drive. Fortunately, Francois recovered from malaria. He takes his place behind the wheel.

The road surface is much better, and the progress is good. We pass Maxixe and Xai-Xai. 80 km after crossing the Zambezi we turn left, past the Tongaat Hullets sugar farm, direction Magude. This is not a road in good condition. Often it is a bad gravel road. But it is a shortcut that bypasses the heavy traffic of Maputo.

We arrive late afternoon at the border. First, we must do a COVID 19 test. If you test negative, you may go home. If you test positive, you must go home. It is unclear why the tests are still being conducted on returning South Africans, but the service is efficient and professional. So too are the officials at immigration. We pass in a jiffy.

In Komatipoort we settle at the Sundown lodge. Reinette is our host. We also enjoy an excellent meal in their restaurant. The service is good and the prices reasonable.

We are back in South Africa for the first time in three months, and it feels good.

Dag 88, 23 September

Voetspore Zambezi

Julie, Augustus, September 2021

Dagboek Week 13

Reis na Pretoria

Die oggend toe ons opstaan is daar weer slegte nuus – Francois is nou gesond, maar Stefan lyk of ‘n trein hom getrap het. Ons vrees malaria.

Ons vertrek vanaf Komatipoort en reis via Malelane na Mbombela. Dis indrukwekkend om op die uitstekende Suid Afrikaanse paaie te ry. Dis drie maande sedert ons op paaie van die kwaliteit gery het.

In Mbombela laat toets ons Stefan by Mopani Apteek. Dis weer eens goeie diens. Mens kan die plek ondersteun (dis nou nadat ons die koue skouer by DisChem gekry het). Die resultaat – Stefan is positief vir malaria. Ons kry ‘n voorskrif vir Coartem, want ons voorraad is klaar. Ons eet ontbyt by die Wimpy en ry met die N4 wes.

Dis net na twee toe ons in Pretoria aankom. Dit was ‘n reis van net meer as 10 000 km, in 88 dae. Dit was sonder voorval. Net wonderlike mense, uitstekende plekke, besonderse ervarings. Ons kan nie glo dis verby nie. Voetspore Zambezi was ‘n sukses.

Mooi loop.

oOo

When we woke, there once more was some bad news – Francois seems to be OK, by Stefan looks as though he has been hit by a bus. We fear malaria as well.

We leave Komatipoort and travel via Malelane to Mbombela. It is impressive to be back on the excellent roads of South Africa. It has been three months since last we drove on roads of this quality.

In Mbombela we have Stefan tested at the Mopani Pharmacy. The service is excellent, and this place is worthwhile supporting (this after we were given the cold shoulder at DisChem). The result – Stefan tests positive for malaria. We need to get another Coartem prescription as ours was depleted.

After breakfast at the Wimpy, we take the N4 W.

Just after two, we arrive in Pretoria. It was a journey of just more than 10 000 km in 88 days. It was without incident. Only wonderful people, incredible places, fantastic experiences. It is hard to believe that we came to the end of the journey. Voetspore Zambezi was a resounding success.

Mooi loop.