29th May Lighthouse Camping, Inhumbane.
The guide book gave this place a good write up, unfortunately it turned out to be a bit of a dive but with an amazing view. We look down onto a wild surf with an estuary off to our left. The last 6kms out to here was through deep sand with me having to use low range 4x4 to get through; this appears to be what is necessary to get to most of the nice resorts out on the coast. So far the main road north, the EN1 has been good seal but once you get off it there’s sand to navigate through, the last place was like this as well though not as deep.
Our first night in Mozambique had us turning up exhausted at Casa Lisa, that was after our disastrous trip out of Maputo. Cooking food was the last thing on our minds and gladly accepted a half chicken & rice. Bruce, an ex Kenyan, owns and runs the accommodation complex. Gaining from what he told us his was a story of disillusionment caused by events in Kenya where he had lived for 20 years. Rioting in Mombassa then the bombings of the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam had seen tourism die. He bought Casa Lisa and turned it into a good business yet can only claim two good friends in the ten years he had been there. He wants to go back to Kenya, the UK is out of the question, but you wonder what he has got to go back to. We have just finished a book written in the 70s about East Africa and what dreams and hopes people, both black and white, had then on where their lives and country were heading, you look back to see what has happened since and the corruption and despotism is still rife in many of them.
I digress. Mozambique is renowned for its sea food. The second night at Sunset Lodge we ate at their restaurant and were impressed by the meal served up: Joan had 2 lobsters, salad & chips for $9; I had a sea food platter with a whole fish, large lobster, dozen prawns & a good helping of calamari for $21. It was so beautifully cooked and presented, washed down with a Portuguese vinho blanco, a meal to remember.
At the moment we are trying to find a suitable place to spend a few days for my birthday, this is not it so will head north tomorrow.
Hi you two, well we have finally caught up with your blog, I had written you site down, when you first gave it to us, couldn't find it anywhere, then asked Val, she has finally replied, so here we are, haven't read your trip so far yet, but will do so this evening, always love reading them. we got a busy day today. have been thinking of you though. love Elaine and Rex
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