You forgot your passport?! How! Even after I reminded you 20 times? Thembi!!! "Oh Nombies, I’m sorry. Relax, we’ll have to go home and fetch it. These things happen…" She responded in a soothing and calm voice. Thembi discovered she forgot her passport at home as soon as the InterCape bus pulled into Joburg Park Station (train station) from Maputo, Mozambique. What happened afterwards was a grand prix race to get to Thembi’s house to pick up her passport and back to catch the bus*crossed fingers*. Thank God, the bus was slightly delayed due to maintenance checks. Even after a thorough maintenance check, we had an oil leakage and the bus broke down at the border.
Thembi & I both wanted a local feel to Maputo versus a tourist one, that’s why the choice to stay in Catembe which is accessible via a ferry (mapaipai). I guess Thembi eventually made up (for leaving her passport) by helping me with my forever-heavy-luggage, as we got on board a dodgy sinking looking ferry from Maputo to Catembe. Catembe is a small fishing town of old Portuguese colonial buildings with beautifully kept green and colourful gardens.
Views from our balcony - beautiful sunrises overlooking the ocean, such a glorious way to welcome the day…
Americo, our driver – what a beautiful soul. He would wait for us at Catembe while we delayed, missed the ferry, didnt observe the ferry timetable and at times even gave us Meticais (local currency) when we didn’t have loose change for the ferry ride.
Some of the must see places:
Costa Do Sol restaurant – magnificent prawns and cute waiters :-)
VIP Hotel – try their Zambezian chicken with coconut milk rice (food to live for). Great service from the staff. I even bumped into a colleague of mine.
Local flea market, so much to choose from. Hone your negotiation skills and get ready to fend off VERY persistent hawkers
Beautiful elegant estate looking houses in BairoTriomf and Somachet 2 but situated just opposite the smelly fish market.
I would skip the fish market, it was very smelly. The fresh coconut "juice" we tasted, tasted like donkey pee. Don't ask...
Get used to seeing soldiers in streets carrying AK47s and street hawkers at every corner selling alcohol. No need for licences.
Maputo has very nice warm people, great prawns, good vibe and a beautiful contrast of old and new. Old dilapidated buildings with beautiful boutiques and imported clothes inside. Not sure why the buildings are not fixed or painted though. Maybe someone knows… Anybody...
Even though I make a practical traveller, have a list of stuff and places to see or avoid. Thembi is a great travel companion as she is easy going, more trusting, and just adds a bit of fun...
Even though I make a practical traveller, have a list of stuff and places to see or avoid. Thembi is a great travel companion as she is easy going, more trusting, and just adds a bit of fun...
:) Thumbs up cool and safe destination for solo travel
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Mapaipai - dodgy sinking looking ferry
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| View of Maputo from my balcony @ Catembe Hotel |
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| Nombs & Thembi, Hotel VIP |
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