Mozambique and Swaziland

Mozambique

We left Capetown and flew to Johannesburg before catching a bus to Maputo, Mozambique. We planned to stay 3 nights in Maputo, but having walked around the town and seen everything there was to see – not a lot -  except a rather lovely cathedral, we decided to head up the coast to Tofo the next day with the bus put on by the backpackers we stayed at.

 Despite being a door to door service, it was still a long 10 hour journey where poor Rich and his long legs suffered! After 10 months, we have still not adapted to the perils of African Transport, though we have got watching TV shows to pass the time and decrease my anxiety levels down pat these days!

In Tofo, we stayed at Fatima’s Nest Backpackers, with a beachfront room and with no plans but to chill, snorkel – in the hope of seeing whale sharks.  Unfortunately, we were not happy with the accommodation and having to stay longer due to lots of cancelled trips due to high wind and rough seas, we moved to Casa Barry at the other end of the beach and much preferred it there.  

boats grounded due to choppy seas

Casa Barry

After 2 cancellations, we finally went out on a boat trip, where we saw a Manta ray.

Still no whale sharks, a third cancellation of trying again as the wind had picked up, we decided to move on to Vilanculos.  Using public shuttle buses and a ferry to Maxixe, we waited for a bus.  Luckily, a South African who offered us a free ride on the back of his truck approached us and we took him up on his offer!

We stayed in Vilanculos for 4 nights in a great backpackers called Boabab. Right on the beach, with a lovely Rondeval hut.  It was our last taste of what I like to call ‘real’ Africa, where you can go to the market and buy local foods and barter and watch the fishermen come in and buy fresh from the beach and really immerse yourself into the African culture.

We took a trip to the Island of Masaranque for a day, where we walked around the island, had fresh fish lunch and a snorkel.

Water from mainland to Island

Masaruque Island Walk

 On our last day, Rich learnt how to Kitesurf.  I gave it a go, but was rubbish, but Rich picked it up really well and almost got to standing in a couple of hours.  I clearly didn't spend enough time as a child learning how to fly kites!

Rich standing for - a second!

It was really beautiful in Vilanculos and I didn’t want to leave.

We found out that there was a cheap flight back to the capital, so instead of taking the bus (for 12 hours) back to Maputo, we would fly.  On arriving in Maputo, we heard that a lovely Aussie couple we had met we involved in a bus crash further north.  We were so glad that we chose to spend extra money rather than – yet again – place our lives in the hands of speeding bus drivers.

Swaziland

From Maputo, we took a shuttle to Swaziland, where we stayed in Ezulwini, Legends Backpackers.  From there we could walk to the cultural village and see the dancing and village culture.  We also looked at the national museum.  It was very cold and raining there, so unfortunately we were unable to do any hiking and take in the scenery, but what we did see, it looked beautiful. The people were the most friendly of all the African places we've been to as well. 

traditional swazi village hut

Men dancers

tourists joining in

Namibia and Capetown, October 2014

Namibia

So we left Dusternbrook farm with many accomplishments.  

Rich finished his playground and I left the Kindergarten in the care of another. 

We had a slight change of plan due to Rich’s fall on the day before we left, and spent the day in hospital as he’d cracked two teeth and bruised is cheek slipping down some steps.  We then went to the dentist in Windhoek and stayed an extra day there where I could laze by the pool whilst Rich had his teeth dealt with.

We took the bus to Swakopmund and stayed 2 nights in the apartment of the owner of the farm who was kind enough to let us stay for free.  Swakopmund is a very German town, a lot colder that what we were used to, and very foggy most of the time. 

                    But, we enjoyed runs along the seafront, and German Bakeries, 

and a lovely meal at the Tug Restaurant where we could watch the 

sunset and enjoy some good fish.

We picked up our campercar from Swakopmund and began the drive to the dunes.  We drove through Walvis bay – not much there but flamingo’s, and then on to Solitaire. 

 

An interesting little place with a grocers and a bakery known for it’s apple pie – which was pretty good. We cooked our own dinner with our camping equipment and enjoyed peace, a desert sunset, a sky full of stars, moongooses and ground squirrels.

The next day we drove another 100km to Sessriem campsite closer to Sossusvlei.  For sunset we drove to dune 45 and climber a little up it for a beautiful sunset.

We woke early for a sunrise drive to actual Sossusvlei dunes and Deadvlei area and joined the masses in seeing the ultimate colour changes in the dunes as the sun rises and the shadows disappear, the trees long shadows appear over the salt flats.

We then climbed another dune as it was getting hotter, for a lovely view over the area.

 

Then it was time to drive back to Windhoek where we camped in a lovely place called urban camp and chilled for our last day & night in Namibia before flying to Capetown.

Capetown

In Capetown we needed to get our Mozambique Visa, and also see the main sights of the city, but also we were reacquainted with family.  We stayed with Patrick, mum’s cousin, Jane and their daughter Harleigh, who had lived in South Africa for nearly 20 years.  They have a lovely house near Nordhoek and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay with them. During the day, we went out exploring, V & A Waterfront, Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point etc.  We were very lucky in that all our sightseeing plans never really went to plan, but then it worked out better weather wise and did everything when the weather was better than it would have been, had we actually done it on the planned day!

View from Table Mountain

Ostrich almost ready to strike

One of our favourite evenings with Pat, Jane and Harleigh was visiting Cape Point Vineyards.  Each Thursday, they have a food market, and sitting in a vineyard, overlooking the ocean as the sunsets with good wine, delicious food and good company cannot be beaten.

Tribute to Mandela - his prison number

Then on Friday, for my birthday, we went to the Diamond Museum and then Robben Island.  I was a little bit disappointed in the tour of the prison, we are all sat on a bus and driven to points, you can’t see if you are on a particular side of the bus, and then you get out at the maximum security prison and speak to a former prisoner, and then you see Mandela’s cell, but I though there would be more to the place and tour than what was offered.  

Former prisoner

Mandela's cell

On a plus side, the view back to Capetown was outstanding.

Düsternbrook Guest Farm, Namibia

Well, Our final volunteer project of 4 has finally arrived and we are now into our second week of time on the farm.

We are located about 50km from the capital of Namibia, Windhoek 18km on a dirt track to the oldest farm and guest house in Namibia.

The Farm House

The farm acts as a lodge for mainly German tourists passing through, but it's specialities are a Leopard and Cheetah feeding tour each day, as well as game drives on the farm to see some of the wildlife that Johann has got.  Wildlife includes Giraffe, Zebra, Kudu, Oryx and a few other specialities.

• As volunteers here, we have taken on a few responsibilites.  There is a Kindergarten for the workers children, currently 4 children, aged 3 to 5 years.  The Kindergarten had not been in use for a while, so job number 1 was to sort it out. Now I have been running it for 2 weeks and we have been having a great time, planting lettuce, learning sounds and making and painting.  I am lucky again that this Kindergarten has been well stocked with resources as there is plenty of play learning to be had.

Jeyda and Anto

Snack time

The classroom

• Rich has designed a playground in the mini football pitch and has begun digging and collecting scrap material for this.  For the guests children, this will look great when it's finished.

Sand pit preparation

The current football pitch

• As well as running the Kindergarten, Johann, the boss, has asked us to get his guides trained in safari guiding and also the staff in First Aid.  So, using a manual created by a past volunteer on animals, I have commenced training the 2 emergency drivers in wildlife! A learning for me as well as them! So I'm finding out a lot about the animals here.  I have also started the first aid training with the staff, some of which though that to put our a fire on someone was to blow a fan at them!!! Or that the recovery position was lying on your front! Oh well, at least I will teach them something!

Old Lapa Dining area

• In the evening, Petch and I head up to open the bar whilst the site manager is on his leave.  We serve the guests their drinks before dinner and then join them at the table for a 3 course meal.  So far we have had Oryx roasted and stewed and meat-balled and Impala steak.  All meat is hunted on the farm and used here for dinners and also the feed the leopard and cheetah's.

The Bar

We are able to jump on a tour whenever we like too and so I took the opportunity to get some pictures of this and went this week.

Leopard Feeding in the tree

Jumping for the Oryx meat

The cats are in enclosures. There are 2 leopards kept separately, and 4 Cheetah's kept together, and a 5th with only 3 legs in another encloure.

Christian coming back from fetching the Cheetah's

A still hungry Cheetah

Reception area

The pool

Part of the scenery

river

The farm is HUGE and the scenery is quite spectacular with plenty of marked out walks which we have been going on, mainly for exercise to burn off our 3 course meals!

hippo dam

On of the 5.2km tracks takes us out to a dam where the 4 Hippos live, alongside warthogs and baboons.  It certainly makes the evening run entertaining! I jut hope that a wild mountain leopard is not lurking somewhere in the long grass, though I've been told that my meat is a lot tougher than it's preference of young game!