2013 - OCEANIA - MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE

Now we have sailed on to Maputo, Mozambique

A supposedly booming country, but still with incredible poverty. Once upon a time it was it was run by the Portuguese & they just about all evacuated when independence came. Chinese people are investing heavily in Mozambique & I saw a few signs of that. It's not all donations though. Sometimes, they extend the loans, build the buildings & hand it over to the locals who have to repay the loans.

I am heading out of town to an old plantation that a Swiss guy is trying to turn back to it's natural state, & to add some animals.

The ride starts right at the ship where it is very windy...

& very wet..

But it clears up & we are quickly into the countryside...Laundry, my 2nd favourite photo subject.

passing houses & bars

& more bars..this grumpy looking lady in the van is not impressed..

& locals on the way to work. The closer to town the more people they cram onto the trucks. They look happy & wave to us...

The Chinese looking writing might be evidence of the chinese influence, or maybe not.

& youngsters rush out to say hello...

& we turn off the tarmac onto a red mud road. Zig Zag very slowly around the potholes. We see these girls off to the right & stop to take their photo.

The guide offers to take us to say hello. No one seems to want to move as the road is soaking wet & very slippy.
I am first off & some follow. I think everyone eventually gets off - except the grumpy lady.

We get to peer down the well...

& just behind is this youngster checking us out from her doorway. Posing like next years Supermodel...

The guide talks to the girls & translates for us while we spend 15 minutes watching them haul water out of the well..

Then we are back to the van while the girls tote their loads home..I don't think they knew we were still there so this was not for our benefit. Not just a tourist thing although I guess the stop was pre-planned.

That sure does look heavy..

I never get enough of watching ladies carry stuff on their heads. See the one on the left - look mum, no hands.
Great for the posture I expect.

& we're back on the road, passing more houses & kids...

Finally we get to the destination where we find the swiss guy has not got around to stocking the place with too many animals.. this is the one..

& this is the other one..

but we do get well fed & entertained with music & dancing. Food was "interesting". I tried the beer.

& the girls wore pretty outfits....

& the guys were energetic...

The Swiss guy gave his spiel about how he got to do what he is doing here here which sounds like a hobby, & doctoring as his day job, but he doesn't get paid too much for that either.
Must be rich.
Would be interesting to some back here in 10 years & see if the Cow & the Ostrich had kids.

& then head back towards Maputo..through the countryside..

& then towns...

One thing I forgot to mention about the last 2 stops in South Africa was the pilots. I don't know if you are aware but a pilot comes aboard every time we enter & exit a port. This can be quite exciting as the pilot boat & our boat are both moving & the pilot has to get on & off, usually to cheers & waves from the watching passengers. I have seen this lots of time now & it barely registers unless it's rough & the expectation the pilot might go for a swim.
The last 2 exits were unusual in that it was quite rough & also at night but incredibly the pilots were - LIFTED OFF BY HELICOPTER. Never seen that before & very exciting, but no photos as I was not expecting it.

Then we passed the biggest garbage dump I have ever seen. Not the normal thing you get shown on tours. Went past it for a long time. People all over it. Picking it over for anything useful. Streets were much narrower here in the city & very, very poor people. Constant source of wonder to me as to how they manage to keep their clothes clean, because clean they are.
Then it's time for a pee so we stop at this hovel by the ocean...

And a stop at Maputo railway station. I have always liked the railways...