Home » Mozambique » Day 13. Fri 29th April. The Bazaruto Archipelago

I must have slept about 12 hours, with only one trip to the loo, so things are improving. Mark goes for a morning swim but I can't be bothered.
This is the day that we should have been returning to Vilanculos, had we not decided to stay an extra day, and the ferry has been booked for 6 o'clock. A message was sent yesterday to the guys who run the dhow ferry to inform them of the change of plan, so we are doubly puzzled when the ferry boat arrives, but at 8 rather than 6. They admit that they received the message, but for some reason have come anyway. Then on top of that they demand payment! Ken points out that we don't require them until tomorrow, and that, had we actually required them today they would have been two hours late. Ken finally resolves the matter somehow, but it will be interesting to see if we get a ferry tomorrow.
After the others have eaten (I am still on starvation) the four of us take a walk into the middle of the island. We pass a school, and what appears to the chief's house, with a magnificent hibiscus in the "garden".

Day 13. Fri 29th April. The Bazaruto Archipelago

DaveMidgley
2005-10-22 18:46:09

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I must have slept about 12 hours, with only one trip to the loo, so things are improving. Mark goes for a morning swim but I can't be bothered.

This is the day that we should have been returning to Vilanculos, had we not decided to stay an extra day, and the ferry has been booked for 6 o'clock. A message was sent yesterday to the guys who run the dhow ferry to inform them of the change of plan, so we are doubly puzzled when the ferry boat arrives, but at 8 rather than 6. They admit that they received the message, but for some reason have come anyway. Then on top of that they demand payment! Ken points out that we don't require them until tomorrow, and that, had we actually required them today they would have been two hours late. Ken finally resolves the matter somehow, but it will be interesting to see if we get a ferry tomorrow.

After the others have eaten (I am still on starvation) the four of us take a walk into the middle of the island. We pass a school, and what appears to the chief's house, with a magnificent hibiscus in the "garden".

We get all the way up to the top of the island. We can't quite see the sea all round, but the view is magnificent.
When we get back the others decide to take the half mile walk down the beach to the Benguera Lodge (allegedly $300 per night!) for lunch. Ken stays behind, and so do I as I am still not eating. Ken disappears into his chalet, and I sit and watch the seabirds - two huge black storks, and an ibis chasing crabs.

After about an hour and a half the others return, having been refused lunch as they had not made a reservation! They were apparently treated very snootily and told that the restaurant was fully booked, although there was obviously no one else there. They are not impressed with the Benguera lodge.
It then takes them another hour and a half to get an omelette and chips at our lodge, served by the redoubtable Martin who, when asked why he always looks so sad, informs them that "my face is miserable but my heart is happy". (In the photo Martin is third from left)

The smell of the cooking is driving me mad so I go and sit on the beach and read, and watch the tide go out.

Ken has not been seen all afternoon and it turns out that he is not well. It looks like he is not suffering from the same food poisoning that I got after all, because when he emerges he says he thinks he has malaria. He carries artemesia for this, but unfortunately it is in the Disco on the mainland.

I have had no pains in my gut since the morning, and having had nothing but water since breakfast yesterday I am ravenous, so I decide to risk a careful supper of rice and boiled eggs. We sit on the beach and watch the magnificent sunset while it is prepared.

Mark stays up and drinks beer with a bunch of South Africans, but I once again miss out on the night life and retire to bed.