Living in Lesotho: Travelin'

I’m lucky to live where I do for a host of reasons, one of which is that it’s relatively easy to visit other (warmer) countries in southern Africa. So for the first winter break from school I traveled to Mozambique with my dear friend Thabo

For those who don’t know, Mozambique is above Swaziland and South Africa, on the eastern coast.

Here are some notable moments:

Stepping off the bus in Joburg. There’s nothing like living in a rural village for nine months to completely shatter a person’s self-image. I’ve always thought of myself as an urbane person, but it was complete culture shock being in a big city again. Tall buildings, hundreds of (uber fashionable) people walking every which way, talking quickly, moving quickly and not greeting each other. We could do nothing but stand and stare while we waited for Thabo’s friend Jenn, who we were staying with for the night, to come pick us up. Pretty much our whole time in Joburg we were ooing and ahing at everything from Jenn’s amazing shower and apartment to the wine store we went to that night to the cutesy shops surrounding the place we went to for brunch (swoon) the next day. Before we left Joburg, we had Thai food, went to a bookstore (!), saw so many well-groomed dogs being walked, and went to a rooftop bar filled with the most beautiful, trendy people. The closest approximation to how it felt is probably being star-struck.

I realized that it’s probably a good idea to take myself out to some restaurants and coffee shops alone when I return to the states so I can oo and ah in private. That way I’ll be able to focus on the conversation and not the bread basket or the great customer service when I do eat with others.

The most relaxed visa process ever. Until very recently you could get a visa at the Mozambique border, but now you have to go to the Mozambique embassy in Pretoria instead. We didn’t mind though, because it meant we got to stay in a cute hostel (with a trampoline!)

and just had to drop off our documents in the morning, spending the rest of the day taking naps in the sun in plain view of this gigantic statue of Nelson Mandela:

It must be a tourist destination, but we found it by accident.

South Africa is an intense place. The racial divisions are, unsurprisingly, extremely palpable.

The kind of barbed wire that I associate with prisons, along with high walls, surrounded most every building too.

Also, this advertisement was everywhere:

The fish market in Maputo. We were too pooped from traveling to do much our first day in Maputo (capital of Mozambique), but on the second day we took a very long walk to the fish market. We entered the outdoor seating area and were immediately rushed by various people trying to get us to sit by their restaurant. We chose a table purely based on its location in the sunshine, and it was hands down the best seafood I’ve ever had. It helped that our new friend Martin, a Chilean pilot traveling around Africa for 8 months, spoke Portuguese.

Langostinas

mouth watering squid

Arriving at our hotel in Tofo. The whole Inhambane region (where Tofo is) of Mozambique is paradise. Palm, orange and coconut trees lined the road for almost the entire 10 hour bus ride. So by the time we climbed the sandy hill to our hotel, we were relieved. It helped that Mozambeat, our hostel, is paradise in and of itself. In my book, it's honeymoon material.

Our little house, which also had a private outdoor shower!

Really obvious sexism. Obviously, sexism is something that impacts me most of the time, but I have a hard time remembering times where it was as obvious as it was in Mozambique. When I bought something my change would be handed to Thabo, I was given a smaller plate and a smaller glass for two separate meals (during both of which I was the only woman eating) and 9 times out of 10 when a local stopped to chat/try to sell something, they would be clearly talking to Thabo. Those kinds of moments that just make you go, “seriously?”.

The beach! Need I say more.