Where were we?
So to get to Vilanculos from Tofo, you have to go to town and get a ferry to Maxixe, then bus to Vilanculos. I didn't want to get a chappa to town so one of the boys that worked behind the bar in Mozambeat offered to take me. He picked me up at 6am and we made our way there.
Now. When I heard that I had to get a ferry, someone please tell me why I imagined the ferry to look like the ones in Dover. When I saw the... boat... my lips parted for a good 4 minutes and I had to stop myself from laughing. Let me find a picture on the internet.
Oh my God this is it!
Looooooooool
Yeah, I mean, I'm the idiot for thinking it was going to be as big as a ship. I was one of the last ones to get in so luckily I was right at the front. Well, there was still space at the back, although I didn't see the space myself but somehow people managed to squeeze themselves in. I think the guy felt sorry for me and let me sit at the front. There must've been more than 40 people in there, it was crazy.
The boat was slow, it erm... struggled to move. There were times I thought we were going to sink. I did want the real African experience though, ask and you shall receive my dear. It was only a 30 minute journey, I thought Maxixe was going to be really far. To give you an idea of how slow it was though, with a jet ski it definitely would've taken about three minutes.
When I got off the guy that was sitting next to me asked if I needed help with my suitcase. I'm a disgustingly clumsy person so my whole concentration was on not dropping in the water, carrying a suitcase would've made it more difficult.
"Yes please".
We walked down but he was still rolling my suitcase along. How could you be so stupid? He's going to run away with it!
I got closer to him, thanked him and said that I can manage from here. He gave it back to me but still walked next to me. We got to the end of the road and he asked if I needed help with my suitcase again and I said no thanks. Yep he definitely wants to rob me. Fuck.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to find the bus that goes to Vilanculos, do you know where it is?"
"Oh yes, I know"
... And he just started walking with me. I thought he was going to give me directions! A million thoughts were going through my head, then I stopped myself. Look, if the man wants to help you, be grateful, it's a nice gesture. I looked at him and smiled, I thanked him and asked what his name was. We made conversation, he told me he came to Maxixe everyday to go to work. He offered to help me with my suitcase again and this time I let him. To be honest, I was struggling. It was hot, I was sweating and I had a couple bags to carry plus my jacket. Change your attitude and you no longer feel like a target. He was lovely.
I thought finding the bus would be straight forward. I was wrong. I got told when you get off the ferry the bus would be right there. We walked for quite a bit, the guy that was helping me asked around to ask where the bus was. We were looking for the 'big bus' that goes to Vilanculos. I was expecting a coach.
I didn't like Maxixe. I felt out of place, I felt like everyone was staring at me. The locals didn't smile and say hello like they did in Tofo. Every so often I'd hear,
"Mmmmm sistaaa"
"Hello babyyyyy"
I felt uncomfortable and I was so thankful for this guy to be walking with me. He talked to another man and apparently he got told that the big bus had already left. I'm not sure why because I was early, it either left or we couldn't find it. So, he took me to a road where there were loads of mini buses, with men standing around shouting "VILANCULOS!". At least I knew I was in the right place. He took me to one of the mini buses and told me it would take me straight there. I said goodbye, gave him some money and thanked him a million times.
It looked like it was about to fall apart
I sat in that bus for two and a half hours before it moved. They wait until it's full before they leave. My arse was numb before the journey even started. Every now and then people would wave random things they were selling through the window. I felt frustrated and I felt homesick. I was going through a wave of emotions. I was hurt from the night before. Tears started pricking my eyes. No no no don't start crying now. Not here. Not in front of these people. I must've blinked a thousand times trying to make it stop. I turned my face towards the window so no one would see me welling up. One tear dropped. Two. I wiped them away and tried to stop thinking. Tried to stop feeling sorry for myself. Get your fucking shit together. I got my book out to take my mind off things.
The journey was about 4-5 hours. It wasn't too bad. When we got dropped off to Vilanculos a big SUV pulled up to me.
"Hey where you going? You want a lift?"
He wasn't a taxi driver, he was an old white dude. Another guy came up to me and asked if I wanted him to take me to my hotel.
"No thanks, I've already got a ride", I must've taken about two seconds to think before jumping in. Thinking back, it was a bit of a silly thing to do. I could've been safer and paid for a tuk-tuk. But I got lucky, again. Old white dude was really nice, he said he goes there sometimes and helps out travellers that looked confused and don't know where they're going. He dropped me off to Baobab safe and sound.
It's funny. Things always have a way of working out for me. Or maybe it's just the way I look at things. The way I see it, you'll always be okay in the end (unless you die or you lose a limb then yeah you fucked up). Yes I was heartbroken, yes I was upset, yes I felt empty, but I was in a beautiful place and I was safe,
.. And I was okay.
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