Update on Beira!

I have just had a very interesting weekend - my first in Beira, Mozambique.

A little bit of background for those who don't know ......my husband (Johan) and I (Kim) have been living in Durban, South Africa for the past 16 years. Then out of the blue, my husband was offered a job in Beira -  we decided to give it a go! We left our kids (not kids anymore!) aged 20 and 24 to look after our house and dogs, I gave up my job, art classes etc.etc. to go on a journey of exploration....

Johan arived a month ago, I arrived two days ago.

Just driving from the airport was an education - rice paddy fields on either side of the road, demarcated by wooden fences. Mozambiqe women up to their knees in water working the fields - how uncomfortable must that be - not to mention all the water snakes and bugs!

I just love the bright colourful fabrics hanging on washing lines and worn by the women - I can't wait to go to the market!

We live in a really comfortable complex in an area called Macuti which is about 10 mins out of town.
Unfortunately we have been told that we will have to move out of the one we are currently in as it is due to be upgraded - so will have to move into another one temporarily. But they all look basically the same...



The front of our house







View from the front - the sea is just past the trees














View from the back



View from the back towards a really nice pool & tennis court

 We have a gardner and are able to change the garden if we want - so, yep I will be planting a small vegie patch as lettuce and spinach are basically unavailable. I have started growing my own sprouts on the window sill! I have to have something green to eat dam it!

We met a lovely couple on Saturday Dion is SA and Denise is Brazilian. They live in a house within walking distance of our complex and the best part is that she loves animals - they have 4 beautiful dogs and 2 gorgous cats! I am already missing my dogs terribly - so at least I have some animals available to visit and hug when I get really desperate.

Dion and Denise very kindly offered to take us on a trip yesterday to Savane Beach which is about 30km North East of Beira but the road is so bad it takes an hour to get there. The scenery is flat and marshy with many remains of old farm houses once occupied by the portuguese.
Once there you have to take a boat trip across the lagoon to the beach. What a beautiful unspoilt beach! Full of shells and collectables. The sea there is a lot cleaner so we were able to swim.


We had lunch in a local restaurant on the beach which has very basic accomodation and camping facilities - what an amazing place in the middle of nowhere, one could easily stay there for a few nights.

 I thought I would be brave and ordered crab curry - BIG mistake. There was no ways I could eat any of it - so I ended up with a bowl of coconut rice - mmm delicious! Photo of said crabs to follow!

I didn't have my camera but asked Dion to take photo's - I will post them later for you to see! Hectic!

We decided to go for a "Dosh M" (the local beer) at a bar/restaurant on the beach yesterday afternoon. As you can see from the photo's the sea is not as turquoise blue as one would expect as Beira sits on the estuary of the Pungoe river. So there are strong currents which churns up the sand.

This morning I joined Denise for a walk - not easy to walk here as the roads are so bad - there are massive pools of water everywhere, the tar is all broken up, the pavements are sand but hey the people are really friendly and everyone greets you with a smile and  'bom dia' (good morning) - so its all good, so far!