Misfits Mid Life Crisis Adventures in ………….. Mozambique 

Week 6. 

This week I have mainly been listening to….. Morrissey, The Bangles (Eternal Flame), Arcade Fire, Suede, Jake Bugg, Skunk Ananise (Weak), The La’s (There she goes), James (sit down),

And have been watching…. Fringe (finished season 1), Breaking Bad (finished season 1), Pompii, Oculus, Top Gear (on BBC Entertainment) 

Saturday, is moving day. It’s started as a shop day, I didn’t really speak to anyone for a while. This gave me a chance to almost finish “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe”, will finish soon. As I said today is moving day, I am house sitting for Martina and her family while there away for 3 months. Packing was quick as I didn’t bring a huge amount of gear.   A security guard from Casa Barry helped me with my cases, it’s all up hill, I really felt for him ( I had my handful as well; I wasn’t just letting him do all the work….. Honest). After dropping my stuff off at the house, I then went shopping, got pasta, tomatoes, lettuce, onion and garlic. Yes I’m going to cook (I don’t cook, can’t cook). I met Tiger the cat who came strolling in and didn’t seem to bat an eyelid that I was not Martina or family. Tank the dog followed shortly, a beautiful placid dog. I have a TV, so many channels, what’s a girl supposed to do……. (I wonder if I will be able to watch new Doctor Who on BBC Entertainment from 23 August). I did my Mozambique Masterchef audition; it tasted nice (ok it was edible). Tank, Tiger and I were having our first night together, with a cider (I’m drinking the cider not T&T)…   

Sunday was a day in the pool round the back of liquid. Jimmy and I had to demo the skills circuit and be scored do the individual skills. The idea is to show that we can demonstrate the various skills required to student divers, you get scored from 1 to 5, a 3 is a pass but you had to get at least one 5 in water. Some skills are easy and others are not and take a couple (or more attempts), but I got 91 (I think) which is good. Then the main event of the day the stress test. Jimmy and I had to exchange our scuba gear at the bottom of the pool (3 metres) while breathing from one regulator (buddy breathing), we take a couple of breaths and then pass the reg to your buddy to breath. While doing this we are pulling off, unclipping and exchanging and putting on each other’s scuba gear. It takes time, and a certain rhythm to do it correctly. I’m sure Jimmy really could have done without me being his buddy, but all went well. Then we have to do it again, but this time Nadia (our Instructor), surprises us by causing us problems such as pulling of fins, masks, unclipping things and even turning off your air. While she’s messing with us, were trying to adjust what she’s done and continue to exchange our gear while breathing from one regulator. It’s not easy and yes its stressful, I hated it. After I went for my run (saw the pig sleeping) and did some shopping, got marge as I bought potatoes yesterday so will make mash tomorrow. I got a kg of rice for 50mts (about a quid). When I got home Tank and Tiger (T&T) were waiting for me, it was lovely to see them, and I’m enjoying my time I get to spend with my new housemates (Tiger said I snore…… opps). 

Monday, started with tea and toast on the porch with Tiger and Tank, the housekeepers arrived so I thought I should get ready, as I didn’t want to get in the way. Tank walked with me to Peri Peri dive centre, I then carried on making my way to the beach, down a very steep flight of concrete steps. Suddenly Tank runs past me and stop just in front of me wagging her tail. Made me laugh, I took her back up the stairs and left her back at the dive shop. The sky was dark and full of clouds, when it finally rained it totally pissed down and carried on for a couple of hours. This afternoon we went on a local shallow dive, this was to demo search pattern’s (in this case we had to find a deliberately lost a weight belt), we also had to tie a few knots. All went well, im told my compass work was good. Really enjoyed the dive, all the way through you could hear humpbacks singing so loudly, they were really close. The journey back to shore was at high speed, I had a huge smile as I felt really happy after such a lovely dive. Popped in to casa Barry for a drink then home to see T&T. Tiger didn’t appear until after 9.30pm, I kept poking my head out of the door and called “Tiger”. I was getting worried, then eventually she trotted up the stairs and over the gate as if to say “what….. can’t a cat stay out with their friends”. I can relax now that Tiger is home. Oh have started “Life, The Universe and Everything”, the 3^rd Hitchickers book today. 

Tuesday, my day off. Had breakfast with T&T on the porch watching Tofo wake up. After walking Tank to Peri Peri, I went for my run. A lovely morning run even with a slight head wind. Once at the petrol station (where I run too) I got some electric, there is a code on the metre that you write down and hand over as you pay. You then get another code that has to be entered so that you get credit/electric. Later I spent time on the beach and around Tofo taking pictures of daily life.   Once back I really was lazy and had a nap. Spent time on the internet, watched a film and then made evening meal of pasta. I collected Tank who only after a few days together walks right next to me. Tiger didn’t get home until after 7, I had the door open for her so she could slip in (once she did, she made herself comfortable on a pillow next two me on the sofa). The sea has been rough today, it was really windy on the beach earlier. Think it will be the same tomorrow, better remember my sea sickness pill if I’m out diving. 

Wednesday, started with a huge group leaving the dive centre to go kayaking (I heard they had a good time). I spent the morning at the dive shop, with the others. Once the afternoon came I left, went shopping in the market for fruit and veg. It’s funny I have been buying bread rolls for 10mts each, then I heard that other have been getting them for 5mts. So now I make sure I’m charged 5mts a roll, I have the word mug tattooed on my forehead. Got some lovely tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, potatoes all from the market all quite cheap. Made more pasta and had a nice meal. While watching oculus a dog appeared in the living room, it wasn’t Tank. It was Buster the dog from Peri Peri dive centre; how he got over the garden gate I have no idea. So Tank and I walked Buster back up the road to Peri Peri, it was really funny. This evening I took Tank with me to Mozambeats (a hotel, bar and general chill out place). A lot of the walk was only lit by my ASDA phone; this meant that I had an amazing view of the stars and the Milky Way. Tank walked with me well, and was so well behaved at Mozambeats, there were other dogs there that Tank knows so it was a sort of a doggy do I suppose. I was there because Jimmy, has qualified as a Dive master today, this meant that he had to do what’s known as the snorkel test, basically he had to drink a concoction of alcohol poured through a snorkel, he managed most of it. Then finally he had to do a dive briefing, Sissi drew a map of a reef called Jimmy’s Wreak (it was a man and woman having sex, the map was so funny). Jimmy held it together well and did the briefing like the newly qualified pro that he is. Can’t believe he leaves us Sat, he will be missed a lot at Liquid, it will be really nice to keep in touch with him. Were from different worlds at home but we have the common interest in diving. I wish him all the best in his continued Uni studies. 

Thursday started with a great ocean safari, Mikki and Sissi and I with 5 punters, were out on the ocean for a couple of hours. Had some close humpback action, they weren’t putting on a show like normal, they were just cruising about coming up to surface to breath that’s all, but still spectacular. Later we a pod of dolphins, got in and snorkelled but they didn’t stay about long. I did hear them clicking and squeaking underwater, so beautiful. Then we got buzzed by a couple of Manta’s just under the surface, climbed in and snorkelled watching the Manta sale by under us. The afternoon I was in the pool with Nadia and Joseph who works at Liquid and is learning to dive. I demonstrated a couple if skills that he had to repeat, he’s very good underwater. That evening we were all over at the boss Cindy’s house for a braai or a BBQ at home. Such a beautiful house, we had amazing food. We were there to seeing Jimmy off in style. After a couple of ciders I walked home with Mikki and Sissi, and was greeted by a very excited Tank and Tiger who I had missed that evening (id collected Tank a few hours ago and spent time with her before I went out). 

Friday, woke up to find that there was no water or electric. I sat in the porch with Tank, but breakfast was not the same without tea and toast. This morning’s dive was Jimmy’s final one in Mozambique, we went to a site far out from the shore called Office. The dive was nice; it’s always lovely to dive with people you like who are relaxed in the water. The afternoon dive was a DSD (discover scuba diving), the students were in the pool first, then we took them out to a shallow site. We were buddied up and off we went. I kept my buddy close to me, as you have to remember that they have never used scuba before so you need to watch them all the time. Another nice dive, finished the day at the centre feeling really good. I wanted to do my run, but by the time I got back home it was a little late, will have to go early in the morning (must wake up early) before the ocean safari. 

This week has been another good week in Mozambique. Nothing really happens quickly here, everything/everyone takes there time, Tofo is a chilled out place. After 6 weeks here, I’m feeling really quite relaxed.