Misfits Mid Life Crisis Adventures in ………….. Mozambique and Nelspruit South Africa.

Week 34, Saturday 7th until Friday 13^th February 2015.

This week I have mainly been listening to….. Random 70s and 80s music in the Bundu café, Goldfrapp, SIA, Radiohead, Kate Bush, Blur, Velvet Underground, Arcade Fire, Sophie B Hawkins and Smiths.

And have been watching…. About Time, The World’s End, Big Hero 6 (at Cinema in Nelspruit), Taken 3 (at Cinema in Nelspruit), Weeds (Season 2, eps 12) & (Season 3, eps 1 to 3),

Still reading on Kindle…… “A Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire” book 1 by George R.R. Martin.

Saturday 7^th, I spent the night at Gys place in the private section of Bundu, we shared a bed two lesbians together, lol. I was a little hung over from the night before in the morning so he dropped me at my nice and cool apartment due to the air con on full. Id left my computer in Deon wife car so couldn’t do any writing or surfing this meant I dozed and watch terrible TV. At 3pm I was out and about as Gys and Kim picked me up to go to a braai at Gys brother’s house. The house is hidden amongst Macadamia nut farms (yes I didn’t realise they grew on trees) and behind an electric fence. This house is huge, the kind of place that you would see on a Channel 4 Kevin McCloud programme. Once through the thick heavy wooden door you’re straight in to a huge vaulted ceiling open plan room kitchen/living room. One complete wall consisted of glass doors which were opened fully leading to a large landing, deck, porch. This area was nearly as big as the actual living room. Everything about this house was big,, including the shower that could fit en entire family in one sitting. The porch, deck over looked a pond (with fish), as it got dark we were serenaded by a chorus of frogs (yes I did hum the Frog Chorus), there must have been thousands of them the noise was extremely loud. I sat in a position so I could watch another amazing lightning storm. Everyone spoke Afrikaans but they kindly spoke English and explained things to me. Gys brother has 2 lovely dogs Thor who is a huge Great Dane and Nina a small collie (a little and large combo when together). The braai was a spit roast of Hog, a sow. A lovely evening in a lovely house.

 Gys my new best Lesbian friend, lol…

Sunday 8^th, Gys and I had a complimentary breakfast at Bundu (Thanks Kim), yes our plates were full and we did enjoy seconds. Gys has lived here for over a year I can see why. In the private section they have Zebra and Antelope and other large animals running around, he mentioned that there has been occasions when one of these large animals has popped their heads through his living room window, that would deffo be a Kodak moment. Kim let me use a Bundu computer (as I didn’t have mine) but all it wanted was install updates, so for an hour and a half I wrote an adult story in my notebook until it was ready to do what I wanted. In the afternoon we went to Deon’s house, his wife was out of hospital which was great to see. Peanut one of their two Jack Russell would run and catch a tennis ball again and again and again and again and again….. such a sweet puppy. Another Braai cooked right in front of me, this time Lamb, I could really get used to a Braai. The plan has changed were not leaving for Mozziebeak until Tuesday morning, so I have booked a couple of extra nights at Bundu, I have been paying 350Rand which is about £19.90. I got my computer back this evening; I will now be able to get pictures of the animals around Bundu.

 A families morning stroll.

Monday 9^th, Got up early and had breakfast which I paid for. Once my tummy was full, I spent the next couple of hours walking about in the heat with my laptop taking pictures of the animals running wild at Bundu. Guinea Pigs were in a pen but everything else were running wild and free including Sheep, Rabbits, Duck and Geese. I felt sad for one goose that has a damaged beak, it didn’t appear stop him/her from feeding and carrying on, I did wonder if it had had an accident with a vehicles as they are running about freely. Took me a while to find what I really wanted the Zebra’s. They were quite happy for you to get near(ish), one actually came up to me and nibbled my hand bit I didn’t have any food for it. Really special to be able to be close to such beautiful creatures. Highlight I trod in Zebra poo (I was wearing flip flops) and only just missed getting hit by Peacock poo. The Peacock was up in a tree, I took a couple of steps back while looking up, a few moments later it rained Peacock poo, close call. Went to the cinema and saw Big Hero 6 and Taken 3. Big Hero a children’s animation was enjoyable (though the trailer did make it look a lot funnier). Taken 3 really didn’t need to be made and the final scene was terrible, I think that they should now put the Taken franchise out of our misery. The woman behind the counter at the cinema really must have thought I was a little sad spending the afternoon watching films. I had a 30 minute gap between the two, I managed to find a plug socket as my phone needed a charge; I was worried because I needed to call a cab back to Bundu.. The two drivers, one taking me to the cinema and the one back both remembered me from early December. The second one actually remembered the address he took me too.

 Idah from housekeeping at Bundu, a lovely lady who has worked there 9 years.  Bet she hasn’t walked in to a room with the air con on full before….

Tuesday10th, Up early had an Ostrich outside my room (how many people can say that). I said my goodbyes to Kim and Gys in time for Deon who picked me up about 8am. Stopped at Postnet, which is funny as I got a couple of cards yesterday and want them sent to the UK, I’d given to Gys to post, I could have done it if I’d known we were stopping there first. It was a scorching day even with the air con on in the car you could feel your skin prickling from the sun’s rays. Made it to the boarder in 2 hours, got stamped out of SA and in to MZ quickly. We then travelled another 2 hours to Maputo. Once Deon had done what he needed to do we were on our way again. We carried on only making a couple of short pit stops, arriving in Tofo at 7.30pm. Unloaded all the stuff for Liquid and Jenny at the dive shop then Deon dropped me at home; he had another 70km to go. During the trip home my phone ran out of charge, as soon as I got home tried to recharge but nothing. It was only later I discovered that the plug socket is faulty, must tell the landlady so it can be fixed before Nadia returns. Glad to be home, had a great time in South Africa but little old Tofo is home.

 Please can I have one…….

Wednesday 11^th. back at the dive shop great to see everyone. Got in the water straight away went on a double tank to “Giants Castle” and “Mikes Cupboard”. I lead these dives, the first one deep and the second shallow. During our ascent at “Giants” we had a single Devil Ray circle us quite close. Highlight at “Mikes” were 2 Octopus quite near each other. I noticed all over the dive site a lot of dead Lobsters littered around ”Mikes” I suspect that the Octos have been having a party (it could of course be Turtle’s as well having a feast, but didn’t see any of them). Great to be in the water after a few days break, I was a little over weighted as I had extra weights because we had a new customer, and you never know if they might need more weight, he didn’t. Saw Zak very briefly, but didn’t realise that Zelda and him were leaving, when we got back from the dive they had gone. I had been left a goody bag of pasta, tinned stuff and a hat for running. I lost my running hat recently on Ocean Safari, and have said a number of times I need a new one (Now I have to start running again). Hope they have happy travels and a great future together, nice people.   During the evening we had a whopper of a Thunder storm, will it relieve some of the humidity…

 I didn’t get too close as they spit I was told.

Thursday 12^th, No is the answer to the above, it’s been another very hot sweaty day. Went south today on another double tank to “Chamber of Secrets” and “Marble Arch”. The sky was cloudy with the sun peeking out now and then when it could. Dive one to “Chamber of Secrets” was lovely, it’s a site I have only done a couple of times. We were lucky the viz was good a great 61 minute dive, a huge amount of life at 18 metres. A number of Blue Spotted Rays were seen sailing over the rippling sand. A Shovel Nose Ray swam around near us just above the sandy surface, then in a blink of an eye it buried itself leaving just its gill slits opening and closing as it breathed. Satu and I fell in love with a group of very tiny clownfish. I was starting to feel a little sea sick by the time we kitted up at the end of the surface interval (between the dives) so was glad to get in the water. The second dive to Marble Arch” is always a fave of mine. Good viz again plenty of life including a buried Marble Electric Ray, you could see the distinctive shape of the ray buried under the sand. Again the only give a way was the gentle opening and closing of its gills as it breathed. Not a lot happening this afternoon so I was allowed to go home early. By the time I walked through the gate to be welcomed by Alan Minter and co I was a dripping humid sweaty mess I was so glad to jump in to the shower straight away. It started to rain as I waited for SAZ to skype, the humidity is terrible.

 Follow the finger, that’s the Peacock that tried to poo on me.

Friday 13^th, It was only while on the boat this morning did I realise that it was the 13^th and a Friday. Apart from not having any water at the house, it’s been a great Friday 13^th. Went on a total of 4 dives made up off 2 double tanks. This morning I lead dives to “Manta Reef” and “Praia da Rocha” both had great viz of 15 plus metres. At “Manta” we had a White Tip reef shark swimming near us with that unmistakeable shark shape and a HUGE friendly Potato Grouper. At “Praia da Rocha” lots of small reef life, small is just as good and as much fun as big. This afternoon I tagged along with Chris, I swept for him on dives to “Clownfish” and “Salon”. The viz at “Clownfish” was as good as this morning 15 metres plus. But a few hundred metres away at the second site “Salon” the viz was terrible, it reminded me of a washing machine. We also had crazy temps ranging from 28c to 23c, such a difference to the rest of today. We had two divers I called the skyDiving Jesus twins, there not twins but they are skydivers and scuba divers, with beards and long flowing hair all the way down there backs. I did mention the Scuba Jesus thing to them, they liked the idea hope I get a cut of any money they make….lol. Oh I have water at the house I spoke to the land lady and she showed me the pump, she also told me the names of her dogs. However I think “Alan Minter”, “Mumble”, “Wiggly woo”, and “Ringo” (coz I don’t see that one often) are better names. Friday the 13^th has been a great day….

 Its been a great week.

End of another week, the real highlight was the Zebra, a moment I will never forget. This was also a week in which I met a number of new lovely people who I really want to keep in touch with. I only have 4 weeks left of this adventure, but I am already planning my third visit to Mozziebeak starting in July/August. I really am going to make these last few weeks count.