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on Karen in Maputo (Mozambique), 07/Dec/2008 16:43, 34 days ago
OlaIt is exactly one week since I arrived in Maputo Mozambique! I left Ottawa on Fri. Nov. 28th in my usual mad dash to finish packing. My friend Shayla and my mother were horrified. I arrived at Heathrow London the next morning and met my son David at the airport for a nice lunch– his treat!! We caught up with each other’s news – mine being a lot and his being ...not so much! The way sons and mothers often communicate it seems... I had a small bag I had filled at the last moment which would have cost 25 pds per kilo to take on South Africa Airways (SAA). Needlessto say, David took it back to his room and will sort out a cheap way to get it to me in Maputo – by slow steamer, if necessary.My SAA flight left from London at 6 pm on Saturday and, I confess, I was exhausted already. The next morning I arrived in Johannesburg and had a few hours at the airport sleeping on a bench, changing into my shorts and wandering around looking at the many crafts in the large“Out of Africa” store.I arrived in Maputo, the capital, around 3:30 pm on the same flight as delegates to an international agriculture conference being addressed by the Vice-President of the World Bank. Customs was a bit confusing since we were sent from line to line to register, pay (or not pay) a border visa charge and eventually leave the airport. A taxi driver was waiting for me with a VSO sign in hand. I spoke to someone from VSO in the taxi and was advised that I would stay one night at the Hotel Mozambiquan, where another VSO volunteer, Dolly Shen from Boston, was also staying. This was good thing because, at this point, I could barely keep my eyes open. My room was small but efficient and had a large bathroom. I had a shower and slept for several hours. Following a nice buffet dinner, I went back to my room and slept until the next morning. Dolly and I met in the lobby and were picked up by taxi around 10:30 am to go to VSO HQ for our initial briefing.We had lots of administrative and financial questions such as how much should we tip the porter who carried our bags up and down stairs in the hotel. I had Canadian, American, and South African money in my wallet and the Rand were confusing me. I very generously tipped the elderly doorman/porter 10 Rand. On the other hand, my suitcase weighed 28 kg– so he deserved it!!!Dolly and I got along really well and arrived with our bags at our 2nd storey walk up apt. with basically a bed each - nothing else. Dolly also accompanied me to the local clinic - all thrills for her but not for me - nothing major but had to be dealt with... Very efficient - they have doctors, a lab and a pharmacy so you just walk down the hall and everything is sorted out.We await the excitement of mosquito nets, a water filter and maybe oscillating fans!!!The staff at VSO Mozambique are wonderful and I fear they fear they will see us - every day for something...Watch for more adventures, Karen