From Nampula to Pemba

A pattern has emerged of waking up between 3am - 5am to take chapas or buses onwards to further destinations.

Having been personally escorted by C-C from Isla to Nampula, However whilst CC knows the city well it becomes a disadvantage having him at my side. I am stopped twice by two different police officers who ask to see my passport, and although they take everything o be in order, the first asks for Mtc100, then Mtc50 and then Mtc20, whilst the second asks money for a coke – about Mtc20.


It is a return to a marginally better room at Brasilia - Room 11 has a flushing toilet. C-C insists on taking me to friends for dinner of salad, bread and a local tapioca dish.

I don’t even bother changing for bed and just sleep in my jeans and Watford football shirt.

It’s a 3am bus out of Nampula for Pemba on a reasonable bus which charges Mtc350 + Mtc50 for the rucksack. The bus doesn’t head off o 4am which is probably just as well iam stopped for a third time – this time by two officers. This time they are shaking their head and i become aware for the first time that there really is something wrong with my visa. Whilst the dates valid show 2 months as asked back in Swaziland, it transpires that in fact i am only entitled to stay in Mozambique for 30 days – i am almost a week over that already!.

I understand their Portuguesa although they insist CC to translate. I tell them i am very sorry, i had not realised and either had two previous officers who had cornered me earlier. I suggest i take the bus to Pemba which is waiting patiently. They muster, shake their head and say this is a problem and re-examine my passport. I first offer Mtc50 explaining i am just a student, but they are not having it. This is a “Big Problem” and it certainly feels it with the bus almost full and my bag already packed in the cargo-hold,

After another 10 minutes i offer Mtc100 which is also rejected and i reluctantly part with Mtc150 a further 10 minutes later. Fortunately the bus has not just been waiting for me as a few other waifs and strays emerge out of the darkness.

The bus takes a fraction over 6 hours, stopping off every 100 yards to personally deliver passengers as the town approaches.