The 1000 Day Holiday

Ola! Well Ive arrived. Kinda strange to think Im not in Africa anymore.

It seems I look very Portugese. The flight attendant gave me the resident immigration card (all in portugese, so I didnt realise). Then at the airport I had several people try and put me in the residents queues etc. Ive had a shave now, hopefully that helps

The Locals Hospitality has been amazing so far. Met Juilana on the flight who lived in Sao Paulo, So am currently staying at her place.

Flying into Sao Paulo was amazing. As far as the eye in all directions all you could see was high rises and dense urban living. 19 million poeple call this home.

Juilanas welcome home bbq today. There is about 15kg of meat! Sirloin Steak here for $5kg!

Will buy a guide book tomorrow and start planning my South American adventure

So I’ve made it to Jo’burg. Flight tomorrow morning. 10.5hr flight of pure pleasure in comparison to the last 2 days on busses.

No idea on what Im planning to do. No guide book as yet, and no idea on my planned route. Will see what happens

Africa has been a real treat. Im sure I will be back.

Yesterday did a kayaking day trip w a bunch of cool travellers out to an island that has a local village on it.

Post tour of the village had a real feast of crabs, and played frizbee w the kids. Its only the second time they have done the tour there. So the reactions of the kids & oldies is quite good fun.

They spotted us putting on sunscreen before we left. So they all had to have some. Im sure they think its what makes us white

Doing a mad dash for Jo-burg tomorrow as I fly to Sao Paulo on the 1st.

2 Amazing dives with Tofo scuba (dived Manta Reef & The Office)

Conditions @ Manta reef were excellent, a really busy dive with huge amounts of things to look at. Not so much coral, just lots and lots of animals. Including huge manta rays!

The Office dive was difficult with a strong current. However swam w a huge loggerhead turtle. Spotted a massive honeycomb moray which I rekon its head was almost the size of mine! Also spotted some white tip reef sharks,
The Ocean Safari was wicked too. 2 hours snorkelling with 2 Whale sharks, the biggest being around 5m. And there was also a Manta Ray hanging around on the surface as well. So plenty of time to swim with them. Totally amazing animals.

Wicked little beach spot to hang out for the next 10 days or so to end my Africa leg of the journey (for this year at least).

Yesterday we had heard about a local festival on at another beach not too far away. So we grabbed a taxi and headed down.

A few locals had said it would be a little wild. What I didnt expect was for it to be 15,000 people and a huge beach party wild! epic nite. The skys opened in a monsoon ~4am. creating a real mud bath as everyone tried to escape.
Killed my calculator watch, however it seems to be coming back to life as I write, just a bit steamed up. Im sure the guy promised it was waterproof.

Snorkelling w the whale sharks and Diving w Manta Rays in the next few days
Thats the scale of the whale shark to a scuba diver, ala me!

Got picked up @ 4am for the trip. Was more than a bit rough as had come home from Casanova Club at 3. Wow havent seen such things in a long long time!

The route we took was awesome. Got to the border at 9am. 2 lane sealed highwawy all the way. Cross the border. The mozambique immigration post was run out of a shipping container with a window cut in the end. Once processed there was 2 roads to choose from.

ours, a deep rutted sandy route to maputo, the other to the southern coast. Definately a return to the real Africa. Headed for Tofo tomorrow.

Spent the day hanging on Durbans beaches. And scored a 1.48KG steak for the braii tonight. But I will, I will share it…I promise

Headed to Maputo tomorrow. Was going to be on the Baz bus, but a local going that way for work put up a sign at the hostel. So faster, better route ( up the coast, not via swaziland) and free too!  Cant wait to dive with the huge manta rays in Tofo.

My dive on Protea banks didnt work out. However all was not lost.

I scuba dived on Aliwal shoal (no cage). Both times a drift dive. On the second dive we drifted off the reef south of where another boat had been using burly. The Dive Master had instructed us at this stage to gather together in a small group at ~8m depth. This helps the sharks not to get spooked and will come around and have a looksee

Soon thereafter we spotted the first Black Tip sharks, they come in and circle and if they want to have a good look they swim in from below. total at any one time circling us was 8 or 9. All were 2M+ in size. Spooky but generally not dangerous.

Also crusing past we had Hammerhead sharks in a school of 6 or 7. Again 2M+ in size. Again generally not dangerous to humans.

It was by far one of the coolest experiences Ive ever done. And cant wait to see some Tiger, Bull (Zambezi) and Grey Nurse sharks.

It is probably wise that these didnt show up on these dives as Im sure my oxygen consumption went way up when I spotted a shark straightlining towards me to get a good look, even knowing they are not dangerous.

coffee shack…Surf was ok, smaller than island vibe

Off to Port Shepstone or Shelly Bay (fingers crossed to do a shark dive on protea banks tomorrow) No cage, just me, bull, tiger, grey nurse sharks.. woot.

 

Headed for Port Elizabeth. Then not sure, got to get a shimmy on, days are getting in short supply.

Jbay is totally wicked, And i can now surf

And then, well today theres wind, so I am hiring some gear and get to go kitesurfing! woop woop