Conclusions

Paper memories

And so we are home. The boxes have been unpacked, the dogs quietened. Cars that had been parked for long have new batteries, and engines are turning again.

Humour on the road

After 6 425 kilometers, just over three weeks, an average speed of 54 km per hour, and 120 hours on the road we have some memories to work through.

Sailing in company

People: We met some nice fellow voyagers, some great hosts, some people who are working hard to make a success of what they are doing, and many people who have great aspirations. Mozambique is going to boom, with the discovery of gas, and the Mozambique we saw will not be there in a few years. And maybe that is a good thing. Maybe sailing accross the bay in a lateen-rigged dhow is not the best way to travel. Maybe selling cashew nuts along the road is not a good occupation for a little boy and his sister.

It's for you!

Maybe Maria Carmen will have a school with computers, television appreciation and loud disco music. Maybe Ian and PJ will host oil executives, and not have to bother with overlanders. Will the friendship, the cameraderie and the smiles we encountered still be there?

Places: Stunning scenery, unspoilt beaches and coral reefs, the haunting magnificence of decay of the old Portuguese empire and the chaotic bustle of modern development.

Will the beaches still be as clean and quiet? Will the game reserves be better stocked, and the game less spooked? Will development bring better parks, a better appreciation for the wealth that is there?

Development must come, but will it be well planned?

Happy campers

 The Mozambique we were privileged to see will not be there a next time.

Morning mist: will this time fade as fast?

And yet ... the memories we have will remain, and will enrich our lives.