A day trip with the Gandarillas Family

It was a bad day what else can I say. It started out as a good idea
to take the family on a day trip to Nelspruit in South Africa. After all, it's a neighboring country, how much different could it be than taking a trip across the Canadian border into BC from Washington? The first crossing was a disaster going into S. A. A uniformed "Civil Servant" of the great Mozambique empire directed me to an assistant as soon as we arrived in the mayhem at the border facility. Little did I know I had been diverted into a private expediter system based upon bribes and literal "back room" dealings where those who choose to pay avoid the lines and get preferential treatment. I was OK with standing in line. I didn't really want the help. Local entrepreneurs 1, rich American cash cows 0.
Good news in the middle of the story: Nelspruit is a beautiful town.
This brings us to the return border crossing back to Mozambique. We thought we had multiple crossing Visas. Imagine our surprise when I was told that we needed new Visas to re-enter! Apparently, ours were only the single entry kind. Cash only please. No credit cards or money orders accepted and I didn't have the cash. Not looking good. We were in no mans land in between countries, stamped out of S.A. but not accepted into Mozambique. No problem. A good o'l reliable ATM was right outside. They're always good for cash. Not this time. I tried with every card I had. No cash. ATM not working. Can you imagine the fear and sense of dread I felt at this moment? We had no money and no place to go all with the border closing in 1hr.
Allow me to describe the scene: It's 95deg. with African humidity, confusing, dirty, pretty much everything a 3rd world border crossing is suppose to be. With few options and fear building, out of nowhere and unsolicited, a Mozambican man asked, "What is going on? How much do you need?" And he handed the efficient friendly government border worker the pile of Meticals required for our freedom. (Of course I got his number to coordinate repayment). Words cannot describe my appreciation of this total stranger. He may have saved our lives. I shudder to think what might have happened.
I could never describe the feeling I had of being at the complete mercy of inefficient, uncaring 3rd world bureaucrats knowing that at any time they could find some obscure "error" in my paperwork. (Did I mention that they love to find). I would be damned to some political "Limbo", caught between two countries with nowhere to go, at the mercy of a system that seems to see foreigners as springing wells of money.
Africa can be so much fun!

Andrew

Where UFO'S come from

Jan 6th northbound along SE African Coast.

Inhambane

An hour flight north of Maputo this quaint little town is one of Mozambique's oldest. Before the Portuguese settled here, Muslims would hang out sailing Dhow's along the shallow coastal waters. The Muslim Dhow Sailing Club (MDSC) started here in 1462. Nightly regattas were held with massive buffets afterward. Good times. That all changed when Portuguese explorer extraordinaire, Vasco da Gama, showed up in 1498. Guess who won the regattas now? That's right. Vasco did. He won everything. As a result, Vasco became extremely popular. (BMOC). During every race, thousands of Muslim's lining the shore would chant, "Vasco Vasco he's our man......", you know how it goes. The people were great, the food was awesome....it was Vasco's kind of town. Like Vegas. It was so good he gave it the name, "terre da boa gente", or "Land of the gentle people".
Inhambane then became a major export town for ivory and slaves. Kind of a buzz kill. Then all the action moved south toward Maputo and eventually Inhambane eased into a role of sleepy Portuguese town with high end resorts along the coast. They have huts on stilts, white beds with beautiful flowing mosquito nets, and fishing from your deck. Just like the Edgewater in Seattle.

pw

Weather and Catholicism

The Catholics in SE Africa take their weather seriously. I found evidence of that yesterday at 25000' from Johannesburg to Inhambane. Jesus said to deviate left of course. As one would guess, I didn't argue.
Pictured below is a self portrait after another "interesting" flight.

pw

Jan 2nd Sunset

At 19000' along Mozambique coastline between Inhambane and Vilankulos. A moment to contemplate before my 2nd NDB approach to minimums.

Poverty and Extravagance

There is a low tide today along the Maputo shoreline. Two miles offshore, four stripped down rusted freighters are waiting their turn to come into port. Along the hillside, just down from where I'm staying, are out of place luxury homes. They have satellite dishes and over-sized gates with sleepy guards keeping watch. They all seem quiet with nothing happening. Everyone is inside maybe.
Right next to these homes are ones that aren't quite so nice. These pictures show what I mean. Standing in the middle of Julius Nyerere Ave if you turn left you see a beautiful white house. Right across the street is another story. This scene repeats itself all over this part of town. Some of the nicer homes house Government people. Beth from Texas who's husband works for the CDC verifying proper fund usage for HIV live in the white one. Large companies and rich people own others. (According to my local sources). Where does this money come from to afford such beautiful places in one of the poorest parts of the world you ask? As my good friend Dr. Yancey says, "It's unclear".

pw

Reflections during a Moz-am-bee-kee New Year

When the clock struck midnight in Maputo I realized how many explosive devices were left over from past civil conflict. The low overcast sky became a flashbulb over the city as people blew things up. Apparently everyone has dynamite for just such an occasion. There's probably an ACME TNT factory around here somewhere.
When you are away from your familiar life at home, your family and friends, it's a little like the NASA picture looking back at Earth from the Moon's orbit. There's your life in a clear blue circle, easy to see, easy to examine. As the bombs go off here I look back on my little blue circle. I see Catherine and Gabby and I feel how much I miss them. I think about our friends and people I know from work, our Mom's and Dad's...Brother's and Sisters...everyone orbits in their perfect place. Everything is as it's suppose to be.
On this midnight, I think about the people who have it all. Around here, mostly I think about the one's who don't. I think about Jose', pictured above, the Q400 Mechanic, who walks with a severe limp from a horrific car accident last year that took his wife away. I think about the cement block, corrugated metal roof 10x10 home with water pouring in from the rain. A cheerful MEX flight attendant lives there with her family. I think about thousands others like it here. I wonder if scenes like the one pictured on top will ever get better. Ever. Even a little bit. I just don't know.
I thought about how thankful I was to come from a structured Airline background as I dodged lightning daggers from the sky yesterday circling over Bazruto Island (pictured bottom), looking for a way into Vilankulo. I think about the people I'm getting to know (Like in the video below), here and look forward to learning more about them and their lives.

Happy New Year

pw