August-September 2021
This next chapter in my adventure comes to be out of my urge to obtain my divemaster. Part of the rationale for seeking it was to improve my employment prospects with the yachts. However, in order to complete the course I would have to spend 1-2 months diving. That, of course, was what really made me excited about becoming a divemaster. Back in June I had booked a plane to Phuket, Thailand thinking I would do my divemaster there if I could not find a job by a certain date in August. But by the time I finished my temp contract on my first boat, getting to Thailand was a bit tricky thanks to: (yes, you guessed it) covid. Anyway, it was time to look for a new place to do my divemaster at. My search was governed by two main criteria: 1. Surfing possibilities. 2. Ability to see sharks on dives. Although you typically don’t want surf and sharks near each other, that is what really interested me and led me to Tofo …as well as Rome, Doha and Victoria Falls.
The whole big trip started with an unforgettable stop in Rome. In a great luck strike, I was able to coordinate meeting my girlfriend there last minute. We spent about 4 days touring the city before taking my flight down south. To our surprise, we discovered Italians take vacations in August and found the city fairly empty. We visited the classic tourist stops (Colloseum, The Vatican, Fontana di Trevi, Spanish Steps…) and enjoyed a deliciously authentic Italian meal every day. Part of Rome’s appeal rests in strolling in a city of so much importance to modernity with a piece of history in every corner. Traveling with my girlfriend allowed me to share the city’s magic and treasure shared experiences.
A couple of tourists.
Flight day arrived. It so happened that I had a long layover in Doha, where one of my best friends from college, Siwar, lives. It was a true hassle to get through the airport but it was all worth it. Simply reconnecting with Siwar justified any inconvenience. Seeing a country so different from anywhere else I had been was a plus. Unfortunately I had to get some vaccines and buy some diving gear while in Doha, but we still had time to go dune riding, visit the National Museum and share dinner with some of her friends. Not too bad for a day’s layover.
Upon reaching Maputo I was relatively tired and all I wanted was to lay down and rest but after being convinced by my family that I should get all “recommended” vaccines when traveling to Mozambique, I walked the city looking for the yellow fever vaccine. My quest for the shot was almost successful except that when I finally found a clinic which had the vaccine, they happened to run out of vaccination cards. I went back to the hotel and slept to wake up dark and early to reach the bus station at 4:30am. It took me an additional 3 hours wait and 10 hours trip in the “chapa” (old van transporting people and packages) which amounted to a grand total of three and a half days of traveling, to finally reach Tofo, the farthest and most remote place I have visited.
The weeks in Tofo were a dream. I distinctly remember one morning walking down the beach to the dive shop thinking: “Wow, I am so lucky! I can’t believe that for now, my life consists of diving every day and surfing.” I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to be in Tofo to do my divemaster. Diving was great, with really good biodiversity including manta rays, reef sharks, electric rays, scorpion fish, lion fish, honeycomb moray eels, puffer fish, guitar fish, nudibranchs, harlequin shrimps and many more. In fact, I had a wonderful welcome from the ocean as soon as I arrived. On my first day diving, I spotted a big manta that remained with our group for the last 10 minutes of our first dive. Soon after, during our surface interval, we saw a juvenile whale shark and immediately jumped out of the water to swim with it! Simply stunning. Although I actually had few other encounters with big animals after that, the ever-present possibility of encountering them made every single dive exciting, particularly the deep ones. Still, I received a farewell gift from the ocean and was able to see reef sharks on my last dive in the Tofo waters. Diving aside, the people I met during my trip was also another highlight. Once again Zaynah was there to share adventures over and under water in Tofo and beyond. It was also great sharing a house with more young people also in pursuit of their divemaster, as well as meeting other divers, locals and foreigners. Overall sharing a life of water and sun was idyllic.
Living a dream with Manuel and Joakim.
The next leg of my trip was prompted by the need to solve another immigration issue. Getting a visa on arrival in Mozambique meant that I had to leave the country and come back in if I wanted to spend more than 30 days there. There was no easy way of extending my stay. Logistics for a simple leave and comeback trip proved to be complicated. So, luck smiled at me again and I was able to secure a job by the end of September, only a bit over a week after my visa’s expiry date. Zaynah and I decided that since we were already all the way down in the south of Africa, we might as well go on safari in Zimbabwe… It seemed like the perfect opportunity, one that doesn’t present itself every other Monday. Going on safari was our main goal, although we had no reservations other than a flight and hotel for the first few days in Victoria Falls.
As we first imagined, our time in Zimbabwe was unforgettable. We spent about three days in Vic Falls. We visited the falls national park, bungee jumped from the bridge, and did whitewater rafting (with crocodiles) in the Zambezi. All activities we deemed to be essential thrills. A day before departing to Hwange National Park, we still had nothing lined up. I had no idea where exactly we were going to stay at, but we were going, that was undisputed. Fortunately, the only place that answered my call gave us a fantastic deal and the next day we arrived at Sable Sands lodge for our dreamed-of safari adventure. Safari at Hwange was truly life changing. I discovered why traveling should be a priority in my life and ignited a passion in me for wildlife photography and seeking close animal encounters on land. Seeing animals I had only seen in Animal Planet up close felt surreal, magical. I felt immersed in The Lion King. In fact, I found myself calling animals by their character name in the movie. I also realized this is the type of experiences I want to seek throughout my life, nature-bound experiences. I want to experience as much of Earth as I can. The beauty is has to offer is majestic, I saw it in the might of the Victoria Falls, in the eyes of the elephants, in the strength of the lions, the style of the zebras, the mischief of the monkeys. Much more can be written about going on safari and seeing animals face to face, but the magic comes alive in person.
Elephant close up near Sable Sands.
Our unexpected and unplanned trip to Zimbabwe became not only one of my fondest memories, but a trip that taught me a couple important lessons. Our safari trip opened my eyes and filled me with even more enthusiasm about living and traveling farther, deeper, seeking the wild, experiencing the beauty of our planet first-hand. The next stop in my adventures took me back to Europe, this time Northern Europe to (perhaps) underrated Rendsburg, Germany.