A new chapter? Maybe just a bad analogy.

And so here we are. I’d like to say this is the beginning of a new chapter but of course I can’t because life is never as cut and dry, never as simple as the turning of a page and a new beginning. Unless maybe it is, for my Mountain Adventure chapter is certainly over, was over when we packed up our room and said goodbye to yet another set of people, yet another home. If that is the case then I have begun my African Adventure chapter, except the start of this new chapter is far from cut and dry.

We arrived at the DAPP Center in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, yesterday morning after three days of travel that included a 15 hour plane ride from JFK to Johannesburg, 14 hour wait in the airport and bus station in Johannesburg, and an 11 hours bus ride over the border to Maputo. The plane ride was surprisingly comfortable as it was only ¼ full so we each had four seats to lay across. The 14 hour wait was hell in a boring sort of way. And the most interesting part of the bus ride from Johannesburg to Maputo was definitely the border crossing. We arrived at the border, which overlooks Kruger National Park, at 4.30 in the morning and waited there in a giant queue of buses, cars, and people as the sun rose and the locals sold their wares until it opened at 6. We then had to cross by foot, officially exiting South Africa and entering Mozambique. In total I’d say I got about 11 hours of sleep in the three days travel.

Mozambique is HOT! Yesterday was 95, sunny, and extremely humid. I’m having a hard time adjusting to the heat after winter in New England, especially because I wasn’t planning on having to deal with humidity, Namibia (hopefully) not being very humid. Less than 24 hours here and already my hands are covered in eczema which isn’t so much fun.

As for the future, I’m not sure what we are going to do. Right now six of the 11 members of my team are here in Maputo which is very nice – last night we sat around outside catching the breeze, eating my first real meal in days (delicious) and having a beer. We might go to the beach near here tomorrow with them and then on Monday Brian and I will try to go to Inhambane to sit on the beach for about a week. Already I’m worried that our lack of Portuguese is going to be a problem, since we were totally reliant on Orlando this morning getting breakfast at a little stall roadside. After we are done being beach bums we have two options – to stay in Mozambique and volunteer in a Children’s Town project in return for accommodation or to stay at a project in South Africa for two weeks helping build a Child Aid community center out of sandbags. We shall see.

Thunder in the distance, the sky is darkening, and the wind is picking up. Looks like I will see my first glimpse of rainy season soon – hopefully it’ll drive some of this heat away!