Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:20:14 +0000
Maputo to Beira Index Beira to Tete
I had a nice long sleep in this morning, getting as much value as possible out of my $120 comfy bed. I had to get up eventually though, to get as much value as possible out of my $120 wifi connection. In case you haven't noticed, I'm still smarting over that $120.
Eventually I went downstairs to hand over my key, and figure out how to get to Malawi. It seems that I will probably have to overnight in Tete before making the border crossing the day after. This is tricky, because I have no information about any accomodation in Tete. I just have to assume that a major town will have something sensible. In the meantime, the reception guy told me I should book a bus in advance for 4:00 the next morning. Booking in advance makes sense: this must be how the people on the bus yesterday got their seats.
Before doing that though, I had to find a more sensible place to sleep. Wikitravel suggests the "Savoy hotel", which sounds grand, but apparently is very run-down. I don't care how much of a rat-infested flea-pit it is though, I need to save my money. The guy at reception gave me some vague directions. I took one wrong turn, but eventually found the place. Yeah, it's a little grubby, but it's perfectly fine, and I wish I'd known to take it last night. I paid my 400 meticals for a single room with no ensuite. I noticed on the price list that for 200 extra, you can add a "+ acompanhanta" to your single room. I see. It's that kind of hotel.
But I'm settled for tonight, so off to find the bus. There's no booking office, I was told to just wander around and ask. I did this, and was eventually bounced around to a bus with a few boys idly waiting for customers to show up. It was pretty straightforward to book: 450 meticals. The bus does indeed leave at 4:00 in the morning: note that I probably caught the late bus yesterday. I have an actual honest-to-goodness seat, and it's a shorter journey than Maputo to Beira, so this is probably going to be much more comfortable. That's good, since I noticed last night that the edge of the stool had cut a nasty welt into my arse. I should give it time to fade before I attempt the return journey in a week or so.
I retrieved my bag from the Hotel Tivoli, and walked back to the Hotel Savoy to relax for a bit. Along the way I bought myself some biscuits and bananas for lunch. Biscuits have been the major component of my diet for the last couple of days, I hope there's enough nutrition in those things.
And lastly, I got some dinner from "Shak's Takeaway" around the corner. Just an unispiring chicken burger and fries, but it'll do. The food in Mozambique isn't anything exciting, or at least not as far as I've been able to find. I followed up with a beer in the rather nice beer garden they've got going in the back of the hotel. But it's got to be an early night tonight, if I'm going to make this bus at four o'clock.