IBO ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE
OCTOBER 25
IBO ISLAND IS THE MOST UNEXPECTED PLACE I HAVE EVER ENDED UP TO DATE. IT WAS NEVER ON THE ITINERARY, I THOUGH IT WAS OFF LIMITS, HOWEVER, OVER CHILLED WHITE WINE AND DELICIOUS FISH CARPACCIO EVERY NIGHT AT THE SENSATIONAL CHUIBA BAY LODGE, THE TRAVEL PLANS SPIRALLED. WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE A STAY ON ONE ISLAND, BECOME A STAY ON ANOTHER, THE INSURGENTS HAD BURNT THE OTHER ONE DOWN. TRANSPORT WAS ARRANGED, AND AN ELEMENT OF SECURITY ASSUMED. I SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE SIGNS, BUT THEN WE WOULD HAVE NEVER GONE. IT WAS AT THE FOURTH MILITARY/POLICE CHECKPOINT ON THE WAY THERE THAT I STARTED TO QUESTION MY DECISIONS. A SAIL THROUGH THE MANGROVES FROM THE MAINLAND RESTORED MY FAITH, UNTIL WE WERE MET BY THE MILITARY ON ARRIVAL. THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND A LOT OF GUNS.
ONCE THE CAPITAL OF MOZAMBIQUE, GRAND PORTUGUESE COLONIAL BUILDINGS LINE THE MAIN STREET OF IBO, SADLY MANY ARE IN RUIN - SOME BURNT OUT, OTHERS WRECKED BY THE CYCLONE IN 2019. IT WAS EERIE BUT BEAUTIFUL, I INSTANTLY LOVED IT. MOST VISITORS ARE HUMANITARIAN AID WORKERS. THE REAL LIFE IS IN THE MACUTI TOWN BEHIND WHERE THERE IS ALWAYS MUSIC, FIRE, FOOD AND THE CALL TO PRAYER. IBO IS A FASCINATING EXMPLE OF AN AFRICAN ISLAND VILLAGE, PEOPLE LIVE DAWN TO DUSK, WOMEN SPEND THEIR DAYS GATHERING, PREPARING, COOKING, CLEANING, MOST OF THE MEN FISH OR DO SOMETHING WITH BOATS. TO BE PART OF IT, EVEN JUST FOR THAT WEEK, MEANS SO MUCH. SO MUCH I WROTE ABOUT IT IN - SHOULD YOU TRAVEL TO NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE?
JORG LOOKED AFTER US FABULOUSLY AT THE ONLY LODGE THAT REMAINS OPEN, MITI MIWIRI, MEANING TWO TREES, AND THERE ARE TWO BIG TREES OUT FRONT. A NOW FRIEND CALLED DADE (PRONOUNCED DADDY) BORN ON IBO DROVE US THERE AND BACK FROM CHUIBA BAY, SPENT EVENINGS WITH US AT JORGS, AND TOOK ME OUT FISHING. IT WAS ON A FISHING TRIP THAT I TOOK THE PHOTOS OF THE FISHERMEN BELOW, THEY WERE ON A SANDBANK JUST OFF IBO, APPARENTLY THEY CAMP FOR MONTHS ON A NEARBY ISLAND, FISHING EACH DAY FOR TINY SILVER FISH. RAUL ALSO CAME FISHING, A LOCAL WHO SHOWED US AROUND IBO AND CAME WITH ME TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS WHEN I ASKED HIM TOO. ON OUR SECOND NIGHT ON IBO IT WAS DECLARED PEACE DAY, THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR, RAUL GAVE ME A FULL SIZE MOZAMBIQUE FLAG TO TAKE HOME. IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE MILITARY SITUATION I WOULD NOT HAVE GONE, BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED THOSE SIX NIGHTS ON IBO ISLAND FOR THE WORLD. SOMETIMES NAIVETY IS A BLESSING.
