mozambique

sophie and hill after a swim
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It's my last day in Africa!! After 2 days of 9 hour bus rides I arrived in Jo'Burg. Coming from Mozambique to South Africa was interesting- I didn't realize how shiny and clean South Africa is but coming from Maputo this place is very sparkly. I was reminded of what it's like to drive from Tijuana to San Diego.

My last few days in Tofo were interesting. Teegan did, indeed, have Malaria...again, broo. He had it a month or so ago and he didn't take enough time off of drinking. He went out for a big night on the town and the next day was as sick as a dog. He thought it was just a bad hangover but when the vomiting and aching persisted for 2 more days he knew it was malaria. He tried taking Larium tablets, usually that will kill it but he couldn't keep anything down and we ended up having to bring him to the hospital. My last couple of days there were spent visiting him in the god-awful Inhambane hospital, being incredibly grateful that I wasn't the one in bed there. The "intensive care" unit consisted of 12 beds, all just about 3 feet apart. Right next to Teegan was a man who was so ill he couldn't move, and while I sat on Teegan's bed this man had his eyes fixed on me, a vacant stare. He was so thin I didn't think he was going to make it through the day, who knows, maybe he didn't. I didn't really dare look at anyone else, it was really awful- Mozambique has a 15 % AIDS rate, and I am sure that most of the people in there were dying from AIDS-related illnesses.

the grocery store
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The first day I was there it wasn't so full, but the next day there were so many people they had matresses on the floor, people all over the place. Teegan said that the toilet he had to use was all clogged up and they didn't even have toilet paper in the bathroom! The first day I visited I asked what he needed and TP was first on the list. He didn't want to shower because once when he was in the bathroom he saw one of the nurses pouring the bed pans down the shower drain. Poor Teegan, he stank from vomiting constantly and not being able to shower. The whole scene was pretty gruesome.

sophie and lucas on our daily walk past the dump (i like the pig)
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Thursday, the day I left, was his birthday and when I talked to him on Friday he was finally out of the hospital and resting at a friend's house, no longer puking and able to keep the quinine tablets down. I told him that at least he would never forget his 22nd birthday!! Poor kid. After seeing all of that I am not feeling so bad about how awful I feel after taking my larium- at least I didn't end up in a Mozambican hospital with Malaria!!

I was sad to leave Tofo, the beautiful beach and my new friends there. I am sure I will see Sophie and Lucas again soon- I was sad to leave them and I miss them already!

fishermen
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I am beside myself with excitement about going to Hong Kong/China. I am terribly sad to leave Africa but I have a feeling I will be back here. There is so much I haven't seen and this really is an amazing place.

So that's it for now, I will be in a whole different world next time I write.

Cheers, as they say here.