FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Big Cats, Fast Cars and a Stolen Phone: Southern Africa, Portugal and Brazil
Old Nov 30, 2019, 3:03 pm
  #42  
swingaling
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Driving: Piggs Peak to Maputo (via Malelane)

Driving: Piggs Peak to Maputo (via Malelane)


The drive to Malelane was easy. It was basically a straight shot form the lodge to Malelane with a short stop at the border. The drive was uneventful, with the exception of a few more unmarked speed bumps.

The Route




Phophonyane

I tried to take a different logging road to possibly save a few minutes. I didn't like the look of the road, so I retraced my route from the previous day. I made a couple wrong turns, but eventually found the main road without too much trouble.

Phophonyane


Piggs Peak to Malelane


Piggs Peak to Malelane


Piggs Peak to Malelane


Piggs Peak to Malelane


Piggs Peak to Malelane


Piggs Peak to Malelane


Leaving Swaziland


Piggs Peak to Malelane



I made it to Malelane and met up with the driver at Avis. We then set off for the border. SA exit immigration was a breeze, but Mozambique was decidedly NOT a breeze. Mozambique was by far the most onerous and time consuming border stop of the trip.

Mozambique Muloza Border



I needed to get a visa on arrival, as I'd not bothered to get one in advance. The visa booth was not manned, so it took some time to get an immigration officer to come assist us. When he turned up, he asked to see my hotel reservation. I showed him the reservation confirmation on my phone and he proceeded to berate me for not having a printed copy of the booking with me. A ridiculous distinction, frankly. He even went so far as to tell me that next time I'd be denied entry if I didn't have a paper copy. Such is the nature of power tripping bureaucrats everywhere, I suppose.

I tried to get rid of some US currency with small ink marks on them, but the officer wouldn't take them. For the life of me, I still don't understand this obsession with pristine dollars. I busted out some of my mint condition dollars, which were finally accepted. They took my payment for the visa, but had no change of any kind (even meticals). Good thing I had exact change. The officer then disappeared with my passport for a solid 20 minutes while he processed the visa. By the time he returned, it had taken a good 45 minutes to do everything. Quite a long ordeal, especially since there'd been no one in line in front of me.

I felt bad for the folks in line behind me. I suspect they had to wait even longer than I. Once through, we exchanged some money with black market money changers on the side of the road before continuing onward toward Maputo.

Mozambique


Mozambique


Mozambique


Mozambique


Mozambique



As we entered the outskirts of Maputo, we came upon the bridge pictured below. After getting cut off by a South African driver stopping short to chat up a prostitute, my guide told me the story of the bridge.

The bridge was built and 95% funded by the Chinese. The remaining 5% was funded by the Mozambique government. The bridge was constructed almost entirely by Chinese laborers imported from China. The Chinese laborers in question just so happened to be convicted criminals who were required to work in and ultimately relocate to Mozambique as a condition of their release. Or perhaps they had no choice in the matter, I'm a bit fuzzy on that point. As part of the deal, Mozambique was required to offer citizenship to these laborers after they'd lived in Mozambique for 5 years. So I guess China now exports convicts in addition to everything else?


Mozambique
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