So it had been a journey to get here! But despite visa issues, car fixes and a very long drive we had arrived in Mozambique!

As soon as we crossed the border you could tell it was a poorer country than South Africa. The road was still good but it was more disorganized. A lot of waste at the road side, more shanty type housing and people were generally less well off. We pushed on from the border to the coast, our aim Praia Do Bilene lagoon. We drove straight through the capital, not much was open in at that early hour but due to the main road going straight through the middle of the city the traffic was quite heavy. It was quite a relief to get out the other side. On the other side everything stopped, no shops, no food outlets, no anything, and the boys were starting to get hungry! Kicking ourselves for not stopping in the city we pushed on.

The road was still good but apart from the odd shack we past a lot of bush and sand. Just as the whining in the back was reaching a crescendo we found a garage! Good job to because as well as food we were starting to get low on fuel.

The small garage didn’t have much in the way of lunch but it did have a cash machine so at least we could buy what they had! Loaded up with biscuits, a strange baked good that looked like a croissant (but tasted awful), a few bananas and fuel we set off again.

A couple of hours later we arrived at the lagoon. We had booked a campsite and used this as our visa ‘invite’. It didn’t look great on paper and in real life wasn’t much better! Our host seem kind enough and we decided to make use of the restaurant. The camp site was part of complex aimed at anglers so surely it would have some nice fish on the menu! It turned out not! It wasn’t awful just uninspired. After dinner we were shown where to pitch our tent. A raised concrete block surrounded by very spiky trees! Don’t get me wrong I am no accommodation snob and we had dealt with spikes before this wasn’t the beach front holiday we had been dreaming of!

A quick chat later we decided to bundle the kids back into the car to see what else was around. I’m so glad we did because we came across a gem of a campsite right on the lagoon beach. A perfect place to spend the next few nights.

We setup campsite in the sand dunes behind the lagoon, and spent the evening playing in the water and on the beach. For dinner was a bucket of fresh caught prawns peeled and cooked on a beach bbq by a local guide working at the campsite. It was blissful. And my relief at seeing the ocean again was immense, there is something about it that makes all the muscles in my body relax and mind chill.

The following day was just as good as we spent the morning on a turtle tour. The trip started with an exhilarating ride across the lagoon on a speed boat (middle mans face was pure joy), followed by a fun walk in some waves towards the turtles beach.

You are not allowed onto their beach (and rightly so due to increased poaching in the area) so we had a feet burning climb up to the sandy slope to the head land that over looked them. honestly I don’t know how many times in recent years I have spent running across burning sand sounding like a very ill pig, you would think I would have learnt! Husband and I of course were required to run over this lava sand multiple times collecting dropping children in various patches of shade. Our guide looked at us bewildered at what must have looked like some crazy game.

Anyway I digress! The view of the turtles was worth it. Most were in the sea and the boys enjoyed counting and trying to find the biggest ones whilst I tried not to let my fear of heights ( and small excitable children near them) ruin their fun.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed the return experience running down the now cooler sand dunes back to the beach and boat. The lagoon campsite had been perfect, lots of time relaxing, swimming and playing. And eating Ice Cream 🙂

We had had one heart stopping moment where middle man went missing! He had wandered off after daddy and gone the wrong way. I’m sure all parents can relate to the instant fear that rises when you realise your child is missing. The worst thoughts run through your head but thankfully a local fisherman who had seen us around bought him back. If you have never experienced losing a child temporarily then I hope you never do! But with middle man and his impulsive, inquisitive, independent nature it has happened a few times now, but the fear is always the same! I would seriously consider implanting a gps tracker on him!

All too soon it was time to move on from our lagoon haven. Time to head north and find some whale sharks (hopefully!).