Maputo – Johannesburg (28.640 km)

Siamo partiti da Maputo molto presto perche’ dovevamo arrivare a Johannesburg in tempo per la cena organizzata dal Ducati Owners Club South Africa. E’ stata una bella serata. Abbiamo conosciuto tantissima gente simpatica che condivide la nostra stessa grande passione per la motocicletta ed abbiamo ricevuto un’infinita’ di complimenti per la nostra impresa. E’ stato divertente anche se eravamo talmente stanchi che facevamo fatica a tenere gli occhi aperti.
Colonna Sonora: “Satisfaction” The Rolling Stones

We left Maputo very early in the morning because we were due in Johannesburg for a dinner party organized by the Ducati Owners Club South Africa. We spent a very nice evening. We met a lot of nice people sharing the same great passion for motorbikes as we do, and we were paid many compliments for our bold enterprise. It was very funny, but we were so tired we could hardly keep our eyes open.

Soundtrack: “Satisfaction” The Rolling Stones

Praia do Tofo – Maputo (27.950 km)

Siamo partiti da Praia do Tofo veramente tardi. Questo posto era talmente bello che abbiamo fatto fatica ad allontanarcene. Quasi tutto il viaggio l’abbiamo fatto di notte al buio, ma fortunatamente la strada e’ stata rifatta da poco ed era quindi in ottime condizioni.
Colonna Sonora: “Night time is the right time” Ray Charles

We lingered at Praia do Tofo, and when we set out it was really late. The place was so beautiful that it was difficult for us to leave it behind. We travelled mostly by night in the darkness, but the road has been renovated recently and it was in excellent conditions.Soundtrack: “Night time is the right time” Ray Charles

Swaziland - Inhambane Tofo

our wonderful friends

our mozambiquen dinner club

road patchwork

pragtig sunset. kuik hoe mooi.

Matteo left a day earleir than me. so i rode to mozambique alone. it was a long ride. and i rode the whole day. doing more than 500km. mozambique is exotic africa. they speak portughese and it adds a completely unique flavour to the place. its not africa as you know. instead it feels more like cuba. the beautiful old colonial buildings. the people are just so nice and friendly. the country is very close to south africa and so the infrastucture and roads are very good. it all became so tropical again. a nice change after the dry brown country side of johanessburg in winter. the ride was pretty uninventful and fast. there was a wonderul sunset over these rice patty fields with all these tributaries illuminated by the setting sun. i arrived at Tofo. a lovely beach town. good surf, great diving and loads of whale sharks. we met some fantastic people there and started a dinner club. the amazing thing about travelling is the people you meet. we ate dinner and haung out with spanish, german, mexican, israeli, italians, south africans... to name a few... i really find it incredible. we swam with a whale shark on our last day. which was a memorable expereince. i swan along side it for nearly an hour. pumping away to keep up with it. the water was full of jelly fish so it was a bit tricky. i managed to get stung on my tongue. dont know how. at one stage the 9meter beauty came up very close to the surface and i was literally 2 metres from her. a beautiful beautiful moment.

Mbabane – Praia do Tofo (27.387 km)

Mozambique

Inhabane

Praia do Tofo

The dog is throwing the stick to Matteo

Fisherman on the beach

Tha dawn

The bar on the beach

Looking for sharks

A big big big shark

Matteo swimming next to the shark

Praia do Tofo team

Mentre risalivamo la costa del Mozambico ho avuto come l’impressione di essere ritornato in Africa. Il paesaggio e le persone sono gli stessi che abbiamo incontrato tra il Kenya ed il Botswana e non hanno nulla a che vedere con quelli del Sud Africa. A Praia do Tofo (S 23 51,119’ E 35 32,605’) ci siamo rilassati per cinque giorni guardando le grandi onde dell’oceano Indiano dal piccolo bar sulla spiaggia sotto un tetto di foglie di palma. Abbiamo anche fatto un po’ di surf ed io sono riuscito a realizzare un altro grande sogno che mi portavo dietro fin da bambino: mi sono immerso in mezzo a tre enormi manta ray ed ho nuotato fianco a fianco con uno squalo balena di sei metri. E’ stato incredibile. Sono riuscito a stargli proprio vicino. Ma il momento piu’ emozionante e’ stato quando mi ha guardato dritto in faccia con uno dei suoi piccolissimi occhi.
Colonna Sonora: “Surfin Safari” The Beach Boys

While cruising up the Mozambico coast I had the impression to find myself back in Africa. The countryside and the people here look very much the same as the landscapes and the people we met between Kenya and Botswana. They have nothing to do with South Africa. At Praia do Tofo (S 23 51,119’ E 35 32,605’) we relaxed for five days. Nothing much to do but contemplating the big waves of the Atlantic Ocean from a tiny beachfront bar under a palm-leaf roof. We spent some time surfing and I accomplished another great dream I was longing for since I was a child: I plunged in the water among three huge manta rays and swam side by side with a 6-meter whale shark. It was unbelievable, we were indeed very close to each other! The most exciting moment was when the shark looked at me right in the middle of my face from one of his wee wee eyes.

Soundtrack: “Surfin Safari” The Beach Boys