Relaxing in Tete isn’t usually two words put together in one sentence. Tete is a hustling and buzzing town in mid-western Mozambique.

It’s located close to the Zimbabwean, and Zambian as well as to the Malawian Border and therefore is beaming with traffic. The mighty Zambezi flows gently alongside, dividing the city naturally. The standout feature of Tete is the bridge connecting north and south.

The drive north to Tete was fairly uneventful. I stopped for lunch by the river and took a few photos of baobab trees. I have a weak spot for gentle giants. If only they could talk…?

A few police road stops saw me through without hassle. It was Friday evening when I arrived in Tete, it felt like being back at the border post. The commotion on and around the streets is something to see to believe it. This is rush hour in Mozambique. People, bikes, motorcycles, cars and buses. Most with lights, but many without lamps.

Phew, I crossed the bridge and missed my turn-off. There is no turning point for miles, we had to turn in a Chimanimani. I was relieved to arrive at the camp by the river, but it appeared to be closed. There were people everywhere, cars and mopeds whirling up dust while the music from various pubs was pumping. There are no other camping options anywhere. But there is a hotel not far from here. It is a luxurious and pricey option by the river, but

a) it’s the best option for now and

b) why not treat yourself for a night at the Sun Ferry Hotel in Tete. I came here to relax anyway.

The desk attendants were just as friendly and helpful as expected. The cabins are well cleaned, the bed is comfy and the TV got turned off straight away. Not a bad start to my holiday in Tete. Not too bad in Tete.

I checked out before lunchtime, hopefully I don’t have to go far. I should investigate the campsite again and then choose my options from there. The gate was locked at the ‘Bom Jesus Campground’, but a couple of young fellows were doing some gardening. I asked about the camping and they opened the gate for the two of us to enter. They pointed their fingers towards the river, where two fellas were fishing. I guess I have to talk to them.

‘Grande peixie?’ I spoke out to two men, lying in two deck chairs. I don’t know what surprised them more; Me or my Portuguese accent. ‘No big fish today my friend. Welcome to my campsite. We are still reconstructing a few things but you are welcome to stay. No charge.’ Julio introduced himself as the new owner of this campsite. Oh wow, I didn’t expect any of that, but of course, I will pay him at some stage.

‘I just need a place where I can camp and relax for a few days. I am on holiday and I have lots to catch up with.’ I explained. I parked Zimba under a shady tree and went for a walk into town. It’s Sunday today, most shops will be closed but that means it is less busy too. It was steaming hot as I crossed the bridge on foot to explore downtown. As usual, most people didn’t expect anyone like me to walk the streets. I got some bread and oranges and headed for home. ‘You must be hungry, let me order you some grilled fish and chips’ Julio said. ‘I just had a banana and an orange. I am fine thank you’.

Not much later, the gate opened and the takeaway fish and chips arrived. ‘Did you catch this one?’ I joked with him, thank you so very much. The grilled fish was so very tasty and came with fries and some salad. It was way too much for me as I shared the takeaway container with the gardeners.

I met Pablo later that evening, he is the night security here. The presence of a guardian doesn’t tempt people to sneak in. I slept well, despite the music from different bars and ever-presenting mopeds and cars that chuffed by. I slept well for the next 4 nights here.

Julio kept inviting me over to chat or for a beer thinking I was lonely. I guess he felt sorry for me, sitting by myself. ‘I am fine thank you’ He has good taste, a Landcruiser Troopcarrier Bakkie and a Harley Davidson. That’s a first here in Mozambique. His construction business is going well and therefore he wants to retire at the age of 45 years. He is 38 years young now. ‘Then we can travel together’ he smiled. This campground is just a side project. I just recently signed a 30-year rental contract for this property,. Guess it helps if you have a construction company.

I went for daily walks to the shops but mostly kept to myself. I am on a Tete-lock holiday, remember?

Rick flew under and over this amazing bridge at sunset a few times.

It is a stunning feature of Tete, no doubt about it.

The nearby airport restricted Rick’s movements and we couldn’t reach the Baobab fields.

Tawanda delivered some takeaway food to a young residential couple and introduced himself as a shop owner, whose shop is passed the car wash by the river. He spoke fluent English, which is always a bonus. Communication is the key. ‘You should come around, we have many things’ he introduced himself. ‘I will this afternoon’ I replied.

And so I did. It wasn’t that I needed anything, but more the fact that I could communicate with a local in English. Tawanda is from Zimbabwe (of all places) and married his beautiful wife Juliet, who is from Tete. They opened the shop here and don’t want to go back to Zimbabwe. ‘The people here are so happy and friendly. Zimbabwe changed a lot after a certain politician gained power’ he declared. I nodded and explained my recent experience trying to get into Zimbabwe.

It was a happy gathering and I chatted a lot with a good friend of his. Tinei also speaks fluent English, works on oil rigs and is a brilliant car mechanic from what I heard. ‘Have you eaten ‘Gango’ my friend? Let’s all have dinner tonight.’ ‘That would be fabulous, I will be here around 7 pm’ I answered.

Tinei, unfortunately, couldn’t make it and Tawanda was busy in the kitchen. I sat outside with a beer and watched the busy world go by. The boys next door at the car wash, straight out of the Zambezi, recognized me driving Zimba down the street. ‘This zebra doesn’t like water much’ I replied to the washing question.

Tawanda served dinner on a plate, just one plate. Tawanda and Juliet had already eaten and were busy with the shop. I wished we had dinner together. ‘Gango’ is a traditional Mozambique dish and very tasty. Potatoes and slow-cooked cabbage, combined with chicken pieces, liver, and chicken feet. It was the first time I nibbled on chicken feet and I didn’t really know what to do with them. Sorry Tawanda, but it was very tasty.

The loving, happy couple joined me after dinner for a chat. Juliet was studying in Zimbabwe when Romeo arrived and that was that. Both are very happy here in Tete and are well known by this friendly community of the Zambezi. What comes around, goes around. So we had a round of pool. A few friends joined in after the one-on-one and we played doubles after. Well, I had a few lucky shots but stayed unbeaten overall. I can’t even remember the last time I played pool or had such fun around the table.

It was another unexpected, happy, and sociable evening, the way I like them most. Just a shame that my holiday is over and that I am leaving for Malawi tomorrow. But I am happy to have met some great people and made some new friends in Tete. Thank you Julio for letting me stay and thank you Romeo and Juliet for a funtastic evening. Muito obrigado.