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Thanks Davo, you are making me pine, even more, for me Landy. There has been some thought put toward bringing it over...but, at the moment I have a lot more to deal with...

Went for a longish drive yesterday PM to check out some more land and the road conditions. Was lovely. Inland from the coast there, particularly to the south toward Nampula, there are a significant number of inselbergs (intrusive volcanic remnants) that look like they are largely granitic in composition. Can't wait to go have a drive through the region.

These are some photos of the closest, there are so many more across the skyline:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/60.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/61.jpg

Then drove back into Pemba which has a raised peninsula descending into the city and the port, just in time for this sunset:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/62.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/63.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/64.jpg

Some photos of a beautiful place.

Ah, but you see, if you were a real Series man your posts would be all about how you're working all day and then staying up until 2:00am every night rebuilding the Series IIA that you found somewhere and felt sorry for! (I might add that I'm making fun of myself and other Landie nutters here as well!)

Great shots, especially for those of us who haven't got a clue what's over there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BBC

Thanks Davo, you are making me pine, even more, for me Landy. There has been some thought put toward bringing it over...but, at the moment I have a lot more to deal with...

Went for a longish drive yesterday PM to check out some more land and the road conditions. Was lovely. Inland from the coast there, particularly to the south toward Nampula, there are a significant number of inselbergs (intrusive volcanic remnants) that look like they are largely granitic in composition. Can't wait to go have a drive through the region.

These are some photos of the closest, there are so many more across the skyline:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/60.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/61.jpg

Then drove back into Pemba which has a raised peninsula descending into the city and the port, just in time for this sunset:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/62.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/63.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2012/06/64.jpg

Some photos of a beautiful place.

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BBC.
The mountains pictured here look very similar to our own Warrumbungle ranges in NSW. Volcanic?
Regards
Robbo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robbotd5

BBC.
The mountains pictured here look very similar to our own Warrumbungle ranges in NSW. Volcanic?
Regards
Robbo

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Robbo,

Very similar to the Warrumbungles, but a much larger area with more volcanic features. The region south of here down to Nampula is absolutely riddled with these inselbergs; a very striking skyline with something like 50. They are what is termed, intrusive volcanics. The subterranean magna formed and cooled slowly with subsequent concentrations of minerals and gems. The region is so rich. There has been exploration resulting in magnesium, coal, diamonds, rubies, platinum...no gold...yet.

What needs to be recognised, is the common geological background shared between Africa and Australia...it was all once...Gondwanaland.

Was up in the central market here this AM. There are no 'Cambios' (Money Exchange) here in Pemba and I had to change some $USD for Meticais...and the best place to go, is into the market and find a Somali shop...they love $USD...and they give a very good rate.

There is a significant number of Somali refugees/piracy support in Mozambique....also, met refugees from Senegal. They haave found stability and peace in Mozambique after walking across the continent. Imagine the stories in amongst some of these people.

Found a Somali shop being worked by two young men. I greeted them in Somali...which blew them away..they had some Portuguese but to hear a Muzungu greet them in Somali and ask how they were was a little bit beyond their belief. We started talking and their opening question to me was...'were you in Mogadishu with Al Quaeda?' I laughed and then they asked me if I was CIA?

I asked where they were from...one of them ended up being related to some of the Somalis I had worked with in Mogadishu....a small world became even smaller.

The local people fish communally, using a large hand trawled net and their labour to fish along the coast in Pemba Bay. Took these photos this morning. Interesting to observe the combined effort to pull the net in but THEN...the scrum starts...everyone with a bucket trying to fill theirs. It turned into a bit of a 'sand-throwing' event...not vicious, but very competitive.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1311.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1312.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1313.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1314.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1315.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1316.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/07/1317.jpg


I think we need to bring the Wallabies over here to beef up their scrum training.

Had a beautiful day today, went for a drive to check out a location and the road leading to it, a district town called Metuge.

On the way there, I went over something that will always make a Sapper's heart beat faster, a Bailey Bridge. Last time I saw one of these was in Timor. Built my share of them during my time:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/313.jpg

Then drove into the town of Metuge and was quite surprised to find out there was a celebration on. 50 yrs since Metuge had first supported the entry of FRELIMO rebels coming out of Tanzania to challenge the Portuguese.

It was a wonderful experience to be there and to see something that was being put on for the people of the place. I was definitely the only white man there amongst these Macua people, and they were so welcoming to me; a very heartwarming experience.

Look at how closely packed the crowd was:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/314.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/315.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/316.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/317.jpg

Then after the speeches, they sang and danced. Firstly, the Mamas, all respect for their elderly:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/318.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/319.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/320.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/321.jpg

You should have heard the applause for them. Then, the Mums:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/322.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/323.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/324.jpg

Then some of the young'uns:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/325.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/326.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/327.jpg

Meanwhile, these young fellas beside me were having their lunch:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/328.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/329.jpg

His Mum was quite happy to have the photo taken and laughed when I showed her.

The best seats were off the ground:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/330.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/331.jpg

Then, back into Pemba and dinner at this place, just down the road from where my office/accom is now. How big a tree can you put in your yard?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/332.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/333.jpg

Truly massive baobabs over here. I will get some more photos of them.

Then, sunset over Pemba Bay:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/334.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/335.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/336.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/07/337.jpg

A luta continua...

"A luta continua..."

haha yeah mate what a struggle in a place like that!

BBC, You've taken an amazing photo of hairdos' in that last report. I'd have that one 'hung'. And thanks for your continuing travel log. it gives us a wonderful insight into a world we never see in the news or even docos. I hope you can keep it up, it's much appreciated here. Makes me hungry for the road again.
Don.

Yesterday there was a vehicle accident on the main road into Pemba, when a poorly loaded 40' truck and trailer lost it's brakes...loss of air...and in it's trying to avoid other vehicles on the road, it jack-knifed some and the single 20' container it was carrying, laden with sawn timber, fell off the back and landed on these two vehicles.

The driver of the Ford utility was killed on site, he was simply parked there waiting for someone to return from a shop on the other side of the road. The Toyota mini-bus had 5 people badly injured on site, 4 of whom passed away today....sadly enough.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/08/1290.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/08/1291.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/08/1292.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/08/1293.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/08/1294.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/08/1295.jpg

The lives of some people changed forever yesterday and, some people lost theirs.