Summary

The blog post details a day in the life of a traveler in Mozambique during Cyclone Freddy, focusing on personal experiences, environmental observations, and the impact of the storm on daily activities.

Abstract

The author recounts their experiences in Mozambique on a day when Cyclone Freddy made landfall. Despite the harsh weather conditions, they find beauty in the deserted beach and use the time indoors to catch up on reading and writing. The day is marked by the sounds of howling wind and rain, yet the author manages to engage in meaningful activities such as beach cleaning alongside a fellow traveler and observing a surfer braving the stormy seas. The narrative includes reflections on the cyclone's approach, the uncertainty of the weather, and the simple pleasures of cooking a warm meal. The post concludes with an invitation for readers to follow the author's journey through Southern Africa and access more content via various platforms.

Opinions

The author appreciates the solitude and cleanliness of the beach during the cyclone, finding it a serene contrast to normal days.
They express a sense of accomplishment in reducing their reading list to zero, highlighting the productive use of time during the storm.
The author seems to admire the dedication of the girl collecting trash on the beach and the English surfer who goes out in the rough seas, viewing them as examples of tourists' unique behaviors during extreme weather.
There is a hint of humor and bemusement regarding the English surfer's decision to surf during a cyclone, indicating a cultural difference in perception of weather conditions.
The author shows concern about the cyclone's impact, particularly when discussing whether it's time to leave the area, but also maintains a sense of optimism and adaptability by cooking a comforting meal and hoping for calmer weather.
They provide a sense of immediacy and personal connection by inviting readers to join their email list and follow their journey through various social media and content platforms.

SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023: DAY 43 — MOZAMBIQUE

In the Eye of the Storm

Cyclone Freddy has reached Mozambique

A Tropical beach on a Cyclone day. | Credit: Anne Bonfert

Just got back from the ocean. I got sandblasted walking down to the water. And the sea was cold. I had goosebumps on my arms. But I loved the way the beach looked. So clean. No footprints. No signs of activity.

Yes, I spend most of the day reading and writing. For the first time in months, I brought my reading list on Medium down below 100 and actually made it to zero. That’s a serious accomplishment.

But hey, those are the good sides of a cyclone. I have time, time to catch up with things that otherwise got ignored and left aside.

All while the wind is howling around me and raindrops are falling from the sky every now and then. Nothing serious, yet.

Looking out at sea. | Credit: Anne Bonfert

But all I feel like doing is eating and drinking. Not just talking about alcohol but drinking in general. Tea. Water. Juice. And Pina Colada. Somewhat in that order. 3 meals the day and it’s getting dark already. This day has gone past very quickly.

I might have forgotten to share the story when I went down to the beach for the second time and ran into the girl collecting trash on shore.

Yip, it didn’t take long and we both returned to camp. She did, to empty the plastic bag, and I did, to get my own trash bag.

Collecting trash at the beach and facing lots of micro plastic. | Credit: Anne Bonfert

Soon, we were both facing the gale-force winds picking trash in the wash-up of the rough seas. Only tourists will do things like that. Go out in the worst possible weather and collect trash.

But then, there’s this English guy. We can barely see the hands in front of our faces as the wind is blowing a mixture of sand, rain and salt water into our faces, but this guy thinks it’s a sunny day.

Grabbing his surfboard, he walks out into the surf. The 5-meter surf or whatever it is.

Ridiculous, these English men. I’m never going to understand.

The English man going for a surf. During a cyclone. | Credit: Anne Bonfert

However, back to my reporting. Cyclone Freddy hit Mozambique during the night. I didn’t sleep much as the wind was howling outside. It was raining lots and the palm leaves were shaking against our cabin.

We missed the eye of the storm as you can see on the radar picture below but we'll be getting lots of rain. Soon.

Time to leave?

Radar shots of the approaching cyclone. | Screenshot from weather.com

We're not sure. At this point, we are still hoping the weather would calm down soon and we can go scuba diving again.

In the meantime, I’m cooking us a warm hot meal with some spicy chili brought from the Eastern Highlands in Zimbabwe.

This is part four of our roadtrip. Watch the full video of our tour through Mozambique down below:

We’re currently touring southern Africa and if you’d like to follow, go through this list of stories from our road trip:

Southern Africa Road Trip 2023

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