And then we got robbed...

We past many small villages, Nakala, Cuva, Chipeni and then crossed the Lurio River. Saturday is a big market day. If you have anything to sell, this is your chance. You can buy anything from vegetables, all types of flour, clothes, sarongs, shoes and even handbags. The locals are all dressed up to go to town - so colourful.

Hans spoke to a local guy, who recommended that we DON’T take the road over the RIO LURIO, so we took the alternative road. Wimcar wanted to know where we were going. We stopped and the BOYS decided we will go over the Lurie at the mouth.

50 km. further chaos erupted. One older local advised us not to cross. A crowed of youngster said “no problem”, they will show the way. Hans said only 3 can get on the bull bar. In retrospect it is easy to realize NOW that they had a plan – to MUG our vehicles.

The Lurie has many streams and then sand banks. Hans, being an old hand in Africa, walked every stream before leading the way. When he came to the main stream, he walked above to knee depth. He saw a vehicle track going through. What he didn't check was a small stream only 2 meters wide.  As we entered, the Landy sank away to its belly. Mkulu was buried in mud. Chris came to our rescue, same storie. Hans then stopped Wimcar on the sand. Now it was time for a snatch rope. The Ranger did a supreme job. By now there were more than 100 young villagers around us.

Our ORDEAL STARTED, they were surrounding our cars. At that stage we didn’t realise, that was their plan to STEEL everything that was loose on the cars. Julia, Nellie and Elisme were battling to keep them away from the vehicles - impossible job. They were professional "PICK POCKETS". Get your attention here and steal there. Chris’s Ipad was the first to go, then their medical bag with all their chronic medication.

Taking stock this morning, Chris lost all his back up survival kit. Luckily they could not loosen his Hilty tool box. But the full contents of his drawer were taken. Chris still has his sense of humour - "now we have room for many things we can buy". Hans lost every pipe on his gas geyser, all the canvas fittings and shower cab and spade (after all Hans and Chris’s efforts, we were now back on our "ROOI SKOTTELTJIE).

At that stage the BOYS still had the idea of crossings the Lurio. Chris and Wimcar were now both on their way to cross and then to come back to the rescue Mkulu. Chris got stuck again - same procedure. Now it was Wimcar’s turn. Later they were taking turns to get each other out. Then finally the Ranger and the snatch rope got Mkulu out but not without getting stuck in the sand again.

By now it was dark, the locals asked us 10 million Meticas to push us out. They couldn't manage, but with Chris’s help, finally they managed to push us out. He paid them $300. Now Hans got one local to lead us back - we followed our tracks and got out easily. Paid him $40. We were heading for Pemba relying on the 2 GPS'S in Hans’s car. 293km in the dark is totally against the way Hans moves through Africa. We had no other choice.

After a rough pothole, dog, cats, owls, snakes and Police blockades, we reached RUSSELS CAMPISIMO. The security let us in. We eventually arrived safely in our beds at 3:30am. We could say a Thank You prayer, thinking of how lucky we were getting out of there. Chris, Julia, Wimcar and Nellie went to town to get their medication and buy our shopping list. Joseph is on washing and Hans sorted out our next destination, Ebo Island.

I (Elisme) will try my best will try to send info for the blog. It just depends on where we can get access to Wi-fi.

We are now 3500 km. away from our loved ones, after 11 days, and missing all of them very much.