Praia Mar e Sol

After three nights we broke camp to head back down the coast. At Quissico we decided to follow a sand track that wound 11km through coconut plantations and local villages down to Praia Mar e Sol on the coast. What a magical find.

Apparantly it used to be a beach resort before the war and now it operates as a campsite/backpacker hostel (although I have no idea where the backpackers sleep). The campsites are on the inland side of the dunes and the sea pounds the ocean side throwing up froth like bubblebath and a surprising amount of jandal carcasses. We saw many humpback whales spouting and breaching from the dunes. Slightly further inland are a number of shallow crystal clear lakes without hippos or crocodiles so perfect for cooling down in. So we did.

There were no other guests that night and Leonard and Emma, who run the place, invited us to join them at their fire. Watching Leonard I learned how to braii properly (I hope). From piling wood onto the fire to raking the coals to the right heat, to ignoring his friends repeated insistence that the food was done, until it was really done (with a secret ingredient he kindly divulged to us), I now have new barbeque methods at my fingertips.

No electricity meant no light pollution other than the braii fire and the night sky was awash with bright stars. The milky way was clear, or rather, very milky. I dont think I've seen it like that since I was a kid out in the bush in New Zealand.

We liked Praia Mar e Sol so much we stayed an extra night. The next morning Duncan woke up with a whole load of little spots on his face.

He thinks they're an allergic reaction to the new bug spray we bought. I'm worried they're mosquito bites from the tent invasion the night before.