The Mozambique Recce Beach Safari: A Tale of Surf, Sand, and Slightly Sketchy Border Crossings

Picture this: Marloth Park in the scorching heat of early January, fresh off the buzz of a wildly successful Kruger safari. But here's the kicker - this time, I'm jazzed up for a different kind of adventure. Why? Because this escapade involves me, my trusty surfboard, and visions of salty sea sprays. Yep, we're talking about the much-anticipated Mozambique Recce Beach Safari.

So, there I was, gearing up with all the missing bits and bobs we realized we needed after our last recce. The ride's tuned up, and the gang's all here - me (Rene), my globe-trotting girlfriend Mayra, and my folks, Marion and Oliver, who've flown in from the Great White North. Eager beaver that I am, I managed to hustle everyone for a pre-dawn departure. Why? More surf time, baby!

Fast forward to us breezing through the South African side of the Lebombo Border Post at an ungodly hour, thanks to its proximity to our hostel. I, with my handy South African passport, sailed through immigration. My folks, with their exotic blend of German and Canadian passports, took a tad longer. But Mayra, oh Mayra, with her Brazilian passport, became the unwitting star of a border-crossing saga, thanks to a visa hiccup. Pro tip: When dealing with border officials, patience is a virtue, and time... well, time is an entirely more fluid concept.

Several diplomatic smiles (and a few hours) later, we were Mozambique-bound. The final leg to paradise was supposed to be a hop, skip, and a jump away, or so Google Maps naively suggested. Reality check: the last 20 km morphed from a road trip to an off-roading adventure, minus the other cars... and people.

But oh, when we arrived, it was like stepping into a screensaver. Pristine beaches, not a soul in sight, and an ocean just begging for my surfboard. Setting up camp could wait; the waves couldn't.

Fast forward through a blissful blur of surfing (RIP my surfboard), beachside braais (that's BBQ for the uninitiated), and a night-time swim among the stars of the sea - literally, thanks to the mind-blowing bioluminescence. It was like Avatar, but wetter.

Morning two, and I'm up with the dawn, drawn to the beach like a moth to a flame. In a moment of uninhibited freedom (and questionable judgment), I embraced the ocean in my birthday suit, only to find myself in a crustacean congregation that had me second-guessing my life choices.

As I sat there, soaking in the sun and the surreal beauty of it all, it hit me - this is the life. And the best part? I get to do this for a living and, fingers crossed, bring you all along for the ride.

So, dear readers, stay tuned. Because if I have it my way, this is just the first of many tales from our little slice of paradise.