Magical Mozambique
When an invitation appeared in my Inbox to visit Mozambique, I was hesitant at first. Not being much of a beach person but more of a bush gal, I pored over the itinerary and would definitely need some convincing. But when I saw that Nicky Arthur was the host, I knew that this would be too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Our journey from Cape Town to O.R. Tambo International airport starts at 5am. Upon arrival at O.R Tambo International, we are met by Nicky at the Airlink counter where a friendly ticket agent checks our luggage in and issues us with our boarding passes. We join the queue through security and passport control and meet up again at the boarding gate. The bus delivers us on the tarmac right next to the plane and as I negotiate the five steps into the Embraer ERJ 135-LR cabin, I am surprised with how spacious it is inside the aircraft. With a maximum of 37 passengers, a single row of seats on the one side, a double row on the other, you will never feel squashed.
Doors closed, the captain starts the engines and after a short taxi, we are up in the air. Reaching an altitude of 36,000 ft and a cruising speed of 800 km/h, we are soon well on our way to Pemba, Mozambique. During the 2 hour 50 minute Airlink flight, we are presented with a delicious in-flight meal and a very welcome beverage.
Stepping off an air-conditioned aircraft into the blistering heat and humidity at Pemba airport can be overwhelming, so dress appropriately (light and airy...