The trip from Ilha to Nampula was smooth and uneventful. I had taken a shared taxi, and for 1500meticais I would get dropped off right in from of Ruby Backpackers. I had been dreading having to another chapa ride, so I decided why not? A few other people jumped in at one point or another, but within 3 hours we were pulling into Nampula. We only stopped to occasionally pick up or drop off people and once at a police roadblock (they are everywhere in Mozambique), where I got asked for my passport (no bribe was asked for).
After settling into Ruby Backpackers (the counterpart to the one on Ilha), I set about buying a train ticket for the following day. The guy at the reception who I had talked to had freaked me out about the train station, apparently there were a lot of thieves and pickpockets about. He told me to be on the look out for people standing in line to buy a ticket, but not actually planning on buying a ticket, and that even with my cross-body handbag I should be worried because there would be guys who would just slash the strap and take it. I was very nervous to say the least, but I couldn’t walk around Mozambique without my passport (too much hassle from police) and I couldn’t leave my phone behind because I needed it for directions.
There was only entrance into the train station, and there were several chapas and lots of people just in front of it. Clutching my bag I walked in, but was met by security guards. After enquiring about tickets to Cuamba, they said I would have to wait until 4pm to buy the ticket. It was only 12:30pm. I made a bit of a fuss, pleased for a bit, tried to look worried/sad and asked if they could make an exception. It seemed to work because his colleague then told me I could come at 2pm. This seemed reasonable, so I agreed and went for a walk (to find food) in Nampula.
Nampula doesn’t have the attraction of a beach like Pemba, and Pemba without its beach is basically nothing … there really wasn’t much to see in the town, and there was a lack of restaurants about. The first place I did find didn’t have any vegetarian options (no matapa!). I continued walking along the main road for a while, it was super hot, I was very sweaty and people kept calling out to me, but I finally found a place that some rice and beans for 200 meticais ($3.70aud). I hung around there for a bit, keeping out of the sun and the eyes of everybody on the street (was getting sick of being stared at at this point), until it got close to 2pm, and set off for the train station again.
At one point on my walk I got stopped by two police officers who wanted to see my passport - the fourth time so far in Mozambique. I reluctantly gave it to them where they studied my visa. From what I had read online Mozambican police officers are notorious for checking your passport and then asking for a bribe to give it back. The younger police officer must have seen the concerned look on my face though and told me not worry (because I definitly had been). I got my passport back with no money exchanged, and they seemed friendly enough. I'm not sure why I haven't experienced any hassle from the police thus far (except for that one officer who checked my passport and wanted to know if I had a boyfriend ...) when I have read so many stories online.
This time when I arrived at the train station the guard let me through and pointed towards the direction of the ticket office. There was already a group of people milling about and waiting, so I sat and waited as well. After about 10 minutes, as if by some invisible cue, everyone assembled themselves into some sort of line near the ticket office window. Soon enough the window opened and they culd start buying tickets. I was very wary about the people around me, and kept a firm hold on my purse, but there didn’t seem to be any danger, except from people pushing and shoving to the front of the line.
There were two classes to choose from, second class and executive. I had done research online and from what I had gathered the top class sells out quickly and second class is uncomfortable and cramped, with the added risk of theft. I had decided I would buy the most expensive ticket no matter what the cost – if I was going to do a 12 hour train trip I wanted to be comfortable. This ended up being executive, which was only 600 meticais ($11.50aud). Second class cost about 205 meticas ($3.80aud). I bought my ticket and set off.
I had had a bit of trouble communicating with the guy in the ticket office, but from what I gathered from the (Portuguese written) signs, I would need to be at the train station at 3am to board (why so early Mozambique??). I organised a taxi to collect me at 3am and was asleep by 8:30pm the night before.
My taxi was of course 20 minutes late, but I made it to the station, walked into a puddle, and went to the very first carriage on the train, “executive”. I had peeked into second class as I walked by and it didn’t look too bad, they had proper seats, it just looked very busy and full. I probably would have survived there, but just have been paranoid the whole time.
The offending picture
Executive was a surprise however. The seats were cushioned, it was clean and there were only two other women in the whole carriage! I got two seats to myself, and by the time we left Nampula, there were less than 10 people in the carriage, which could carry over 50. This was nice though, and very pleasant in comparison to the crowded and packed chapas. I had leg room, could stretch, and didn’t need to worry about my things being stolen.
The distance between Nampula and Cuamba is about 350km and it took us just over 12 hours to reach. We did stop several times to let people on and off, but on average we were only going 30km per hour. It was a very, very slow trip. I had my snacks (raisons and grapes) and my music, plus the scenery was nice so I was content. The journey was pretty uneventful except for when I got told off for taking a photo on the train. I couldn’t quite understand his Portuguese, but I did quickly gather that no photography was allowed. But I got my picture of the train so I wasn’t too fussed. I later got told off again however by a different man, this time I had just opened up Snapchat and he had mistaken it for me trying to take a picture. It was all quite odd – it’s just a train? A Mozambican mystery.
Every time the train stopped, people would run up to the windows selling their goods ... fresh produce, live chickens, drinks and snacks ....
It was a
bit over 4pm when we arrived at the station in Cuamba. I was very impressed by the
efficiency of the train. This happens occasionally in Africa, when I am so used
to poor public transport that I am shocked when there is actually a decent and
timely (okay – 30km per hour might not be that timely, but there were no
unexpected delays). way of getting somewhere. We left on time, arrived on time,
and didn’t break down! Plus the train was pretty clean, and there was security
on board. Definitely worth the 600 meticais and certainly much better than
taking a chapa the whole way.
From the
train station I walked the 750m to the Pensao Sao Miguel, a hotel where they
charge $35aud for a room with no running water. After settling in I went to
search for food from the restaurant the next door. I waited an hour to be
served rice, matapa and some okra and tomato. It was pretty decent food though
and I was starving, but I really just wanted to go to bed. I was asleep by 8pm
that night, and woke up at 4:30am the next day to catch a chapa to Malawi!
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