Rain.

The morning is spent reading and relaxing in the house, and when Artur arrives, we decide to go with him to Inhambane to get some fuel and money, and check the flight situation for Tuesday. The rain makes driving on the sand a different experience – sometimes easier, sometimes harder. The road from Barra to the Tofo junction is more vibrantly red in the rain, and the car is getting covered in clay.

In town, everything is closed. We stop by a small bakery but leave without buying anything. We get the fuel and cash, and head for the airfield. The terminal seems to be about the busiest place in Inhambane, woth around a dozen people crammed into the small room. A LAM representative tells us the flight time is 5pm on Tuesday and the cost is around 4,000 meticals. I’m not sure precisely because I tuned out a bit after he said ‘four thousand’. That’s at least £120.

So, plan B. Turns out Artur is also going to Maputo on Tuesday, to coincide with us leaving, but is driving all the way in his company land rover. We promptly invite ourselves along for the ride.

Back at the house, the rain is getting heavier and the roof is starting to leak a bit. We break out the emergency Monopoly set, and after two games, both of which Nick wins, I’m beginning to think my age-old ‘land rush’ strategy needs updating. We discuss possible improvements to the game, such as earning interest on money placed on long term deposit at the bank, or being able to mortgage property to other players as well as the bank.