We left Malta early morning , flew Air Malta to Rome (about a six hour wait, so we got a Business Lounge). And on via Qatar Airlines to Doha. Here I found a way to upgrade our ticket to Business Class to Maputo - and I must say I thought that the Qatar Business Class was exceptionally good.
Arrived Maputo around 10.00 and got a visa on arrival - reasonably efficiently and expeditiously We were met and taken to the Southern Sun Hotel.
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At the Southern Sun Hotel, we had a room with a really nice view over the beach. The hotel itself is much what you would expect from a 4 star hotel in Africa. As it was the week before Christmas, one could not help but notice the Father Christmas was getting ready to do his rounds - the Boys were hoping that this year would be the year that he managed to find them.
There are issues that management needs to address. Rooms are a little tired, and service is hit and miss. The sea is dirty and you would not swim in it, nor would you want to sunbathe on the beach. There are not enough sun beds for the number of guests wanting them around the pool. But the view from a sea facing room is superb, so do go for a sea view room if staying here.
There are vast numbers of waiters around, but getting one of them to serve you is difficult. On one occasion 8 waiters studiously avoided eye contact, and in the end I went to the bar and got my own drinks
The breakfast buffet is very good. And is packed, by 8.30 getting a table was difficult. In contrast dinner was very quiet in the restaurant, I would think that prices are putting people off eating here in the evening.
Overall I thought that the hotel was expensive for what it had to offer. If staying in Maputo again I would research other hotels, but might still end up staying here again!
The name of the wine reminded the Boys of someone
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We had two nights here, and stayed in the hotel all the time, as there was not anything in Maputo to tempt us out. In addition we had had an email from Silverseas advising against walking the streets of Maputo.
Departure from the hotel was the sort of chaos that seems to ensue with Silversea hotel departures. We had been told we were leaving at 11.00 and had a letter to prove it. Everyone else seemed to have been told 14.00. We had checked out of our room at this stage, and after a deal of bad tempered negotiations we were told that 14.00 was the allotted time, but that we could have our room back till then.
So it was all aboard the bus, always the frisson of excitement that the driver may not know where he was going in the docks. And indeed so it proved to be. After the bus had been turned back from a couple of dock gates, we were eventually allowed in. A horde of functionaries then insisted we all open our luggage for an inspection of their contents, after which we were held in an airless shed for half an hour, until the ship grudgingly agreed to take its next contingent of passengers on board
We were straight into lunch and champagne on the swimming pool deck. And some hours later the ship sailed out of Maputo under the brand new Chinese built bridge - which did look very impressive, but given the standard of Chinese construction that we have seen in other parts of the world, one wonders how long it will last
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We sailed out under the splendour of the new Chinese bridge and on to the start of our new adventure