To be fair I have seen 4 year olds with machetes. It’s an essential tool. What makes this moment special is 6 men with machetes in hand are walking towards us with serious intent. Its tricky timing as I am busy cutting onions for dinner. Emma has to be fed within 20 minutes of stopping her run for the day, I’m not sure about the reasoning for this but that is the thing that must be done. We are rushing, a little late, as we couldn’t find a good spot at the right mileage. I don’t have time now to chat to men with machetes.
Woocash and Robert are busy with the fire and setting up the campsite and get to watch their approach with rising concern. We had driven 100 metres off the road to an area of trees to hide Cleopatra but hiding a large 4×4 with a bright yellow bumper is tricky. And they probably saw us drive off the road and across the field.
As they arrive into our camp I turn round to greet them. It has to be me, Robert and Woocash don’t speak Portuguese. There’s a little tension in the air. After a friendly greeting, I go on to tell them why we are there, their faces relax into smiles. I guess they didn’t want to fight either.
The leader asks our names. “Woocash” says Woocash. Its caught the leader out. “Eh?” “Woocash”
“Woo… Woo?”
“Woocash” This looks like it’s going to go on for some time.
An exasperated voice behind the leader bursts out: “Woocash!” There is the definite tone of “you blithering idiot”.
I grin inside, it doesn’t matter what the culture, the emotions younger people feel at times for their elders are the same across the world.
Happily, the food is ready for Emma and Mike when they arrive. Emma has just run her furthest distance of the journey. 73 kilometres! In fact, Emma is feeling so good, she tells us to go ahead tomorrow to Pemba, to prepare for her arrival. They will be there in a couple of days!
*****
Number of Days: 87
Total distance run by Emma: 3838 km, 2384 miles
Daily average distance run by Emma (including rest days): 44.1 km, 27.4 miles
Distance run today: 73.17 km, 45.46 miles
Head over Heels 2014 
Godspeed to you!!! That watermelon looks delicious….be careful and aware at all times
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Thank you for your care. Everyone we met in the rural areas was lovely and friendly. Only in the one city we had a near miss with a knife robbery in our hostel. I was in the shower, whilst someone in the next room fought off a knife attack!
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Wow…gotta be careful
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