Traveling Without Trust – Up The Garden Path?

A local guy had been friendly, showing me the right place to catch a bus to Tofo and then offering to take me to Tofinho. I want to believe, had to believe that he was genuine and his motives weren’t leading me “up the garden path”.

There were many thoughts flashing through my head as we headed along the beach. Older woman with a younger guy, “oh what a cliché we must look like”, “why is he doing this?”, “is he thinking I am his chance to gain some money?” “does he think I’m his ticket out of poverty?”

After he makes a phone call, I’m wondering if this is a set up for a mugging, is he leading me into a trap?  I have to trust my instincts and seek to pick up a vibe off of him that isn’t threatening.

He asks if he can take a photo of me and invites me to come and visit where his family live. The amount of delicious and abundant coconuts that can be found there are the enticement he uses. I pass his invitation off by saying I am supposed to be meeting with a friend.

His English is basic so conversation is minimal although we do share a few jokes.  We reach Tofinho unscathed apart from a rip in my skirt where it got snagged on some rocks as we climbed.  It’s a lovely walk along a pretty rocky coastline, no swimming here but awesome rolling waves.

We head back to Tofo along the road and he leaves me suddenly once we find somewhere for me to get coffee.  That’s it! As quickly as it began the interlude with a local is over.

And how do I feel? Relief to a certain degree, but a sense of loss as well.  Was that an adventure opportunity missed? A harmless chance to discover more about the Mozambicans.

I hate the sense of doubt, the having to question everything, the not being able to trust that comes with traveling.

I will never know whether he was simply a genuine, friendly person relieving a bit of boredom by proudly showing a stranger how nice Mozambicans are.

But hindsight is a safe place so in my mind I will believe Fernando is that guy.