Tofo Beach is a little piece of paradise on the turquoise waters of the Indian ocean – the Mozambican channel – dividing mainland Africa from Madagascar. It is nestled in between white sand dunes and forests of palm trees and although it’s a popular tourist spot it offers clean and almost empty, lonely beaches. Lucky Karo had the honour to spend one amazing, colourful, sunny, relaxing, sparkling, splashing and “nutty” month in this incredibly beautiful, slow and sleepy former fishing village.

If Karo had to dedicate a certain smell or taste to Tofo she would have NO difficulty to do so. For Karo it’s obvious! For Karo Tofo tastes and smells like COCONUT. Certainly that is a great thing because Karo finds coconuts really awesome! Really really awesome and really really yummy! Karo fell in love! Karo fell in love with coconuts and with Tofo. One could say Karo became a real “NUTcase” in Tofo (coconuts, cashewnuts, peanuts) others could say that she was that even before … Whatever the truth is, in a NUTshell, with nuts in the morning, nuts in the evening and with all the fresh fruits (pineapples, tangerines, passion fruits, papayas, avocados, oranges, bananas) Karo was in a culinary paradise and she so enjoyed it, but of course, Tofo has more to offer than healthy, natural and yummy treats for the tummy. In fact, Tofo has MUCH more to offer.

 

 

 

WHAT IS IT THEN?

Well, to be precise, there is not much happening IN Tofo itself, but there is a lot happening AROUND Tofo. To be clear – OCEAN-CLEAR – a lot is happening in the waters around Tofo and that’s what most people come for. Tofo is a mecca for underwater-maniacs, ocean-lovers and marine-life enthusiasts. It is amongst the best diving destinations in the world with whalesharks, manta rays, whales, dolphins and sharks as a common sight. Karo saw with her own eyes that Tofo’s good reputation in the diving world is not without reason. Truly, Tofo’s marine life is absolutely stunning, mind-blowing, breath-taking (literally) but Karo will not explain any further because there isn’t anything more to say since she is still speechless by the beauty of her underwater and surface water experiences!

Karo was particularly lucky. Karo was particularly lucky because when she was in Tofo it was “humpback whale season”. Every year the beautiful and fascinating giants migrate from the cold waters around Antarctica to the warm waters of the Mozambican channel to give birth to hundreds of baby-humpback-whales. The happy baby whales turned out to be very acrobatic in nature – below and above surface – and entertained the whole Tofo with their jumping, waving and swimming on their Mummy’s backs … So cute and so fascinating!

As if baby-humpback whales and a generally insanely rich marine life wouldn’t already be enough, Tofo has even more to offer. Adventures in Tofo happen not only underneath the ocean’s surface, but also on top of it since Tofo is a very popular destination for surfers. Waves, waves, waves are found pretty much around the clock and to be precise that’s why Karo came to Tofo. Exactly, Karo came to Tofo because she wanted to exchange for one month her saddle underneath her bum with a surfboard underneath her legs. Karo wanted to learn surfing. Karo planned to come to Tofo to learn surfing.

Karo very rarely plans, but in that case she did it. Karo rarely plans because most of the time when Karo plans something, things turn out COMPLETELY different. Luckily most of the time it’s a good thing. So, guess WHAT happened? Exactly, her surfing plans never got materialized, or to put it correctly, they only got started and Karo has to finish elsewhere …

and she will!

 

 

SO, WHAT HAPPENED?

Karo enjoyed three fun-thrilled, exciting, splashing, adrenalin-full days on Tofo’s awesome waves and then she very badly hurt her leg. Ironically it happened not on the surfboard. Karo was pushing her limits with other kinds of workout and Karo pushed a little too hard … she pushed a little beyond her limits and that’s why she ended up having a ligamental strain in her right foot. And so it happened that the three remaining weeks of her stay Karo didn’t spent riding waves, but limping around Tofo. Luckily, Karo is very flexible. She is usually very relaxed when plans don’t work out the way she wants (because she is so used to it) and besides that “IT IS HOW IT IS” so WHY being negative about it. She knows, the time will come when she exchanges her saddle underneath her bum with a surfboard underneath her legs and she is already looking forward to that … 🙂

WHAT DID KARO DO THEN … in her invalid state?

Lots of things because Karo has no clue what boredom is. She knows how to spell it, but she has no idea what it essentially means. Seriously, even if you would lock her in a tiny room with nothing but herself, she would be totally fine with it. She would probably meditate or count her freckles … WHATEVER, but she wouldn’t be bored! While her right foot rested Karo was busy. Karo was busy being fulfilled. Karo’s days were fully filled with quality time …

And NO, she was not just eating and cracking coconuts although that was pretty hard work as well. Karo was also writing a blog (EXACTLY, the thing what YOU are reading just now), she was playing her harmonica, she was drawing, she was relaxing on the beach, she went diving, she was watching acrobatic humpback whales from her balcony, she was studying Portuguese (mas ela nao fala bem porque esta língua é muito díficil para estudar …), she was exploring mainland Tofo in turtle-speed (because of her limping), she was making new two- and four-legged friends and she was giving full body massages to her four-legged barking friends with whom she shared her house …

Yes, Karo really enjoyed Tofo and she couldn’t believe how quickly the time passed. For Karo Tofo started to feel like a home and that’s why Karo was very sad, when she eventually had to say GOODBYE …