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Discovering the True Meaning of Following Your Heart: The Story of Jörg

Just the other week, I met Jörg, a man who answered the question many of us ask ourselves: What does it mean to do something for the first time? Over 10 years ago, Jörg left his well-paying job in Germany, got on his bike, and embarked on an incredible journey south. We crossed paths on a remote island in Southeast Africa, in a forgotten Portuguese town that many call a hidden gem in the Indian Ocean.

Why I Traveled to Mozambique During the Tanzanian Elections

As you might have read in my earlier posts, I’ve been traveling through Africa for a while. With the Tanzanian elections approaching—a potentially chaotic event, especially for Zanzibar—we decided to head south into Mozambique. We were eager to explore this beautiful land, rich with hidden mysteries.

Coming from Europe and Morocco already felt like entering a different world, but Tanzania was something else entirely. Mozambique, however, was a whole new level. A country shaped by colonial struggles and civil war, it had to rebuild itself from the ground up in the 1990s, with much of its infrastructure left in ruins.

The Journey from Pemba to Ibo Island: Off the Beaten Path

We flew into Pemba, where not much had changed in the past four years, aside from further decay. From there, we took a local bus—like all buses in Mozambique, it inexplicably left at 4:30 a.m., and spent hours driving around town in hopes of picking up more passengers. In Mozambique, buses have no schedule; if you need to be somewhere, you better be at the station early.

Our journey took us on a five-hour overland trip, half on tarmac and half on dusty dirt roads. We passed only a few sparse settlements in a bone-dry landscape, with leafless trees and no sign of greenery. Eventually, we arrived at a small village by the ocean, though at low tide, the water was nowhere to be seen—just an expanse of mangroves.

We had to wait for the tide to catch our ferry, a local dhow. After an hour-long ride, we arrived at our destination: the island of Ibo, part of the Quirimba Archipelago in Quirimba National Park.

Ibo Island: Mozambique’s Forgotten Gem

Ibo Island, once the Portuguese capital of northern Mozambique, was an important stop along the Portuguese spice route. But after the capital was moved to Pemba, the world seemed to forget about Ibo. Today, it’s a place filled with ancient ruins, crumbling forts, and sand-covered roads—a lost paradise if you know where to look.

Some of these old buildings have been lovingly restored by new owners, turning ruins into something beautiful again. That’s where I met Jörg.

Jörg’s Journey: From Germany to Mozambique by Bike

Jörg and a friend of his left Germany more than a decade ago, cycling through the Balkans, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and finally Mozambique, eventually reaching South Africa. The trip took two years, with long stops in between. During their journey, they discovered Ibo Island, where they witnessed a solar eclipse and fell in love with the place. They knew they had to return.

How Miti Miwiri Came to Be: A Labor of Love

After completing their 12,000-kilometer journey, Jörg and his friend returned to Ibo two years later. They bought a dilapidated ruin, surrounded by two massive trees, which inspired the name of their guesthouse, Miti Miwiri (“two trees”). Today, Miti Miwiri is one of the finest accommodations on the island. It took two years of hard work to restore the building, but they transformed it into a beautiful guesthouse that now draws visitors from around the world.

Follow Your Heart and Live Your Dream

Jörg and his friend broke free from convention, choosing not to do what was expected of them, but rather to follow their hearts. In the process, they found passion, love, and purpose in a forgotten corner of the world. Friends and family thought they were crazy, but now those same people visit Ibo for vacation. Yes, they’ve faced challenges, but they live their dream, guided by their inner calling.

So, do you have an inner calling? Listen to it.

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