Zanzibar: Days 31-35

Real beds with real sheets
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To get to Dar Es Salaam, we drove for 2, 12 hour days.  We crossed into Tanzania were the visa purchase works by you putting a US $50 bill into your passport and they giving you a stamp.  Upon cross many of us went to the nearest hut/booth/shanty to purchase a new SIM card for our phones ~5000 tsh = $4.   Many of these "stores" are made out of any material that can be found, old boxes, tin, leaves... We happily discovered that calling home cost 400tsh/minute= less than $.40/minute.

tea for three on the Spice tour
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Dar Es Salaam is the launch point for the Zanzibar Ferry.  It's a 2 hour ferry costing about $25/each way, and takes you into Stone Town, a conservative Muslim town that has been the center for trading since the Arabs sailed on Dhow boats. It's was also the center for the slave trade, where many Africans were brought from Malawi, Tanzania, the Congo, amongst others, to be sold off in the European Market.  Walking around Stone Town is like a trip back in time, with small alleyways and hidden stall shops.  The architectural influence is a mix between Indian and Arab.  Even the large wooden door are intricately carved with large brass studs decorating them (round tops are India style, square are Arab).

Relaxing, magical and entertaining for all who like the easy life.

Kandwa Beach
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Our first day there was spent in Stone Town, walking through the ancient alley's awing at the markets and $1/hour internet stalls (please note, I hesitate to call them cafe's because they are more rows of internet cubicles). By the way, cover up those shoulders and ankles, though you may not be Muslim, it is only respectful to follow suit in this part of the island.  You can take it all off once you get to the beaches in the North and East.   Once on the Island we had the opportunity to break off and do our own thing, but we agreed to meet for a sunset drink over looking the triangular sail boats and local boys playing in the water.

Sunset
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We anxiously waited for the sun to go down as that's when the night Market's come out.  As if appearing from nothing seafood stands, rows of painting venders, wooden Masai dealers turn up and the bargaining begins. The best time to bargain is when you have no interest in buying anything.  We had a great time, haggling down prices and then walking away to get it even lower.  Plus the food was great.  Make sure to buy from a vender than a local is eating at, especially where a women eats at, they tend to be cleaner.  In fact, some of the time we would ask the women which fish kebabs they intended to purchase, or which Zanzibar pizza they liked.  I (tovah) tried to stay away from the meat, cause you really don't know.  With our bellies full and our pocket's empty we headed back to the hotel to sleep in REAL beds with REAL sheets and a bathroom actually in the room and not across a dark campsite.

Piet just getting his feet wet
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Zanzibar is also known for the spices plantations run by the British back in the day.  Our group took a Spice Tour on the way to the north part of the island.  We learned about curry, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves, pepper... what each plant looks like, how the spices are harvested and got to taste them. Additionally, we saw how pineapples are grown, I thought it would be from a tree, it's from the top of a pine looking bush.  1 pineapple to 1 bush.  Two locals demonstrating how to climb a coconut tree for us, using only some twine wrapped around their feet. After some lemon-grass, masala and ginger tea, we headed north down Zanzibar's bumpy roads to Kendwa Beach.

Kendwa beach was a little slice of heaven, as most of the beaches are on Zanzibar.  The Sunset hotel was right on the beach. Our rooms had wooden beds draped with mosquito nets and turquoise sheets to match the water.  Down a few coral steps was the sand and about 100 meters out was the water. Turquoise blue, warm and refreshingly salty. The sand, all white, and soft.  This went on for miles.

In the morning, Wendy and I would run down the beach, until the water hit the cliff and then back, trying not to step on any sharp coral. We’d watch some of the locals coming in from line fishing, walking towards the hotels to sell their catch.  In the afternoons, we’d find a nice hammock to gently sway in and finish our books.  The biggest decision of the days was whether to get a henna tattoo or a massage from the local beach women, about $4/30 minutes.  The evenings were occupied by sunset strolls and trying to get the best sunset shot, sometimes with an old wooden boat, sometimes with a lobster pot shadowed in the corner.

I spent one day was spent on the back of Andrew’s rented dirt bike.  We explored the north beaches with Roosh following on his rented moped.  All was fun and games until Roosh got hurt.  After that it was back to beach laying.

As you can imagine it was very sad to leave Zanzibar.  Relaxing, magical and entertaining for all who like the easy life.  I can still feel the warmth of the water, just floating along with the waves, and see the color of the white coral sand as it covered our toes. As we went to the ferry we found out that these overland tours are really not for everyone.

One of the group members decided to stay and not continue with the rest of the tour.  Many travelers are used to their independence and we respect Russel for his decision, frankly I didn’t want to leave Zanzibar either.  While I have enjoyed this overland tour and in Africa found it a very convenient way to travel, I can see how the organization of it can be overwhelming and is not for the traveler who doesn’t like to be told when they are leaving, what time dinner is, and on what day they will be where.  Best of luck to Russel on his future travels.