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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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High expectations today - off to Zanzibar for four nights, three in the north of the island and one in Stone Town to the south.
Our trip leader had arranged for the camp site staff bus to take us to the ferry port for us to cross from the peninsular back to the main part of Dar. The bus was pretty ramshackle and we couldn't quite work out why one of the staff was riding with us in the back of the bus until we got to the port and the door dropped off. Turned out his job was to hold the door on whilst travelling.
We travelled across to Zanzibar with around a thousand boxed live chickens - the sort they feed live to the snakes at Snake Park so more a holiday by the seaside for them than an animal rights issue really.
When we got there we needed to go through passport control even though Zanzibar is technically part of Tanzania and then got a taxi up to the hotel. What a pleasant surprise. After the flea pit of the nice before, the place we've come to is a real delight. Nice rooms, fans, mossie nets, big showers, it's great. And at only 20$ per person per night, its a bargain. right on the beach with beautiful Indian Ocean water.
Darren, the trip leader warned us to watch out for the sea urchins which was accurate but unhelpful. What he should have done was warned us to wear lead boots like deep sea divers. First time in the sea I got spines in both feet and two of the others in the group also got spined.
As I limped manfully and hugely bravely back to the hotel I came across some locals who insisted on fetching the local doctor and from nowhere, James turned up. He turned out to be the local bush doctor and proceeded to squeeze and poke the spines like you would a splinter and then applied a combination of pawpaw paste and lighter fuel to the spines. He promised they would stop hurting within five minutes, which they did and that they would disappear overnight.
So anyway, next morning it was out with the needle and tweezeers!
To be fair to James though, I needed the needle and tweezers for the spines we'd missed the previous day. The ones he treated were fine.
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Update Friday, 21st December
We have just had three lovely days in the north of the island at Amaan Hotel at Nungwei, followed by an overnight stay at the Safari Lodge Hotel in Stonetown. It cost us $15 per person in Stonetown - and even that was a rip off. The hotel room was clean enough but felt damp and Stonetown itself, although a World Heritage Sight, is a bit of what can only be called a dump. For a far better experience, have a look at The Africa Hotel which has a great terrace and bar over-looking the sea
We went out to Mercurys for dinner last night, a restaurant themed on Freddie Mercury from Queen who was born here and lived here for about three weeks before moving abroad. Vastly over-priced, and poor quality. We should have known really. It was recommended to the group by nineteen year old Australians (its always Australians) who think culture is a six pack on the beach.
Come to think of it, so does Rachael, the first person in the group to score. She was caught out coming back to her room at six in the morning because Annette was outside recovering from her seasickness from a boat trip we had done the previous day.
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Well thatès it. Finally managed to upload some photos from an internet cafe. Sorry if they are a bit dark, they seem to lose some of the brightness in the compression process but at least youèll have a flavour of what happening out here.
Off to the ferry back to Dar es Salam.
Cheers
Dave and Annette
previous travel blog entryComments or Questions for the Author
WEendy and John says:
So that's what hotfooting it to somewhere means!!!!!
WEendy and John says:
Helful hints and tips How to Treat a Sea Urchin Sting Have you ever been on a dive where you accidentally placed your hand on a sea urchin? Here is how to treat a sting given by a sea urchin. [edit] Steps 1. Remove the spines that you receive from the urchin. This will hurt, but it is necessary in order for it to start the healing process. It is imperative that you take them out fast in order to reduce the pain and get most of the spine out. 2. Cover the affected area with vinegar once you get out of the water. Soak a lint-free towel in vinegar and hold it on there as long as possible. 3. Soak it in hot water for as hot as you can tolerate. It will ease the pain and help to relieve soreness on the following day. Put vinegar on it again. 4. When you go to bed, wrap the area that was stung with a lint-free towel, soaked in vinegar. Wrap the towel in plastic wrap and tape it so it stays on through the night. 5. Only 10 or less sea urchins are poisonous but there are a few deadly ones. [edit] Tips * You will not get the entire spine out, no matter how much you try. Do not dig into the skin with a pin or any type of needle. You can continue your dive because it will not need treatment immediately. * The sting will hurt, but in the majority of cases, it is not necessary to seek medical attention! In some cases you may not even be able to bend your joint, if you were stung in that area. However, if you feel as though it is necessary, then do seek attention. * Sea urchins inject a small amount of venom when stinging, but the amount is negligible to cause any serious injury if you are only stung by one urchin. * The more you keep vinegar on the area that was stung the better off you will be. * The spines in your skin will dissolve on their own. Do not dig at them to get them out. It is completely normal to have them in your skin.
Lemmings72 says:
Glad the hotels better, sounds like you are having a plucking good time!
WEendy and John says:
See above in case it happens again and no bush doctors are available. Hint....buy vinegar whenever you can.
little_miss_meggie says:
dad, thats just manky