Well I was at a cross road in my travels to the beaches on the Indian Ocean. I was stuck in Tanga, Tanzania at 3 pm with either another 6 hr bus trip to Dar Salem, a night's stay in a big city and then a boat ride in the morning to Zanzibar. The other choice was to take a plane ride to Pemba (a sister island to Zanzibar which is more of a scuba diver's paradise than a traveller's mecca). But I thought what the heck I'll check out Pemba and then take a boat ride to Zanzibar. So I had to get the airport guy to take me to an ATM machine to get out 85000 TSH ($80) to fly to Pemba. Luckily I took out $200 dollars because as we were boarding the airport guy runs on the tarmac and says 1 of the pax didn't show up so I could go on to Zanzibar. I found out it was another $29 so I thought heck then I'll pass on Pemba. This would save me an expensive hotel in Chalka Chalka, Pemba and then a boat ride to Zanzibar.
Well got to Zanzibar and went to Stone Town where all the travellers stay. Stone Town really reminded me of Old Jersualem as the streets are narrow so no cars can drive on them. Only people, bikes and the idiots on motor bikes through the narrows pathways.
However most of the people are Muslim so it seemed very Arabic and reminded me of when I lived in Saudi Arabia and Oman. It was like deja vu to me as I could remember my years living in the Middle East.
I found Stone town a bit expensive but I did find a single room for $14 with with a bathroom. I would have taken a room without a bathroom if it was cheaper but there aren't any. It's definitely cheaper travelling with someone as you can split the cost of a room. Oh well, I guess $14isn't that much considering I got breakfast (all guesthouses and hotels provide breakfast).
I went down to the to the waterfront where they have a lot of food stalls and people selling their wares in the evening. I really enjoyed eating the octopus and other sea food with the chapatti, rice and fries. Not the most nourishing food but what the heck it tasted good. Plus a person had to wash it down with water or a cold beer. Speaking of beer, I wandered into a real nice bar overlooking the ocean in the hot after noon. It was called Mercury's and then I noticed that there were pics of Freddy Mercury. I didn't mind his music with Queen but not his outrageously flamboyant stage persona. I knew he was born in Africa but I thought it was Zimbabee but it was here in Stone town Zanzibar. He composed many international hits, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Killer Queen", "Somebody to Love", "We Are the Champions" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". He died of AIDS in 1991, just one day after having announced to the public that he had the disease.
It was strange to run into Katy and Mike who I volunteered with in the village of Kanyawegi. We weren't the best friends but it was good to talk and find out how they were doing as I haven't seen them for 3 weeks. I wasn't crazy about the touristy part of people trying to sell me stuff. So I decided to get out of town the next morning and go to a beach and hang out. It was dark going back to my hotel and I didn't really watch which alley way I took. So I must have spent 1/2 walking up and down dark alley ways looking for my hotel.
So in the morning I managed to book a week boat trip back to Tanga on the following Tues, thus avoiding going to Dar Salam. The cost of the ferry nearly floored me. It cost $50 on the ferry along with the airplane ride meant I spent about $160 for transportation.
It's hard to think of snow that's happening in Canada as it's really hot and humid here in Zanzibar! So I left Sonetown and took a bus to the north end of the island to Nunzwi which has a bunch of resorts. There are all a bit pricey but found out for $20 as I had to bargain to get the price for a single.
There are a lot of Europeans over for a 2 week vacation so the prices are OK for them but when you are travelling for longer you have to watch your money. But then I'm always careful with my money especially when I'm spending it on myself but when I buy things for others.
The beaches here are beautiful and nice to lay back and see. The price of the food in the resturants are expensive so I've eaten in the village with the locals. It's kind of peaceful and laidback just up my alley. If it wasn't for the tourist I could hang out here for a while. I was talking to a local who is trying to convince me to come here and start a business. It's tempting as it wouldn't cost much but at this time I'm not in a business thinking frame of mind. Heck I'm not even thinking have the time. They have some gunja from Malwi here but it's a bit overrated! But a person can just get off on the peace and beauty here!
I'm going to probably stay around for a couple days. Then I have to head back to Stone town to catch my once a week ferry back to Tanga. Then I'll catch a bust up to Mombasa (city in Kenya as Zanzibar is an old Arab island in Tanzania).
I may then head over to Nairobi for a day to meet John (Kenyan from Vancouver who set up our volunteering here in Kenya) for a day and return to Mombasa and head to a couple islands up the coast.
Anyway have to run and get some fiddles and get out in the sun as it's cooling down a bit for me to wander outside.
Keep in touch as I definitely plan to post some pics of the beautiful beaches and sights I've seen in the past week or 2.
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