Blogs from Pemba, Tanzania, Africa

Back on the road, after the North of Pemba, time to head to the Fundu Lagoon located in the South of the Island for some Robinson Crusoe experience! The Fundu Lagoon is a very special place, awarded best beach safari in Africa, a place to dream of pirates and treasure, and castaways while enjoying the surrounding nature & pristine silky beach. But just like a hidden jewel, the journey to this piece of Paradise isn’t quite an easy one and this even more in our case as we were coming from the exact opposite! From North to South, we were on for a three hours drive across the island (from airport, it takes about one hour) & as the resort is only accessible by boat although still located on the Pemba peninsula, an additional 25 mn ... read more

I had to wait for the rain to stop before fighting the gauntlet of safari touts. I hadn’t even reached Arusha yet but it began “Hello! Free Information! Free Help!” They’d say. “Don’t need your help mate” I’d reply. “Why Not?” “Because eventually you’ll say you know this Safari Company. You’ll bring out a business card…” This banter would continue until they’d give up following me as I walked on. This one guy followed me however (showed in his opinion) all the way to the bus I already knew of. He says he ‘doesn’t want any money’ but this is tourism in the Tanzanian mountains. I knew this would be the case so with this I decided to not double it up with Zanzibar Island instead going for the alternative and do Pemba Island. I heard ... read more

Switching off after 3 months South Sudan Oh to escape after 3 months trying to get stuff going, it was a pleasure to get on the plane out of Juba on the morning of 14th November and make it to Nairobi. Picked up from the airport by a good friend and driven to a lovely house in Karen, to eat good cheese and sit in civility surrounded by a green garden with flowers and trees full of birds, so very different from my tent in a dusty yard in Juba. I had one night in Nairobi before going back to the airport in the morning to meet my dive buddy who was flying in from the UK, before boarding a Precision Air flight for Zanzibar and then after a few hours wait another flight to paradise ... read more

The aircraft lined up on the end of the runway. The pilot was making sure that every inch of Pemba’s 5000ft runway was available to him. “Pemba tower, this is 5 hotel delta alfa kilo. Twenty six souls on board, destination Zanzibar, flight level two five” “Alfa kilo, Pemba tower, confirmed Zanzibar, flight level two five” The balding Pilot turned to his bald co pilot and said: “full brakes” “full brakes” Captain Tony Baxter eased the throttles forward and the twin Pratt and Whitney wasps spluttered and growled. He glanced at the oil pressure gauges. Waited some seconds and, seemingly satisfied nodded at the young first officer. “release brakes” he commanded. “release brakes” confirmed First officer Savic. With a very gentle roll. The aircraft bounced and wobbled forward. The wasps spluttered more, and Baxter’s knuckles were ... read more

When our Boeing 747-400 slammed down onto the runway at Heathrow, we were roused from our semi sleep. Cisca and I now had to get to Birmingham with all of our kit for the Birmingham Dive Show. We had enjoyed the US, but now it was time to get back to work. We spent two days talking to potential Pemba Divers and old friends who dropped by to say hello and sample our beer. When the show ended it was back on BA046 and yet another night flight to Dar es Salaam. BA were fine, but when we left terminal 5, we were sent to a gate with a bus. This was inspite of there being many aerobridge gates free. "Oh well, no fuss" I thought, I don't mind busses. We waited and waited in the ... read more