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Published: January 15th 2010
After an easy border crossing we arrived in Tanzania and before long, Dar Es Salaam. Now the original plan was to take the ferry across to Zanzibar as soon as we arrived. The ferry was leaving at 4 and the bus reached Dar at 3:30pm so we had 30mins (for those that struggle with time). As soon as we got off the bus we were greeted by touts all owning a taxi and funnily enough all owning a boat. Now at the time we were quite tired but really wanted to get the last boat, so we went with the first taxi offered. A price was agreed and they even organized tickets for the last ferry.... Yep.. Silly idea! We arrive near the docks and get taken to an office behind a dodgy looking bar and already tickets were being made up for us and it looked like we were going to catch the next boat... Get in! The total cost for the ferry was 106'000Tanzanian Shillings(TSH) ($90). Now the slightly larger man, decorated in gold (Don King's Brother), told me it was 58'000TSH so I gave him 60'000. I then learn it's 58k each. So I give him another 60....
rather than just 50. We get our tickets and who would have guessed it...we've missed the boat. At this point we come out of our tired like state and realize that we were never really going to catch the last Boat. So we head back to Mr King and he knows the boat has left. “Well you now have tickets for the morning”. Sadly for him this wasn't good enough for us so he eventually returns our money...... 106'000TSH. We walk away pleased to have our cash back until we get to the hotel and realize that we have 10'000 missing. Z realized that it was because I gave him 60,000 twice! So we primed the guns and headed back with little hope. We were greeted and we explain the error of his/ our ways. It's completely ridiculed and denied. How could he possibly have made a mistake. I've heard enough, the finger comes out and I'm reaching over the table at Don.
“Check your chest pocket”, I've spotted a load of cash. “CHECK IT!”.
He tells me he had 40'000 in his pocket this morning and still has 40'000 in his pocket.
“Show me!”, I demand, finger and arm
Crap Ahoy!
This boat was loaded with anything and everything. It really should have sank but didn't.now fully extended. Sure enough, he pulls out his 40'000 that turns out to be 50... “I'll take that thank you”. He apologises and never ever ever thought he had an extra 10'000 in his pocket... never ever.
After retrieving the cash we turn on our heals and head towards the dock in the hope of buying a real ticket, the one that our Lonely Planet Bible has advised us to purchase. On arrival at the ticket “area” we're offered trips and tickets because everyone has a boat, everyone has a boat company and before long we're surrounded by at least 6 people. All boat owners with companies. We're shipped from pillar to post everyone promising us the ticket we've read about but all adding fake taxes and extra costs onto the price... That's one of the reasons it's difficult to get around Africa when not part of a tour. After a scuffle between the touts Zuzana screams as loud as she can... Silence! “Just take us to the ~#*&£* right office”.
We have their attention. They lead us to the “Flying Horse” ticket office finally and we're met by Bashir from Pakistan who tells us that every single
one of the men out there are idiots. We agree and purchase tickets for 54'000TSH in total. Job done!
In the morning, at 11, we board the boat and settle down to a game of cards. We decided not to take the travel sickness pills. I for one don't get sea sick and the boat wasn't moving on the water at all. 5Mins later, we leave the safety of the dock and we're in the open ocean.... Oh god.. while docked we thought it wise to indulge in a very greasy samosa each. Within 2mins we turn to each other..... White as sheets. Seconds later we're outside and have taken a travel sickness pill each. It takes 1whole hour for the pills to kick in. During this time, my head is resting on my arm with my eyes shut, leaning against the side of this bucking vessel. Zuzana was sat on some steps about 10ft away... head in the same position. Motion sickness is the worst especially if the motion is a grueling 4.5hrs long. We almost make the hour but tragically Zuzana staggers to where I'm standing, other passengers move backwards to avoid the recoil from the ocean
breeze and sure enough... 1 Down. Zuzana now officially hates Samosas!! I feel even worse at this stage but just manage to hold on before that dopey feeling kicks in. My head feels light and my speech starts to slur. I've made it... the happiness that is the traveling pill. Soon I'm flying above the ocean on a green and orange butterfly and am now an elf! These pills are Slovak and the doses are very strong but very effective!!
After a slightly spaced 4.5hr journey, we arrived at the Honeymooners Island that is Zanzibar. With it's poetic Arabic streets and side alleys, the quaint little shops and of course the beaches it really is a two week holiday destination. We checked into Flamingo Guest house and the room was just great. There were no hot showers but the sweaty weather made the cool water very welcome. We spent lots of time in Stone Town, the tourist quarter of Zanzibar town. We found a lovely beach front cafe called Archipelegos that we frequented for their amazing char grilled Calamari with salad and sweet chili sauce. We spent hours at a time watching the sunset and playing cards before taking
walks into the night market. It seemed like all we had been doing was eating but the night market was an amazing mix of all sorts of food and drinks. There were freshly squeezed sugar cane juice infused with Ginger and Limes, all the seafood you could possibly fit on a skewer and BBQ's as far as the eye could see. We ventured here every night to spend at least $5 filling our bellies. Stone Town was a very romantic place and although it was not massive we did spend lots of time meandering and navigating through the windy streets. It was very relaxing popping in and out of the shops, buying paintings and other such trinkets.
We managed to drag ourselves away from this poetic labyrinth and ventured to the northern side of Zanzibar, Nungwe. Our accommodation wasn't fantastic but the beach was the most beautiful I'd ever seen. The sand was like icing sugar, an almost perfect white and it crunched just like fresh snow. So far the most beautiful beach I've been to on earth. In the evenings we ventured out for a sunset walk and took some cracking pictures of ladies fishing and kids playing.
Inside St Josephs
This Church was built on top of the Slave Market main square. After our stroll we'd find a beach restaurant and sit watching the sun go down with a beer and our books. We could have been writing the blog... be we didn't... and the lord was pleased with our choice. Dinner would consist of fresh fish caught just hours earlier. We were even able to choose which piece of fish as the chef had all the little blighter's on a fancy plate. He then briefly seasoned and then BBQ'd for us to devour. It was idyllic.
We stayed in Zanzibar for around 5 days. It was getting close to my Birthday and we decided to spend it in a place called Moshi. Moshi sits at the base of Mt.Kilimanjaro. We took a bus from Dar after a travel pill fueled overnight boat trip from Zanzibar without Vomitus.
Moshi wasn't a special part of the world but the view we had of the mountain was spectacular. For my Birthday Zuzana sneaked out and bought two slices of carrot cake with enormous candles in the middle and sang Happy Birthday. Once the waxed carrot cake had been consumed we went to a bloody lovely cafe and had some 'proper' coffee with
Thought Provoking Sculptures
This was commemorated as a memory to all those that passed through here. a salami bagel and accompanying strawberry milkshake. While dining, we were treated to a 15minute concert as a young NGO employee came and had a tinkle on the ivories in the corner. It was beautiful and has now become one of my goals when we return. I did feel a sudden desire to be home surrounded by my family and friends, Slovakian and Old Blighty, when this girl was playing. It took me back to the land of clean water and home comforts. The traveler in me had yet to be discovered. Then we took a walk around the town and met the locals as we always did. There's wasn't much to do but we were really there just for the mountain.
One moment that really stuck in my mind was that it hit about 37degrees that day and as we were walking back to the hotel from the bus station, we passed an oldish man (about 50 in Africa) pushing at least 150kg of rice up a hill in a makeshift wheel barrow.. The wheel being a log section covered in tree rubber. He only had perished flip-flops to get purchase from the road and could barely lift
his load. Now in Africa, those that beg are not that as poor as those that stay silent and are too proud to ask, often, you're asked for something for nothing. Well this was one of the exceptions. I ran down the road to a little bar while Zuzana waited for me on the hill. I ran back armed with the coldest Coka Cola known to man and stopped the gentleman. He stared at me, sweat pouring from his tired head. “Here, this is for you”, again just a stare. Zuzana stopped a passer by and asked him to translate that this bottle of Cola is for him. He finally took the bottle, still stunned and drank heartily. I wanted him to know that his efforts were appreciated. Maybe not by those he was working for, but from those that are outside looking in. Visitors from another world reminding him that life is indeed full of surprises. After charging him at a 26% profit margin, on top of recycle tax, we headed home. 3days later and we headed off to Malawi.
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Nienke
non-member comment
I'm figuring out your blog, but already see beautiful pictures! Really nice! Me and Rox are back home since last saturday and it's cold here!! Ok, I'm gonna read the stories, hopefully everything is still going perfect. Love Nienke (Holland)