Safari: Tanzania - Zanzibar, Monday 2022 November 14

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Last night I fell asleep at 9:40 while typing! Thus, this morning I was chipper at 5:50. I sat on the tiny porch of my chalet and drank hot water while reading. At 7:00, I walked over for breakfast, to the consternation of the waiter. Vegetable omelet and toast, accompanied by delicious little cinnamon buns. I am eagerly looking forward to visiting the spice farm tomorrow.

A long walk on the beach – on the Indian Ocean! Calm, warm surf washed over my feet and ankles. Details of birds and shells attracted my eye, but I took photos blind, because the sun washed out the camera screen. All along the beach are resorts such as this one; we may be the only customers at ours.

Dipping in the ocean was essential. The water was very shallow, and I didn’t want to go out too far, since no one really knew where I was. I just leaned back on my hands, covered in the warm salty waves, feet floating. Sea weed floated around me – a fairly short wide grass. The tide was going out, so I paddled back towards shore occasionally.

After I got out and tidied up, I was told that one of our group was going home today. Culture shock caught up with him; it has been a burden to him the whole trip. We all had an early lunch together as a farewell. The menu was fish and chips. Not the British kind: a whole white grouper each, deeply scored and grilled. Delicious! The chips were good too – crisp and naturally sweet.

In the later afternoon, I went into the ocean again. The water was even warmer – about the temperature for washing my face. The tide was coming in, stronger than in the morning. Afterwards, I walked the other direction along the beach, gazing at some fellows flying a kite. Local fishing boats were at anchor. Lots of seaweed was strewn in tide lines on this wider stretch of sand. Finally, I swam lazy lengths in the pool.

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Photos

View from my patio
... as I relax in the serene warm air

My chalet
Golden Clove Resort

View from dining room
Always open for sitting and chatting

Frangipani
The most luscious I have ever seen!

Ixora
Vibrant colour in the green

Walking on the beach
Almost deserted

Indian Ocean
Looking north

Beach walk
Such a natural environment

Beach view
Looking south

Seaweed
Attractive shapes and designs

Seafront caves
Protection for small animals

Comments

[Hellen Asproloupos]

Sigh! Beautiful beach
Judith. I’ve not had the chance to Visit Tanzania / Zanzibar. Looks idyllic. Beach looks as gorgeous as Negril. Now I can give Chris a hard time about Jamaica having the best sand beaches. Looking forward to next posts. May 2024 bring many more adventures for you. Hellen.

[beentouring]

Beaches
Antiguans say they have the best beaches! I say, the best beach is the one you are on. A Canadian view no doubt.

[Isabel Gibson]

Another ocean - and a warm one! Lovely. I empathize with "screen washout" - it can be a real problem, but it seems that at least some of your shots worked out. I empathize also with your group member who hit his limit. Someone I know who went back and forth to Guatemala professionally (and whose Spanish and Mayan-language facility is excellent) used to say that after watching students come and go, she figured 3 weeks was about as long as people could (usually) be open to cultural/linguistic differences. After that, many people just found them annoying. I expect there's a natural range in this capacity (as in most things) and I'd like to think that we can learn to be more open, but it's a real thing and not any better if it's pushed down or treated dismissively. A good thing, i think, to do a "formal" farewell. I've seen people leave groups for various reasons, never to be acknowledged.

[beentouring]

Probably we do all have a limit, both for cultural interaction and in shear energy. Many tours are about three weeks long. Perhaps you have touched on the reason.