Angry ladies, overflowed roads and good time

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After amazing time in Stone Town we headed to one of the nicest beaches in Zanzibar – Nungwi beach. On the way to Nungwi we passed many different villages and the locals were admiring us in the same way like we admired them. The road was quite good and calm to Nungwi compared what we are used to but actually we were expecting something different when we finally arrived to the beach resort. The car stopped on a super bad road and the surrounding invite us for a view that we didn’t expect for a resort area – many sheds which hasn’t be renovated for many years and still under constructor, the grass was uncut and the chickens walked around our tiny huts. But in the grass hats were quite clean and comfortable compare what we found outside. This is a simple and quite primitive accommodation but it didn’t worry us at all since we paid just 10.000Tsh (around 6 USD) per person. Actually we experienced the real African beach life since we needed to walk to the sea (maybe 1km) and get know the locals in the narrow streets which remained us a village with Stone Town spirit.

A dip in the crystal clear sea at the white sand beaches has been amazing, and we quickly fotgot our first hour impression of Nungwi. Many nice looking lodges and pubs invited us for a great view for the sunset and few cold drinks. The weather is changing really fast so you have to take your chance for the sunsets because every sunrise and sunset is absolute beautiful in Africa. Of course we have been annoyed by curious beach boys who were offering all kind of tours, souvenirs etc. But in the fact they are kind of friendly and understand quite well the simple statement “no”. We have seen many “Masai” men who are trying to cell own tribes stuff but if you know something about real Masais so you’ll notice that they are pretending to be one just for the tourism. While you are talking to the locals, you are learning a lot about the culture and place you are in and sometimes it easy to forget that these people are after a business which involves you for sure. Sometimes we should try don’t judge people in this country because many people are nice and friendly not that they want have your money but that they are curious about your country, culture or personally.

Endless walks on the white sandy beaches have been a chance to reflect over the environment and locals, you’ll realize that these people live in a different world than we do. In front of us we saw a big crowd of African women who was standing on this beautiful beach and holding one or few buckets on the heads. Some of them were sitting, some were rushing to the sea with all colorful cloths on them, some were holding a baby on the back since they tried to get balance of the bucket on the head, some of them were laughing, talking or looking miserable over something, and some were trying to hide themselves from the tropic heat… We found out that these women standing on the sunny beach all days and waiting for the fishermen who are coming with new caught fish, and they are selling to the local people and they are further selling in the market. There were so many women so the fish isn’t enough for all of them and to get a full bucket of fresh fish is a big competition. The women will run so fast they can into the clear water with all cloths/burke (since it is Muslim island) on them, and fight for the best pieces of fish. Unfortunately this competition is the main source of surviving for them and it happens that you see few women sitting and crying along the beach because they didn’t get any fish for this day. The life is more than hard for the locals in this paradise island of Tanzania… and it must to be frustrating to see all tourists sitting in the luxury lodges, restaurants or pub, and spending a big amount of money and often it is a month salary for them what we are spending on a meal. Not enough of it all tourists try to take pictures of them (us in this case as well) because it is so different from what we are used to. We noticed that they don’t like when you are taking picture of them and they can become angry with you and mumbling angrily in own language. It is best to ask permission before you are taking the camera out the bag.

Since it is a short rain season so it has been really changing weather over the island and the night time has been pouring by rain and the thunder has colored and lit up the sky. Sometimes we woke up of the horrible noise of thunder because the hat was shaking of the storm outside. Always you are happy to stay inside when the heavy rain stars but one evening we were walking home from the beach pub when it began absolute pour by rain. Well we were drenched but we felt like kids again – walking and jumping in the water paddles, and laughing so much that Africans thought that we are out of our minds. But the water hasn’t been really clean we noticed next morning but when you don’t see since it was night dark and without any electricity in the village so you don’t really care. Finally when we reached home when the rain stopped… typically. But the streets were overflowed the next morning and it didn’t make easier for us walk in the day light either. Actually it was a great experience and much fun.

We had a relaxing time in Nungwi with our friends and it has been amazing to spend early Christmas at this paradise island but we didn’t have any Christmas feeling because the atmosphere is adjust to the locals (Muslim culture) and for Diana it is first summer Christmas ever which has been a strange feeling to celebrate Christmas without any snow but Chris felt in the right place. Well it is a fantastic place to be and chill out for this time of year.

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Comments

[Graciela]

hi from Argentina
What a place, it´s lovely. Could you tell me how much a hotel is? Or a meal? Just to have an idea. Thank you. [e-mail] Hugs from Argentina, Graciela.