One week in Zanzibar

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1st week of my long journey and it feels like ages since I departed for Africa. A long hop from Sydney to Jo'burg, SA, a step north to Dar Es Salem, Tanzania and jump east on ferry to Zanzibar.

Firstly it was great to see Ralph after a few months apart and yes he was clean, well fed and handsome as ever (add a few more whiskers than I had ever known).

Ralph and I spent three days in historic Isalmic Stone Town famous for its miriad of narrow stone foot paths, amongst historic centuries old Indian/Turkish style buildings. We spent a few days walking through the town, it's market places and its museums, asmpling street merchant food. We enjoyed Tanzanian pizza (vegetable omelette or banana choc crepe), Indian curry and samosa, BBQ prawns, BBQ beef and chicken kebabs, flafel and deliciously sweet sugar cane juice). We watched a Dow (traditional fishing boat) sail race on day 1, set up as an annual charity event to raise money for the mental health hospital.

Our first beach destination was on the east coast Paje Beach and we stayed in beach side bungalow. It had the most pristine white fine grained sand and cyrstal clear water. The morning tides were long allowing us to walk out waist high for at least a km. The winds and water depths were perfect for kite surfing. Typically we experienced overcast mornings followed by blaringly hot afternoons.

It was here I discovered my bank acccunt had been fraudulently accessed and I traced this back to my arrival at J' burg airport (the only time I had used the card to access my account thus far). They must have copied the card when I withdrew money at the teller machine at the airport. The B**tards had been able to max the withdrawal limit over three days and taken $7500. Thanks to StG bank a swift investigation was undertaken proving I was no where near SA where the money had been taken and they repaid the money to me.

We spent three days at Paje Beach before heading over to the the North of the Island to Ngungwei Beach (need wo check spelling). We used the local mini bus transportation known as Daladala. It is a mini trick with roof and bars for windows. Passengers sit facing each other along a bench. Generally they fit as many people as they can and there is not much room to move. Then they will pick up more along the way -and you have to squash even further. The most interesting part however is when two Dala Dala's decide to race each other on the narrow roads, as the one in front gets to pick up the next passengers waiting up ahead.

Ngungwei beach was divine. It had more action than Paje (more restaurants , accommodation and people). We otained a very cute little beach bungalow metres from the water. Ralph met up with a former travel companion Sara from Sweeden and her Aussie friend Matt. We went on snorkel tour and viewed gorgeous coral and tropical fish. Being a fishing village we ate delicious fish, BBQ Tuna, Red Snapper, baracuda. A group of 7 of us went to the famous Kendwa Rocks full moon party at Kendwa beach. Huge beach side setting with traditional timber boat like bars, hammocks, beach fires and fabulous african acrobatic show, cool afro tunes to dance to. It kicked off lateish and is famous for parting until sunrise. We stayed till about 1ish and rode a bouncy mini bus back to our beach.

All in all a fantastic start to my trip and looking forward to the next 6 months!

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