Zanzibar!

Monday

A tremendous thunderstorm woke me up well in time for the &.30 am pick up for attempt number 2. Despite the heavy Monday morning traffic we were at the airport well in time for check in. After visiting Precision Airlines office about the fiasco yesterday I obtained the necessary paperwork, was able to change my return flight to make up for the lost day and was promised I  would get to Zanzibar tonight. Absolutely the most tedious part of travel must be waiting around in airports and I feel I have seen more than my share of Entebbe airport. Fortunately a good book,( On Green Dolphin Street - Sebastian Faulks -) helped to pass the time as did a growing camaraderie between the passengers, a handful of Ugandans, A Zimbabwean professor visiting her PhD students in Tanzania and a group of American backpackers who have been doing voluntary work for the last three months. The ominous arrival of Precision Airways (what a misnomer) staff brought more lunch vouchers and notice of a flight delay, but we eventually took off to cheers only two hours late.
After flying over the Rift Valley and the Serengeti where we could actually see herds of animals though not close enough to see what they were, we arrived at Kilimanjaro where the mountain was clearly visible, then it was back on the plane for the next leg to Dar es Salaam. Arriving in Dar we were met by the Precision Airways rep who told us that they had not held the connecting flight as promised and would have to spend the night in Dar. A huge row broke out, helped by immigration officials who realised that we had been taken through immigration without checks and also we were not on the flight manifest! There is something oddly comforting about travelling with a group of Americans; they are so confidently right and have such high expectations as well as being very articulate when confronted with the indifference, in this case of airline ground staff. However, after many phone calls, it was generally agreed that there was nothing for it but to repair to the hotel. Actually it was a very good hotel with an infinity pool on the rooftop with 360degree views of Dar. I joined the Americans for dinner which finished at around 11.30pm, went to bed only to be woken at 3.45 am to be told that the driver was there to take me to the airport. I went down to investigate and there were some passengers going to Arusha on the 8 am flight but they didn't know which ones so they were ringing everyone in the hotel to find out!

A wet morning in Dar.

Tuesday

We had an early start for the horrendous rush hour traffic and were all very happy when the flight left for the 20 minute trip to Zanzibar. At midday we made it!!! My driver was waiting (third time lucky) and we came straight to the hotel. Zanzibar is everything I imagined it to be. We passed through plantations of palms, bananas, papaya and several small villages until we came to the coast. WOW! White sand turquoise sea; there really are not enough superlatives. My room is a semi detached chalet right on the edge of a two metre cliff down to the beach,

with an enormous bed so high they provided a step to get into it.

when I arrived the sea was miles away

(yes this is the view from my room!)

as I write this it is directly below me and looking from the room it is like being on a boat. it is just unutterably beautiful. I ate dinner outside on the terrace overlooking the sea. The lights from the hotel were flickering on the water shining right through the clear water to the sand beneath.

Wednesday

This morning I went for a long walk along the beach taking photos almost non stop; I can't get over the beauty of the place.; it just goes on and on.

Everyone passing shouts out "Jambo" (msungu sometimes) then "Welcome. How are you today?" "Fine thanks, how are you?" " I'm very fine thank you". It's a set script I think.

Having walked miles wondering why I have waited so long to come here, I suddenly realised I had to walk all the way back! As it was getting very hot on the beach I decided to return via the village (Jumbiani) which runs parallel to the beach.The houses are mainly made from the coral rock on which the hotel is built . Many of the buildings are deserted, and all of them are very basic.

After all this exertion a lazy afernoon by the pool followed.

Thursday

I started off the day with a swim in the Indian Ocean. A long sandbar extends out to sea thus keeping the beach in front of the hotel safe for bathing. The coral is concentrated on an area immediately in front of the hotel but it is possible to walk on it. After swimming I discovered just how much time one can watch sand crabs scuttling about and dashing for their holes at the first sign of movement. Having learned from yesterday's  experience I decided not to walk too far so followed the sand bar out to the next bay.

I am surprised by my lack of will to leave my seaside heaven. I had intended to visit various places but can't drag myself away. I spent the afternoon pottering around near the hotel and went back in to the village. One lasting image- I have it on video- a group of little boys dragging lorries behind them on pieces of string; the lorries were made out of cut out plastic bottles, but they couldn't have been having more fun. I filmed them and played it back for them and they ran off giggling and shrieking. Sadly many of the children, especially boys, don't seem to go to school. The girls look like little nuns with their long dresses and scarves. (It's a Muslim state; at one time the Sultan of Oman removed his capital there from Muscat)

Friday

Another day starting with a swim in the ocean then off to one of the outside loungers to read. They are like double beds with a shade canopy and are dotted around all over the grounds.

When it became too hot there was always the pool....

an infinity pool with a shelf all the way round to sit and contemplate the ocean.

I tried to take my photo in the mirror windows....

As the afternoon began to cool down I walked the other way along the beach , watching the tide carefully as it comes in extremely rapidly. In the rock pools there were small fish and starfish amongst others.

and a good view of the hotel restaurant on top of the cliff. Curiously there were lots of different kinds of shrubs and trees growing straight out of the coral.

(The seaweed is harvested by the villagers.) At intervals along the beach are various hotels and restaurants. The sign for this one amused me.....

All too soon it was my last night in Zanzibar. On Monday I would never have thought how very, very glad I was not to cancel the trip. It is a remarkable place and just being here has made me think again about what is really important in this life.... it's not there by accident!