Zanzibar

Zanzibar, also called the Spice Island is so different from mainland Tanzania! I had gotten used to being the only white person. Here tourists are everywhere. I ask for the cheapest and best hostel and a man brings me to Manch Lodge. If you want a nice place to stay on Zanzibar, this is it! The dorm is huge with big beds lined up against the wall like in an orphanage. In total I stay three weeks on Zanzibar, in different places on the island, but whenever I’m in Stone town, this is where I stay.

Zanzibar has a rich history and the architecture of Stone town witnesses of many influences. The massive wooden doors are of Arab influence. Stone Town used to be Africa’s main port for the slave market between Africa and Asia. The British then gained control over Zanzibar and abolished the slave trade. In 1964 Zanzibar became part of Tanzania.

I am very excited because I have booked a dolphin tour on my first day here. We set out in a boat, search for dolphins for an hour, snorkel a little bit, then search again. I am sitting on the edge of the boat, waiting for them to show up so I can jump in and swim with them. We see two Humboldt dolphins but they disappear as fast as they appeared. Then, three bottlenose dolphins surfing on a wave approach our boat. Jump says the driver and so I do. They are there, I can see them but then they disappear too. Still, it was a great experience, AND not the last one with dolphins. Unfortunately, the water but also the wind is cold and I didn’t bring enough clothes. On my return I feel like crap and go to bed. Some people at the hostel bring me water and try to convince me that I have malaria! Luckily I don’t have it.

My second dolphin experience happens two days later, with Caren from Kenya and Ken from Glasgow. We have booked a spice tour combined with Prison Island with a local guy, Juma. The spice tour is very interesting. We get to taste pepper, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, chili, and cinnamon among others and see how they grow. They decorate us with lots of different accessories made from grass as you can see on the pictures. A local kid climbs a palm tree with a rope tied around his legs. I even climb a tree to see if I haven’t forgotten how to do it. The lunch is delicious and desert is local fruit. The Jackfruit is a pleasant surprise and Caren swears she could eat at least five of them!

The afternoon starts with a nice boat ride to Prison Island. Juma then guides us through the island: women gathering shells on the beach, giant tortoises as old as 189 years old, the buildings meant to be a prison but that were used as a quarantine station for ships going to Zanzibar. We put on our snorkeling equipment and jump into the water. After half an hour Caren shouts: dolphins! Three of them! We swim as fast as we can to reach them. They are not afraid of us, three wild dolphins, a mother, her baby and a huge one. Thy swim around us, under us, in front of us, as if they are playing. I can’t believe this is happening! They stay half an hour at least, then they swim off into the ocean. Wow! So unexpected, the dolphins are not supposed to be there at all!

Nungwi is my next destination, in the North of Zanzibar. Juma organizes our transport. He is very professional and his prices are more than correct, after a little bargaining of course… The place is amazing: beach, turquoise water, lots of sun, Dhow boats, Sea Turtles, snorkeling, yoga on the beach, fake Masais, Mister Quality Products (he said it was his real name), relaxing, bargaining… Even more amazing than the place though, are the people I spent time with here: Miriam, Martin, Ken, Caren, Elvie, Jolanda. Without you it would not have been the same! So thank you for these fantastic days in Nungwi, I will never forget…

My plan was to volunteer in Kenya but as this doesn’t work out, I decide to learn something new. Since I first saw the Tinga Tinga paintings I have wanted to learn how to paint them. Tinga Tinga is a painting style that developed near Dar Es Salaam in the second half of the 20^th century. It is a naïve and caricatural representation of African animals, very bright and colorful. Oscar accepts me as a student in his workshop. During five days I work from morning till evening to learn as much as possible. The smell of paint and kerosene sticks to my clothes. During the night I dream of lions, giraffes and elephants running over my canvas. During the day I paint them. What wonderful days…

My last destination on Zanzibar is Paje. It is on the East coast of the island and I have no problems understanding why they call it Kitesurfer’s Paradise. My kite lessons start the next day, with a local guy who charges 4 times less than the kite schools.

Lesson One: master a small kite by playing with it on the beach

Lesson Two: security measures with the big kite.

Lesson Three: master the big kite

Lesson Four: Body dragging. You basically let the big kite drag you in the water, without the board.

This is as far as I got this time. Next time I will start on the board, but now I have to go to South Africa and meet Elodie.

photos Zanzibar