SAFARI SERENGETI - PART THREE - ZANZIBAR

This amazing trip to Africa was booked more than a year in advance.  When I was sitting in my home half way around the world from Tanzania I could only imagine what the island of Zanzibar would be like.  The name alone conjures up an image of an exotic tropical island in the Indian Ocean.  I would soon discover that the reality far exceeded any image that I had in my mind.

To get to Zanzibar we had to fly from Arusha, Tanzania to the coastal city of Dar es Salaam, where we boarded another 12 passenger plane for our flight to Zanzibar.

The first few days in Zanzibar were spent in Stone Town, the birthplace of Freddy Mercury.  I stayed at the lovely Swahili House.  From the rooftop restaurant and bar you could see Stone Town stretching out to the ocean, within walking distance from the hotel.

Walking through the open-air street market is something I’ve done all over the world in the countries I’ve visited but each one is always fascinating to see with many products unique to the country I’m visiting.

After the street market I went to the old slave market site.  Reading and listening to the history in the museum was both educational and disturbing but walking through the underground cement bunkers where the slaves were packed in together in the heat and humidity that is year-round was beyond disturbing.

Stone Town itself is a maze of buildings and narrow alleyways going this way and that way; a place very easy to lose your sense of direction when navigating.  Thank goodness a local guide was leading the way or I might still be there trying to find my way!

After spending a few days in Stone Town it was time to go to paradise - namely a tropical place called Unguja Lodge.  The lodge is set in the jungle with the Indian Ocean at your doorstep.  Everything about the lodge and its location was absolutely breathtaking!  The villa my husband and I shared was like something we had once seen on International Househunters.  Most of the villa had a roof and partial sides but no walls so it was wide open to nature and the environment.  This included the bathroom, outdoor shower, and living room.  We also had a patio within about ten feet of the Indian Ocean where we could enjoy our morning coffee while watching local fishermen pass by.  The bedroom was the only enclosed room with four complete walls and a locked door to keep out the monkeys.

In fact, one morning while we were sitting on our patio drinking our coffee and enjoying a few cookies the maid had left for us, the monkeys decided to pay us a visit.  We tried to scare them off but they seemed quite intent on stealing a cookie as they made their way closer and closer.  Finally we retreated to the safety of our room to finish our coffee and cookies.

There are steps at the lodge that lead down into the Indian Ocean and the water is very warm and inviting.  The tidal change there was much greater than where I live near the Pacific Ocean.  It varies from low tide to high tide by as much as 6 -10 feet, which means the stairs to get down into the water are completely underwater during high tide.  

One morning our small group of ten set out on an old wooden sailboat for our day’s adventure.  Little did we know it would turn out to be a “Gilligan’s Island-like experience:”

“Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip

That started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship

The mate was a mighty sailing man, the skipper brave and sure

Ten passengers set sail that day, on a six-hour tour

A six-hour tour

The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed

If not for the courage of the fearless crew the Lou Lou would be lost

The Lou Lou would be lost”.

Yes, we were sailing about two hours from the lodge to snorkel a coral reef near a small island.  And just like the song the weather got very rough as we approached the reef.  The sky turned very dark, the wind howled and the seas were high and choppy.  All of a sudden the skies opened up and started pounding us with rain.  We all huddled under a huge tarp as the boat began to take on water. Quickly everyone strapped on a life vest over their wet suits as we were told we would have to jump into the ragging sea while the crew used buckets to bail water so the boat wouldn’t sink.

To say I was terrified is putting it mildly!  Some of the crew were already in the water with life preservers for us to hold on to, which is exactly what we all did. It was inherent that we not get swept into the reef where we would be shredded to pieces. I have no idea how long we bobbed around in the water while holding on to the life preserver for dear life.  Finally the skies lightened and the crew had bailed out most of the water so we were able to reboard the boat.  We headed for a large sandbar not too far away where tables, chairs, and umbrellas were all ready set up for a seafood barbecue.  We were all so relieved to be on dry ground again!  The barbecue was delicious and the wine flowed so that soon we were all laughing while we recalled our close encounter with the great unknown.  After lunch we enjoyed snorkeling a short distance off-shore.

The two hour ride back to the lodge was a relaxing end to an extremely adventurous day to say the least!

On another day we visited a spice plantation, a butterfly farm, and Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park where the red colobus monkeys roam freely and are sometimes quite close, even crossing the path right in front of my feet.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and before we knew it we had to say goodby to beautiful Unguja Lodge and the island of Zanzibar.