All good things...

Last night in Zanzibar. I spoke soon - way too soon - and was definitely not touching enough wood when I said I hadn't been affected with any dodgy illnesses, especially of the intestinal kind. Not feeling super-special at all today. Aside from that (Leon9 - remember Pyrmont), since last blog, I've been having fun. Last night all of us (apart from Jan and Steve who elected to disassociate with the rest of the trip, quelle domage) went for dinner to a touristy but 'traditional' Swahili restaurant. All 14 of us sat on the floor and had beautiful food and very good live music. Leo wrote down 2 recipes for me, his food was way better than any of the hotel food 've had since we left the truck and his cuisine. I had calamari with passionfruit, and then prawns with spiced rice and traditional side-dishes, all very fragrant and tasted ace. Gee, calamari and prawns - I wonder why today has been interesting. Glass of wine, Tusker, and I fell into bed at 9.30pm, shattered and feeling rough-rough. It was very sad to say goodbye to Liz, Neil, Keith, Steve, Anna and Oliver. This morning I was up at 4.45am to wave off TB, not that I left the confines of the bed, but I did say goodbye. It was very sad, 3 weeks spent together and I feel like I've known her for ages - cracking girl, with a very wonderfully lame sense of humour. Back to sleep til 8am, then I got up again to say goodbye to the rest - Susie, Kat, Mel and Julius and Leo. Julius had turned down my offer to be his favorite wife (go polygamy!), and it was especially sad to see him heading off back home to Mombasa.

Today, Lorna and I headed out for croissants again, which we had to sneak back to the hotel room to eat as usual. We then tried to find a hotel to pay to allow us to use their pool for the day - no joy - so headed to Prison Island for snorkelling in swarms of jelly-fish and burning myself on the beach. Was fun. Then back to accidentally buy myself 2 more paintings, damnit, then packed, and now off to Africa House to have a couple of farewell Tuskers before yet another early night. Will do final update in Nairobi, with little-black-book of observations which I never remember to blooooody bring here! Taxi to airport is coming at 5.30am. Deep joy. I get to Heathrow at something ugly like 8.45pm, and still haven't gotten butt in gear to sort out homeward journey, however ... hakuna matata! Not looking forward to work on Tuesday, but am looking forward to a spot of cold weather.

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