Zanzibar

This is coming at you from an internet cafe at our bungalows in Zanzibar. Or is it ON Zanzibar? I am coming back here - Zanzibar, not the internet cafe. Can you tell that I have had no caffeine today, as yet?

 

The transfer yesterday SUCKED. Up at 5am, ferry to Dar, wait, wait, sweat, wait, be hot, then ferry to Zanzibar. I thought I might get sick, so popped a Stemetil which made me feel vaguely disembodied (and not in a good way) and still nauseous. Thanks, cr@ppy drugs. I cannot understate the general hot, stickiness and discomfort. Arrived in Zanzibar Town, lugged bags, found minibus, got glared at a lot as it's Ramadan and we were *shock* carrying water. Sweated a bit more. I had changed in the morning, so was trousered, and was wearing a beach wrap over my head by the end - I looked like I was ready to cross a desert, and STILL got the "heathen" faces. Hey ho. Then the minibus transferred us to our bungalows, arriving at 3pm. Worlds longest and most hideously sweaty transfer ever. When we took our first stroll across the beach, all was 101% forgotten. The sand here is white, and fine like talcum powder. The sea is light turquoise, and slowly darkens to a deep navy further from the shore. There are shells along the shoreline, and I picked up around 30 or so cowries on the 100m stroll. Floating in the sea, I felt like I was bobbing around in a poster in a travel agent. Breathtaking. It was so much fun, hanging out with Suze, Keith, Suzie, Steve and Lorna. If you look out towards the Indian Ocean, it's peaceful paradise, but along the shoreline are really cool bars, and good-looking people - tanned fit men playing beach volleyball and stunning girls in tiny bikinis strolling around just looking relaxed. It's really, really, REALLY cool. I realise that's 2 cools in 2 sentences, but I think that sums it up. We headed home, showered, and then went to bar for Happy Hour. Mel, Kat and Anna joined the previous beach crew, and between the 9 of us we managed to polish off 27 cocktails, coming up to the princely sum of around 40 quid. The girls (Mel and Kat) are on student-budgets, so we had a quest to get as many cocktails in as humanly possible. We then headed to a restaurant for dinner - I had a pizza with chicken, avo and pineapple, and ... a Tusker. Fell into bed at 10ish SHATTERED.

 

It's now 8am - Suze and I have been up since about 6.45, and I've been catching up with email and Facebook (hazaah!), about to go for breakfast. Going to have to write to Exodus about the trip, as it's been 100% cracking, and I'm already planning a 2 week escape for Jan/Feb time. I'm thinking Amazon and Galapagos, if anyone fancies it. Off for breakfast, and then getting sunscreen + bikini-d up to spend today much like yesterday afternoon (sans sweating). One more night here, then Stonetown tomorrow. Booo. Back to culture - I don't wannnnna!

 

Homewards trip looming. V sad. Glad I already have restorative partying lined up for the weekend! Nice one Berts-birthday!

 

Off to get Rudolf-nosed.

 

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