ZANZIBAR

GOT ON AN EARLY MORNING FLIGHT FROM NAIROBI TO ZANZIBAR THAT GOT ME IN AT 9 AM. ZANZIBAR IS KNOWN FOR ITS SPICES AND ITS MAIN TOWN CALLED STONE TOWN WHICH IS THE ONLY ACTIVE TOWN IN AFRICA PROTECTED BY UNESCO. THIS FRENCH LADY ON MY SAFARI HAD THE SAME FLIGHT AS ME AS WELL AS THE SAME SCHEDULE AND WAS EVEN STAY IN THE SAME PLACE AS ME THE 2ND NIGHT. SHE HAD ALREADY PAID FOR TRANSPORT TO 2 PLACES AND A SPICE TOUR ON THE ISLAND SO I JUMPED IN HER CABS AND WENT ON THE TOUR. ALL I HAD TO PAY WAS LIKE 50,000 TSH, WHICH IS LIKE 30 BUCKS. I SAVED LIKE 150+ DOLLARS IT WAS AWESOME. STONE TOWN WAS SUPER TOURISTY AND I WAS NOT IN TO IT. AFTER THAT TAXING SAFARI ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS RELAX. I WALKED AROUND THE TOWN, WHICH WAS UNIQUE AND COOL BUT DIRTY AND RIDDLE WITH ANNOYING TOUTS THAT SAW ME ONLY AS A WALKING DOLLAR SIGN, AND ATE SOME LUNCH ON THE BEACH. ON THE WAY TO THE BEACH A MAN CAME UP TO ME AND STARTED WALKING WITH ME. I KNEW HE WANTED TO SHOW ME AROUND SO THAT I HAD TO TIP HIM LATER BUT I WASN’T HAVING IT. I TOLD HIM I WAS HEADING TO PONGWE TOMORROW AND HE LEFT WHEN I SAT DOWN TO EAT. WHILE I WAS EATING ANOTHER ANNOYING GUY CAME UP AND TRIED TO TELL ME ABOUT HIS VAN THAT HE WAS BRINGING TOURISTS TO OTHER BEACHES ON THE ISLAND. I LIED TO HIM AND TOLD HIM I WAS STAYING IN STONE TOWN. I RAN IN TO HIM OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY PROBABLY ABOUT 5 MORE TIMES, THE LAST BEING THE FUNNIEST. AFTER LUNCH I TOOK A NAP AND AWOKE JUST IN TIME FOR THE NIGHT FISH MARKET. THERE WERE AROUND 30 TABLES SET UP ON FORODHANI GARDENS RIGHT ON THE WATER WHERE LOCALS HAD FRESH FISH DISPLAYED AND READY TO EAT. I TOOK A LAP AROUND THE TABLES AND THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE SMART OFR MY STOMACH BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE FAMOUS THINGS TO DO IN ZANZIBAR. THE FISH WAS FRESH NO DOUBT BUT IT WAS JUST SITTING OUT ON THE TABLE AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT DID NOT LOOK TOO CLEAN. BEHIND EACH ROW OF TABLES WERE A FEW GRILLS. ONE OF THE GUYS FROM EARLIER IN THE DAY SHOWED ME HIS TABLE WHICH HAD A FEW PEOPLE EATING AT IT SO I SAID FUCK IT AND TRIED THE PRAWNS AND SLIPPER LOBSTER. THE FISH TASTED FRESH AND WELL COOKED/SPICED. I GAVE SOME LEFT OVERS TO A CAT SITTING BESIDE ME. THEN I RAN IN TO THE GUY WHO I LIED TO, AND HE TOLD ME HE SPOKE TO THE OTHER GUY AND ASKED WHY THE MAN THOUGHT I WAS GOING WHEN I SAID I WAS STAYING. I DIDN’T REALIZE HOW SMALL A TOWN IT WAS UNTIL I WAS CAUGHT IN MY LIE. I LOOK AT BOTH THE MEN, TURNED, AND WEASLED MY WAY THROUGH THE CROWD. I GOT A FEW BEERS ON THE BEACH AND GOT SOME REST. THE NEXT DAY I MET GAELLE, THE FRENCH LADY FROM MY SAFARI. WE WENT ON THIS SPICE TOUR THAT SHOWED US ALL THE FRESH GROWING SPICE PLANTS AND FRUIT PLANTS ON A PRIVATE PLANTATION. WE ATE SOME FRESH FRUIT OFF THE TREES AND SMELT ALL THE FRESH NUTMEG AND VANILLA AND EVEN LEARNED THAT CHEWING ON CARDAMON SEEDS WILL DESTROY ALL TRACES OF ALCOHOL ON YOUR BREATH. AT THE END OF THE TOUR GAELLE WAS BUYING SOME SPICES AND I DECIDED TO TALK TO THE GUIDE. THE GUIDE WAS ABOUT 25 YEARS OLD AND IT WAS HIS FAMILIES PLANTATION. HE TOLD ME ABOUT SOME PAPAYA ALCOHOL THAT THEY MADE FROM PAPAYA AND MANDARIN ORANGES. OF COURSE, I HAD TO TRY THIS CONCOCTION. HE BOUGHT OUT A SMALL DIRTY WATER BOTTLE HALF FULL AND A DIRTY 5OZ GLASS AND POURED ME A SHOT. THE SMELL WAS STRONG LIKE 151 RUM. THE SHOT HIT ME JUST AS HARD AS THE SMELL BUT THE AFTER TASTE WAS PLESANT AND FRUITY. HE GAVE ME THE REST OF THE BOTTLE TO HAVE FOR THE BEACH. CRAZY MZUNGU. WE LEFT THERE AND WENT OUT TO PONGWE WHERE ID BE STAYING FOR 2 NIGHTS. I GOT A GREAT VALUE HOTEL ON THE BEACH FOR A GREAT PRICE AND AT PERFECT TIMING BETWEEN THE SAFARI AND THE WORLD CUP. THIS PLACE IS UNREAL, JUST PARADISE, AND VERY CHEAP FOR WHAT IT IS. THE FRESHEST SEAFOOD AND CHEAP DRINKS AND IN CRYSTAL CLEAR OCEAN. THERES NOTHING BETTER. I FINISHED MY BOOK, THE WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR AND NOW NEED A NEW BOOK. I FOUND ONE AT THE TAKE A BOOK/LEAVE A BOOK IN THE LAST HOSTEL. CROSS COUNTRY BY JAMES PATTERSON. IT WAS A SHORT 412 PAGES AND I FINISHED IT IN LESS THAN A DAY RELAXING ON THE BEACH IN A HAMMOCK. I KAYAKED TWICE AND FINALLY GOT MY BLOOD FLOWING A LITTLE BIT. I HAVE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL IDEA TO START IN ZANZIBAR ON A STRIP OF BEACH AND IT WOULD BE AWESOME. LET ME KNOW IF YOUR INTERESTED I DON’T WANT TO GIVE AWAY THE IDEA. I THINK WHEN I START MAKING SOME MONEY IT WILL BE MY FIRST INVESTMENT.ANYWAY, TOMORROW I FLY TO DAR ES SALAAM WHERE I WILL BE FOR THE NIGHT BECAUSE MY FLIGHT IS AT 730AM TO JOBURG, THEN A 1125 AM FLIGHT TO VIC FALLS.IN VIC FALLS I WILL GET TO SEE ONE OF THE WORLD WONDERS IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST WATERFALLS IN THE WORLD.I WILL BE IN ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE.I WILL ALSO PROBABLY DO A GAME DRIVE TO CHOBE IN BOTSWANA TO SEE SOME MORE LION AND MAYBE A RHINO.JUNE 8TH I ARRIVE IN JOBURG TO START MY WORLD CUP EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA.