Zanzibar

Well, I was really skeptical whether I would like Zanzibar or not. I think it is wonderful. For sure, it is quite touristy with all the things coming with it like fake guides, underemployed taxi drivers, impertinent suitcase porters, irritating shop owners and children who are accustomed to candy distributing tourists. Apart from that, it is simply great to walk around in the old small lanes, to get lost there, to land in a point which one knows again and so slowly discover the old town. As there was Ramadan (the fasting month of the Muslims), many stores were closed during daytime, and unfortunately, also many of the restaurants and cafes. This affects for sure also tourists, who are mostly not Muslim. However, it also has quite some advantages. According to the locals it was rather quiet at that time in Stonetown, because many tourists avoid the time of Ramadan. I would not necessarily want to know how busy Zanzibaris, if there is even more tourists than now…. On the whole trip I did not see as many (package) tourists as here. Another thing is that locals have to be very economical with her energy in Ramadan. So tourists can stroll through the old town without getting too much unwanted attention.

Stonetown

However, there are great museums here, the houses in the old town are mostly really nice and I live in Stonetown at a hotel which is accommodated in one several hundred year-old house. Quite traditionally with a so-called Pilipilibed, a gigantic bed which is very high, it has got a frame and carvings. Super comfy!
Of course there are also great beaches in Zanzibar. In the northern part there are very nice, almost white sandy beaches, which are nearly not influenced by the tides, so one can swim there the whole day. For sure, you are not here by yourself, but anyone expecting this, should better not come to Zanzibar anyway. Here the lodgings are expensive with starting at the budget edge with around 30 dollars for a single, but as it is very quiet at the moment, it is very easy to get the price down to less than half. Yes, am already very native….

Stonetown

Some days in the northern part of Zanzibar I spent with Paul from UK, who lives always half a year in Tanzania, the other half in the UK. He is living in southern Tanzania in a small village, giving people there a lot f support and leading a project there. Especially, he is into education, no wonder, as he used to be a teacher himself. Also, he is into tourism, guiding once a while clients through his second home country. However, I had a beautiful time with Paul exploring northern Zanzibar and I really hope to met again anywhere in the world. Possibly in Tanzania as his project sounds very interesting. Thanks a lot for everything, Paul!

In Zanzibar I have also spent more time than initially intended, because I wanted to experience the end of Ramadan, Eid al Fitr, and here. The Zanzibaris are known for the fact that they celebrate religious parties especially intensely, colorfully and loudly, and this I did not want to miss! Well, it was definitely worth staying the extra days.

In and around Stonetown there was on four days 2 parties in the evening. One party was directly by the sea where there is every evening a night market with great food. On these days after the end of the Ramadan it was much bigger, more authentic, more colorful, a lot more people and of course also much more interesting food. Above all of course sea food, but also chicken, pizza, soup, fruit and this very tasty sugarcane juice with lemon and ginger and ice cubes guaranteed made of tap water. I have missed this sugarcane juice since my departure from Mombasa painfully and my sugar cane seller here with the best juice because particularly a lot of ginger and lime, was glad every evening about my visit. No wonder, as I was one of his best customers with at least two gigantic mugs in the evening (1 liter of juice)….
The other party was exactly on the other side of the town and was much more of an authentic local party. Here, they had stalls with loads of plastic toys, photo studios, plenty of food stalls and an even disco with a DJ. This one was extremely loud. Though there was light, it was still very dark just a few meters from the stalls, so people constantly fell over other people sitting
on the ground consuming here their fish kebab, soup or chicken. A unique mess, simply fantastic!

After a few other days on the beach to chill out from all these festivities I continued travelling towards Malawi. Because there were so many interesting things to see and to do in between Kenya and here, I was rather delayed. So I decided to skip Mozambique  on this trip and travel directly to Malawi.