Zanzibar is the epitome of an exotic island. The clearest water I've ever seen, with pristine white sand. It's been fantastic spending more than one night in a place, not to mention having a proper bed.
The beaches in Zanzibar
My fascination with the Masai people was only heightened when we were joined on the dance floor by a man by the name of "Kilimanjaro." He visits the resort every few nights, making the 5 hour trek from his village, by foot, to earn a few dollars from resort staff, helping them clear dishes. Despite their ability to maintain their culture and traditions, western modernization still has its effects. Kili, as we affectionately called him, grooved to the tunes, only rather than your typical western-style dancing, he reverted to the traditional Masai jumping. The Masai warrior that can jump highest is most sought after by the Masai women. Kili was clearing a good 3-4ft off the floor.
Kilimanjaro, the Masai
Kili, dancing with us
Kilimanjaro, the Masai
Kili, dancing with us
Day two in Zanzibar was a bit cloudy, and at 9:00am I stumbled (as I said, I had my fair share of drinks the previous night) aboard a dhow, the classic Zanzibar sailboat. Very authentic, but also condusive to sea-sickness when it's got 12 hungover travellers aboard. We gripped the rails as we putted along the coast through rolling seas (I was convinced we were going to capsize... which may have been water anxiety surfacing yet again) to a tiny island, Mnemba, off the North East coast of the main island, part of the Zanzibar archipelago. We dropped anchor and jumped in to explore the stunning coral reefs with our snorkelling gear. While swimming along, I kept feeling these pricks and stings all over my arms and legs. It wasn't incredibly painful, but definitely irritating. It turns out I was swimming through packs of tiny, translucent jellyfish, which can be difficult to see when in a slight current. I got out to discovery red dots, which became bumps, all over my feet and legs.
Aboard our dhow, headed to Mnemba island for snorkelling
We returned to mainland to enjoy freshly caught Kingfish, grilled with the famous local spices, rice, and fruit. Another delicious meal. It took all of our energy, and concentration, to avoid seeing our lunch again on the return trip to the resort. We hoisted the sail on the return trip, which was rather exciting for the first few minutes... until again, the rolling seas robbed us of the pleasure of sailing.
Aboard our dhow, headed to Mnemba island for snorkelling
We returned to mainland to enjoy freshly caught Kingfish, grilled with the famous local spices, rice, and fruit. Another delicious meal. It took all of our energy, and concentration, to avoid seeing our lunch again on the return trip to the resort. We hoisted the sail on the return trip, which was rather exciting for the first few minutes... until again, the rolling seas robbed us of the pleasure of sailing.
