Stone Town
This morning we left Caprice behind and were picked up by a van and taken back on the same ferry we’d ridden the day before and then to another ferry - the ferry to Zanzibar. We settled in for a long boat ride with our books and a movie, and had a very uneventful ride, arriving in Stone Town at noon with the rain. It was a torrential downpour as we got off the ferry and waited in line to get our passports stamped. (While Zanzibar is technically part of Tanzania, it also has its own government, and own immigration authority.) Once we were through immigration we were met by Daniel, who was to be our guide while we were on the island.
Up with the Sun
Welcome to Zanzibar!
A short van ride later, we were at our hotel for the night, in the heart of Stone Town. Following Daniel’s cue, we waited in the van for a few minutes, looking at the flood of water down the street from the rain, and then all of a sudden the rain was gone. We took our bags (just a small pack for each of us, we left our big bags on Caprice) and checked into our hotel, a cute but very run down in appearance. Somehow Tracey and I lucked out and got the huge room - with 4 beds to choose from. No a/c in the room, though.
We had the afternoon free, and Tracey and I chose to spend it shopping. We wandered along the narrow streets of Stone Town, popping into any store that looked interesting, haggling with the shopkeepers and trying to dodge the worst of the touts. We did have one local decide he wanted to help us shop, and started to follow us and talk nonstop. Lots of the local guys will do this, as they then get a commission of any sale that occurs when they “bring” us to a shop, and they often will then expect that the tourists pay for their “guide” services as well. Since the guy didn’t respond to our polite requests to go away, we just refused to go into any of the shops while he was with us, and purposefully wandered out of the touristy shops and into area where the locals live and shop. It was an interesting detour, and worked to get rid of the annoying guy, as well, with no drama and no payment. We had a very successful shopping day, and got lots of great things for ourselves and friends, and did a pretty decent job at bargaining, as well.
We all cleaned up for dinner tonight (Tracey and I wearing each wearing one of our new purchases) and met in the lobby to walk over to the Africa House hotel. We staked out great positions on the veranda of the Sunset Bar, and ordered fruity drinks from an enormous menu, and spent the hour before sunset enjoying the company. Sunset was, of course, glorious and we all took way too many pictures as we enjoyed more fruity drinks.
Very shiny with sweat at sunset
Then we all went to a local institution - the Night Market. The Night Market is a food market that takes place in a local park, with cooks setting up tables filled with all sorts of grilled seafood and chicken and then others making fresh Zanzibar pizzas, which are really more like crepes. I had some chicken and french fries, which I didn’t much care for, and then I had a chocolate and banana pizza, which was amazing. I liked it so much I followed Margaret and Pete’s advice and went back for another. After the Night Market we all ended up a bar, sitting at a long table on the beach for more drinks and snacks.
Our hotel room was horribly stuffy, but we got the fans going and that seemed to cool things down a little bit. Exhausted, I was so happy to be crawling into bed, except that when I pulled the covers down, I put my hand near the foot of the bed to get in, and felt sand all at the bottom of the bed. Clearly, the sheets hadn’t been changed since the last time someone slept here. Grossed out, I got my towel and a sarong and spread them out on the top of the sheet in one of the other beds, and spent the night sweating and worrying about bedbugs. Ick.
Inside my dirty, but pretty bed
11/21 - Arriving in Nairobi
11/22 - The Elephant Orphanage
11/23 - Nairobi to Arusha
11/24 - Camel Rides and Culture
11/25 - Safari in the Serengeti
11/26 - Thanksgiving in the Serengeti
11/27 - Ngorogoro Crater
11/28 - Arusha Market and on to Marangu
11/29 - Schools, Children and a Waterfall
11/30 - Usambara Mountains
12/1 - The Long Drive to Dar
12/3 - Stone Town and Spice Tour
12/4 - Snorkel Day
12/5 - The End of the Trip
Up with the Sun
Welcome to Zanzibar!
A short van ride later, we were at our hotel for the night, in the heart of Stone Town. Following Daniel’s cue, we waited in the van for a few minutes, looking at the flood of water down the street from the rain, and then all of a sudden the rain was gone. We took our bags (just a small pack for each of us, we left our big bags on Caprice) and checked into our hotel, a cute but very run down in appearance. Somehow Tracey and I lucked out and got the huge room - with 4 beds to choose from. No a/c in the room, though.
We had the afternoon free, and Tracey and I chose to spend it shopping. We wandered along the narrow streets of Stone Town, popping into any store that looked interesting, haggling with the shopkeepers and trying to dodge the worst of the touts. We did have one local decide he wanted to help us shop, and started to follow us and talk nonstop. Lots of the local guys will do this, as they then get a commission of any sale that occurs when they “bring” us to a shop, and they often will then expect that the tourists pay for their “guide” services as well. Since the guy didn’t respond to our polite requests to go away, we just refused to go into any of the shops while he was with us, and purposefully wandered out of the touristy shops and into area where the locals live and shop. It was an interesting detour, and worked to get rid of the annoying guy, as well, with no drama and no payment. We had a very successful shopping day, and got lots of great things for ourselves and friends, and did a pretty decent job at bargaining, as well.
We all cleaned up for dinner tonight (Tracey and I wearing each wearing one of our new purchases) and met in the lobby to walk over to the Africa House hotel. We staked out great positions on the veranda of the Sunset Bar, and ordered fruity drinks from an enormous menu, and spent the hour before sunset enjoying the company. Sunset was, of course, glorious and we all took way too many pictures as we enjoyed more fruity drinks.
Very shiny with sweat at sunset
Then we all went to a local institution - the Night Market. The Night Market is a food market that takes place in a local park, with cooks setting up tables filled with all sorts of grilled seafood and chicken and then others making fresh Zanzibar pizzas, which are really more like crepes. I had some chicken and french fries, which I didn’t much care for, and then I had a chocolate and banana pizza, which was amazing. I liked it so much I followed Margaret and Pete’s advice and went back for another. After the Night Market we all ended up a bar, sitting at a long table on the beach for more drinks and snacks.
Our hotel room was horribly stuffy, but we got the fans going and that seemed to cool things down a little bit. Exhausted, I was so happy to be crawling into bed, except that when I pulled the covers down, I put my hand near the foot of the bed to get in, and felt sand all at the bottom of the bed. Clearly, the sheets hadn’t been changed since the last time someone slept here. Grossed out, I got my towel and a sarong and spread them out on the top of the sheet in one of the other beds, and spent the night sweating and worrying about bedbugs. Ick.
Inside my dirty, but pretty bed
11/21 - Arriving in Nairobi
11/22 - The Elephant Orphanage
11/23 - Nairobi to Arusha
11/24 - Camel Rides and Culture
11/25 - Safari in the Serengeti
11/26 - Thanksgiving in the Serengeti
11/27 - Ngorogoro Crater
11/28 - Arusha Market and on to Marangu
11/29 - Schools, Children and a Waterfall
11/30 - Usambara Mountains
12/1 - The Long Drive to Dar
12/3 - Stone Town and Spice Tour
12/4 - Snorkel Day
12/5 - The End of the Trip