2012 - ZANZIBAR

PREVIOUS DAY....

ZANZIBAR HAS BEEN ON MY MIND SINCE ABOUT 1959 or 1960

My father worked for the now defunct Colonial Office, in London.

This, back in the day when Britain actually had an Empire & colonies.

He was offered a two year posting to Zanzibar, doing what, I know not. Certainly not ambassador or anything like that. A lower level flunky of some sort I imagine.

A doctor advised my mom to get prescription sunglasses made to help with her Asthma & she took the advise.

Whether it would have helped or not we will never know.

My dad came up with an excuse for not going that sounded plausible at the time.
40 years later he told me a different excuse.
I think he just bottled it.

My sister & I would have been going to school in Nairobi and traveling 'home' to Zanzibar for Easter, Xmas & such.

Imagine that!

A kid from the outer-most suburbs of London, living in Tanganyika as it was then I think.

What an adventure!

The Mau Mau were very active in Nairobi at the time so maybe not being there was for the best, but I am still annoyed at my dad

Anyway - all that to explain the attraction of Zanzibar & the reason for the side trip.
I wanted to send my sister a postcard with "ZANZIBAR - FINALY".

In the event I did not do that, so here are some photos for her.

AS I WAS LEAVING KILIMANJARO, A DIGNITARY WAS COMIMG IN FOR THE RWANDA CONVENTION. AND HERE'S ME THINKING THE RED CARPET WAS FOR ME.

SUNSET ALERT - THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM IN HERE.

THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING OFF HERE. I WENT TO THE LUGGAGE AREA - AND - NO BAG.!
A GUY RUNS OFF TO FIND IT AND THEN DEMANDS A TIP.
HE GETS A DOLLAR FOR BEING SO CHEEKY.

OUTSIDE THERE IS A TAXI RAMP & THE CAPTAIN HOOKS ME UP WITH A TAXI DRIVER, WHO HANDS MY BAG TO ANOTHER GUY - WHO ALSO WANTS A TIP, ANOTHER DOLLAR. FOR TAKING MY BAG ALL OF 10 FEET TO THE CAB.
NOT THE DRIVER, MIND YOU, THE OTHER GUY.

MAN - THIS COULD GET EXPENSIVE...NOT REALLY!

THE HOTEL - VERY EXOTIC...

RIGHT ON THE BEACH...

THIS COULD BE MORE FUN THAN I THOUGHT...

THE RECEPTIONIST ARRANGED A TAXI DRIVER TO TAKE ME ON A TOUR AROUND STONE TOWN.

FIRST STOP IS TO VISIT INSIDE THE OLD SLAVE QUARTERS BESIDE THE ANGLICAN CHURCH.

A OLD GUY TOOK ME AROUND THE CELLARS WHERE YOU CAN SEE SHACKLES & INSIDE THE CHURCH. HE HAD SOME INTERESTING & SOMETIMES AMUSING ANECDOTES ABOUT BOTH, NONE OF WHICH I REMEMBER.

EXCEPT, MAYBE, THAT DR LIVINGSTONE'S HEART IS BURIED HERE.
WHICH OBVIOUSLY WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR TONY BENNETT'S SONG - I LEFT MY HEART IN ......

THE MOSQUE IS NOT FAR AWAY...

ON TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM - I DID NOT GO LOOK INSIDE...

DOWN TO THE OCEAN......

AND INTO THE SIDE STREETS OF STONE TOWN. THE TAXI DRIVER KNOWS LOTS OF PEOPLE HERE & HE WOULD STOP TO CHAT WHILE I FOUND A STEP TO SIT ON TO WATCH THE PEOPLE GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY BUSINESS...

ALL VERY RELAXED. NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ANYWHERE.
LOOKED AROUND THE FORT.
LOTS OF WALKING AROUND AND GENERALLY TAKING IT EASY.
HAD A DRINK WITH THE TAXI DRIVER AT THE GARDEN OVER LOOKING THE SEA.

THIS IS 2012 - IN 2013 THERE IS THE TERRIBLE INCIDENT HERE OF THE TWO ENGLISH GIRLS HAVING ACID THROWN AT THEM. VERY SCARY I KNOW, BUT I WOULD NOT LET THAT STOP ME FROM VISITING ZANZIBAR AGAIN. BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE. IF WE WERE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM ALL WE WOULD NEVER GET OUT OF THE HOUSE - WHICH IS WHERE MOST PEOPLE GET HURT ANYWAY.

HOPE THOSE GIRLS GET WELL & MAYBE EVEN GO BACK. THAT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC THING.

AND HEAD BACK TO THE HOTEL...

AND.....

LOOK OUT,

"HERE COME THE SUN.... DOO DOO DOO DOO"... ( WITH APOLOGIES TO THE BEATLES )

WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE CLIP HERE BUT FEEL FREE TO SING ALONG.....

IT'S THE NEXT DAY NOW AND AGAIN THE RECEPTIONIST ARRANGED A TAXI FOR ME.

THIS TIME TO A SPICE FARM - ZANZIBAR BEING KNOW AS THE SPICE ISLAND.
CLOVES USED TO BE THE BIG THING.

WE AGREED A PRICE BUT THE TAXI DRIVER SAID IT WAS TOO MUCH & GAVE SOME BACK!!!!
AYE, CARAMBA!

I ENJOYED THE TOUR BUT IT IS THE WRONG TIME OF YEAR TO SEE TOO MUCH IN THE WAY OF SPICES. THE RIDE WAS GOOD FUN ANYWAY & HOW OFTEN DO YOU TAKE YOUR CHICKENS TO MARKET?....

THEN IT IS OFF TO CAPE TOWN VIA DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT, THE CRAZIEST AIRPORT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, PASSING THIS RATHER LARGE LAKE, THE NAME OF WHICH I DO NOT KNOW...

AND LANDING IN A RATHER SOCKED IN CAPE TOWN

TO WAIT FOR THE CRUISE TO ENGLAND.....LATER