Having packed the night before all I have to do this morning is enjoy a shower before breakfast.
We left the chaotic city of Dar Es Salaam by ferry. Everyone pushed and shoved to get onto the ferry before it began its 70 kilometres journey to Zanzibar. I felt confident on sea until the ferry manoevred out of the harbour into the open ocean and took to riding the waves instead of powering through them. I felt that twenty years had dropped away from me and I was back on the North Sea bound for Denmark. It wasn't much better at the stern so I decided to try to sleep through the constant 2 hour rollercoaster that was our transport for the morning. Even the truck was better than this, at lease it felt solid!
On arriving at the port of Stonetown we obtained yet another stamp in our passports, got bundled into two small Toyota buses and travelled to a foreign exchange bureau to obtain some Tanzanian Schillings, then we were bundled back into the buses and taken for lunch. Lunch was in a 'hotel' which was more like a nasty seaside cafe and there didn't appear to be any accommodation. The offering was beef biryani, fish biryani or chicken biryani. 'Which would you like?' We were also offered a choice of two drinks: 'yellow or red?' The point to this eating treasure was eat and get out. It wasn't the manager's intention that the customers remained inside the restaurant once their plates had been cleared, which occurred as soon as you laid your cutlery down.
Following lunch we were bundled back into the buses and driven for about an hour to the east side of the island. On disembarking the buses we were allotted apartments, each of which had an ensuite. Luxury! We stay at Gomani Bungalows for three nights.
A chilled drink by the bar admiring the stunning beauty of the Indian Ocean and its sandy beaches before taking to the waters. The water is so warm and a glorious rich turquoise colour. The sand is like I've never felt nor seen before. It is powder white and very fine and feels like velvety carpet under foot, especially underwater. It is magnificent, I love it! I looks so idyllic.
Then we returned to the apartment for a shower before dinner. Ian and I took to the bathroom and I turned on the tap. I thought perhaps I was about to suffer another migraine, in addition to the headache I had suffered all day long, as I felt a sudden bout of pins and needles down my left arm. I asked Ian to try the tap to see if he experienced the same. He did. The sensation strengthened as the water flowed. We quickly showered to enable us to wash the salt from our skin before locating a local to inform him of our suspicions that the water supply may be somewhat electrically charged. It turned out that everyone else was experiencing the 'electric showers' and we huddled outside to conflab before alerting the problem to Paul who in turn informed Georgie. Off they went to seek attention of the apartments' staff. We are told that an electrician will come tomorrow to check the wiring throughout the resort...
After dinner Ian and I strolled along the beachfront to search for crabs. Earlier we had spotted several sinister looking holes in the sand which turned out to be retreats for ghost crabs. We saw a hermit crab striding along in the sand under his shell. Others we saw when the tide had gone out. It had gone out so far it was like Brancaster beach in Norfolk, with plenty of little pools to look into. The ocean floor in its shallows is a combination of flat rocks and velvety sand so naturally there is plenty of attraction to starfish, hermit crabs, tiny little fish and seaweed. Ian spotted a couple of bigger crabs, the ones that move sidewards, and one that was missing a claw. We viewed them by moonlight as we were graced with a full moon tonight. The light is tremendous, so bright, creating magnificent shadows.
Once again we will fall asleep to the sound of waves and seabreeze.
Tomorrow we rise for sunrise over the ocean before embarking for a day of snorkelling and a search for dolphins...
Copyright 2002 Helen Fuller. All rights reserved.