Zanzibar…7th visit…incl Jambiani.
Fri 30th. I awoke quite early as I promised to stop by Happy at the A T Shop on the way to the ferry. So, breakfast at 07:45 and was at the terminal by 09:00. Smoothly through, and got a front seat on the ferry. I stepped out onto the deck just twice…to take a photo leaving Dar, and as we arrived on Zanzibar.
On arrival I barged my way through, but as gently as possible and quickly filled in the immigration form to get my passport stamped. Out into the sunshine and a 10 minute walk to Aurelia.
I was greeted warmly by everyone. I had a tea across the road at Lukmaans whilst my room was being finished off. I was given room 101 and paid the 160,000 for the 2 nights. 80,000 is the most I’ve paid there, but it is high season and the going rate for Aurelia is 100,000, so they gave me a nice discount. That equates to £23 per night incl breakfast, which is still excellent value.
Changed into shorts and flip flops and headed to the beach. I had a little snack along the way from a street stall. I lay on my stomach for an hour and was on the verge of getting sunburnt. I think I’m ok; not feeling any discomfort. Back to the room for a shower then off to pay my first visit to Patamu. More changes…a bit of a paint job; a big mirror inside which makes for an interesting refection. But one of the chair legs still hasn’t been repaired….!!
I didn’t think there would be much of a sunset from Travellers so I went straight on to Maru Maru. Not only was it happy hour but the sunset was amazing. Then back to my room. A wonderful return to Zanzibar.
Sat 31st. After a large Aurelia breakfast I went walkabout looking for replacement shirts; they all seemed to be around £8 plus, which seemed a bit expensive…good quality though. And this is Zanzibar of course so things generally more expensive.
Overcast day. Still no sign of Paul at the waterfront. One of the travel agent guys passed me and said..’ mzungu wa Tanga’..makes one feel at home. And Captain James saw me at Patamu and came to greet me. I gave him the relevant money and he went and bought me a small bottle of Konyagi to take to my room…and one for himself of course..!!
I went from Patamu to Forodhani and asked about the cost of a beer at Cape Town Fish market…8,000. Anyway, as it was approaching 5pm I knew I could get a beer at Maru for 5,000…and watch the Prem league matches. The Maru guy said that happy hour was only during week days, but then said he was only joking.
There wasn’t much of a sunset, and after football highlights I walked back to my room. I tried a shortcut and got hopelessly lost as usual.
Sun 1st Sept. I was in no particular hurry but wanted to get going as well to Jambiani, so I went down for breakfast at 08:00. Packing was quick, and by 09:00 I had done the 10 minute walk to the dala dala stand and straight onto the dala to Mwanakwerekwe/Fuoni (about 15 minutes) to change for Jambiani.
The dala was the type where you have to bend double and you bang your head as you make your way down/in. I went right to the end but it was still a very uncomfortable one and half hours journey. Was having quite fun conversations along the way which made time pass quite quickly.
I said I wanted to get off at the centre of Jambiani, but there was no centre as such as it’s located all along a straight road. Well, along two roads…one being the beach road and parallel to that the main tarmac road. The part of the road opposite Dhow hotel seemed central enough and I just headed in the direction of the beach.
I went into a restaurant hoping for a tea but they weren’t open yet. Next door was some accommodation but the owner wouldn’t be back until the afternoon. 30 seconds away was a basic looking Wow Beach House which I thought I’d give a try.
It didn’t look like it, but it was on a booking site. Haji showed me the original cost of about 44 Usd reduced to 41usd. It equated to 120,000 down to 100,000. But I said I didn’t want to pay more than 70 or 80,000; we kind of agreed 70 but I pushed a bit more and got the room for 65,000Tsh ..or £18-£19. And when I looked at the room more closely….it was big, had hot water, a fan and AC, and it was clean. And, ‘Welcome Wow’ spelled with flower petals on the bed. Very happy.
From there, into my shorts and T-shirt, and down to the beach which was about 30 seconds away. I walked up and down just taking it all in, then went a few minutes walk to the beach road to see if there were any local bars showing English football and selling cheaper beer…
The road looked fairly dead but I figured that was because it was a Sunday. I came across a German bakery where I had a cup of tea and chatted to some local Germans. Went back to one of the beach hotels where I was assured they would show the Spurs match. I watched the match and drank a couple of expensive beers. Spurs lost but I had good chats with the bar staff.
I went walkabout and saw that the Zanz BarBar was having a happy hour on cocktails. I walked up to the Maisha Pub but decided Zanzi Bar Bar was better and they were showing the evening football. For a change I had 2 cocktails, pina colada and something else, for only just over £4. By the time the footie finished at around 8pm it was dark and I went back to my room.
Mon 2nd. An overcast day which included some heavy rain in the morning. I walked a long way along the beach road before realising it didn’t join onto the main road and I would have to find a route across…not difficult as only about a couple of hundred metres.
I stopped at a small shack and chatted and had a kitumbua and 2 cups of ginger tea. There was a torrential downpour. After that I walked back to the beach. Then it was back to the Maisha Pub for 2 Serengetis, but first I had some maharage and a chapati at a hoteli nearby.
Then a wander around, ending up back at my room. I paid Haji the 130,000 for Tues and Wed. I showered and went to Zanzi BarBar for cocktails in happy hour. This time I had the Dawa and …Iced Tea. Basically, apart from the gin and tonic, they are all white/dark rum based cocktails. It was very quiet at the Bar and I returned to my room relatively early. Oh, on the way I had bought a small bottle of Hanson’s Choice to have in my room.
Tues 3rd. No hurry morning. I’m trying to learn to relax and not always look for something to do. There was some sunshine at least. Before leaving I showed Semeni my room ( and how tidy it was) and explained why it wasn’t necessary to clean it.
I tried a restaurant on the beach road for a tea but it was a tea bag and not particularly good. I walked over to my usual breakfast place for kitumbua and a much nicer ginger tea. I did a lot of just walking and taking pics/videos of Jambiani.
I made it to the beach, which is obviously not far, a took pics/video of the ladies’ seaweed farms; they seemed to be planting mainly. Strings are tied between sticks and then the seaweed is attached to the string. I don’t know how long before the seaweed is harvestable.
I lay in the sun for a short while, then back to my room.
I went a bit earlier to the Maisha Pub, where 2 beers were split by a tasty lunch at a fairly ramshackled looking hoteli.This time I had rice and beans and greens which was very filling, all for 2,000…or about 60 pence. One of the waitresses at the pub wanted my contact number but I declined, plus she was either drunk or high.
I went back to my room. The tide had come in and it was time to have at least one swim in the ocean. I only stayed in for a few minutes as the water was surprisingly cold and there was no sunshine. Not particularly enjoyable. But it was an excuse to wash my shorts at least.
With jeans on and a shirt I slowly made my way to Zanzi BarBar
I got there at 5pm and ordered my 2 cocktails for 15,000 from Rachael. I had the Iced Tea again, and a Margherita. A nice hour and a half chatting with Rachael and the Masai askari and another lady. I returned to my room relatively early, knowing I had half a bottle of spirit to finish off. It was about 10:00 by the time I settled to sleep, after sending messages, reading the news headlines etc…
Wed 4th. I had a chat with Haji. I saw where the other 2 rooms are; something to bear in mind if I come this way again. But there seems to be lots of accommodation, from hotels to bungalows.
I looked to see if the beach was still there!!
I walked to my usual breakfast place, but today there was no lady and no vitumbua. No problem, I had a ginger tea and 2 mandazi. I walked down to the beach and along a bit further than I had been before. I sunbathed for over an hour; the sun was very hot so it was a relief when clouds passed by quite regularly.
Back at the room, I couldn’t shower because there was a power cut which also affected the water supply. I squeezed a bit of water from a tap to put on my head to cool down. I walked slowly to the Maisha Pub area for an early dinner ( approx 2:30pm) as I was hungry by then. I had a nice rice, beans and greens again for 2,000. I paid for 2 beers at the pub. The bar lady tried it on and gave me 2,000 change, but politely said I was owed another 1,000 !
In the back of my mind I thought she might try to short change me..!!
I looked around for an Airtel outlet to buy sms top up, but to no avail. At least I was able to call Hassan and remind him I needed an Aurelia room for Thursday. I wandered over to Zanzi BarBar for my 2 for the price of 1 happy hour cocktails. A lady at the bar was a barmaid from the Blue Reef who served me on Sunday. So, fun conversations, and at least the continued power cut didn’t stop my Long Island Iced Tea and Margherita being prepared.
I went back to my room, stopping to look at the ocean with the lights from the hotels and bars flickering on the water. The power was back so the AC went straight on in my room. And I was able to do a FB post; the Wi-Fi was surprisingly good at Wow… Followed by sleep.
Thurs 5th. The plan was to get to the main road by 9am to get the dala dala to Stonetown. I got hold of Haji’s no. in case of a future return to Jambiani. I felt there was a little reluctance by him to show me the other room and I couldn’t quite determine where he stayed with his family. It’s just that the booking site review was so so bad that I thought it best to see that room as well; but never mind, my room was excellent.
A ten minute walk to the main road and a half hour wait for the dala. Unfortunately it was one of those flat body ones where you have to bend double to get in. At least it was nearly empty so I could pick my spot by the driver cabin end. Of course it filled up quickly and by Paje it was full. Not too uncomfortable this time. A cost of 2,500…or 70pence for the hour and a quarter journey.
However, by about halfway in the journey the driver was driving much too fast. Most passengers were yelling at the conductor to get the driver to slow down; he just smiled. Passengers threatened to not pay the fare; I shouted at the conductor. We went around a corner so fast that one lady was flung across the ‘carriage’ and fainted. I was very afraid, thinking we really would crash, and I was wondering how I could use my rucksack to cushion any impact. A few miles further on, the driver had to slow down as we reached a more built up area. That was a scary ride….
Got off at Kwerekwe for the short trip to Stonetown, but that took ages as most of the roads had been dug up and there were lots of diversions in place. Walked to Aurelia; there was a staff meeting in progress so I passed the time over a tea at Lukmaans.
Checked into room 103 which is one that faces the square, so was pleased with that. I tried to pull a fast one on Hassan by saying as it was now low season he should drop the rate from 80,000 to 70,000. I gave him 140,000 for 2 nights but he asked for an extra 10,000, which I kindly obliged… I looked up Aurelia at a booking site and I think I get my room at nearly half price. It pays to be a regular, friendly guest…
I changed and headed straight for the beach. The sun was very hot and I put lots of sun cream on my head. No more clouds and rain. From there to Vuga Rd for an urojo. Not quite as good as the Dharajani urojo, but tasty and filling. I went to Patamu for one beer… I bumped into Capt James to whom I gave 12,000 for him to buy me a small Konyagi and one for himself. This time he came up the Patamu steps and slipped my bottle into my bag. I felt like Dealer..!!! There wasn’t going to be a good sunset so I skipped Travellers and went straight to Maru. Handed over my 10,000 for 2 happy hour beers. I have good chats with the bar staff now.
Managed to find my way along the alleys back to the hotel; interesting to see how different the shops look at night.
Fri 6th. An 08:30 huge Aurelia breakfast. Got chatting with a family…I think a mother and 2 daughters. Had seen them before and they are somehow related to the hotel owner. We got on well and they offered me 3 bottles of African Garden (their business) chilli sauces…tamarind, mango and extra hot chilli. Very kind but they add extra weight to my rucksack…I suppose I’ll survive..!!
After breakfast I went to buy my ferry ticket for the next day…costing 100,000.
I poked my head into Smiles hotel where Jennie had stayed…very old, lots of atmosphere, a good price…but there again a lot of things didn’t work apparently.
I saw Paul at the waterfront briefly. I looked for the shop where Capt James bought my Konyagi, but no luck there. I resorted to James buying it for me, but this time I gave him 10,000 instead of 12,000 because I knew he just pocketed the difference.
I sat for a short time on the seawall enjoying the sun. Then Patamu was just around the corner. This time there was going to be a sunset so I went to Travellers. Not a great one but it made a change. As the sun went down I went to Maru, stopping off to draw out some money along the way. Had a good chat with a group of Germans who had done a 10 day wildlife safari.
And so to my room for my last night in Stonetown. It was a great visit…my 7th. Oh, my food intake after the big breakfast was a few bar snacks at Travellers and also at Maru, so I ate very little all day.Visiting Jambiani was great fun. In fact I preferred Jambiani to Nungwi and Paje…the latter 2 being very touristy. No doubt Jambiani will get that way soon enough. The dala ride from Jambiani to Stonetown had its scary/dangerous moments. The Stonetown alleyways were as frustrating as ever, but at last I’m getter a better idea of how to get around. Only on the last 2 days was the sun out fully and the temperature high.