Zanzibar
Wed 7th May.
I knew Robyn’s train from Moshi didn’t get in until 11:00 so I took my time. I packed then went for breakfast. I went to the laundry area to pick up Riki wifi and responded to Terry. I checked out just before 10:00.
I wandered very slowly through the backstreets and reached the station after 10:30. Incredibly the Moshi train was early, arriving about 10:45. After searching all the exits, I found Robyn and we went to the main gate and climbed into a bajaj to the ferry terminal, for 5,000.
We paid our 98,000Tsh each for the ferry ticket then went through security. All without a hitch. In the waiting area a guy processed our 44Usd Znz Travel insurance…a new requirement since Oct ’24. Robyn’s card didn’t work but mine did; it saved a lot of time doing it on the Dar side while we were sitting/waiting for the ferry.
We got front seats and the ferry departed at 12:35. A nice crossing giving us a chance to chat and get to know each other a bit. We arrived Znz about 14:15. There was the immigration formality and another security check and we were out.
We hit the sea front before taking the backstreets to Aurelia. There was the usual little bit of confusion, mainly because Hassan was on holiday. He had quoted a room rate of 70,000. I was shown a card showing rates of 100,000 for residents, and they offered me 90,000. I persuaded them to accept 80,000. The non residents rate was 50Usd , or 125,000Tsh, so I did pretty well in the negotiations.
I got a room on the 2nd floor and Robyn on the 1st. I went across the road to Lukmaans for a tea and to wait for Robyn. We went back down to the waterfront and along to the bank so I could draw out some money. From there Maru Maru is very close and we went there for Happy hour and to enjoy the view. I persuaded the ladies to drop the beer price from 8,000 to 6,000, having been told initially that there wasn’t a Happy hour.
It was getting dark at that point anf we walked back to Aurelia. Robyn went to her room while I went around the corner for 4 pieces of octopus dipped in a tasty sauce. Nearby I bought, not quite a chapati, a tiny bit more expensive but softer/fluffier and more tasty.
I then went to the hotel nearby where I knew I could buy an alcoholic drink. The guys rembered me from last Sept when I reached there, realised I’d left my phone charging at Maru Maru, rushed back to Maru to find my phone still charging, then rushed back to the beer they had kept for me in the fridge. Anyway, after one drink I went back to my room.
Thurs 8th May
We arranged to go down to breakfast at 07:30. It was the usual nice selection, so it was quite a change from usual nothing for breakfast. We went out in the light rain with our umbrellas unfurled. We didn’t go far before they could be folded up again.
We went to the waterfront and walked slowly along. Robyn stopped for a juice. We saw Paul briefly. We walked passed the Tembo, Serena, Hyatt, Travellers and Patamu to the travel agency to book a flight to Arusha on Saturday.
To cut a long story short, we were there nearly 2 hours struggling with getting on the Internet, filling out flight and payment details. Eventually we succeeded, with Robyn paying all of it as she was treating me to the flight to Arusha. Both tickets cost Usd178.50 with Flightlink. The tickets were to be dropped off at Aurelia in the afternoon.
Robyn wanted to go to the Freddie Mercury museum. I left her to it and went have a coffee up the road and wait for her. She paid her 22,000 (over 6Gbp) for a very short visit; she was only in there for less than 10 minutes and said most of the information could be found on the Internet.
After my coffee and her juice we went to the waterfront and had Paul explain the costs of the Prison island turtles and Spice tour visits. I wasn’t interested anyway, but the high cost and bad weather put Robyn off as well.
We went back to our rooms then back to Maru Maru for Happy hour after 5pm. Unfortunately there was no sunset to enjoy. Also my stomach was feeling quesy although I had only had breakfast ; I think it was a combination of lots of coffee and a small bottle of water I had drunk quickly.
We went across from Aurelia to Lukmaans. Robyn had a small snack; I couldn’t face anything. They didn’t even have any tea, so I went to my room hungry and thirsty !!! I didn’t have any water in the room. My stomach got a bit worse before it got better.
I didn’t have a comfortable night. It wasn’t so much my stomach, I just couldn’t get to sleep until getting on for midnight.
Fri 9th May
So, overall I didn’t sleep very well. At 07:30 I met Robyn for breakfast. After which we went across the main road to darajani and explored the backstreets. There was clothing, shoes, electronics; Robyn bought a couple of small items. There’s some major modernisation going on…mainly new restaurants.
We crossed back and perused the meat/fish market, fruit and veg, spices. We went back briefly to the hotel then down to the waterfront. We reached Patamu just after 12:00, and although it was a bit early, I had one beer; it was my only opportunity to go to Patamu.
We walked back slowly to the hotel. I washed my ‘zebra’ shirt. I gave the owner the 20,000 short payment that we owed her. I got Kassim to show me exactly where the urojo restaurant was. I showered and put my jeans on then went to Maru Maru for Happy hour.
I had 2 beers in under 45 mins because I was due to meet Robyn back at Aurelia at 18:00. Still no sunset; too much cloud. So, we went to the urojo place, and that’s all they cooked…urojo. Robyn had one for 3,000 and I had a bowl for 4,000.
Absolutely superb, the best urojo I’ve ever tasted. Robyn went up to her room and I went to the Zanzibar Palace hotel for a nightcap as it was still quite early. I asked to be shown a room…Wow…the double was just amazing. I don’t know how much, but a single was 95Usd. That’s getting on for 250,000, and I’m paying 80,000 at Aurelia.
I was very pleased with my latest tour guide venture !!!