Stone Town / The Long Journey to Malawi

Day 46: Chitimba, Malawi

Monday morning we reluctantly left the white sands of Zanzibar's northwest coast for the island's main city, Stone Town. We stopped for a tour of one of Zanzibar's famous spice plantations, where we learned about the multitude of crops that have been a leading component of the island's economy for centuries. Cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla – they all prosper in the warm climate, as do numerous tropical fruits like lychees, starfruits, jackfruits, pineapples, and bananas. Particularly interesting is the iodine plant, which "bleeds" the rust-colored antiseptic sap.

The fruit of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana) contains seeds that produce a red pigment, hence the plant's nickname, "lipstick tree." This specimen is from a spice plantation on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania.

Our next stop was a grim reminder of Zanzibar's dark history of slave trading. We toured a dungeon where Arab slave traders imprisoned slaves for days without food or water to determine their strength. In a dark room that could barely contain ten of us, up to eighty slaves were piled on top of one another, the only light from two tiny slits in the thick stone walls. Those who did not succumb to disease or starvation were transferred to the adjacent slave market, where they would endure further brutal tests of their strength. A whipping post stood in the center of the square – those slaves who did not cry out or collapse when repeatedly beaten would command the highest prices. These practices were occurring in Zanzibar at the same time that the equally barbarous slave trade to the Americas was happening thousands of miles away in West Africa. Slavery was abolished in Zanzibar in the late nineteenth century, but remnants of the practice remained until the first decade of the twentieth century. At this particular site, a European missionary built a church on the former grounds of the slave market. The spot where the whipping post once stood is at the center of the altar, ensuring that the human atrocities that occurred there are never forgotten.

Historic buildings line the waterfront of Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania

After the sobering journey into Zanzibar's horrible past, we journeyed further to the edge of town where stone buildings met the shimmering sea. A few of us walked around the ancient streets for a while, browsing the numerous shops crammed with wooden carvings of animals and African paintings. We stopped at a picturesque Italian restaurant for some exquisite ice cream, a rare luxury in Africa. In the evening, we met up with the rest of the group for drinks at Africa House, a British colonial club that features a beautiful balcony looking over the sea. Afterward, we all walked to the nightly food market at Forodhani Gardens, where I tried some fresh octopus. The spices lent a delicious flavor, but the meat was quite tough. For dinner, we returned to the Italian restaurant for some fantastic pasta. As we walked back to our hotel, the exotic and unmistakeable sound of prayer calls resonated from the mosques and echoed throughout Stone Town.

The Majlis shisha lounge in the Africa House Hotel, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The building was an English colonial club from 1888 until the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964.

Boats at sunset, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Octopus and other delicacies at the Forodhani Gardens night food market, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

It was an early start the next day. Waking up to my alarm before five o'clock, I wearily descended the narrow stairs to the dining area for a simple breakfast of fruit and toast. We walked to the port and took the seven o'clock ferry back to Dar es Salaam. We still had to endure an additional eight hours on the truck before finally reaching our bush camp. The evening air was sticky, and we had to use the rain cover on our tent because of intermittent rain. It was stifling inside, and I finally fell asleep to the high-pitched buzzing of mosquitoes in my ears, occasionally swatting the unwelcome intruders away.

Yesterday was an extremely long drive day, ten and a half hours to yet another bush camp – this meant no showers or toilets two nights in a row. Luckily, the night was considerably cooler, and I slept comfortably.

A market in Mbeya, Tanzania

Today we stopped in the southern Tanzanian city of Mbeya to buy some food at a local market. Then, this afternoon, after two and a half days of driving all the way across Tanzania, we finally reached Malawi. We had to make sure to use all of our Tanzanian shillings before reaching the border, as we were not allowed to take them into Malawi. Similarly, we could not obtain Malawian kwacha until we were in the country, as the government maintains tight control over their currency. Malawi is currently undergoing economic problems which have caused certain commodities such as fuel to vary in availability. I am now lounging by the shores of the vast Lake Malawi, anticipating what adventures may lie ahead in a new African country.

Ups and Downs in Paradise

Day 42: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Yesterday was our first full day on Zanzibar, and we all split up to do separate activities. I decided to go snorkeling with green sea turtles in a natural lagoon with my tent buddy, Tom, a guy named Olly, and a girl named Jess. The four of us were apprehensive about plunging into the water with such huge creatures, but our guide assured us the turtles would not bite. It was amazing to be surrounded by these majestic animals, but it was startling when a turtle would swim up underneath me so that I was standing on its slick shell. The turtles also seemed fond of swimming towards me underwater and then suddenly sticking their heads out to look me directly in the eyes just inches from my face. Despite our guide's insistence on the turtles being "vegetarian," both Jess and Tom managed to receive innocent nips from one of the friskier turtles.

Snorkeling with green sea turtles at the Baraka Natural Aquarium, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Emily, Alex, Tom, and me on a sunset cruise off the coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania

In the afternoon, about ten of us opted to go on a sunset "booze cruise." To get on the boat, we had to wade out into the sea and climb a ladder onto the deck. The crew unfurled the sail and the wind carried us swiftly through the deep turquiose waves. Every time the boat turned, the strong wind tipped us sideways so far that the low side almost dipped below the waterline – one time, we actually did, and water sloshed over the side until we tipped back upright. The crew kept instructing us where to sit to best balance the boat. The drinks were strong – practically half vodka – so I only had a couple, but the whole experience was a lot of fun. Upon returning to shore, I spent the rest of the evening at the beach bar, enjoying cocktails with my friends and amusedly watching the drunken dancing that lasted into the night.

This morning I walked down to the beach, waded out into the water, and climbed into the same boat from the cruise yesterday. This time, I was going on a snorkeling trip to an area near Mnemba Atoll off the east coast of Zanzibar. The ocean was quite choppy, and we were headed directly into the swelling waves. As we climbed to the top of each wave, it was reminiscent of a theme park ride as we edged over the peak and splashed with full force into the valley of water below, repeating the undulation again and again with the relentless onslaught of surging waves. It was fun at first, but after a while the endless swaying and rocking caused most people on the boat to feel seasick. It took over two hours to finally reach our snorkeling site, and it was to everyone's dismay that the crew informed us that we could not land on the nearby beach due to the rough water. At least it was still calmer than it had been in deeper water. We headed for a group of other dive boats in the crystal clear sea near Mnemba Atoll and dropped anchor. This was the spot.

A resort near Kendwa Beach, Zanzibar, Tanzania

A boat near Mnemba Atoll off the coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania

Snorkeling near Mnemba Atoll off the coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania

Mostly recovered from my queasy stomach, I prepared my mask, snorkel, and flippers and jumped into the refreshing swimming-pool-colored water. I was immediately shocked by the strong current. The waves, although they appeared gentle from the boat, surged continuously into my snorkel. My shoddy mask also did little to keep the water out. I managed to spot a few fish but quickly became concerned by the potential danger of the situation and swam back. Luckily there was a rope that I could use to pull myself against the current back to the boat. Most people were back in the boat within ten minutes, quite upset by the fact that we were not warned about the unfavorable conditions. A few people who had been pulled by the current towards the deep blue ocean were thrown life preservers and reeled back in. At this point, everyone was feeling like the day was completely wasted, and we just wanted to return to our hotel. Because of the choppy conditions, we were served lunch on the boat instead of the island beach, which was tantalizingly close. We were all dreading the two hour return journey, and I was lucky enough to sleep through most of it. In the late afternoon, we finally reached dry land. We later complained about our experience and were able to compromise on a price of $15 each for the trip. Of course, I am not happy about paying anything at all for five hours of feeling seasick and two dreadful minutes snorkeling, but I suppose the captain and crew had to be reimbursed for the equipment rental and food. Nevertheless, the trip should have just been cancelled if the conditions were bad.

After resting for a bit after such an arduous experience, I slowly regained my appetite, and dinner made my lingering disappointment fade away. Pumpkin coconut soup, Indonesian noodles with prawns, and Zanzibar spice cake with a cream sauce proved to be an exquisite end to a mostly lousy day.

Ferry to Zanzibar

Day 40: Zanzibar, Tanzania

This morning we left Mikadi Beach and took a local ferry across the harbor to the main ferry port of Dar es Salaam. Our ferry to the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar was canceled twice, so we had several hours to wander around the city center before our ferry departed. Dar es Salaam did not seem like a very friendly city, and our experience trying to get lunch was frustrating. After our original ferry was canceled, we had about an hour until we had to be back at the port, so a small group of us walked a few blocks to a cafe, where we ordered lunch. A few of us ordered toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches with chips (fries). As has been our experience in Africa so far, even if someone doesn't understand a request, they usually smile and say, "No problem." After half an hour, we were getting anxious because we needed to get back to the port soon. The waiter finally brought one sandwich from the kitchen – untoasted and with no chips. Upon pointing to the menu and clarifying the order, the waiter acted like it was the first time he had heard the request. He went back to the kitchen and after some back-and-forth in Swahili, he came back to the table and said he would bring our sandwiches. We asked if we could now have them to go since they had taken so long, and he nodded. It was now five minutes until we had to be back at the port, and there was no sign that anything was happening in the kitchen, so we had to just leave and pay for our sodas. We felt badly that they probably ended up wasting food, but we didn't expect to wait for an hour for toasted sandwiches.

Once we arrived back at port, we discovered that the second ferry had been canceled and we now had yet another hour until boarding. Frustrated that we had missed out on lunch and sweating buckets from the horrific humidity, we ate some crackers in an outside waiting area. After a while, we were told we could go into a passenger lounge where there would be free food and drinks. We swiftly made our way to the lounge and wondered why we had not been there the whole time. The air conditioning was on full blast, and the blue glass windows made the room seem even cooler. There were fridges with free water and juice … and free ice cream. Jackpot! I indulged in my luxurious mango ice cream and pineapple juice as I gradually cooled and my sweat evaporated.

A ferry cruises past the waterfront of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

We finally boarded the ferry. It was over two hours across the choppy sea to the island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar considers itself separate from Tanzania, so I actually received a stamp in my passport even though I didn't receive an exit stamp when leaving Dar es Salaam. Upon arriving in Stone Town, Zanzibar's unique history became apparent in its enchanting Islamic architecture, spice markets, and Indian and Chinese restaurants. We hopped on a bus and rode an hour to a stunning beach on the northwest coast of the island, where we would stay in an actual hotel with actual beds for the next three nights.

The clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean make for a tranquil setting at Kendwa Beach on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania

The Indian Ocean

Day 39: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Yesterday we drove from Arusha to the small town of Segera, where we camped for the night under a brilliant starry sky. When we arrived, it was so windy that it proved somewhat difficult to set up our tent properly. After spending the night in our lopsided shelter, we headed out at 7:30 this morning for Dar es Salaam. As we entered the outskirts of the city, the Islamic influence of this part of Tanzania's coast became apparent. Nearly all the women wear hijabs, and many of the buses display "Allahu Akbar" painted on the windshields. Dar es Salaam is an amalgam of ancient and modern. Glass office buildings stand next to shoddily constructed stone shops. The construction methods used on some modern buildings is particularly interesting: the scaffolding consists of stripped tree branches lashed together with rope. But the structures taking shape underneath these ancient-looking wooden skeletons are thoroughly modern concrete and glass.

The waterfront of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

We skirted around Dar es Salaam and soon arrived at Mikadi Beach, where we are camping tonight. We pitched our tents on the fine sand and marveled at a stunning view of the tropical palms stretching towards the crystal clear waves of the Indian Ocean. After suffering through the sweltering heat and humidity of the ride through Dar es Salaam, I headed towards the water for a refreshing swim. The color of the sea is a vibrant turquoise, and the depth is shallow enough to stand with my head above the gentle waves even when swimming quite far out. But the most stunning quality of the water is the temperature. It is as warm as bathwater – almost hot – and is easily the warmest ocean I have ever experienced.

After dinner, we all spent the evening at the bar sipping tropical drinks and attempting to play pool on a shoddy, sloping table. I retired to my tent around midnight, listening to the sound of dance music from the bar harmonizing with the rhythmic beating of the waves. After the bar closed, the only sounds that remained to complement the enduring melody of the Indian Ocean were the wind rustling through the palm leaves and occasional, almost rain-like gusts of sand blowing gently against the walls of my tent.

Tanzanian Game Parks

Day 37: Arusha, Tanzania

Sunday morning we headed for our first game park in Tanzania, Lake Manyara National Park, where we saw more of the same wildlife we had spotted at Lake Nakuru. However, we finally had our first sighting of elephants. Of course, I've seen these gigantic creatures plenty in zoos, but it is another thing to see them in the unpredictability of the wild. Elephants can become startled very easily and often charge safari vehicles, so our driver was always ready to floor it in case one of the elephants started running towards us. Some of them snorted angrily a few times, but luckily none charged. Elephants are graceful, wise creatures, and it is awe-inspiring to see such huge animals in the wild.

An African elephant in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

A blue monkey sits in a tree in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

A safari jeep drives into the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

After leaving Lake Manyara in the afternoon, we camped for the night in the town of Karatu, near the rim of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater. We entered the crater the following morning. As we ascended the rim, we were treated to a majestic view of the entire crater with its picturesque lake and tree-lined slopes. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the densest gatherings of wild animals anywhere on Earth. The sheer number of creatures became apparent as we descended into the crater and had to practically wade through masses of hundreds of zebras in our vehicle. Hordes of wildebeest and huge herds of African buffalo extended into the distance. But we were on the lookout for something more elusive: predatory cats. We finally spotted a lion crouching high up on a rocky outcropping. It was our first male lion, and it was hard not to think of "The Lion King" with "The Circle of Life" being sung to majestic images of Pride Rock. Later in the day, we were fortunate to experience an even more impressive sighting. This time, it was a group of lions – two male and two female – lounging right beside the road. The two females left, and the two male lions started making yawning motions with their powerful jaws. Although it looked like a silent roar, the male lions were actually smelling the scent of the females with glands located in their throats. The two lions soon looked as if they were going to fight over the lionesses, but laziness overcame them and they instead plopped down into the tall grass like overheated housecats.

A pair of blue wildebeest spar near Lake Magadi in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

In the afternoon I, along with seven others from Oasis, split from the rest of the group to head for a game drive in the Serengeti. It was an optional add-on activity, but one that I could not imagine omitting from a trip to Africa. Our afternoon safari unfortunately proved to be somewhat of a disappointment, as it took several hours of driving on teeth-chatteringly bumpy roads to reach the Serengeti, and we saw virtually no animals before we reached our camp in the center of the park. The lack of animals was discouraging, especially after having witnessed the abundant wealth of wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater. However, animals are often more active when it is cooler, so we hoped that our game drive the next morning would be more successful.

A pair of hippos fighting in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

This morning, we were excited and ready to venture out into the Serengeti. We were able to see giraffes, jackals, warthogs, buffalo, and gazelles – but nothing new. We finally came upon a pond where two hippos were stirring. Every time we had seen hippos before, they had just resembled large boulders sitting motionlessly in the water. This time the two hippos had something to settle. With strange roaring sounds, they both reared up on their hind legs and locked jaws in the air. The massive creatures moved the fight towards the pond, splashing into the murky water while their powerful jaws snapped ferociously. It was a rare sight to see these massive creatures boasting their enormous crushing teeth in all their glory. Satisfied with the impressive display, we headed for the park exit and a four and a half hour drive back to Arusha.

Nairobi / A Rough Journey to Tanzania

Day 34: Arusha, Tanzania

Thursday, we drove from Nakuru to the metropolis of East Africa, Nairobi, and visited the Giraffe Centre. We hand fed a female giraffe by dropping bits of feed into her extremely long, slobbery tongue. Then we headed to camp where we relaxed and played pool at the bar the rest of the night. The next day a few of us caught a taxi to downtown Nairobi to do some shopping and see how dangerous the infamous city really is. A few blocks from the shops, our taxi broke down and we had to get out and push it through an intersection. This happened once or twice more before we finally arrived at our destination, but I suppose it's all part of the Africa experience! Downtown was very modern, with glass office buildings and trendy shops and restaurants. It was no busier or crazier than any large American city, and – during the day at least – didn't seem any more dangerous. That said, I would certainly not want to walk around downtown Nairobi at night – its reputation for muggings and violent crime is unfortunately well deserved according to locals. We ate lunch at a cafe that could just as easily have been in New York, and then we checked out a few camera stores. I wanted to see about buying a lens, but the selection was minimal.

Feeding a giraffe at the Nairobi Giraffe Centre, Kenya

In the afternoon, we headed back to Karen, the area of Nairobi where our campsite is located. Karen contains the huge homes of many politicians and expatriates, and the area more or less resembles some ritzy American suburbs, except for a few dirt roads here and there. We went out to eat at a fantastic restaurant where we met up with a few of the new people who would be joining our tour and said our farewells to some that were leaving. I had a great Thai chicken dish and some wine, but I didn't eat much because I wasn't feeling well. I ended up being sick all night long. I don't know whether it was food poisoning from lunch or a virus, but it was not pleasant. I still felt very queasy this morning and was not looking forward to meeting the new people and riding in the truck to Tanzania. We stopped at a supermarket before leaving Nairobi, and one of my friends got me some rehydration packets and anti-nausea tablets. I managed to eat some crackers and sat near the front of the truck while we drove for hours on rugged roads into Tanzania and past vast, hot landscapes. Luckily, I started feeling better as the day went on and regained my appetite by the time we arrived at our campsite in Arusha. Getting sick on a trip to Africa is almost inevitable, and I'm glad this episode didn't last long. I am going to bed early tonight so I can be refreshed tomorrow when we begin exploring the wildlife of the famous national parks of Tanzania.