Zebra Crossing: June 2005

Darling Dar-Es-Salaam

It's hot and humid right now, very sticky indeed, so we've treated ourselves to a fan, mosquito net,en suite bathroom, satellite TV and a real splurge called air conditioning.

So far what we've seen of Dar has been surprisingly good. The people are a diverse mix of Indian, less Omani influence here, and local Africans. There is a languid feel to the place yet it's pretty busy. The ex-pat community is also very large and as a result the number of International schools has swollen. Most of this is due to the fact that the UN genocide trials of suspects in the Rwanda and Burundi massacres were taking place not far from here.

There are Western type malls, chain stores, fast food outlets, together with cinemas and casinos...all very decadent.

Eleven summers have passed me by since last visiting Dar and Zanzibar and it's all a very different kettle of fish. Progress has brought with it problems that beset any growing community and Dar is not without its share. The rapidly expanding city marches as much to the tune of business as it does to the numerous street stalls that sell oranges or coffee.

It is still Tanzania's jewel in the crown as far as business and commerce is concerned and encourages foreign investment at every whim.

Dazzled by the Deep

Like undersea bird watchers we searched for Nemo while treading carefully over delicate coral, spiky urchins, and schools of multi-colored fish.

Pemba Island, in the Zanzibar Archipelago, is an island in paradise! With a lush, hilly, green interior and a mangrove fringe it was naturally the perfect spot for Marc to get his first glimpse of what lies beneath the sea.

A quick snorkelling tour in the shallows beachside(holding hands so not to lose each other) we opened our eyes into an aquarium of fish and coral life that almost took our breath away.

But, that was just the appetizer. By noon we were all kitted out in our scuba attire, fumbling with our regulators and weighted down with iron bars. With Nancy the dive instructor we practiced mask and regulator clearing proceedures to keep safe during the descent. Now, Marc was holding Nancy's hand (tightly I think!) as we plunged into the underwater coral garden that surrounds the tiny "Gilligan's Island" of Misali.

We floated with anemone fish, angelfish, and the blue and yellow groupers. We saw tuna in schools in the distance. The striped and spots of the butterfly and damsel fish surrounded us and the schools of tiny silver fish shone like silver coins descending in the sunlight.

Giant molluscs held their ground along the sandy slope between clumps of multi-colored coral. Layers of thin fan coral waved up at us as we graced by. We were careful to stay out of the path of the jelly fish...however tiny.

When we surfaced lunch was ready and we still had time to enjoy an afternoon on a deserted beach and even spotted a lion fish during a relaxing late afternoon snorkel.

Bewitched by Pemba

Haitian voodoo practioners in the early part of the century came here to learn or revise their voodoo skills. The enchanting art form is still alive and kicking but rarely ever witnessed by wazungus (white devils).

We flew here on a 12 seater Cessna and Marc was asked to co-pilot. Upon seeing who was getting into the seat next to the captain, I had to reassure everyone on the plane that he was only along for the ride and shouted, "DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING, HONEY!".

Quite frankly, I think they were all relieved. And the chance to be up by the captain in the important role of co-pilot was a thrill for Marc...even if he only just got to hold the clipboard!. It was a pleasurable short (18 minute) hop to Pemba, one of the lush islands on the Zanzibar archipelago.

We are staying in a small guesthouse in Chake Chake and have already visited the port town of Wete,passing banana plantations and clove farms along with sloping hills of coconut trees. Our form of transport is a converted pick-up truck called a 'dalla dalla' and everything from rice, chickens and even people are welcomed aboard with a broad smile.

Today's catch includes octupus and barracuda which can be bought from the Wete market and roadside stalls sell freshly squeezed sugar cane juice that puts the cane through a mincer to extract the juice...all in all, lethargy rules...