Jambo Zanzibar

The Absolute Safari August 24 - 29

"I've got the old man's car. I've got a jazz guitar. I've got a tab at Zanzibar. Tonight's that's where I'll be."

I remember the first time I heard these lyrics from Billy Joel and saw photos of the sandy white beaches off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, that I was smitten.

It was another long drive to Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, when suddenly we stopped. It was rush hour and the number of cars on the road was insane. Took us three hours to cross the city. Dar es Salaam is an important economic center and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. After spending the night at a campsite on the beach we woke up early to get the ferry to Zanzibar and a shuttle van to Kendwa Beach, our home for the next three nights.

As a company Absolute Africa, has approximately 50 different safari options ranging from 5 - 77 days. Many of the smaller tours are combined. It was here in Zanzibar that 2 trucks merged together as many people were leaving.

We sat together as a group for lunch at the beach bungalow the first afternoon. Rest of the day was spent relaxing on the beach, swimming and catching the magnificent sunset. The following day was a chance to snorkel, swim with dolphins and bask in the turquoise warm ocean on our dhow ship. Several of us walked to an amazing restaurant then tried, unsuccessfully, to get into the beach full moon party.

Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and travel back to Stone Town, the major city of Zanzibar and historically and artistically importance in East Africa. Its architecture, mostly dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences underlying the Swahili culture, giving a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements. The heart of Stone Town mostly consists of a maze of narrow alleys lined by houses, shops, bazaars and mosques.

We stopped along the way to take part in a spice tour where we sampled nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. https://www.tanzaniaspices.org/history

As a port city, Zanzibar played an important role in the slave trade market. During our free afternoon, we took a tour at the old slave market, one of the world's last open slave markets, presided over by Arab traders until it was shut down by the British in 1873. The slaves were shipped here in dhows from the mainland, crammed so tightly that many fell ill and died or were thrown overboard.

"We travelled on for more than a month and a great many people died in the way. We walked for sixteen days, little food, water. All grown-ups fastened together. Many died of starvation and disease on the way to the market."

After a somber visit to the museum, we stopped at one of the many spice markets and sampled food at one of the major food halls.