As Julie and I hopped onto the bus to Jinja, Uganda, we turned out the window to say goodbye to our mom as we continued on our journey. There we were, back on our own, roughing it with no set agenda and just a deadline to return to Nairobi for our flights! By nightfall, we arrived in Jinja and had no clue where to go. The only option was a motorcyle, and despite my skepticism, I was shocked it could fit me and my beastly backpack. It was mildly terrifying, but we made it to the hostel without any broken bones! The next day, we wandered aimlessly, ended up at the source of the Nile River, and got a firsthand look at the Class 5 rapids that we would be up against the following day.
From Jinja, we made our way down to Rwanda to spend four days in the country before making our cross country journey through Tanzania. Being in Rwanda was intense, as all I could think about was the horrendous genocide that occurred during my lifetime. But, I truly was inspired by the resilience of the people and couldn't believe how warm Rwandans were and how developed the country has become. We were in Rwanda for Easter and made our way through the countryside, to a small lake town, Kibuye, to relax and hear the voices of the choir at a local church. Upon returning back to Rwanda's capital, Kigali, we visited the Genocide Memorial Museum for the anniversary of the genocide. It was chilling to hear the wailing cries of local people in the background who were reminiscing about the atrocities that occurred not too long ago.
As we caught the bus to the Tanzanian border, there was the realization that we had a huge task at hand: getting to paradise, aka, ZANZIBAR! After thinking of every possible route, we made a plan. Essentially, the quickest way to get to the opposite coast of Tanzania was to go back through Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, but we refused to have to deal with the hassle of border crossings! So instead, it became an epic cross-country journey, taking an "8 hour bus ride" to Mwanza, Tanzania. As the bus approached early morning, there were already 30 people standing in the aisle as they piled the rest of us on. The bus ride was unbelievably exhausting, lasting 12 hours, but quite entertaining. When a lady with a baby came on board, they would just pass the baby to a random person while the mom stood up. Africans truly have a community mentality wherever they go!
Although Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania, there wasn't really much to do there! Our only goal was to get to Zanzibar ASAP. The decision was made to suck it up and splurge on a ticket to Zanzibar! Realistically, it saved us days of packed in buses, breakdowns, and just some crazy adventures that I don't know if I was ready to handle.
Immediately, I felt instant serenity seeing Zanzibar in the distance. After settling in, we explored the cultural heart of Zanzibar, Stone Town. Full of winding alleys, bazaars, and charming buildings characterized by carved wooden doors, it was easy to get lost in time as I wandered through this maze-like town. I truly loved everything about Stone Town. The people were warm, the markets were bustling, and the local scene was very unique. I particularly loved the night market, where all of the seafood caught during the day was showcased by the fisherman. Not only was the food fresh and delicious, but it was cheap!
Zanzibar is known for its spices, so we figured we would go on a spice tour to see what they were growing in the rural areas of the island. The tour was enjoyable and a bunch of locals followed us around, making us souvenirs out of the leaves while we smelled the many different spices and sampled fruits grown in the area. Afterward, we explored an old slave site, and then had some down time at a quiet isolated beach. Overall, it was a great budget day trip.
Zanzibar and the rest of my East African adventures are to be continued...
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