Pole Pole- Zanzibar and Kenya

I love how slowly time moves in East Africa.  The days are long and no one seems to be in a hurry.  Pole Pole!

I couldn't seem to get enough time in Zanzibar.  It is the definition of relaxation.  Gorgeous beaches, wonderful accommodation, amazing locals, and delicious seafood!  After a few days in Stone Town, we were ready to find our own slice of serenity on the East Coast of Zanzibar.  A crammed hour long bus ride led us to Jambiani Beach.  Now, I have been to A LOT of spectacular beaches around the world but there was something truly special about this beach.

Perhaps it was our $10 beachfront villa

Or sitting back and watching the dhow boats head out to catch fish before sunset

  

Or watching sunset before eating the fresh fish

Or waking up for low tide to see the locals doing their "ocean farming"

       

Or hanging out with the locals

                             

The combination of things that made Jambiani Beach so special and unique is likely why it is one of the best beaches I have ever been to!

It was tough to say goodbye but the journey had to go on!  Once arriving back in Stone Town, our new friend Solomon showed us around the island and took us up north to the village where he grew up.  We went to a turtle sanctuary where his friend worked and we were able to chill with the turtles (one of my favorite animals!).

Afterwards, we stopped at his aunt's restaurant for lunch as an afternoon storm began to roll in .  The beach looked so incredible with the rain in the backround.  This was the perfect way to end our time in Zanzibar although we could have easily spent another week there.

With only a week left in East Africa we decided to hit a few spots on the East Coast of Kenya.  Our first stop was Malindi, which is a small laid back beach town roughly 2 hours north of Mombasa.  Malindi has a small Italian expat community so we treated ourselves to some delicious Italian food during our stay.  The one thing that I really missed in Africa was cheese so it was great to finally have some GOOD pizza!

From Malindi we took a day trip to the Marafa Depression, aka "Hells Kitchen".  For $5 you get a guide that will take you around the sandstone canyon and discuss both the local legends and natural reasoning for the rock formations.  It was a very interesting site with such amazing contrasts between the different shades of red, orange, and yellow in the sandstone.

   

Before heading back to Nairobi we spent a couple days sightseeing around Mombasa.  Mombasa is definitely a fast moving city, especially compared to Zanzibar and Malindi.  It was the perfect way to prepare ourselves for Nairobi.

Fort Jesus, Mombasa

Unfortunately Nairobi, or "Nairobbery" as some may call has a bad reputation for muggings.  Expecting the worst, we were very cautious and decided to go out in daylight with the only necessary possessions in a money belt.  I actually felt very safe walking around downtown and was glad that I didn't stay holed up in the guest house.    Although I did not end up doing any real sightseeing in Nairobi, I got a decent taste of the city.  Julie and I parted ways from Nairobi after backpacking together for 4.5 months.  While it was sad to say goodbye we were both excited for our next destinations!

Take me to ZANZIBAR

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...