After a two hour ferry ride we arrived at Stonetown, the main city on Zanzibar island. We found a private minibus for hire which is supposed to be faster then the regular bus because we were immediately traveling to the north of the island where there is less people and better beaches. After traveling through teh city and pickign up other passengers we were off and two hours later made it to Ngunwi beach. We had befriended a Canadian and Serb, who were traveling together so we agreed to share a room at budget hotel on the beach. We were only staying one night so it was nice to have a place close to the beach. After a quick trip to the village store for some supplies to make lunch on the beach. We just relaxed the rest of the day preparing ourselves for the Kilimanjaro climb in a few days.
The power went out about 7:00pm just in time for me to take a nice cold shower to get ready for dinner. We met Peer and Draco for dinner on the beach by candle light. One of the local food vendors propotioned Jessica when she was buying some after dinner food for what he called the African Experience, this needs no explaination I don't think. Needless to say she was not interested and said thanks but no thanks my mzungu boyfriend is just fine! We both turned in early having gotten up at 5:30am that morning. We were taking the overnight ferry back to Dar so we had almost an entire day to enjoy before heading back to Stonetown. We walked along the beach, read and relaxed some more. After packing up and walking into town to catch a real dalahla minibus, which was actually faster and much cheaper then our private minivan we had the day before we arrived back into Stonetown for some sightseeing, dinner and to catch the ferry. Stonetown has more of an Arabiac influence thent he rest of Tanzania and this where you feel it from the architecture to the food. We checked out of immigration(they have their own on the island, they operate like Puerto Rico to the United States), we got on the ferry, were moved to first class after an energetic crewman moved us and of course a tip.
The next morning we arrived at 6am into the port to wait for Mr. Quick to pick us up and so he could get us to the bus for Moshi close to Kilimanjaro. He had other plans and instead had us traveling in one of the company safari vehicles that needed to get back that way. Along he told us plus the drive and only 7 hours not 9 like the bus. He wished!! More to come...
