Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel

... joined the streaming crowd towards the ferry. Each of us was sort of on our own to make it to the right area amid elbows and pressing bodies. On the boat we all congregated upstairs and watched as Dar Es Salaam’s town center got closer and closer. When we arrived there was a van waiting to take us to another ferry that we would board for Zanzibar. Once again it was a pushing jumbling mess and we were glad to board our "Express" ferry. I leaned my ...

... onto the boat, past the Tanzanian Navy's Patrol Boats (I later spotted Zanzibar's ones... the mainland did MUCH better...) and 2.5 hours later (with David Attenborough documentaries to watch onboard) we arrived in Stone Town. <br>Stone Town is a maze of back streets and tall buildings with tiny little stalls all dotted randomly. The most amazing thing though is their doors. They're carved in such detail and in the biggest block of wood, some even have the ...

... in "Finding Nemo"). I also saw a couple of Trigger fish (really cool, they swim sideways), large Gropers and Moray Eels. There were also so many pretty angel fish, clown fish and many other colourful fish that I do not know the names of (we need another animated fish movie to give me some lessons on fish types!) <br>Tonight we will have dinner overlooking the ocean and perhaps another Pina colada!<br>

... took about 2 and a half hours to cross the channel separating the island from mainland. The sea was a bit rough, and several people were getting sea sick, but I was fine. To my surprise, we had to clear customs and immigration again in Zanzibar, even though it's part of Tanzania. The first three nights we were going to stay in Kendwa, in the North West corner of the island, which has some of the best beaches, and of course, the famous Full Moon party. How lucky, were ...

... up the river to see hippos, crocodiles and birds. When we arrived at the pier to see the boat captain, we were told that he&#8217;d lent his outboard motor to someone who&#8217;d gone to Zanzibar! Our guide then left on a quest to find another engine but returned empty handed. The captain, eager to please, suggested that we could do a shorter trip just paddling the boat up the river so we all loaded onto his boat and set off. Less than 400 metres up the river it&#8217;s pretty clear that ...

... tired enough to sleep through the night! Woke up early and found Stone Town much more pleasant in the day light. Still confusing but not so scary. Unfortunately, the guys that worked at my hotel were not very helpful when I asked what I should see and I didn't have a guidebook so I just wandered aimlessly. Very interesting place. Old. Very Muslim. Saw a woman with her head covered but breastfeeding her baby. She was in her shop, not completely out in the open on the ...

... to make our way back. The man was wrong about the tides, we left the village at 11.45 just to make sure, but found we were cut off at the first corner - it wasn't too deep, just up to our ankles, so we continued on, the next point we were cut off, it was around shin deep so we tried clambering over the rocks with the sea swirling in around us. We got round that corner, then there was another small stretch of beach and some more rocks to ...

... with wide stretches of golden beach (even at high tide) and only a few hotels that may have been crammed in on the road but looked pretty spaced out on the beach - all with large beach restaurants. We found the price of one of the cheapest basic double's in the area was US$60 and the food was a little more pricey, but it would have been worth it to stay there - if you were feeling well of course! The clear blue seas were stunning... even under the dark ...

... and Bheirger. Another early start - get on a deathtrap Dalla Dalla (15 seater bus, 30 crammed in) heading for the border at Songwe. We laugh as 3 students from Northumbria end up being made to pay twice. That soon changes as we realise the tickets we bought for onward travel from the border to Chitimba in Malawi are part of a big scam. So instead all 5 of us + backpacking gear somehow fit into a 4 seater taxi driven by that kid from Different Strokes ...