From the island of spices and slaves...

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  Zanzibar, Tanzania
Thursday, November 23, 2006

So, the journey continues...
It has been awhile since I've beena ble to update, so I'll try my best to not miss out on too much...
So, since Mikindani, Karaka and crew travelled up the coast stopping first at this nice river. There wasn't much wildlife, and the local fishermen were rather aggressive, so we only stayed one night. Next we went up coast to Kilwa Masoko. This was my first overnight journey and it was deinitely quite interesting. I wasnt too sea sick, but all of my dreams involved moving in that rythmic ocean swagger. I did my first watch, where you have to steer the boat, keep and eye on wind, waves and weather, and oif course watch out for other boats, ( which there werent any). It is rather entrancing to move constantly like that and not sleep too much, I got into this hypnotic trance for the night and day that was rather enchanting. Kilwa brought many changes

African village

. The first being crew. Mat and Dodo went in land to discover the main land of Tanzania. This left Me and tom, and Leila who arrived in Kilwa. She is a really cool french "poulette" who is friends of the blancarts from their home town in France. She just spent four months travelling and volunteering arouns southern Africa. WE instantly hit it off and it was nice to have another female around. We spent a few days exloring Kilwa. It is a quiet small town without tourists. Actualy there was one overly priced South African resort there filled with rich old foreigners, that I came to really despise. Everything about the place bugged me. It was the type of place that prefabricates your desires and sells them back to you at your emotional and financial expense. The town, however was magical. The people were all laid back and not at all swarmy. There were these beautiful old ruins from an ancient arabic sultan who used to dominate the area in the slave trading days. The coast was all white sand and mangroves. The fishing weasn't too good, but there were plenty of fishermen willing to trade fish for clothes. Kilwa also brought the arrival of Pierre, Tom's brother. He rode to Tanzania from France on his beat up old motorbike right through the heart of Africa!! It took him four months and some of the stories he has are crazy!!! He is an archaologist with beautiful long dreads,and a crazy french sense of humour. This made four of us. I suddenly found myself on an allo french boat!!! Not to worry I can speak the language...sort of..

baracuda

. I have improved my knowledge of the language immensely and pretty m,uch speak only french now!!! I have also learned soime swahili!!! We departed Kilwa and headed north for about another weel. This journey started with only small 4 or 5 hour sails every day or everyother day. We anchored at some amazing desserted islands and reefs, and I went snorkelling everyday!!! I love living like this!!! I have seen some amazing fish, and thank god no sharks yet... I even caught my first baracuda!!! It was three feet long, and you'll have to check the photo, but trust me it was as yummy as it looked!!! WE then continued on up to Zanzibar from our Mafia island ( nothing to do with Italians) based anchorage, which took 2 full days sailing. By now I have my sea legs, and can even cook gourmet while rocking back and forth!!! I suppose that I was the first mate by default for awhile there since neither Leila nor Pierre had sailed before. I moving on up!!! I have learned alot aboiut sailing. Not just the theory, but I have perfected the art ( just about) of raising anchor, sails, taking, jibbing and doing all of the other routine sailor's work. I even conquered my fear of heights to cliomb the mast!!! A very proud moment for me. I am constantly amazed by the beauty of the land here. It is truly paradise. Little desserted white sand islands, warm starry nights, beautiful reefs... I feel so alive!!! I must say, however that some of the reefs have been damaged my fishermen who use dynamite, those bastards!!! Once arrived inn Zanzibar, the full fledged city environment hit me again. Once more tourists, ppl, cars, just plain bussyness!! Of course it is totally different than anything in Canada. It has all of these tiny stone roads bordered by ancienbt arabic buildings. There is a mostly muslim culture here, so that mean lots oif mosques and women totally covered. You can find just about anything here as there are lots of indian traders with shops and a market with all types of cool things

cpt. tom relaxing

. It was nice to be in a town to stock up on amenities. I have realised that I am defintely not a city girl and prefer the quietness of the ocean to the life of the city any day!!! There were new arrivals to Karaka in zanzibar too. Mat and Dodo returned having enoyed their exedition, and Tom's parents came from france!!! They asre totally wild and fun, and came with all sorts of french stuff like tons of cheese, chocolate, creme de marone and all kinds of other neat stuff. I get along quite well with them both, especially la mere ( the mother) since she is teaching me how to bake bread and cook french cuisine!! This means that I am with 6 french ppl and one english, so needless to say I am still speaking mostly only french!!! I went to the market with christine (la mere) yesterday which was fun, but exhausting having spoken french wioth her, swahili with the vendors and english in my head!!!
I have been doing alot of thinking lately about my life and how I want to live. I feel that before I was really a bourgeois ( a person preferring safety, comfort, illusion to the hazards and adventures of revolution personal or social). I wasn't really all that happy in Canada even though I had a good life. I drank alot, smoked alot of weed, and was frequently depressed. I lived inside the box,not truly free, although I was on the edge looking out. I know now that I will never be totally happy unless I continue to challenge my ideas of comfort and freedom. I know that I must be doing somewthing right because I have this unceasing sense of relaxation,freedom,happiness and truth. I have really begun to realize my potential and am seriously reconsidering my life's direction. I know that I do not want to ever return to my box. I'll save the rest of this revolutionary talking for another entry perhaps... untill then check out the pics and you'll here from me soon...

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karaka sailing	kilwa ruins	leila and pierre	me and a balboa tree
me up the mast	sunset	tough life of a sailor	typical scene

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