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Tanzania & Zanzibar Review

Friday, February 9th, 2007

Best Experience: Waking up in the middle of the night on Pongwe Beach in my bungalow hearing the howling of the wind.
Best Acommodation: Santa Maria Coral Park
Worst Accomodation: There weren’t any
Best Food: Lobster at Mercury’s
Worst Food: Pizza at Harborview Suites
Scariest Moment: Mosquito fights inside my net at my hotel in Stone Town
Best Scenery: Pongwe Beach

Kwaheli sasa Africa

Saturday, February 3rd, 2007

Goodbye Africa.

I am back in Dar es Salaam and in a matter of a few hours I will be heading back to the airport to catch my flight out of Africa and into Asia. I have 2 very long legs. 5.5 hours to Dubai with a 3 hour layover and then continueing on to Jakarta, Indonesia on Emirate Air. I was getting nervous about not having a guide book for SE Asia. I have one at home but thought it would be too bulky to bring but after being in Ethiopia with a guide book I realize the importance of it, if only for a good look at accommodation and how the hell to get from one place to another. I am sad about leaving but at the same time I am ready for a new misadventure and new cultures and experiences. It turns out Daisy and I found a bookstore in the middle of the narrow winding old Araba city of Stone Town and it had an entire travel section with guide books. I picked up a ROUGH GUIDE: SE Asia. I have something to read on the airplane now and all looks good.

I am a little considered about Jakarta right now. There have been pretty heavy rains the last few days and much of the city is under water. I am hoping that the district I have chosen to stay in is in good shape. Otherwise I will probably be leaving Jakarta for the beaches much sooner than I had expected. My home has been in the news here for the storm that swept through central Florida on Friday morning. A hotel worker here in Tanzania showed conscern when I mentioned I was from Florida but I told him my family was ok.

It has officially been one month today. I am on day 31 in my journal. I have more to write about Africa but I think I will keep it to my journal for now and post some writings from it at a later time. I am hoping this good fortune of great internet connection will last so I can once and for all get all my photos uploaded. In Singapore I will be spending a long weekend with a friend of mine from Orlando who is working there now. I plan to upload all my photos at that time if I am unable to do it before then.

Our last night in Africa was actually pretty ordinary. I felt like I was at home for awhile. We had drinks at a bar. I had a jack and coke and red bull and vodka and Daisy drank 2 terrible mojitos. We even found a video game shop that had about 5-7 televisions hooked up with playstations that you pay less than $1 for an hour. Most people were playing Fifa Soccer and I have played it before so I decided to give it a try. Daisy sat and watched others play and I challenged a local to a duel. The first game he chose Barcelona. I figured, with Ronaldinho, everyone’s favorite soccer player. I considered going to USA team but it would have been a bit too lopsided so I chose the Italians. He beat me the first game 1-0 in a very close match. The 2nd time around I chose Real Madrid and the game went into double extra halves. Victory was mine, 1-0. Viva Beckham! For a few moments I felt like I was right back at home playing games. It was really nice. I think I surprised them with my soccer game play.

Oh, I almost forgot. A funny conversation with a local in Zanzibar yesterday. Daisy and I were walking back to our hotel and this little boy, probably 10-12 yrs old walked up next to us and started chatting. Excerpt from the conversation.

Boy: You are Americans?
Us: Yes
Boy: Ah (mumbled something)
Us: Do you not like the U.S.?
Boy: I very much like the U.S. a lot. But your president is a stupid head.
Us: WOAH!!!

The boy eventually stopped following us.

Time to go!

Goodbye from Africa.
See you in Asia.

Don’t Stop Me Now

Thursday, February 1st, 2007
Freddie Mecury was... IS the front man of Queen. The band currently has a new lead singer but it isn't the same. Unfortunately, it took me well into my 20's to actually begin appreciating the musical talent that ... [Continue reading this entry]