Yesterday morning my cab dodged Dalla Dallas (local busses that sort of look like an old trolley glued to the back of a rusty pickup), donkey carts, rickety bicycles (some loaded with firewood), pedestrians on their way to work, school or prayer, oxen, and, sadly, one too-slow chicken who scrambled its own eggs on her way out of this world.  Today, it was my little Hyundai zooming past camels and construction trucks (while SUVs zoomed past me) on my way to work.  Oh how quickly my world changes.

Zanzibar, one of the spice islands off the coast of Tanzania, is an amazing place to visit.  Yes it’s a poor country, and, yes, not everything is pretty, but oh my goodness what the people lack in currency they have in abundance with the natural wonders of their island — including themselves.  This is my second time visiting a coastal region of Africa, and I’m in awe, once again, of what little I was lucky enough to see.

In just four days I swam in warm, turquoise water, fed tortoises, flirted with Red Colobus monkeys, which exist no where else in the world (except maybe zoos), learned a little Swahili from the locals, walked through ancient alleyways constructed out of coral stone, slept soundly tucked under the veil of a mosquito net, as well as all the other vacationy stuff I like to do — especially when lounging on a surprisingly comfortable chair made out of rope.  Ooooh, and I learned a new way to steep hibiscus tea — my friends are in for a treat the next time they visit (if I find hibiscus tea bags).

I have so much more to share about the island, but I think pictures will tell the story better than I can, so here you go.  Do know that I am now on a mission to visit as many African countries as I can while living so close to this part of the world — while also fitting in my Asian and European adventures.  Aaargh there’s so much world, so little time.

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And a few more to leave you with.