April 10/11, 2010
Sawateeka Thailand and Jambo Africa (Goodbye Thailand and Hello Africa)
We made it out of Thailand - traveling through a few military check points, with stationary bright lights and hand held flashlights used to illuminate the car passengers, on the way to the airport - just in time...if you've seen the news you've seen that fighting and shooting has broken out in Bangkok (not near where we were staying but making sightseeing an impossibility). Good timing to be on to the next adventure...Africa!
Zanzibar
We arrived in Africa first on the island of Zanzibar - where they speak Swahili , the ocean is filled with fishing boats, sailboats, and children (all boys) swimming. You'll see the occasional donkey pulling a cart, many Muslim women covered from head to ankle (and every once and a while a hennaed covered foot peeps out) and what they call, "Beach Boys," selling everything from sunglasses to shirts.
Language
We try to learn some of each language in each new country. But we haven't learned enough and do need to use English. Before heading out to a market in Zanzibar Ben and I stopped at the front desk to ask what they exchange rate was between Tanzanian Shillings and US Dollars. The clerk who helped us gave us a big smile and said, "This way." Confused we followed him. As he motioned Ben and I in to a small room, the size of a large closet, I looked around thinking perhaps there was a computer he was going to check for the exchange rate. However all we saw were a few locked cabinets. As we took this in the clerk stepped out of the room and closed the door behind us - with him outside - leaving us in the closet like room by ourselves and briefly giving us the impression he had locked us in, but it was only him taking the key out of the door. Clearly we had had a little communication problem. As Ben and I stood by ourselves in the tiny room I burst into laughter so hard I had tears running down my cheeks. I had to wait to pull it together to leave the closet room and when we saw the clerk he said, "O.K.?" and we said, "O.K." with big smiles and unobtrusively found someone else to ask about the exchange rate. Still don't know we he thought we asked or what the room was for - perhaps cabinets to lock up valuables?
Health
Paul didn't go to the market in Zanzibar the first afternoon with Ben and I as he was really sick - a rarity - and had a high fever. He and Amelia stayed at the hotel while I went with Ben to look for an ATM to get Tanzanian dollars. So here Ben and I are walking in an African town on our own on our first day in the country - quite an adventure in and of itself - not even counting starting being (we thought) locked in a closet. Fortunately Paul is much better now. Whew!
We had one other bought of sickness on our trip during a night in China when Ben was very ill. So far that's it....
Swimming and Spice Tours
Our first night in Zanzibar (August 9) we heard children laughing and splashing at the beach adjacent to our hotel so Ben got on his bathing suit and he and I went to investigate. African boys were having a great time playing in the water with the setting sun and boats in the background. Ben was ready to jump right in with them but we'd heard mixed info on the cleanliness of the water right by the boats and shipping lines (which are very picturesque) so Ben just watched from the side for a little while and stuck to the hotel pool.
Water cleanliness is a huge need. In Cambodia and in Thailand we saw many children swimming and playing in drainage ditches, water filled with trash, water that had sewage in it, etc., so seeing other children playing in the water is no indication on the cleanliness of the water but the need for clean water everywhere is clear.
Zanzibar does have many beautiful beaches with clean water and 100 year old turtles but as in every country we don't have time to see everything. We have had time to walk in the narrow market streets and go on a Spice Tour to a spice plantation with Jambo Spice Tours - we all had a great time.
Safari
We flew to Arusha, Tanzania today and tomorrow morning we head out on safari!
Karibu/Welcome to Africa
Right now I am writing this while sitting outside at a small hotel cafe table in the dark (bats overhead) where we just saw a gecko eat a flying insect, many more insects are chirping and from close by the music and singing from an African wedding fills the air. Drums are beating and the voices singing in harmony are so good I first thought it was a CD. Now and then voices raise in cheer, whistles and horns blow and the shaking of some kind of percussion rattle sounds.
Welcome to Africa. Can't believe we are here!
Kwa Heri (Goodbye) and love to all,Jackie
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