Observations on Zanzibar

I've got so many half-thought out ideas and impressions to blog about that I can't seem to find one subject to write about. Thus, I thought I'd just jot down some general observations about life here.

1. Zanzibar's palms, white sand beaches and azure sea is not just a beautiful cliché, it is the original inspiration for all tropical paradise clichés. Sometimes, I can't believe I live in such a breathtaking place. The sun on the sea at noon glitters like diamonds and the water is crystal clear like a swimming pool.

2. Zooming along on a speedboat dressed in a wetsuit, wind whipping my hair, a white line of coast spreading out behind, makes me feel like a Navy Seal.

3.”Karibu” (“Welcome”) is a word that defines Swahili culture. Life here is filled with little acts of kindness and people will go out of their way to help you when they see you’re a visitor. Hang around the house and it’s not long before a plate of fresh mango or some rice and stew is pushed into your hands. Look lost at the minibus stand and people will help you find the right one. It’s a different welcome to other places I’ve been – not the minor-celebrity style attention you receive in Ethiopia, nor the obsessive over-feeding of Senegal or the touristy service of South East Asia, there’s a open, friendly but not intrusive attitude here that makes me feel very at home.

4. As in all African countries, greetings are paramount and there are dozens of them. I think it's indicative of the value placed on community here - after all, if you haven't got dvd players or playstations to entertain you, people are a valuable resource. Greetings include: Habari - how are you? /Mambo - how's life? / Vipi - How's it going? / Sema - Say what? / Salama - Peace / Karibu - welcome. Moving around here is necessarily at a slower pace because to get from a to b you inevitably spend up to 5 minutes at a time going through endless greetings with everyone you meet. Only slightly annoying when you desperately need the loo.

5. Despite the massive influx of tourist dollar, there's very little of the Thai-style aggressive touting. Furthermore, people haven't lost their traditional ways: walking home along the beach at night, it's common to see a group of Masai having a good old drum and a singalong, not for the benefit of any tourist.