Tuesday, 25 February 2025

Final days in Arusha

We spent our last two days in Arusha doing a lot of not very much, although we did a nice hike to the waterfalls, and a bit of shopping (to spend our last shillings).  Now we’re at the Kilimanjaro airport waiting for our flight, and looking forward to 30+ hours of travelling.

Start of the hike to the waterfalls (about a half hour drive outside of Arusha).


A scenic hike!


Helping an old man cross the river. (There were about a dozen river crossings and we both fell in at one point or another.)


Trumpet Lilly.


The falls!!!  This is dry season - during wet season Sonya would be up to her neck (and in fact you can’t even hike to the falls).



Food!  This is a traditional Tanzanian meal, chicken with sauce and bananas.


Wandering the main drag in Arusha.


The obligatory tomato pic.


At the airport. Lineups here work pretty much how they do in China.



Sunday, 23 February 2025

Stone Town Zanzibar

We spent a couple of days wandering around Stone Town (the main town on Zanzibar Island). We took a guided tour one morning and then just wandered around shopping the next morning. It was hot and humid so we spent afternoons lazing around our air conditioned apartment. Today we’re flying back to Arusha for a couple of days before we return to Canada.

Here are some photos, in no particular order.

Food (of course).


Rani haggling for a mango.


We stayed in an Airbnb on this street, outside of the main tourist area.


More food - Lakmaan restaurant, family style servings.


Cats cats cats everywhere.



The old fort, built originally by the Portuguese and then expanded later by the Zanzibarians.  Now a sort of a mall.



Lots of elaborate carved doors in Stone Town.


Forodhani Park by the water.



Our tour.


Rooftop view of Stone Town.



Zanzibar was one of the main ports for the slave trade, this is one of the rooms where they keeps the slaves before selling.


Spice market.


Freddy Mercury is from Zanzibar.




Fruit juice on a rooftop cafe.


The Peace museum.


Sonya is missing her weekly workouts!


Pizza!!!

PS even in the Zanzibar airport departure lounge!



Wednesday, 19 February 2025

Beach Bums in Matemwe Zanzibar

After our Safari we decamped to the island of Zanzibar, to the town of Matemwe on the north-east side of the island. We ate, snorkelled, walked along the beach and generally lounged about for four days. Tomorrow (Thursday) we are moving to an Airbnb in Stone Town.

Here are some miscellaneous pictures.

We spent one night in Arusha after our Safari, before we hopped a flight to Zanzibar.



In Matemwe we went snorkeling a couple of times. You just hire a boat on the beach and they zip you out to the good corals.




Our beach is miles and miles long and full of locals selling various products and tours.  Hapana Asante!!!


Food food food!!!  (Chakula!)






On our last day we started to run out of Tanzanian Shillings so we walked about 90 minutes to the closest atm 😜