Day 5 was mega chilled. Really didn't do much else other than sunbathe- although I have discovered some cool new bars and restaurants to wander off to at lunchtime.
The only problem with wandering is the "Beach Boys" aka the "Looky Looky" men. These are the guys who pester you to sign up for excursions, or snorkelling trips, or watersports. And they are Hardcore here!!! If you take a walk on the beach they follow you, trying to get you to part with your cash. I don't bother taking a purse now, and stuff any cash in my camera case. That way the "sorry I have no money" ploy works a treat....
Until Moo. Whilst going down to the sea for a swim, this guy collared me, asking if I wanted to go scuba diving or some such trip. I explained I was off for a swim, and legged it into the ocean thinking I was safe.
Wrong.
While floating away blissfully, thinking how calm and warm it was compared to Durban's surfing beaches, I heard "hello lady!!! Jambo!!!" (Jambo is hello in Swahili) I flipped myself upright only to see the Beach guy paddling out to me on a canoe. Yes really.
"Jambo!! I come to visit you!!" dammit... Was nowhere safe?
So he introduced himself as Moo (nope, i didnt mishear him, he really is called Moo) And he wanted to know if I would go out for dinner with him. When I told him about my (imaginary) boyfriend, Moo quipped "but he is not here....Hakuna matata!!! No worries, I will be your secret Zanzibar boyfriend"
It took a good 10 minutes to convince Moo that no, I was not going to be his girlfriend, and no, I couldn't and wouldn't lie to my "boyfriend"
Poor Moo. His friends laughed when he handed the canoe back empty handed.
The rest of the day passed pretty uneventfully. Oh, I did pay the crazy massage lady to give me a pedi and a foot henna. That's clearly where her forte is... Although lying down whilst having a pedi really hurts your back!! I had to sit back up after 5 mins and explain.
Day 6 and I was supposed to be going on a dolphin swim, and to Jozani forest. Unfortunately I woke up with crazy stomach cramps and had to postpone for a day. Thanks malaria tablets, you're brilliant.
So instead, I went for a walk on the beach this morning. The tide was so far out that to go for a swim you'd have to walk at least half a mile out to sea to get water deep enough! It was such a difference to the first morning I woke up here where the sea was under the restaurant stilts.
The were dozens of local women out with buckets and sticks, so took a few pictures. A young lad called Ali walked with me and explained that the women were catching octopus in the shallow waters. They would poke their stick under a rock, the octopus would wrap its tentacles around the stick, and voila!! Octopus lollipops.
The women would then keep some to feed their families and sell the rest on the markets, along with small sardines that hadn't made it out to deeper waters.
I couldn't get my head around how far out you could walk and still only be ankle or knee deep, when yesterday you'd be in waters at least 10 feet deep at the same spot.
Apparently when the moon is half full, the tide goes out far, and when it's full, it's so deep there is no beach to walk on.
Found a couple of huge starfish in the shallow waters too. Not little ones like you get for aquariums.... Starfish bigger than the palms of your hand, with the most amazing red colours. Took a few more pics and put them back into deeper waters,
Spent the rest of the day people watching, which I love!!
Some of the other guests at this hotel are:
The couple that don't communicate: in their twenties, she babbles a million miles an hour at him, and he pretty much ignores her. I've yet to see him smile, frown, or show any form of emotion whatsoever, and they've been here 3 days. I've heard him speak once to say "ok" to his wife. Breakfast, at the beach and dinner is the same. She waffles, he ignores.
The Aryans: these 2 couples are like extras from Raiders of the Lost Ark. One fit, blonde blue eyed serious looking couple that could be the real baddies, and one slightly pudgy blonde blue eyed couple. He reminds me of the "stupid baddie" and she reminds me of the "baddie with a heart" who is likely to convince her beau not to end the human race. Oh, and did I mention they were German too?
The Yanks: a family of 4- him all testosterone, showing off how much better he is than everyone else because he's American (cue loud voices) wearing all white like a reject from Miami Vice. His wife (who really wears the trousers) and their 2 perfectly turned out kids. God forbid if they actually got sand on themselves. One squealed when she dipped her toe in the water and got a bit of seaweed on her foot.
Shirley Valentine: she has just rocked up today with her "local boyfriend". In her late 50's, with limited English, her holiday lover is no older than 30 and speaks just as little English as she does. Interestingly, the hotel staff are not happy with this dude.... If looks could kill, he'd be a dead man. Fair play to her, I just wish she'd learn to kiss without making sucky, smacky, schloppy noises- its putting me off my ice cream.
The ex-wives club. 4 women in their late 30's turned up today. I guessed totally wrong... One had a tiny tattoo on the back of her shoulder, 2 had patchy sunburn where they hadn't applied lotion properly, and the last got really squeaky and squealed getting into the "cold" sea. I had them pegged as Brits.... And then they started babbling in German.
The lovely old lot: a man and his wife, and her sister, all in their late 60s, early 70s. The wifey told me all about how she got pricked by a sea urchin this morning and was saved by a man and a papaya. Apparently unripe papaya juice takes the sting out of the sting as it were. Who knew? The lady advised me to make sure I wear slippers when I walk on the beach (her English wasn't great either, bless her!)
The Knobhead- last but not least, a white, slim, tall guy in his 30's has literally just walked into the restaurant with his hair in 2" plaits with beads on the end. I kid you not. The man has what I'm sure he thinks are really cool little dreds.....why?? Why would anyone want to do that?? Ok, so his gf is Tanzanian.... He's italian I think. Oh and it's their first date based in the really awkward stilted conversation and the fact she won't actually look at him. "do you like Indian food? No? Oh...." silence...... One of his plaits is sticking out of his head like an antennae. Must look away now.
That's enough for now, before people realise I am gawking and writing about them!!
Tomorrow, dolphins and monkeys.
L xx
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