It is dark when we arrive about 8.30pm. First thing that hits us is the heat, it is much hotter here. Slight panic as I have left my camera on the plane. Manage to get it back without too much bother, but it has upset us. The immigration people here are very surly and the man that helped me get the camera back asks for money. OK! this is very different from where we have come from. To add to this confusion there is a power cut, we are plunged into pitch black, no emergency lighting either. I have heard bad things about Zanzibar airport (all untrue) and thought ok this is where our bags go missing. (Later on found out that 3 or 4 power cuts a day is not unusual anywhere on the island). We are both tired it has been a long day, so all this is very unnerving. Don’t forget this is around the time that holiday makers are going missing around here, courtesy of the Somali pirates. Our bags are there phew! and our driver is waiting, we can relax a bit. It is an hour’s drive to the hotel. The streets are thronged with people, street traders, hawkers, and people watching TV. Road side braziers throw light into the streets making a soft glow about the place, people stand around cooking. The roads are rough, unmarked and full of cars, cyclists and pedestrians. It is a very poor area. We are stopped by the police ‘just checking’?? Bit unnerving then we turn off the main road. Now, I have looked at a map of Zanzibar & know that there is only one way to get to the hotel & that is via the main road not the back streets. I dare not look at Ian as I know what he is thinking, he read the thing about the kidnappings but I refused to read it. Now there a huge black jeep blocking the road – ok so this is it, where is our money?? Then the driver winds down his window & shouts at the man blocking the road – neither of them is going to give way, so with much sucking of teeth and muttering by our driver we edge past with literally centimetres to spare. We found out on the way home that he took a detour as there were some road works onthe main road. Things always seem to take longer in the dark and with no road signs we had no idea how far we had come or how far to go. There does not seem to be any hotels around, all hand painted, makeshift signs – Hmm. Then I see an archway with a sign Breezes Beach club & Spa. OK looking good. Once we get past guards at the gate, we enter paradise, the hotel is absolutely AMAZING! Pure opulence. Pure Zanzibar. Golden bronze voiles are draped along pillars, baskets of spices perch atop bronze urns. The staff are all sumptuously dressed in pure white robes with gold headdresses. We are given a cool drink of pineapple juice and shown to our room. Our little guide takes great delight turning on the taps, several times and flushing the toilet several times, must be a novelty! Our room is fabulous everything we could have wished for. Massive bed with mozzie nets (they always add a bit of glamour to a bed).
Desperate for a drink, dry throat from the long drive you understand, we head for the bar. We watch the moon rise. The top half is missing – don’t ever remember seeing that anywhere before . It is about 11pm and we stare at the sparkly stars on our way back to the room.
Had to get up in the night to turn the fierce aircon off as a. too noisy. b. too cold. Mr F needed a wee, he said he felt like Eric Morecombe as he tried to battle his way through the mozzie net to get to the bathroom. I wish I had seen it.
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