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06/03/2009

Today we are going on a snorkelling trip to an island and it’s supposed to include a lunch and sodas. We buy a few beers extra and off we go.

The trip is about 2.5 hours and it is really pleasant. We share the boat with an Italian couple, a Colombian and Lithuanian couple, 2 guys from the UK, a couple from Germany and a lady from the States.

First the cooks are dropped off on the main land to prepare the food and we continue to the Mnemba island where we snorkel for about an hour. Not bad snorkelling and we see a good variety of fish and coral.

We return to the main land for a lunch of Tuna and rice, selection of fruit and water. The fish is prepared in a very spicy, tasty sauce. But no sodas.

When we returned to our camp I go back to the tour operator and asked about the sodas that was supposed to be there. It was a misunderstanding. He thought I meant water. No misunderstanding on my part so we get our 4 sodas.

04/03/2009

We are on our way to Nungwi to spend time at the beach. All in a minibus taxi and the price $30 for the 4 of us in a minibus taxi. Because we refuse to spend more Ivan must sit on Zelda’s lap.

It’s about an hour’s drive and the minibus is full. We survive and at Nungwi we must look for accommodation. At Jambo Brothers they only have room for 1 night at $45 per night. We find another place round the corner for $30 for the room and we pay for 4 nights.

Everything is expensive. There are quite a few restaurants but the prices are just too much for us. We have to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner and we end up buying bread and bananas in the mornings, maybe share a plate of chips for lunch and then share 2 main meals in the evening. I think everybody goes to bed hungry but the first one to complain must eat a banana so nobody complains.

03/03/2009

Stone Town needs to be discovered and we set off on foot and walk the complete old section from side to side. No alley way is left unexplored and we visit the normal touristy places like the Anglican Church, House of Wonders which is a museum located it the most beautiful house that once served as the palace of the Sultan.

Stone Town is a World Heritage Site but everything is run down and neglected. For all the money you pay to come and see these places it is a mystery as to what happened to it. And everybody wants something. I think some of the buildings has never been touched up since they were build by the Sultans originally.

In the afternoon we are looking for a specific artists’ shop because he made the Zanzibar style of painting famous. So we’re asking where’s the store for Mr Niko. Eventually one guy says he’ll show us. Off we trek right through Stone Town again back to the Anglican Church we were at earlier. We go through the paintings and after some spirited and well acted bargaining settled on 2 paintings for 45000 Tsh. We pay the shop owner but now the guy that showed us the way wants some money. Not asking but demanding to be paid 6000 Tsh. Now I get all fired up because if you want to demand you should have given me the choice in the beginning. I did not ask him to show us the way. I asked for directions. It was his choice to walk all the way. I give him 2000 Tsh. He is very upset and start screaming about South Africans in the street and how we are “child murderers”. The aim is to draw as much attention so that we will capitulate and pay him. We refuse and return back to the church. Luckily the guards there refuse to let him in again and eventually he leaves.

We did not see him again.

02/03/2009

The car must go to Toyota for a service. After our not too peaceful sleep the previous evening the mood in the car is a bit chilly.

After stops at the Sudan embassy to try and organise a visa we drop the car at Toyota and organise a taxi to the ferry. $35 per adult and $25 each for the children. The locals pay far less than that. I have a constant feeling in Tanzania that we are being ripped off.

South Africans can get a far better experience and value for money by visiting Thailand, Vietnam of Cambodia than coming here.

The ferry ride lasts 2-hours are fairly comfortable. Stepping off in Zanzibar is exciting and hectic with all the passengers, porters and taxi drivers vying for business. Even though Zanzibar is part of Tanzania you have to go through customs again. Luckily you don’t have to pay anything but somewhere you are being charged a departure tax.

We find a hotel room for $50 for the night and spend the evening walking around. Forhondani is a market where locals prepare food and you walk from stall to stall selecting anything from a wide variety of dishes. Everybody sits around on the grass or benches and enjoy the evening. Prices are in dollar and shilling and you have to negotiate as well because the target market is definitely Americans and Europeans. For us that are on a tight budget most things are expensive.

01/03/2009

We have to leave Silver Sands today as we want to stay closer to Toyota to miss the morning traffic.

We find a BP garage and arrange to sleep there. It is extremely hot so I find a plug at the back and switch on the aircon. It works and everybody is happy until I decide to switch the aircon on maximum and it trips the power. Nobody could get to the switchboard to reset the power so we are back to square one.

We start driving around to find another place to sleep and the tempers get as hot as the temperature outside. Eventually we sleep in a parking lot opposite a hotel but that was the end of the aircon and a very uncomfortable evening.

As a family we have started our own challenge to see who can buy the best, or most, of anything with $1. At this stage everybody is still playing a strategic game of waiting to see what the other guys are going to buy.

We have also met some really nice people from Europe that has said to come visit them once we reach Europe so we decided to extend our One Dollar Challenge to any person, group or company that feel like making a contribution to our trip.

It basically works like this. You offer us anything you want for $1. We decide whether we want to accept it and if we do then once we meet up we will give you $1 in exchange for whatever you offered.

Example: You offer to buy us a beer when we reach Paris. When we reach Paris and contact you we will exchange you our $1 for a beer.

Of course you can offer anything. Maybe a room for a night, a meal, a guided tour or whatever you are prepared to exchange for $1. Once we take you up on your offer we pay you $1.

If you have something to offer us please e-mail us on ericus@north-bound.co.za Keep in mind we are 2 adults and 2 children.

You can enter your own offer here. Just remember to send us your contact details as well.

We will display everything that anybody has offered us on this page and our heartfelt thanks to everybody that has taken the time and trouble to respond.

Play along. It can be fun.