Moonshine Hotel - Uroa and off to Kendwa

In the morning we have a cup of coffee looking at the ocean and them go next door to the Moonshine Hotel. It is a beautiful spot directly at the beach with a nice pool. We have pizza and chat to the owner, who is from Sweden and her husband's brother from Italy. They are super cool and tell me a bit about the struggles and merits of having a hotel in Zanzibar.  The place is beautiful with stunning views. They have cute dogs as well. After a swim in the pool and some chill time watching the water turning into different shades of azure blue and turquoise we make our way back to Baby Bush Lodge in Kiwengwa, our home base, to get some fresh clothes. High five to Juma, the coolest guy on the whole island, manager of the Baby Bush Lodge, and we are off to the Full Moon Party in Kendwa Rocks Resort in the north. We planned to stay for one night and eventually ended up on a full-blown three day hang-out party with awesome peeps. That place can suck you in.
Even though it is rain season we have sunshine all the time. One of those occasions that changes you, because you see things and chat to people that you know where there, but you have never encountered them before.
But that is a story of its own.

Moonshine Hotel, Uroa: http://www.moonshinezanzibar.com/
Moonshine Hotel on Facebook: Moonshine Hotel

Teddys Place - Paje

From Jambiani we drove to the close by village Paje, where the Kite surfers have fun and checked into the Rasta vibe logde Teddys Place. It is about a 100 meters of the beach and they play amazing music there. The prawns are delicious. We chill a bit and I take my camera to capture the amazing colors of the sea. Our dorm hut is very cool with sand instead of floors. The next day we had melon and pancakes for breakfast and chilled at the beach again watching the kite surfers doing their business and going for a swim in the lukewarm water every now and again. On the afternoon we had to go to Stone Town to draw some money. Stone Town is the only place on the whole island that has ATM's. The drive there is lovely.
Stone Town in itself is busy and full of people. You have to get used to the hectic atmosphere after spending your days on the beach listening to nothing but the rhythmic sounds of soft waves coming in. The ATM electrocutes me every time I touch it and the security guy just welcomes me to Africa. We drive back in rush hour and basically just stand there for a good hour till we finally manage to pass the small part of the road that only allows one way traffic. Smiling at the police officer that waves us through I get back into a more relaxed mood. We come back just in time for the braai and the little party at Teddys.
I buy a cool beenie that one of the dudes, who works at the lodge, made. Kiff!
I go to bed at 5 hoping to hear my alarm for 6 to see the sunrise. Oh well ... maybe next time.

My friend takes me around a bit and shows me Paje by Night, another very cool Hotel/Bar with a funky swimming pool. We have lunch at the Arabian Nights Villas & Apartments, which has a nice Restaurant/Bar right at the beach. Food and view are divine. I have a dip in their pool and the sweet Italian lady that runs the place comes by to see how we are doing. After a kickass Bolognese with homemade Tagliatelle and freshly ground Parmesan next to a cold beer I could not be any better.

We return to Teddys to say our goodbyes and leave for Uroa to stay with another friend for the night.
On our way we stop at a couple of vendors at the side of the road to get some vegetables, rice and water and then spend the evening cooking and talking. The full moon comes up and I can take some amazing pictures.

Then it is time to go to Peru Bar in Kiwengwa for the birthday party of the Baby Bush Lodge manager. We are having the local Gin Conyagi and everybody is dancing. The sound system is the bomb. On our way back to Paje the taxi has to stop a couple of times because of the goats sleeping on the road.

We happily fall in our beds and I am pretty sure I will not see the sunrise, again. Lala salama.

Teddys Place, Paje: http://www.teddys-place.com/
Teddys Place on Facebook: Teddys Place
Paje by Night, Paje, on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PajeByNight/
Arabian Nights Villas & Apartments, Paje: http://arabiannightsvillas-apartments.com
Peru Bar, Kiwengwa, on Facebook: Peru Bar

Coral Rock - Jambiani

On our way to Paje we stopped in Jambiani to have lunch in this beautiful beachfront bar Coral Rock. It is owned by a South African so you can find lekker boerewors on the menu. I still went for the Marlin and prawns. The beach here is incredible.

Such a quiet and enjoyable spot in its off-season chill. I get to the exit of the restaurant and hear music. For 30 seconds the deserted street is filled with people coming by, dancing and singing to the marching band dressed in vivid colors. After that, Dead quiet again. I like that. I saw something really cool just by coincidence.

Coral Rock Hotel, Jambiani on Facebook: Coral Rock Hotel

Kiwengwa and my first visit to Stone Town

So the weather cleared up... The sun is intense! We went for a swim in paradise and I now know that sunrise pictures are best to be taken around 5 (bit tricky when iPad alarm is still on Cape Town time, but that's fixed now), daytime pics are nice around 4 p.m. and sunset at 6 p.m.. I cannot get enough of those colors.
Every time I take a stroll with my camera on the beach, some of the Masai guys, who work in the beach shops, escort me home and we have a little chat. Sweet people.

Yesterday evening at Obama Beach Bar, Kiwengwa. I became best friends with a goat. We even took a selfie together. Hashtag love.
I did some land art while we were chatting over a beer with the exciting name Serengeti.

Today I went to Stone Town (Zanzibar City), about an hour by car from Kiwengwa, to fetch my local driver's permit. It's so fascinating to just watch what is going on in the crowded streets and shops that I got sleepy on the way back. Like a little kid after a day at the fair.
We went for a drink at 6 Degrees South there. Nice bar, great view.

Fetched a sim card from a street stand with a little umbrella while we are parked in the crazy busy street with the market on the side. I am a happy customer of Tigo now. They cut my card into the ridiculous size that Apple came up with to make us finally give up on logic. I got airtime and over *148*00# I now bought data and can drive around without getting lost. Doing that, I learned that 'siku' means day, 'wiki' is week and 'vifurushi' parcels i. Swahili. Asante sana google translate. Poa!

'Hapa kazi tu' is on one of the posters for the political party here. It means 'we are always working here', which is bulls*** according to Juma laughing it out when he explains the meaning to me.
Don't take this as a retaliation, but it directly made me think of something I learned here about a mjnute after I landed, which is more important to understand for my country than for the okes here: 'Pole pole'. Everything slowly slowly here, is what the Zanzibarians tell me.
'Good!' I think to myself. Because speed can only cause accidents and sleepless nights.

Life at the Lodge is getting quiet. Just a couple of us sit, read, color in, chill, are on our phones to show each other stuff like 'hakuna those tatas' and John Oliver nailing it on the whole Donald Trump problem (watch here on YouTube).

Happiness comes from inside I guess. And peace is what gives you the chance to find that out.

Alex Acid, the book I am reading, is getting more and more hectic. The beating that broer got in his life from all sides and everywhere. I would not have been among the living anymore. Really cool book for me to read. Thanks Al Lovejoy.

Ordered the prawns. Incredible seafood here.

Tomorrow we should be off to Paje. More paradise beaches.

Lala salama, good night, lekker slaap, gute nacht, bon nuit

Obama Beach Bar, Kiwengwa on Facebook: Obama Beach Bar Zanzibar
6 Degrees South Bar and Grill, Stone Town: http://www.6degreessouth.co.tz/
6 Degrees South on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/6DegreesSouthZanzibar