Jambo!

Well, I've built up quite the debt since my last post. South Africa felt so much like home that I've repeatedly needed reminders of the vast oceans separating me from the states. Now that we've been in Tanzania for several days, a sense of the distance and differences has returned, as has the urge to blog about them. But I realize that in addition to our African travels, I've also managed to omit a huge chunk of our experiences in India - namely, Munnar, Varkala and Mumbai. We've got a lot of ground to cover here.

Please bear with the thoroughly cheesy metaphor that follows - I just can't resist, during this transition from South Africa, home to delicious pinotages and muscadels. In my first sip of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam struck with aromas of disheartening poverty and frustrating touts, mildly reminiscent of our recent days in India. Not subtle on the nose, but compared to South Africa, convincing enough as the scent of Africa. So far no wild animal sightings, except the few at our hotel Q-Bar which doubled as the hottest spot on the Dar bar circuit. Here, decked out locals mingled with scrubby backpackers, music (and drunken fights!) continued until early morning, and scantily dressed women suspiciously scoped out desperate old men.

Two days and a ferry ride later, we landed in Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar. On the palate, Tanzania became full-bodied with the lingering presence of touts but strong overtones of laid-back playfulness. The vibrant town is set alongside crystal blue waters where local boys pass hours on the beach playing soccer with a basketball and perfecting flips off old tires. It's nearly impossible to walk down the street without hearing offers to arrange spice tours or take you to the nearby beaches. But just as often, you'll get unsolicited lessons in favorite Swahili phrases, which include the well-loved "hakuna matata" (which means "no worries" if you're having trouble recalling Simba's voice).

Which brings me to the present moment ... watching the sun ascend over an infinite stretch of white sand lining stunning turquoise ocean in Matemwe. This idyllic beach and charming village are so far removed from the Tanzania from which our dalla-dalla (public minibus) took us. The sleepy Muslim village nestled behind the beach comes to life at low tide when the women emerge to harvest seaweed and the children chase after you with exuberant cries of "Jambo!". I've easily been passing the days reading, writing and being an utterly lazy beach bum while Russell is training for his scuba diving certification. Powerful finish with unexpected notes of tranquility, beauty and friendliness.