January 27 - Unguja
OMG 2:45 hours and the alarm goes. Our flight is at 6:20, and I didn't sleep that well. According Petra we never went on holiday this relaxed. No stress and we also didn't departure that early. Okay, if there had been a hick up it would have been tight."Can you also put that bag on the scale?" "Sorry, that's too much." "You can only bring 10kg per person on the plane." Aagh. We take some clothes and fruit for in the plane out of the bag and try again. "Ah, 19.6kg together." "That's okay." Luckily she didn't wine about 3 in stead of 2 pieces. "And that?" "That's my medication." "Okay, than it is no problem." Petra's handbag was overlooked. Pfew.
Tax free shopping > coffee > boarding > go!
The flight has a touch down in Hurghada, Egypt. We understood that about 40% would leave the plane here, but no, all remain seated. The only thing that changes is the crew. And we fuel up. Seems a Boeing 737-800 can't do the distance in one go. Another 5 hours and we will be there [Bruxelles - Hurghada ~4.5 hours, Hurghada - Zanzibar ~5 hours].
On arrival at Zanzibar: Visa $50 (credit card only!) > immigration > luggage > security. All in all about an hour.
Hmmm, no Marzouk Tours?! Both phone numbers we had been given aren't answered. And Explore Tanzania in the Netherlands is also already closed. The taxi drivers around are trying to help. Ah, I found the phone number of the place we are going: Unguja Lodge. After a few calls back and forth, Martien, the lodge manager, decides to send someone for us - as also he can't reach Marzouk. And than, out of the blue, Marzouk Tours pops up. Seems our flight was an hour early.
An hours drive later we arrive at Unguja Lodge, where Martien welcome's us. A brief explanation and a refreshment later we can have our diner. Delicious. Time to go to our cabin. My god, it's soo big. And the bed, huge. Minutes later we're in dream land.
January 28 - Black Tails
Petra already woke up. I am a bit slow this morning. A little later we enjoy our coffee and cookies on the porch, overlooking the Indian Ocean. When I just get back in the cabin I hear a scream. Ah, the monkeys Martien told us about must have arrived. Yep, Black Tails. The cookies, including the tinfoil wrap have already disappeared. Within seconds we are surrounded by 4 or 5 scoundrels 😄
After a lovely breakfast, lots of fruit and eggs to order, we get some more explanation about the lodge by "Sejon (?)" [Sehier is what Petra understood]. The other guest leave, so it's just us from this morning. Let's stop at the dive shop later today to see what Said, who runs the Dive Shop, has to say.
< While I am writing this one of the monkeys is touching my feet from under the chair>
Petra doesn't feel very well. Malaria tablets, different climate, maybe too little to drink. When I go to the bar to get some water, I am shown the menu of the day. Lunch ($5 - $8 starters, $10 - $14 main, $5 dessert) and dinner. It all sounds delicious. And during lunch we find out it doesn't only sound, but also tastes delicious. After lunch Petra already feels a lot better.
Lovely, such a relaxed first day. We're looking forward to tomorrow. Two dives on the program. Not too deep as Said doesn't know us yet of course. For now, let's enjoy the sundown over the local bay.
January 29 - Mzee
First dives today. Our guide is Mzee [the bar tender told us later Mzee used to be a fishermen, then started free diving and scuba diving. He sure sees a lot under water!] and captain Halied. As said, the first dive will be a simple one: Kizidi. Pretty much the House Reef as it is a the "doorstep". "50 minutes or 50 bar". So no full hour. And the bottles are only 10 liter, in stead of the 12 liter bottles we are used to. As we only go to 18 meter max this dive we don't get near the 50 bar. Nice dive and reef. Many inhabitants. The Sea Moth we hadn't seen for a long time.After a relative short interval we go in again. Same spot, other direction. After about 42 minutes Mzee signals he wants to end the dive?! He completed his round? Anyway, we signal we're going to stay a little longer. This is a nice way of diving on such a private charter. Just us the guide and the captain. "Tomorrow again?" "Yes!"
After, again, a very good lunch and relaxed afternoon, we're waiting for the sunset. "AAAA" "Something is pullin my hair" Petra screams. Yep, the monkeys are back.
We see something odd at the baobab. Pink pointy nose, black fur and a long pink tail, standing high on its feet. What a cute animal. Probably an Elephant Screw. Let's check later with Martien. It's called "Paa" in Swahili according the bar tender.
January 30 - Greed
Yesterdays last adventure: Before we turn in, Petra sees in the mirror a hand big spider underneath the sink behind her. "Jos to the rescue". The spider spent the night outside 😉I think I'm going to simply hand out the cookies today. The most cocky rascal is already waiting and ready. Before I know it he steels the cookie I wanted to hand out to him from my hand. And he is very aware I have two cookies., and snatch ... also that one gone. His hands are barely big enough to hold on to his catch. His foot is holding also a piece. None of the other monkeys, including a mum with a baby, are getting anything. And snatch, there goes the tin foil as well. Nothing in there anymore, but greed seems to be a natural thing.
Time for breakfast. Mzee is already arranging the gear. Yesterday Kizidi and Abas. Today Dolphin Wall and House Reef. Collobus Monkeys tomorrow?
Off to Dolphin Wall. Once we enter the water we don't see a wall. We follow Mzee for 10 minutes over a barren patch. According Mzee they always dive this Wall like this. Okay?! Next to that the captain had misjudged the current, so we end up missing the Wall in total. Still a nice dive, but a pity, as it could have been much better (start closer to the Wall, check the current before descending, etc. Standard procedure in the rest of the world). The second dive is on the House Reef. It's more like snorkelling shallow as we already touched our max bottom time on the first dive. Despite looking barren and sandy, we see a lot of nice small critters. Let's try another one on Wednesday.
After lunch (Yummy!) en a brief siesta we return to the swimming pool. This time the Blacktails have brought their big shy friend, the resident Red Colobus Monkey. What a beauty! A nice entree for tomorrow.
Just before dinner we have a little chat with Martien about the diving (he will talk to Said) and he had ended up in this little piece of paradise. Dinner is very good again. When returning in our room I joke "And? Has the spider returned?". Well he did, and brought a friend! The spider is familiar now with the diving goggle box I used last night to catch him, so a little more effort and persistence needed this time around. Eventually, at the other far end of the huge room, I catch him. This time a take the spider for a little walk before I release him. His friend I toss over the wall in the bathroom. Petra insists she already saw him again during the night while going to the toilet.... .
January 31 - Jozani
In the morning during breakfast Said walks by and asks how things are. We tell him about the first dive. When he asks a little more, and realise we didn't see any grouper, he realises we really missed the dive site. "I go with you to Dolphin Wall and - ? - the day after". Okay, sounds like a good plan.Off to Jozani National Park. According our guide a 50km2 NP. Several tourists from many nationalities join us to follow our guide into the beautiful forest. The forest is bright green due to the very high level of the ground water, just 1 meter or less deep. During the rainy season this forest is actually flooded. While we walk through the forest we're explained a lot of things about the plants and their use for medication and so on. And than, there they are, the Red Colobus Monkeys. A complete family, big and small. Beautiful.
The second half of the tour is a walk through a mangrove forest ending at a butterfly garden.
When asking if the export the cocoons, the answer is "not anymore, it's dry season now, not so many cocoons". As we enter the garden , and since it is dry season, it starts raining. 15 minutes later the rain stops and we can still enjoy the butterflies.
Lovely lunch, a siesta, swimming in the Indian Ocean and a cold beer. Next is dinner. Life is GOOD.
February 1 - Said
At arrival at the dive shop Said had changed his mind, we're going to Kunguj. Great. That's even further out than Dolphin Wall. Beautiful dive site, both the deep wall at ±30 meters, where we see a huge Napoleon, as the sloping shallow part (±15 meter). Pity that we almost reached our bottom time when we hit the wall. We'd loved to stay there a little longer.
When we confronted Said back on the boat, he had a long speech about "if we drop you on the wall and there is current you miss the wall". Well, practically we now also missed the wall. It's a shame they a) don't check the current and correct location upfront, and b) don't do a proper intake, so they would have known we're quite experienced diving current (there was none today ...).
Like Mzee also Said wants to get back into the water after a "surface interval" of 15 minutes. And again on the House Reef. Petra tells him in no uncertain terms that both aren't happening. He tells the captain to head for Nici. The next 15 minutes he sits on the front of the boat and doesn't say a word.
[the reason for the long surface interval is "when the sea is wild you can't comfortably stay on the boat too long"... fair enough, but the sea is flat today ...]
The 2nd dive is a lovely dive. Said tries his best to find a seahorse. But what's not there you can't find. After a good 60 minutes we stick our head above the water again (luckily their 50 minute rule is not so strict). "Tomorrow Grouper Grotto?" Said asks. Good plan. Followed by another shallow one. Who knows what Said finds this time, because fair is fair, he is a brilliant spotter for critters!
Back at the lodge we have a delicious seafood pasta. The sun shines, the sea is blue and the beer is cold. It can't be be any better than this ... .
February 2 - Grouper Grotto
To our big surprise today we have Mzee as our guide. We're not complaining, as he is a very positive and joyful guy. Well, nobody is such a joy as the assistant, better known as "Jambo Jambo". Always a big heartwarming smile, on departure and on arrival. With Mzee we are again joined by the other, older, captain. No idea it's because of him, or because they both have their own boat, but we're going so much slower than yesterday. Nicely sailing the shallow lagoon side just under the coastline. At the end, as it is low tide and it get's too shallow here, we have to cross the surf, over the reef onto the ocean side.
As it is low tide the visibility is not great, but it is clear this is a very nice spot. This time we're dropped on top of the reef, allowing us to stay deep for 10 - 15 minutes. Man, what a huge Napoleons again.
The plan was to do Kunguj Shallow as 2nd dive, but the visibility is getting worse and worse, so we decide to go back to Kizidi. Unfortunately no seahorse, but a gain a very nice dive with lots of things to see. It was the last one of our holiday. We didn't know what to expect diving here and were pleasantly surprised. For tomorrow we have booked a Dolphin Trip. It would be a pity going go Kizimkazi and not trying.
The plan was to do Kunguj Shallow as 2nd dive, but the visibility is getting worse and worse, so we decide to go back to Kizidi. Unfortunately no seahorse, but a gain a very nice dive with lots of things to see. It was the last one of our holiday. We didn't know what to expect diving here and were pleasantly surprised. For tomorrow we have booked a Dolphin Trip. It would be a pity going go Kizimkazi and not trying.
Hope we're lucky, fingers crossed.
February 3 - Dolphin Trip
Mr. Jambo Jambo (Saddat) is our guide. The younger captain joins us, and he races us just beyond the spot we had our first dive yesterday. Heading there we came across several boats that returned. It won't be busy. Just maybe 4 other boats and same will leave soon.
We're very lucky, a group of 10 Dolphins have been spot. We can see them very well. The captain positions the boat in their swimming direction. We jump off the boat and see them swimming past when we snorkel. When I swim towards them they just stay, and take a look at us. I was afraid this was going to be a hectic chaos. but it's just us two and Jambo Jambo in the water. Same on the boat, nobody else. This is a lot of fun and we are very very glad we made the final decision to book this trip. Other boats arrive, time for us to leave to avoid the "crowd". Well, one more time. The three of have too much fun to already leave. This is great!
Back, time for breakfast. We're hungry! After breakfast it's time to pick our lunch. "Whatever you like, we'll prepare it for you last lunch", Martien says. The cook, Elisabeth (?), has joined at the table in the meantime. No need to think "Vegetable Curry with Chapati, and Cucumber Soup to start". She smiles from ear to ear and is obviously proud we love her food so much.
Time to relax at the pool. It's hard to believe that tonight we'll be in the plane .. returning home.
