turtle island

Catching a ride to Turtle Island, also known as Changuu or Prisoner's Island. Used in the 1860s for rebellious slaves, and in 1919 the British governor of Seychelles sent four tortoises which now number over 100.

And, off to Mafia

stonetown sunsets and souks

Stonetown sights

villa life

When you know people who know people and find yourself at your own villa, with butler!

Cheers!

Meh diving conditions

touch down tanzania

A day later, I was there. Thanksgiving day had vanished in to some time zone over the Atlantic Ocean; it'd have to wait until next year. I landed in Dar Es Salaam after an easy ten hours of sleeping to Istanbul, Turkey, and another seven to Tanzania. After a quick pass through customs at 3:30 in the morning I made a temporary bed on the chairs outside international arrivals, and waited. The sun came up, some rain poured down, but soon friends found me and we continued the travels on a tiny Cessna to tropical Zanzibar after a coffee pit stop in Stonetown.

spice island

Up at dawn my last morning in Zanzibar to take advantage of the beach before catching an afternoon flight back to Arusha. Beautiful morning light, and the beach was all ours.

Octopus

Starfish!

Lone boat

Took a spice farm tour to learn about what was grown locally - basically every spice you could think of! Cloves, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg being some of the more common. Rain came as we were driving and these Swahili girls were walking home from school. Most of Zanzibar's population is entirely Muslim.

Stopping to buy some African apples from this cutie

My friendly spice farm tour guide, who, like most people asked, "Is Trump really that close to being President?" and yearns to come to America for a better life.

Caught a flight back to Arusha via Dar Es Salaam for a night with friends before beginning our 36 hour journey back home. Asante sana, Tanzania! You were amazing.