Steppes In Africa; A Disney-inspired Safari-Z is for: Zanzibar's Small Villages and Zamani Restaurant (11/15)

[Steppesister]

It looks like a really nice hotel, too.

It was by no means a 5-star, but was clean and well kept. Lots to do but mostly just a beautiful spot to relax, even if it was super tough to get to.

The open-air dining was one of our favorite things about Hawaii.

Same with me in Bali. So relaxing!

I've heard that name but knew nothing about it. It sounds like a very versatile fruit.

It really does! I've never tasted it and am not sure why it's not more of a popular offering. Huh!

Why are the cattle on the beach when there is nothing for them to eat or drink there?

This is what I found and honestly had NO idea it's actually a thing to seek out on Zanzibar and thought it was just a weird, one-off lucky things I'd seen.

Cattle are on Zanzibar's beaches because they are local farms animals that graze and cool off on the sand. The practice is common for locals, but a unique and popular sight for tourists. The cows are often seen in the early mornings and late afternoons, when they avoid the midday heat and can be seen peacefully walking or resting along the shorelines of popular beach areas like Paje and Nungwi.

• To cool off: The animals come to the water's edge to cool down from the heat, which is a common practice for local livestock.
• To graze: They can be found grazing along the shoreline as part of their daily routine.
• A common sight: This is a normal and long-standing part of the local landscape, predating many of the tourist activities.
• Popular with tourists: The sight of cows on the beach is a unique and memorable one for visitors, who often take photos of the animals, especially the calves.

The sound of rain can be very relaxing when you are safe and warm.

It sure can! Trust me, it was a wonderful short power nap!

 

[zanzibar138]

I’m exceptionally happy I’d built in this day as one entirely made for resting.

You were definitely well due for a rest day

It was quite spacious, clean, bright, and well-decorated. I really liked it and was very comfortable during my stay here.

Looks lovely!

My favorite part was the balcony and it came in handy for people and storm watching several times….

A balcony is a definite necessity at a tropical beach resort.

I adore eating in these al fresco places, especially when the air is warm and there is a light breeze, but equally love them during a good tropical thunderstorm.

Not gonna lie, the open-air buffet breakfasts can be one of my favourite parts of a tropical holiday!

Mind you, when I’m in Asia, I do not eat an American breakfast.

Nothing better than dim sum for breakfast! Not sure what Zanzibar-ian cuisine is like, but your plate looks delish!

I found myself on the beach and was immediately approached by several men who had bags of souvenirs they had for sale.

Ugh. Definitely one of the more annoying things in these types of destinations.

There wasn’t anything to see really other than the treacherous road I’d turned down the night before. I remember thinking to myself, “Surely this can’t be right! This isn’t even a road!”.

Yep, I don't see no road there!

Drinks were very good and reasonably priced and it was nice that there was a server who came around to take your order.

Sounds delightful.

There were probably 10 or so other guests lounging and I had to roll my eyes a little.

I was wondering - all your photos look like you were the only one there! I've got nothing against little kids enjoying their holidays too, but it does irk me when their parents just let them bother other people. Definitely would not have flown when I was a kid!

The hotel was constructing another building of guest rooms and a crew was busy on the roofing:

Always spins me out seeing construction workers in developing countries with absolutely NO safety gear (or even shoes lol!).

The cattle were still there and it appears it was lunch time for both man and beast.

Love the cattle on the beach!

I could see the wall of rain moving in quickly and decided to make a hasty exit in the direction of my room and literally made it just in time with not even one minute to spare.

Yes, that does look very ominous indeed! Well timed.

I finally got my new laptop on Thursday and have been scrambling to get it all up and running.

I've been reading along on your other TR, just haven't commented yet. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare, but glad you're at least back online! Hope the reimbursement process isn't too drawn out for you.

 

[Paulaparm]

Those storm pictures are great!

 

[pkondz]

no people were harmed in the travel

"but several cats, dogs, and one gecko were."

(oh, and that 1 hr and 4 minutes? That’s a load of manure. It took me 2 ½)

Just due traffic, I presume... And Google telling you to turn where you couldn't.

Pretty room!

when I’m in Asia, I do not eat an American breakfast. I can get that 365 days a year if I want,

That makes sense.

This does not look like a typical American breakfast.

At first, I thought the two that hung on longest were escorts from the hotel, but soon realized that they were beach hawkers and ended up being quite annoying fairly quickly.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here... wait..."

You drove on that?!?!?

Those are cool!

She slips on slippery steps by the sea shore.

One couple had a little girl who was in a floatie who only seemed to want to swim and splash about 2 feet from other folks in the pool. Like, you have an ENTIRE pool to paddle around it, why next to me!?!

Google tells me it’s a Pandanus Fruit. Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of this… no one?

Nope!

Just... wow.
1. Fascinating. Would've been fun to watch.
2. No one has a safety line!

the impending tempest about to unleash itself.

I noted it was getting dark in the first photo even before I read that. I thought "Uh, oh..."

So dark!! RUN!!!!!

I never, ever got tired of the sunsets or sunrises.

There ya go!!! This one doesn't look like it was made over a fire though?

Well, the thing is supposed to be used over a fire, but they probably lightly, and carefully toasted it for the photo.

My luck? Yeah, mine had been booted. I was told that the cargo holds have YxY dimensions and that's it. If it doesn't fit, sucks to be you.

There ya go. I would've followed the rules too and then not have to worry about my bag being left behind.

It just was always unclear which line to stand in, when and where to go through the security check, my porter didn't speak English and hand gestures only go so far. I lost my tip money for him

ah

Which is true too. BUT, would have been nice to be stated in the contract too.

I don't think I've ever seen a contract that states the car will have a set amount of fuel when picked up. It's usually just "Return the car with the same amount of fuel that you picked it up with." (words to that effect, anyway.)

Like, the peds would be walking on the sides of the roads in dark clothing IN the dark and appear out of nowhere. There are no sidewalks whatsoever. Added to the fact, that the roads are narrow with no stripes and the oncoming traffic WILL NOT budge, so there was a lot of brake slamming and last second swerving.

 

[missjackiemcg]

What a lovely beach and pool area. The zebra tree artwork caught my eye, as well. And very interesting how they put on the roof of the new guest house they were building! Your balcony for watching the storm go by and a rainy nap sounds perfectly delightful for a rest day after you'd been on the go for so long!

 

[buzzrelly]

That resort looked lovely! I'm so glad you finally had time to relax since you hade been going non-stop! That rain was the perfect backdrop for your nap

 

[Steppesister]

Z is for: Zanzibar's Small Villages and Zamani Restaurant
​

Nap time was over and it was time to finish out this day of rest and relaxation. I needed it!

Sadly, I don’t have too many photos from the remainder of my afternoon, but I can share about how interesting it was. I decided to take another walk, but this time I headed the opposite way on the road that led into the hotel. On the way, I found where the thatch bundles were being stored for the new construction but also wondered how often the existing buildings need to be re-thatched. I also wondered how many creatures (and what kind) make their homes in this type of roofing.

​

Here's a closer shot. I guess I liked the texture and design.

​

I also took time to stop and smell the… plumeria. Ahhh, nothing quite like it. Probably my single most favorite flower by scent. I’d love a plumeria lei to walk around a tropical paradise with.

​

Along the road there were scattered shells of various shapes and sizes. I can only surmise that they either crawled to where they were, or were carried there by kids or villagers for some unguessed reason. No idea.

​

Soon I arrived into the small, seaside village of Kigomani. I noticed a game of football being played and there were lots of small groups of villagers standing or sitting around visiting and talking while taking in the game. I too paused for a bit to watch this village pastime and enjoyed how these people were so content in their pleasure of such a simple activity. I did get some curious stares but was not uncomfortable and didn’t detect any animosity or resentment.

​

After 10 or 15 minutes of watching the game, I moved on and found myself on the village “roads”. They were not. I mean there was ONE road and I even saw a couple of cars gingerly make their way on it. Mostly, the town was a maze of narrow, walking paths riddled with mudpuddles, trash, and bedrock. The buildings were mostly windowless, brick or rough cut stone shanties with colorful curtains blowing in the breeze from the places glass might have been. There were loads of villagers walking from place to place, but most were sitting in small groups on the buildings’ stoops talking.

(The Village School)​

A few had small shops set up with a few paltry vegetables, bouillon cubes, or cheap plastic toys. I felt very weird about taking photos of people in their private homes and shops so didn’t. I don’t think I’d want to have someone intrude on my private place like that so casually observed as I kept walking. On one very small, narrow, area of densely packed home a couple of young children, maybe 5 or 6 years old, wanted to say hello and shake hands which was incredibly endearing. We high-fived and smiled and giggled together. A magical few moments... An older gentleman whom I assumed was their grandfather or other family member smiled as he looked on and said "Jambo!" as well, it made my day to say, "Za mchana!" back.

Near the center of the village was the water well where 3 or 4 women were busy dipping their old, plastic water containers deep down and pulling up their heavy loads. The village does not have piped water and life is not easy here for the locals which revolves around fishing and seaweed farming.

(It was a busy place with those coming and going)​

Eventually, I’d seen what I wanted of the village and started my short walk back to the Zanzibar Queen and got ready for dinner. That required another shower because, like in Bali and most other tropical places, it takes about 5 minutes to become completely soaking wet from the humidity. Yuck.

(The guard's chair at the Hotel entrance, which were almost identical to the one I'd use at dinner)​

I had chosen a place for dinner that was getting good reviews and not too far away; I really had no idea what to expect but I assure you it was nothing like I could have even dreamed up in my wildest imaginations. Google said the walk was going to take about half an hour, and I really didn’t want to be on the beach for that long both ways at night so drove… on roads that aren’t really roads.

With only a very vague idea of where I was going.

In the dark.

Everyone loves an adventure, right?!

I followed good ol’ Google and we all know how well that works in rural Africa. I got as close as I thought I was gonna, but there was absolutely NO sign of the “restaurant” anywhere. I pulled up to a business that was still open (it looked like a convenience/electronics/cell phone store) and used Google Translate to ask if anyone knew where the Zamani Village Restaurant was.

“Oh sure, but you have to walk there. Park your car in front of this shop… over there… and I’ll walk you there!”

<Yes, my guard was up>

<Yes, I was a little skeptical, but assumed the best in this person.>
(This shows pretty well where I parked and where I had to walk)



I parked where he pointed, locked the car, then followed him on a small, dark pathway towards the beach. I knew it was supposed to be near the beach so wasn’t too nervous. Remember, rural pathways in Africa don’t have streetlights, so of course it was dark. I used my cell’s flashlight so I didn’t trip and break my neck falling over a palm root.

​

When we got there, it was seemingly closed! Crap!!! But, this super helpful, very nice escort said not to worry, he knows the owner and immediately made a call. After about 5 minutes he told me someone is on the way, and it would be “open” in no time. Meantime, he opened the little wooden gate to the area with the tables, found a light switch and told me to have a seat.

I took in the scene of my chosen village café which turned out to be a small, thatched kiosk with 5 or 6 mismatched, uneven tables on a sand floor, partitioned from a small kitchen aside it. The tablecloths were faded plastic floral jobbies clean enough to do the job. I REALLY thought I'd taken at least a few photos of this little hole in the wall, but can't find them at all. I guess I didn't. Here are a couple from the net:

​

Sure enough, in about 15 minutes, someone shows up and hands me a menu. I’m not sure why. Once the cook showed up I was told that they could cook exactly one thing- chicken curry. Maybe they just didn’t expect any business at all being slow season, who knows. But they did not have the seafood goodies or any other dishes listed.

​

Happily, I love me a good chicken curry and was very okay with what was offered. By now, it was like 8:00 and I was more than hungry. The guy who walked me there then magically turned into a server. I had the distinct feeling that everyone knows everyone and you just do the jobs you’re asked to in order to help your neighbor out. He asked if I wanted a drink while I was waiting for the meal and I ordered an Orange Fanta. I instantly regretted it after taking the first sip. I really don’t like soda of any kind but Orange Fanta generally tastes like cough syrup to me, especially when it’s warm and not served with ice, so had about 3 sips of it total.

Meanwhile I could hear the cook busy behind the partition slicing and dicing- clearly the meal would be made fresh to order. The delicious aroma of simmering onions and garlic, chili, and all manner of spices flowed from the kitchen and filled the space with like a warm blanket. I was ridiculously excited about this meal- the setting of a thatch covered, sand-floored rural hut, the genial hospitality, the ocean’s waves in the distance made for the most perfect of experiences.

It all it took almost 45 minutes to have this perfect plate of Heaven brought out:

​

Oh my word was this absolutely incredible. I cannot even describe how amazing this dish of tender chicken and veggies in a rich, spicy curry was. I think looking back, this meal and the authentic Tanzanian meal at my last night at Usawa were the best meals of the whole trip. This was well worth the sketchy arrival and very long wait.
I asked if I could take a photo of the little kitchen- it will always amaze me that some of the most incredibly delicious meals I've ever had have been cooked in tiny kitchens with the most bare minimum of equipment.

​

The walk back to the car was very easy now that I knew where I was, and the drive back only took a few minutes and that was the end of a really wonderful day. The next few would be back to adventuring as Steppe does best. More animals are coming but definitely not the kind you’ve been seeing.

Stay tuned for next time in which the sea takes me away.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Bit of a hairy scary time finding your restaurant but goodness me that dish of curry and rice looks (and sounds) well worth it! I love the “can do” attitude of the locals

 

[Steppesister]

You were definitely well due for a rest day

A balcony is a definite necessity at a tropical beach resort.

Not gonna lie, the open-air buffet breakfasts can be one of my favourite parts of a tropical holiday!

Nothing better than dim sum for breakfast! Not sure what Zanzibar-ian cuisine is like, but your plate looks delish!

Ugh. Definitely one of the more annoying things in these types of destinations.

Yep, I don't see no road there!

See?! And it was surprisingly steep too!

I was wondering - all your photos look like you were the only one there! I've got nothing against little kids enjoying their holidays too, but it does irk me when their parents just let them bother other people. Definitely would not have flown when I was a kid!

I try to get photos without people in them I guess because I think they show the PLACES better.

Always spins me out seeing construction workers in developing countries with absolutely NO safety gear (or even shoes lol!).

I know! Crazy! Worksite accident rates are fairly high I'd assume.

Love the cattle on the beach!

I guess, and didn't know going in, that that's actually a tourist attraction of sorts. I mean, they'll graze their cattle there, tourists or no, but had no idea I'd get to see that!

Yes, that does look very ominous indeed! Well timed.

It was really nasty in an oddly beautiful way.

I've been reading along on your other TR, just haven't commented yet. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare, but glad you're at least back online! Hope the reimbursement process isn't too drawn out for you.

It was, and Disney ended up paying what the repair estimate came in at, so about 1/2 of the new laptop. I was happy with that, as I was probably going to get one in the next year or so anyway, so figure it was a half price "sale". But the headache of getting all set up was a LOT! I still can't seem to connect to my home printer.

 

[Steppesister]

Those storm pictures are great!

Thanks, Paula. They were some of my better ones from the trip. Dramatic weather to be sure!

 

[Steppesister]

"but several cats, dogs, and one gecko were."

I don't recall any thumps, but...

Just due traffic, I presume... And Google telling you to turn where you couldn't.

I think so, it was rush hour.

Pretty room!

I liked it a lot. Not really a luxury room like at the beginning of the trip, but still lovely nonetheless.

This does not look like a typical American breakfast.

No, indeed not. But! There was an omelet station if you wanted that.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here... wait..."

You drove on that?!?!?

I'm not sure I'd call it "driving".

She slips on slippery steps by the sea shore.

LOL!

Just... wow.
1. Fascinating. Would've been fun to watch.
2. No one has a safety line!

NO ONE HAS SHOES!

I noted it was getting dark in the first photo even before I read that. I thought "Uh, oh..."

Uh oh is right!

So dark!! RUN!!!!!

Can you imagine being out on the ocean in a tiny fishing boat in that?!

Well, the thing is supposed to be used over a fire, but they probably lightly, and carefully toasted it for the photo.

I'm sure that was exactly the case.

There ya go. I would've followed the rules too and then not have to worry about my bag being left behind.

Exactly. One less thing to worry about. The folks I saw with the big bags looked like they were far more worried about their make up and perfect outfit for the day. #entitled

I don't think I've ever seen a contract that states the car will have a set amount of fuel when picked up. It's usually just "Return the car with the same amount of fuel that you picked it up with." (words to that effect, anyway.)

Mine have always said, "Return full"

 

[Steppesister]

What a lovely beach and pool area. The zebra tree artwork caught my eye, as well. And very interesting how they put on the roof of the new guest house they were building! Your balcony for watching the storm go by and a rainy nap sounds perfectly delightful for a rest day after you'd been on the go for so long!

It was very, very pretty. The colors were so blue and the grounds really were lovely.

Wasn't that a pretty piece of art?! Loved it!

I loved the "fireman's brigade" style they used to tackle a big job! No shoes, no safety lines, etc....

I need another day like that!!

 

[Steppesister]

That resort looked lovely! I'm so glad you finally had time to relax since you hade been going non-stop! That rain was the perfect backdrop for your nap

Wasn't it pretty?! I chose well, even if it was very remote. Naps during thunderstorms are perfection.

 

[Steppesister]

Bit of a hairy scary time finding your restaurant but goodness me that dish of curry and rice looks (and sounds) well worth it! I love the “can do” attitude of the locals

It really was! But all worked out in the end. By the time I found it, or thought I might have trouble finding it anyway, it was quite late, and I was worried I might not find dinner at all. LOL! The hotel restaurant was always an option, but I really didn't want that as it was quite a bit more expensive than the little local cafes and I wanted something very authentic. Boy did I get it!

 

[pkondz]

also wondered how often the existing buildings need to be re-thatched.

I Googled... depending on the type of thatch, anywhere from 10 to 40+ years! So, comparable to shingles.

I also wondered how many creatures (and what kind) make their homes in this type of roofing.

I Googled that as well and... well... you don't want to know.

Probably my single most favorite flower by scent.

Really!

I’d love a plumeria lei to walk around a tropical paradise with.

Get thee to Hawaii! (That rhymes)
Although I have no idea if they make plumeria leis or not. I have gotten leis from there, but don't recall the types of flowers.

I noticed a game of football being played

That threw me for a bit... Thought "Football? Really?"
But then...

... "Oh! Football." (Like the rest of the world uses that word.)

One room school. Used to be common on this side of the pond... about 100 years ago.
Very interesting. (Not disparaging it at all!)

I felt very weird about taking photos of people in their private homes and shops so didn’t.

I can see that.

a couple of young children, maybe 5 or 6 years old, wanted to say hello and shake hands which was incredibly endearing. We high-fived and smiled and giggled together.

Awww...

it made my day to say, "Za mchana!" back.

Googled.

The village does not have piped water and life is not easy here for the locals which revolves around fishing and seaweed farming.

Huh! And here they are just a stone's throw from a posh resort with all the amenities. Quite the contrast.

it takes about 5 minutes to become completely soaking wet from the humidity. Yuck.

Welcome to the tropics.

With only a very vague idea of where I was going.

In the dark.

then followed him on a small, dark pathway towards the beach.

"Where I was promptly kidnapped and sold into slavery."

Whelp! It's been nice knowin' ya!

Did you breathe a sigh of relief when you saw that, or where you never really worried in the first place?

When we got there, it was seemingly closed! Crap!!! But, this super helpful, very nice escort said not to worry, he knows the owner and immediately made a call. After about 5 minutes he told me someone is on the way, and it would be “open” in no time.

How cool is that? You'd almost never find that here. Closed is closed.
Rarely, you might get that, but... yeah... rarely.

Tiny!
And... so cool! I'd try that in a heartbeat.

Sure enough, in about 15 minutes, someone shows up and hands me a menu. I’m not sure why. Once the cook showed up I was told that they could cook exactly one thing- chicken curry.

I would've (if possible) tried that pasta bolognaise, just to see how different it might be.

I really don’t like soda of any kind but Orange Fanta generally tastes like cough syrup to me, especially when it’s warm and not served with ice,

Ew. Warm soda isn't very good. Actually, quite bad... but warm orange Fanta??? NOPE!

clearly the meal would be made fresh to order.

mmmm...

And... did you hear, perhaps, a gently clucking chicken, followed by a brief, truncated squawk?

Just wondering. No reason.

I cannot even describe how amazing this dish of tender chicken and veggies in a rich, spicy curry was. I think looking back, this meal and the authentic Tanzanian meal at my last night at Usawa were the best meals of the whole trip.

oooohhhh... Sounds amazing!

That is so cool! Having worked in a kitchen, I find that fascinating.
And am impressed with how clean it is.

More animals are coming but definitely not the kind you’ve been seeing.

Hmm... so... polar bears and koalas

Stay tuned for next time in which the sea takes me away.

Like when you almost died in Australia.

I think so, it was rush hour.

Oh, man. Even worse.

Not really a luxury room like at the beginning of the trip

Dunno. Looked pretty luxe to me.

No, indeed not. But! There was an omelet station if you wanted that.

I would not want. When in Rome...

I'm not sure I'd call it "driving".

NO ONE HAS SHOES!

I didn't even notice that!

Can you imagine being out on the ocean in a tiny fishing boat in that?!

I shudder just thinking about that. No thankyou!

The folks I saw with the big bags looked like they were far more worried about their make up and perfect outfit for the day. #entitled

Mine have always said, "Return full"

I have seen that, but have also seen "Return as full as when you got it"... which I don't like as it's too hard to judge how much fuel to put in.

 

[zanzibar138]

Nap time was over and it was time to finish out this day of rest and relaxation. I needed it!

On the way, I found where the thatch bundles were being stored for the new construction but also wondered how often the existing buildings need to be re-thatched. I also wondered how many creatures (and what kind) make their homes in this type of roofing.

Very interesting. I've also wondered these things!

I also took time to stop and smell the… plumeria.

I had no idea what you were talking about until I saw the photo. I've never heard it called anything other than frangipani. I learn so much through your TRs

Along the road there were scattered shells of various shapes and sizes. I can only surmise that they either crawled to where they were, or were carried there by kids or villagers for some unguessed reason. No idea.

Kind of cool though.

I noticed a game of football being played and there were lots of small groups of villagers standing or sitting around visiting and talking while taking in the game.

I've also enjoyed seeing football games in Thailand and Indonesia. No fancy equipment needed - just a large-ish expanse of flat ground and a ball, and everyone has a blast

I felt very weird about taking photos of people in their private homes and shops so didn’t.

Although I'd love to have seen photos based on your descriptions, I totally get that. People have definitely lost respect for privacy and safety in the name of the perfect insta photo

We high-fived and smiled and giggled together. A magical few moments... An older gentleman whom I assumed was their grandfather or other family member smiled as he looked on and said "Jambo!" as well, it made my day to say, "Za mchana!" back.

So cute! And what a lovely interaction.

The village does not have piped water and life is not easy here for the locals which revolves around fishing and seaweed farming.

So easy to take having fresh water on tap for granted. I can't even imagine how difficult life would be without it.

In fact, one time there was some sort of a problem with the main water line near where I lived and the water was off for about 3 days. They were of course handing out free containers of water in town, but not being able to just turn on the tap for hot or cold water whenever we wanted it was a real eye opener! I couldn't believe how difficult it was to keep on top of housework without it.

I think looking back, this meal and the authentic Tanzanian meal at my last night at Usawa were the best meals of the whole trip. This was well worth the sketchy arrival and very long wait.

Sounds great in the end, but what an adventure to get there! I think I would have just eaten at the hotel restaurant

The best meal I've ever had while travelling was in a town called Phimai in Thailand. It was a little 'hole in the wall' type place too. We were the only people in there, nobody spoke a single word of English, and the menu was all in Thai with no photos. This was before the days of Google Translate, so we just had to communicate with gestures - we pointed to a Coke can and gestured for 2 'meals' and hoped for the best lol! They obviously kept it fairly mild and 'safe' for us, and came out with the best fried rice I've ever tasted, complete with big juicy prawns. And it cost less than $5 AUD for both of us including drinks

More animals are coming but definitely not the kind you’ve been seeing.

I guess, and didn't know going in, that that's actually a tourist attraction of sorts. I mean, they'll graze their cattle there, tourists or no, but had no idea I'd get to see that!

How does one 'graze' cattle on the beach?

It was, and Disney ended up paying what the repair estimate came in at, so about 1/2 of the new laptop. I was happy with that, as I was probably going to get one in the next year or so anyway, so figure it was a half price "sale". But the headache of getting all set up was a LOT! I still can't seem to connect to my home printer.

Glad you got your reimbursement already, but yes what a pain!