Dar es salaam and zanzibar island

Mambo! Because of airline tickets and safaris I decided to go to tanzania. Wasn't first on the to-go list, but looked alright and dar es salaam wasn't supposed to be too busy, so I just went with it.

Which turned out to be very much the mindset of people in dar es salaam: just going with it. Hakuna matata, hakuna matatizo, hamna shida. Cycling there from the airport (which is super small) was not really too hectic despite all the honking and busy traffic: no one was driving like a turk or idiot. The roads can quickly change from being very good to having the biggest potholes and just being a huge pond, even if it has not rained for a few days. But it works in the end.

Dar es salaam is quite big, but also very, very spread out. It does not have an easy identifiable center (unless you look for it), and it is not extra busy in any place; just busy traffic everywhere. It looks shady, but is actually really relaxed and not very unsafe. What you do find is a certain neighborhood where the poor houses and small shops are gradually swapped for huge houses or villas with lots of security and big supermarkets, also with lots of security. This is the place where embassy people and foreigners live apparently.

I got to talk to someone from dar es salaam who showed me around, and the food here can be really really good; you do have to get used to eating with your hands though.

Next I decided to go to zanzibar island, because it was hyped up quite a bit... And this island is something else to dar es salaam. Its beautifully situated with beautiful beaches, great fresh food (indian inspired due to the heritage) in zanzibar old town, and lots of tourism and very pushy local people. Zanzibar has some of the most amazing fresh produce (coconuts, bananas) and freshly caught seafood, so definitely a culinary hotspot. On the way down I wasn't too familiar yet with the tipping, and didn't know how firm you have to be. Was "forced" to tip many people for their "services" but learned days after that they are just fucking unsuspecting tourists. Just say no and be very firm about it.

Speaking of "fucking", zanzibar island really is something of a " what happened ... Stays in ..." Island. In bars or on the street you are approached for sex services quite often, you see it everywhere, and a total pervert in the hostel bragged about how many women he had been with during his stay on the island; some other guys in the dorm and I had quite a few laughs over the guy over two days. But you also see local guys approach and leave with white women— this is, partly, undeniably a sex island. Its also a shame: it's their way of getting around, just living off of tourists.

Well the tipping thing requires firmness: I tell them in advance I don't need them, and if they demand a tip anyway I just tell them kindly to fuck off. Shop owners (of a small art store, souvenir shop, etc) can be very relaxed and thankful, and also genuine: you quickly learn to distinguish the fake from the genuine smiles.

They also say "pole pole" a lot but, as a guy from london put it, they are not "pole pole" when it comes down to it. They rush you all the time for the ferry; they can tell me to not worry all the time, but they should stop rushing everything and actually take those things "slowly, slowly". Off the ferry at the bagage belts Iwas the one yelling " take it easy" and "pole pole" but that didn't catch on: they are pushing and not keen on waiting at all.

I will start my cycling in a few days, up north.Lue lisää