ZANZIBAR: Opening Credits
Slow living, Digital nomads… or none of that?
Are you already in vacation mode, picturing the clearest, turquoise water, maybe the sparkles as the sun shines on the water?
Well… yes, you’re in the right spot! Zanzibar was that and so so much more, there’s so much richness in culture, in colors, spices, music, I can hardly put it into words, but I need to start at the beginning to spill the tea.
Karibu Zanzibar! | 📍Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Scene One: Indian Ocean Air
I was living in Cape Town when I first imagined myself living in Zanzibar… even pronouncing the name felt exotic, a faraway place you only read about, a place where magical things could happen, where you’d find yourself immersed and mesmorized by the authenticity of it all.
That was exactly how it felt: magical. Leaving Cape Town and flying into Dar Es Salaam, I already was riding a high, I felt as if I couldn’t quite breathe, missing air, but having a really good gut feeling!
I stepped off the plane and right away I felt the humid, warm air, the air was strong from the plane and as I passed through the airport, people saying “Karibu Sana” with a huge smile, I knew my gut feeling was right. Karibu Sana means “Welcome” and they gave me this authentic, slightly shy smile and I smiled back, not being able to stop smiling.
I don’t recommend this, but I travel very spontanously. I dislike planning, I like going with the flow, and a lot of times that works for me, but others, it gets me into a bit of a pickle that I could have easily avoided.
After the high of flying and stepping off the plane in Dar Es Salaam (the biggest city and economic hub in Tanzania. Fun fact- many people think Dar Es Salaam is the capital, but that’s actually Dodoma) I was faced with… “Okay, now what?”
I googled where I needed to take the ferry to Zanzibar and Ubered there. I didn’t have a ticket, but I figured it would all work out once I was there. It did! But I had more caos on me to find out where and how much, etc.
Once at Azam Marine ferry station, the line was a bit long, but there was so much movement, you needed to be super alert and keep an eye on all your things at all times, just because so many people were passing and going that you could easily drop something and not notice where it happened. It was caos, like I said, but it was all so authentic, there was no separation from locals and tourists, which, for me, is ideal- I get to see how it really is, no bubbles of tourism.
I boarded the ferry, and WOW, again, I couldn’t breathe from so much happiness and glee, the clouds were perfect shapes, the sky was the exact shade of blue you expect on a summer day, and though for some people it was just boarding a ferry, routinary even, I still couldn’t stop smiling and I wanted to, because people were looking at me like I was crazy, or something suspicious was going on, but really, this was so out of my sphere and the small town girl in me that wanted to see the world could hardly believe her eyes.
I made a friend in the ferry, he was wrapped in a patterned shúkà and the wind blew in both our faces loudly as we shouted where we were coming from. He told me of his wife in a small town in Zanzibar and showed me photos of his children; he beamed with pride as he mentioned their names. He even invited me to visit them, and I was quite honored at the thought. When I mentioned where I was from, he smiled and in a very surprised voice, said, “Wow! Mexico!? That’s so far!” and “What do your parents think?” I answered something along the lines of, “Well… they stopped asking where I was a long time ago, I know they worry, but they love that I’m doing what I love”
Rafiki means “friend” | 📍Somewhere in the Indian Ocean
Opening Credits: Stone Town
As the ocean opened up in front of us for about 2 hours, I closed my eyes and finally was able to sleep. I barely slept more than 3 hours per night in five days, I was exhausted, but I guess my nervous system felt at peace and under the sun I took the best nap in the world.
In the distance, we started to see the first bits of Stone Town, I had no idea what awaited or how it looked like, but the eagerness bubbled in me and I had to remind myself to stay in the present, to take it in: the people slowly getting up, picking up their snack bags, water bottles, bags and the kids held their parent’s hands (lowkey wished I could too 😳) and as we huddled behind the stairs and then the doors… we were in Zanzibar!
Right away, I felt my eyes open wide as I took in the picture- the air was more humid, I heard Swahili, the people were wearing flowing garments with bold patterns and some others were wearing simple T-shirts and sandals. I felt out of place, like I should also be waring a long, flowy garment, but one thing at a time. I could just admire the colors for now.
I was guided into the entry, and we queued to pay a small entry fee (around 44 USD) — part insurance, part permit — before officially stepping into Zanzibar. I even got another stamp for my passport (I love those)
The quietness of the journey, the smell of the ocean and the reflection of what was about to happen stopped suddenly as I stepped into the street- the voices overlapped loudly, saying “Taxi, taxi!” and everything was alive, vivid, I took a breath, took my bags and then…
Pole Pole in Bububu
The taxi driver took us to Mama’s House, a lovely homestay outside of Stone Town, located in Kibweni, close to Bububu village. Here, the pace was much slower, it was rainy season so there were puddles of water as we made our way, the kind man welcomed with with “Hakuna Matata” and I laughed lightly, it was out of my childhood dream to hear the phrase I only heard in the Lion King, and I wished my brother and sister could be sitting there with me right then.
The drive took around 20 minutes and in those 20 minutes I furiosly took notes of the words I was learning- Pole pole means “slowly, slowly” which is not just a word but a way of living. Hakuna Matata along the lines of “Don’t worry, be happy”, Asante which means “thank you”, and Jambo “hi”
The owner of Mama’s house was also a kind man and I will be forever grateful to have stayed there, after so much inner and outer movement, it was exactly what my body was shouting for: calmness.
The next morning, I fell into the rhythm: at 5 AM the call to prayer, adhan, filled the air, right before sunrise, blending with the quiet as the island woke. Maybe an hour later or so, people began selling mandazi (East African fried dough, like donuts) and fish, as well as samosas. I was working EST hours, so my work schedule was 3 PM- 12 AM, sometimes 1 AM or so, and soon I began to become familiar and accostumed to the early mornings, it felt like I was part of it, instead of looking from the outside.
There were chickens too, that announced it was time to begin our day, and it reminded me of home- Motobatha, the small town where I grew up was the same way, roosters peaking their song in the early day.
Bububu was not a place of urgency or schedules- people walked slowly, pole pole. Homes all sorts of sizes and colors filled the narrow streets, children played and laughed easily and I was aware I was a visitor, as I met with curious glances, then smiles as I smiled and said “jambo”. I was fully concious of the fact I was stepping into a place with its own rhythm, that this was special and I needed to respect the place that was welcoming me, staying lowkey. Zanzibar is also a predominantly Muslim area, so I became more mindful of how I dressed, choosing loose clothing that covered my shoulders and knees, a small way of respecting the local culture.
As I was saying before, I’m very grateful for the chain of events that led me there. Bububu introduced me to Zanzibar very gently — the slow mornings, quiet curiosity, and the rhythm of daily life. It didn’t demand attention, it wasn’t flashy or loud, it just asked to be there, to live, to observe. This stayed with me long after.
This was all in less than 48 hours 😮💨 so I’ll stop here, not without giving a glimpse and thanking you for reading this far. I’ll see you soon!
Stone Town| 📍 Zanzibar, Tanzania
Stone Town| 📍 Zanzibar, Tanzania
Hi, it’s me| 📍 Bububu, Zanzibar
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