Here I am in Zanzibar! The picture does not lie it really is that beautiful!

I arrived on Friday via ferry from Dar. The crossing was two hours and the sea was relatively calm which is a blessing as I have heard it can get very choppy if there has been rain!

The ferry gets into Stonetown which is Zanzibar's biggest town. I bumped into an american girl 'Lena' who was also on her own so we decided to stay at the same place and share a room as it was cheaper! St Monica's hostel - I recommend it!

We then attempted to find somewhere for lunch. We had arranged to meet some other girls from the ferry at a restaurant but stonetown is a complete labyrinth! Every narrow street looks the same and so we gave up trying to find them! Instead we found a nice little cafe and I tried Ugali for the first time. Ugali is a sort of paste made from flour and it looks a bit like mashed potato but doesn't have much flavour. It is a staple in tanzania and so im sure I will be having much more of it so just as well i like it!

We wondered around looking for a tour company to take us on a spice tour and trip to prison island which the guide books rave about! We found one which seemed to offer a good deal so after some bartering we had both tours booked! One for saturday and one for sunday.

We wondered down to the beach and found this fantastic bar called Livingstone which sells amazing cocktails! A bit pricey at 4 - 6 pounds but lovely to sit with one on the beach looking across at all thw dhows (boats) coming into the port!

We returned there in the evening when it was clear that this is 'the' place to be in stonetown! They had a live band and everyone was dancing!

Saturday we set out on a spice tour. We were picked up from our hostel and taken to a plantation just outside stonetown. A guide showed us around and explained what each different plant and tree was and what it was used for. He tried to make us guess what each was from the smell but unfortunately it appears my knowledge of spices and fruits is very poor!! The tour was really interesting though as I had no idea where alot of these spices came from and how they were made. They have these trees they name 'lady trees' which are used to fragrance soaps (jasmine plant) and where the seeds are used for lipstick!!

We then met 'Mr Butterfly' who climbed up a HUGE coconut tree to retrieve two for us! It was amazing to watch and also quite scary at the same time but he was super confident! We got a chance to taste all the different fruits they grow there - bananas, passionfuit, orange, clemintine, pineapple, coconut etc. And finally we were presented with a bag, ring, necklace, sunglasses and hat made from banana tree leaves!! This boy had weaved then whilst we were walking round!

After the tour we moved onto to mangapwani which was a place where slaves were shipped from. We were shown round a holding cell and it was horrible to imagine the number of slaves that were kept there before being smuggled out to the boats.

Saturday evening we met with Lena's friend from Dar who came over for the weekend. We went to dinner with him and his friend from zanzibar to a place recommended to me ' Sambusa Two Tables'. Thanks Elise!! This restaurant is in someone's private house and there are literally two tables - hence the name! They cook the most amazing traditional zanzibar cuisine! Lovely lentil curry, fish curry, chicken curry, the best mendazis I have ever tasted (savoury doughnut) and they kept bringing more out! We were all completely stuffed by the end! We ate with a german couple as well who are travelling around africa. I would really recommend this place to anyone going to stonetown!!

After that we went to a bar with a live band and I tried my hand at some african dancing!

Sunday was our trip to prison island. This is just off the coast of stone town and was used as a sort of clinic for people with contagious diseases to be kept in quarantine! They have a tortoise sanctuary for giant tortioses which are huge!! It was great to feed them and watch them move slowly around although some of them did actually have quite a speed! We then went snorkling just as it poured down!! It was torrential rain for about 30 minutes but it teaches me for coming during the long rains! It cleared up after a while but was still quite cloudy so you couldn't appreciate the bright coloured fish and coral although it was still very impressive!

After that we went back to stone town in time for Lena to get the last ferry back to dar es salaam. Her friend from dar was also due to go back with her but it was fully booked! So he had to stay another night although I dont think he was too bothered about spending another evening on the beach!

That evening we ate at a place recommended as a local cheap place. It was very good and we enjoyed chicken and chips! We then went on to a club with someothers. This was my first experience of an african club and it had many parallels with clubs at home. People hanging around the bar, some dancing, some playing pool etc. It was good fun and we rolled in at 2am!

This morning I got the bus to Nungwe which is on the norht coast of zanzibar. It is meant to be zanzibar's most popular resort due to the amazing beaches and night life. However, I was questionning this as I was the only passenger in the shared minibus! I asked to be dropped off at one of the hostels I read about in my guide book and was at first sceptical by the price, rooms and the lack of people! However, I'm glad I decided to stay as I immediately met four irish girls who are here on a holiday from zambia and uganda where they are on a teaching placement as part of their degree.

We are going to go snorkling tomorrow and have a pancake party tomorrow?!? It is very chilled out here with everyone lazying by the beach or having a massage! It will enable me to catch up on some sleep as I seem to have been on the go all the time so far!

Photos - I have taken some lovely photos of zanzibar but unfortunately my camera is now saying it has a lens error!! I would love to load them on here but it looks like that will have to be put on hold until I buy a new camera in Dar at the weekend!

So for now you will have to read this and imagine white sands and clear blue water with me enjoying the sunshine! Its a hard life!