Paje

MEMORABLOG: 9.12. - 15.12. 1998

After a few days of doing nothing every paradise gets boring... so, we decided to head for a few days to a east cost beaches... but there was one problem... at that time it was impossible to do that trip in one day... so, we had to stay another night in Stonetown... again... :)

We hit the market... again :) (i already bought extremly useful sandals there). We wanted some fruit, and bananas were the name of the game... different sizes, colours... so, let's get the biggest one... a red one... well... seller was noding a bit, but she clearly didn't speak english, neither did we speak swahili... so... only when we tried banana was clear what she wanted to say. That was clearly not a banana to eat raw, but to cook... it tasted, well, like a paper... strange, anyway, impossible to eat...

Next day we caught one of the first transfers to east cost... Jambiani was our first destination, but, we didn't like two things... prices of accommodation and the fact that there are huge amounts of seaweed on the beach. After seeing plenty of guest houses we settled down in Paje, in so called Paje Ndame Village. Well, if Nungwi was bustling with activity, Paje was almost deserted, without tourists... There was nobody in our guest house, and a few japanese in neighbour guest house. And actually, we were alone for next two days :)

But, that didn't stop us. Yes, stay here was quiet, but nevertheless enjoying. We rented the biggest room they had (actually, it was with double bed, but it was soooo big, that it almost seemed like a separate bed). Every morning we had great breakfast in adjacent restaurant, for lunch we just picked up coconuts from the ground and bought some pineapples from local market. We were also regular visitors to a local shop; drinks and cookies... It was also one of the rare places that had TV and basically a spot where people were coming to. So, it was a great place for observing life in a village.

Problem was what to do in a such of place. Fortunately i got a book in our Narrow street hotel (of course, i returned it back afterwards), so that was time spender. We we constantly playing a table game (though i really cannot remember the name right now). So, cycling was on a menu... So, cycling was on a menu... Adi got Super Olympic mountain bike (32 gears), I got Super OK mountain bike (27 gears). Both are like extremly heavy, and thats maybe even better :) Cycling on a beach is something special, cause you have to find a right line, as you need to avoid soft sand... Of course, cycling during the low tide is easier... Not only that, cycling on a main road is also difficult. Sand is a main issue, but as a keen cyclist we managed it without too many falls.

One day, we cycled to the north, further of Bwejuu. Soon we hit Breezes Beach Club. It looked really nice, and beach was combed and this was one of rare places without seaweed (probably they take it away every morning). Ok, one place that we cannot afford. Next was Club Vacanze. Again, combed beach and almost deserted. Sea was great for swimming, but there was nobody on the beach. Again, it was one of the places that we couldn't afford. And then we found people, laying around the pool.. mostly overweight Italians. But again, i wonder... why do people come across half of the world and then lay beside the pool? Couldn't they do that somewhere closer to their home?

But again, also Paje has some problems. First of all, at low tide sea goes away for 500 meters or even more... There are plenty of sea urchins, so you have to be very careful when going to the water. There is also plenty of seaweed, as there are many seaweed fields around Paje. And every day they take away a truckload of the harvest. As i heard, they sell it expensively to Japan...

And last, but not least... Anti-malarial drugs are beginning to have an efect. Lariam is a powerful drug, that reduces my sleep. So, i saw many sun rises... and its was incredible so see sun rising over the indian ocean. Unfortunately, lack of sleep makes you tired...