Travel Featured
Taking it slowly in Zanzibar
By Bettina Bennett
H
ukuna matata is not just a
Disney lyric; it’s a way of life
on an island where cloves,
cinnamon and cardamom are
born. Bump into an artist while he’s
adding life to what looks like a recycled
sail, hukuna matata; accidentally cause
an ox to run away with its owner’s
cart, hukuna matata; don’t want to
pay a vendor’s price, hukuna matata.
No worries: obstacles are merely
opportunities.
Of all the gifts and beautiful photos I
brought back from Zanzibar, one of the
Spice Islands off the coast of Tanzania,
hukuna matata is what I hope to imbed
most of all into my life. Although it
might be difficult to remember “no
worries” when the beauty of the
island’s beaches, forests and people
does not surround me.
My friends and I stayed at a resort on
the eastern shore of the island, on
the beach of Kiwenga, surrounded by
village huts and shops. I was worried
that vendors constantly trying to
sell their wares would interrupt our
beach time, but instead I found myself
intrigued by them. When I wanted to
be left alone to just stare at the waters,
I was. When I wanted to shop it was
game on, which also included stories
about our lives. I loved learning about
their language, their customs, and I
feel like they enjoyed learning about
mine. So, Asante-sana, which means
‘thank you very much’, to the locals for
sharing their world with me.
Things get a bit more aggressive
when you leave the resort and head
off to Stone Town, a world heritage
site where Arabic, European and
African designs blend to create a sunbleached city of narrow alleyways,
decoratively carved mahogany doors
and buildings made of coral stone.
It’s a bustling city where craftsmen,
livestock, and peddlers of all sorts get
on with their day. Everyone is trying to
sell you something, and yes it can get a
bit overwhelmin