... more Zanzibar

📌 August 9

After a leisurely breakfast and waiting out a rain storm we spent the majority of the day between the pool and the beach.  A much-needed quiet, relaxing day after all of the wedding festivities.  

Wedding planners: great idea

Kaden quietly coloring while perched on the windowsill of our villa.

 hanging in the saltwater pool

We tricked Owen into getting into the [ocean] water.  
After MONTHS of him expressing concern about getting eaten by a shark and adamantly insisting that he would NOT be getting in the [ocean] water, I had him walk down to look at the tide.  
Soon enough the waves were crashing over his toes and he couldn't stop laughing.  

 So fun to watch the boys' faces and hear them giggle as the waves crashed into our legs.
Owen had a great time and thankfully, did NOT get eaten by a shark.

 I love our kids and it was incredibly nice to be here with Ben's whole family.
Grace played in the pool and dozed in her seat by us.

beautiful colors

low tide

 Owen making friends with a spiny sea urchin,
"Hey there lil pup!"

watching a few locals scour the tide pools for shells during low tide

the boys enjoying an excerpt from The Little Prince as a bedtime story

📌 August 10:
last day on Zanzibar & through Stonetown

small Dhow cruising along

While some stayed behind at Essque Zalu for a few more hours, Ben, Shanny, Grace and I shared a cab with Coleen (Dorothy's mentor at Duke) and Curtis back to Stonetown to explore before our flight back to Kilimanjaro/Moshi.
They boys stayed behind with Papa.

Fascinating drive- both in conversation and with the sights around us.
School children walking, people hanging off dali-dalis, bike riders + walkers + chickens crossing the road (literally!), coconut palms & banana fronds with the occasional glimpse of the Indian Ocean and Dhows floating on the water.

 ornate door-- typical of Stonetown

 Original plan was to explore and hit a few shops around Stonetown but we went to a restaurant and it took over 2 hours for our food to arrive (pole-pole... No hurry in Africa!)

Grace was amazing- barely uttered a peep as she snoozed and relaxed in her papoose.  

Looking back, it actually ended up being a good thing-- fascinating conversation with Curtis about his world travels as an efficiency consultant.

We left the restaurant in time to shop for 5 minutes before finding a taxi to the airport to meet the rest of our group.

Loved seeing Tanzanian women with heavy loads perched atop their heads.

20-min flight to Dar Es Saalam, Tanzania

looking out the window as we approached the Dar airport.

 switching planes

 one more 1-hour flight to Kilimanjaro.

Had it not been for this light-weight, nylon baby carrier and all of our walking/riding/plane hopping/etc. I'm not sure this trip would have been possible.

Back to Dorothy's for bed...
no electricity upon arrival so Dorothy hopped back in the car to put money on the meter.
Lights back on.
Fun times.