3 August 2009

3 August, Day 51: More doing nothing

Phone up Chollo and organise a lift to the Swahili. Pickup at 10:00. Go have breakfast, more fuckwit staff members with attitude problems. I openly mention the pathetic service we’ve been getting after one of the baboons that work there treats another guest like dirt. Everyone around me agrees, it’s the worst they’ve had on the island. WTF??

Finish breakfast (when it eventually arrives, and after they get the order right). Pack up and head for reception, pay the bill. Meet these 2 cool Chinese chicks, who Annelie mentioned earlier was having more issues with the unhelpful staff. All they want is to look at a room, but they were told to come back in 20 minutes. Which they did, and they were told to wait some more. Then they were told that the room they can see can’t be seen right now since it’s being cleaned. Then when they came back they were told the room has now been sold. What. The. Fuck?? So now they’re waiting again, for another room...

We share our experiences on the southern hotels and resorts, I point to a few spots on a nearby map and give them tips on bargaining with these fools, as well as taxis and so forth. Chollo arrives at 11:00 and we introduce him to the Chinese chicks, say goodbye and they swop out numbers. Always good to have a number for a good taxi. We load up and trek down to the south, should be about a 2 hour drive. Mariah Carey in the car today, I don’t care. Annelie sleeps in the back, we drive through a hectic storm, heavy rain, more police stops, more harassment.

By 13:40 or so we reach our destination and off load our luggage. We arrange with Chollo that we will need a bigger taxi for 4 people with luggage in two days and we will phone him tomorrow with the time. All at a steal for 44 000 TSH.

Mattie has bargained us a good room and we check-in and go say hi. He went swimming with dolphins this morning at 06:00 and tells us of his adventure. Also went snorkelling yesterday and it sounds very exciting. We go check out the restaurant and order some chow and cocktails. The rest of the day we lay by the pool and chill. I asked the chef what his speciality is and without missing a beat he says seared King fish. I order that and it arrives on a griddle still sizzling! Man, best meal I’ve had on the island!

Anecdote: the King fish is usually fresh from the days catch, and it had no bones, so...

Tuck in at 21:00. We organised some dolphin swimming action for tomorrow at 06:00. Annelie’s ear is still in pain, but she’s been sticking some Vicks in there and keeping in sealed with a tissue (which I have to keep reminding her to do). She’s also taking some anti-inflammatory to keep the swelling down. It never ends with her, she always seems broken... But she doesn’t care, she wants to swim with the dolphins anyway. I shall reserve comment.

Highlights: Happy to be away from the drag of Kendwa rocks. Actually quite nice to be in a chilled spot away from so many people for a change.

[G & A], out

You know you don’t make it easy for someone like me

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