Zanzibar

16th October 2006 – Stone Town
Maybe it's the impending trauma of clocking 60k (it's my big six- 0) in a few days) or perhaps I've gotten too far into the Hakuna Matata (No worries, no hurry) culture, but emotionally I'm as dry as a dingo's dork! Ever since I began this column almost ten months ago I've relied on personal spontanaeity and emotional energy to surf the thoughts and feelings inspired by our "intrepid adventures" but even though we are in some of the most beautiful and exciting scenery we've seen yet, I can't summon up a single inspiring thought. Currently we are in Zanzibar, about 60 - 80 km off the Tanzanian coast. We arrived here by fast ferry from Dar es Salaam and spent the first 36 hours in Stone Town, the ancient Portugese/Arabic slave trade capital and birth place of the late Freddie Mercury. We are now in the far north of the island, a remote tropical paradise with tranquil turquoise seas, fine golden sands, thatched seaside bungalows and Carribean style bars and restaurants jutting out into the ocean. The flora and fauna are lushly tropical and highly coloured and there's absolutely nothing to do but eat drink swim and be merry. An under commercialised utopia where my internal energy is as flat as still as the ocean I look out upon. Perhaps there's wisdom for me from Greek philosophy: "Remember there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity or undue depression in adversity."- Socrates 470 - 399BC Some people would moan if there arse was on fire eh?