Finding Home in Zanzibar

Make a right when you come to a canon, past the men carving wooden boxes and bao games. On the right hand side you will see a gaggle of chickens chilling on a garbage pile beneath a coconut tree. If you don’t see the chickens, they’ve most likely been eaten by ravenous cats. It’s okay, keep gong. At the end of the pathway you will find a group of young men who will probably ask you to marry them if you are a lady. If you are a man, they possibly won’t.

Okay so now you are going to see a red spa that only people with Euros can afford, and if you are as financially challenged as I am, you must keep going straight until you run into the large peace sign. At this point, you make a little right past the guy who calls Glenda “Grenda” and overcharges for his batiks. Keep ahead, don’t forget to say hello to people on the way and try not to get run over by motorcycles, bikes, or wooden carts. When you see the lady who makes delicious mango juice, try some, then say hi to the Kenyan merchant who embroiders “Obama” into all of his merchandise.

Okay, so now you are probably tired, sit and chat for a bit. If you didn’t want the juice, try some ginger or black currant soda. Yum. After you return the glass soda bottle to the shop keeper, pass the ladies who play cards all day long, past the gallery of henna art and when you see the Mozambican seller of Tinga Tinga paintings, say “Ola” and make a left. Go all the way to the end of the street past the rusted fence, through a tunnel, past two bright green and teal doors, and swing a right. Then ask someone for help because you most likely will have ended up a wee bit lost. Then make a left, turn around and I bet that it’s right there.