1. Being stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of a market because there is so much to look at.
2. We have got into the habit of meeting at about 6.30pm in the nearest bar for sundowners. We discuss the day and write our diaries and try to catch the colours with our cameras. Africa House in Stone Town is a good place to do this. It has a satisfyingly clumpy floor and a grand balcony that overlooks the sea, small boys doing acrobatics and bigger boys swimming, dhows and, of course the sunset. There was also a fine collection of scrawny yet elegant expats; and two men in banana leaf hats playing popular songs of the day -- most notably Jambo Jambo Bwana.
3. Wearing a kanga as a skirt. A kanga is piece of printed cloth with a lot of uses -- you see them worn as skirts, aprons, head scarves, baby carriers. I tried to wear mine as a wraparound skirt. It’s not as easy as it looks, particularly before I noticed the special small step walk; and that most women wear a skirt or trousers underneath and often give their kanga a quick adjust. I could feel mine going as we walked to Africa House and it finally fell apart on the stairs. I almost tripped in my haste to get to the ladies. The beautiful thing in this story is the swift improvements made by other Claire and Rosey that allowed me to walk into Africa House with dignity.
Stone Town, Zanzibar
