Well… let’s just say our arrival came with a bang—and not the celebratory kind. We picked up our rental car at the airport feeling bold and seasoned. I mean, I’ve driven on islands before, and on the left side of the road, so how bad could it be?

WRONG.

SO WRONG.

DISASTROUSLY WRONG.

Imagine Cairo traffic… then sprinkle in motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, buses, trucks, goats, absolute mayhem, and zero rules. That was Zanzibar traffic. Total madness. My blood pressure is still at the same level as when I delivered my first child.

Leaving the city didn’t help either—still chaos, still poverty, and still the terrifying thought: What happens if this car breaks down? Miraculously, we escaped with only one incident—our driver’s side mirror giving another vehicle a friendly “howdy.” And oh yes… we got pulled over only once. Just once! A personal victory.

So we see the police ahead waving us over. On KK’s side, of course. She rolls down the window, and the officer says, “Take off your sunglasses. I want to see your eyes.”

She obeys, hands over all the car papers plus my driver’s license (with my photo), which he inspects verrrry carefully. Then he looks at KK. Then back at the license. Then at KK again.

So I lean across her lap like a contortionist and say, “I’m the one driving.” He looks at me and says…

“Are you SURE you are the one driving?” Then—dead serious again—he asks where we’re going. KK holds up the GPS, trying to show him the route and even asking him how much farther until our next turn. He just stared at her, probably questioning all his life choices, and finally waved us on.

Two hours later, we reached our hotel and immediately told the front desk to call the rental company and take the car BACK. No return trip. No negotiation. We were DONE. Taxi life for us from here on out.

Fun Facts We Learned

• Zanzibar has 54 islands, but only 4 are inhabited
• Zanzibar even has its own president!

Our Resort: Zanziblue Waves

Absolute paradise. Gorgeous beachfront bungalows, amazing staff, fabulous food, excellent spa… exactly the therapy we needed after surviving Zanzibar Traffic Olympics.

Day 1:

We slept in, then did nothing but float between pool → sand → cocktails → repeat. Highly recommend.

Day 2: Spice Farm Adventure

We learned the local trick for weaning babies off breastfeeding at age 2—women rub aloe vera on their nipples. (The babies vote “No thanks.” to the bitter taste.)

A guy also climbed a coconut tree with the speed of Spider-Man, sang to us from the treetop, grabbed two coconuts, then made us cups carved from the shells. Add handmade flower rings, leafy crowns, palm-woven baskets… we were basically tropical royalty.

Stone TownThey say a trip to Zanzibar isn’t complete without visiting Stone Town.…I say: my trip could’ve been VERY complete without it.

Colorful? Yes. Busy? YES.Packed with giant avocados, every fruit/veg/lentil in existence, and a whole fish market? YES!

Hot? No. SCORCHING. SWELTERING. SIZZLING. MELTING would be a better description.

The alleys were dirty and chaotic—reminded me of Cairo and parts of India. If you’re wondering if I recommend Africa in November… NOPE. Late spring sliding into summer = walking inside a toaster.

Day 3…. Sea Turtle Time

We visited the green turtles—some stay there a year to recover before heading back to the ocean. They can live up to 120 years! They’re called “green” because they eat mostly greens… we fed them lettuce like their personal salad chefs.

KK asked why some turtles were different colors. The guide said, “Same as people—we’re all the same.”Absolute gem of an answer.

Afterward, we went to a beach (the name escapes me…) to sip a drink and watch the sunset, complete with local boys performing music, dancing, and fantastic acrobatics. Beautiful sunset!

Heading home tomorrow… and honestly? I’m ready for real Tex-Mex.

Of course, there were a couple of incidents I won’t describe because they would embassies me or KK…so we’ve decided “ what happens in Africa stays in Africa”

Hakuna matata — all good!