Dreaming of Zanzibar – The Dream Coming True!

This post is the third in a set of publications which will describe the last trip I did in East Africa, back in August, leading me to Zanzibar and back again. Read the second post here.
The next morning was, as usual, an early one. The ferry to Zanzibar would leave at around 16.00, so I thought to quickly get a glimpse of Dar Es Salaam before the departure.
Dar Es Salaam, with its almost omnipresent sand, gave me a feeling of how I imagine a city in the Middle East.
After having visited the Village Museum and eaten chips mayai for lunch (omelette with French fries in it; it might not sound much but I find it great!), I was ready to finally catch the ferry to Zanzibar!
On the ferry, gazing at the seemingly endless body of water between Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar, I could finally relax: “I am almost there!”
If I wanted to make this moment dramatic, I would probably compare myself to some sailor who, after months of navigation, yells ‘Tierra! Tierra!’ when he sees land, but, to be honest, the ferry took not more than 2 hours. But I definitely felt happy; that kind of happiness that puts a smile on your face without having to do it manually.
After having travelled more than 1500 km (this website says ‘1570.407’), in about 4 days, I was finally there. I was in Zanzibar!

The sunset made everything look paradisiacal and the fact that most of the locals were dressed up for the Eid festival (the end of the Ramadan) greatly improved my first impression.

My next tasks were to find my Couchsurfing host and, perhaps, take a quick shower before going out again. After some walking around the maze-like streets of the Old Town, I managed to meet my host. Her friend came to pick me up and brought me to her place.
What I didn’t know is that she was the owner of a bed & breakfast and that I would get my own private room instead of the common couch. Amazing!

After completing my tasks and feeling refreshed, another host’s friend, Owen, took me around the town, guiding me through the initially complex and intricate streets, some of the most touristic places and, finally, to the festival.