If you’ve been following along in my African Adventures: Zanzibar series then today’s post marks my last day spent at Melia Zanzibar…
After a few days of exploring and adventuring the island with a tour of Stone Town, visit to the Stone Town Markets and Scuba Diving at Mnemba Reef, we chose to spend our last day relaxing at Melia Hotel Zanzibar.
Hopping between lazing by the pool, reading our books in the shade of a tropical tree on the edge of the sand or sipping our favourite cocktail at the bar overlooking the endless blues of the ocean. What a wonderful oasis of rest and relaxation we enjoyed after a few busy days!
Near the end of the day we headed back to Gabi Beach via the golf cart shuttle and enjoyed the array of gorgeous colours of the tropical flowers along the route one last time. It was my favourite time of the day… when dusk starts to descend, the sky becomes an artists canvas and the birds celebrate a day well lived! In a word: Magical.
We were among the last people on the beach, and it was almost 6pm which meant the last shuttle would be leaving soon. But before we headed back, we took a quick stroll down along the beach towards the nearby village of Kiwengwa and the crowd of locals gathering for their Sunday night soccer game!
When traveling I find that the best experiences are often the unexpected ones. These are the stories you share on your return time and time again. The serendipitous, unplanned moments that stick in your memory for years to come.
This was one such experience….
Not wanting to get too close, due to the locals aversion to their photos being taken, I kept my distance to the outskirts of the “pitch” and snapped a few quick pictures of the sand soccer matches taking place in the fading light. It was a wonderful insight into what real life is like for those lucky enough to live in this part of the world and I felt very special to have caught a glimpse of Zanzibari life at it’s most carefree!
And then after a hard day of doing nothing, we enjoyed our last evening at Melia Zanzibar in our favourite spot at the resort… cocktails and supper at The Jetty Bar.
What a memorable way to spend a few days together… When we went on honeymoon in 2002 we had great plans to return on our 10 year anniversary, but that date came and went and there was little to no possibility of it ever being fulfilled. Little did I know that a few months shy of our 13th anniversary we would have this amazing opportunity to enjoy a “second honeymoon” and in an even more exotic location than the first! SO spoilt! Thank you Melia Zanzibar for making this dream a reality!
But it couldn’t have happened without our amazing parents – both sets of grandparents came to the party along with my sister and other friends who rallied to help us with various play dates and school lifts. And for that I am truly grateful. Not once did I worry that my kids were not in the best hands… which meant I could switch off and really enjoy the experience and time connecting with my husband! Thank you, thank you to all of you!!!
Next week will be the LAST post in this series. Come back next week for one last “taste” of the Spice Island…
Click this link to book a variety of exciting excursions in Zanzibar
And if you would like to read more about my African Adventures exploring Zanzibar click one of the links below:
Traveling to Zanzibar
A walking tour of Stone Town
Exploring the Markets of Stone Town
Secrets of Stone Town
Our stay at Melia Hotel Zanzibar
Zanzibar Beach Bliss
Scuba Diving in Zanzibar
A Spice Tour on the Spice Island
Disclosure: 8; 1 for FastJet (tickets) & Melia Hotel/ Discover Zanzibar (accommodation); Fishermans Tours & Transfers (hotel transfers).
Images: Kathryn Rossiter