Kendwa Beach

After doing research on the beaches of Zanzibar I decided that Kendwa was the beach for me. You can swim during both low and high tides, the beaches are said to be the best on the island with the best sunsets. This information could not have been more accurate. Maria had only planned to stay four days, a decision she would later regret. I planned to stay about two weeks. I ended up staying for well over a month. If it weren’t for my next volunteer commitment I would still be on my island paradise. My home became Duniani Lodge. My family, the owners Barbara and Rashid who are business partners and former colleagues. They were the lead UN prosecuting attorneys for the Rwandan genocide case. Based in Arusha, Tanzania Barbara would often escape to Zanzibar for R&R from the trial. As the trial was nearing the end both she and Rashid were deciding on “life after the genocide trial.” They decided to go into business together and buy the lodge. The lodge had one big main house for them and eight small bungalows for guests…all situated directly on the most beautiful beach on the island. The lodge also had a large thatched, open air restaurant and bar just steps away from the turquoise ocean. You could sit at the bar, the tables or at one of the living room type sitting areas. I would sometimes lounge on the sofa facing the ocean and read… bliss. Often several of us would gather in the sitting areas with cocktails and play games or just converse about what brought us to Africa and experiences encountered along the way. Because there were only eight bungalows, you had the opportunity to get to know all of the guest. Guests from all over the world with amazing stories to share… a doctor from Australia working in Darfur, UN peace keepers from Belgium and Sweden working in the Congo, a Software developer from Vietnam, a young couple from Seattle who have visited “the roads less traveled” and are now working and living in London, a shipping salesman from Dubai… I could go on and on. In addition to Barbara and Rashid, my Duniani family consisted of the staff who took such good care of me. I enjoy spending time with them every day. Jobe, the bar and restaurant manager basically ran the entire joint. Even though he worked from sun up to sun down seven days a week he always maintained his notorious sense of humor. You would always find Jobe wearing one of his trademark hats… a leopard cowboy hat (my personal fave), an Australian outbacker hat or a small straw one. Some nights he would break out his gourd guitar and play along to the bar music. You couldn’t help but feel happy around Jobe. Although I was unable to update my blog during my stay, I would often receive e-mails from friends and family. First, they would want to make sure I was alright since I hadn’t updated my blog… thank you for your concern; next, they would want to know “what do you all day on Zanzibar?” The answer? I lived life. I didn’t wear shoes for over a month. I watched an amazing sunset every night. I would swim in crystal clear water alongside the most colorful fish in the world. I would have conversations with people who gladly made personal sacrifices to help those in need in Darfur on the Congo. I would dance, sometimes in the middle of the day with locals, I learned to speak Swahili and some Maasai, I went diving with sea turtles and dolphins while listening to the songs of the whales, I ate fresh seafood dinners on the beach under a blanket of stars, I learned of the US economy crumble and thanked God there were no TVs, newspapers or radios on Kendwa Beach. It is what it is, no need to get hit in the face with it over and over and over. So, I continued to live life… Kendwa Beach style.