Living Our Sunshine with Susann Deysel
0 Shopping Cart
Tag

zanzibar travel

Browsing
Fathima on the beach with Instax camera
2 Mins Read

Zanzibar: Fathima on the beach #INSTAX

Some stories from a trip need to be told separately. I didn’t walk around with all my cameras all the time, but when I did there were some amazing opportunities.

The journey that I have undertaken, meeting people from all walks of life and learning from them, has been my biggest achievement. Aamir Khan

I was walking on the beach with my FujiFilm (this camera has been to Europe, Egypt, Thailand, Mozambique and the Maldives) and Instax Mini when I saw Fathima picking up sea grass at around 6pm (low tide). She was etched against the sky and sea in her colourful garb and I asked if I could take a photo of her and in return I would give her a photo like the Instax photo I was holding.

Fathima held onto the instant Instax photo and smiled as she started appearing in the frame. Her smile widened and she said “this photo she will show to her baby one day and tell him/her about the day she had it taken”. By the time I took the digital photo of her holding her photo she was smiling from ear to ear.

I am glad I took my Instax to the beach so I could give her a special photograph for her baby.

I saw Fathima the last morning we were in Zanzibar. She was harvesting sea grass again and when she spotted me she waved and yelled, “Hello Susann, it is me Fathima”. I waved back and took a picture of Fathima etched against the sun.

I know what you think…

In Zanzibar the people do not have that much and I didn’t see many smartphones. This woman by chance stumbled on someone that just happened to have an Instax and could give her a photo on the spot.

by
Keep Reading
3 Mins Read

The perfect holiday plan for Zanzibar

When you play the flute in Zanzibar all Africa dances. (Zanzibar Proverb)

I’m going to shock you, make you want to climb in my suitcase and cry because you will be stuck in the middle of winter when I’m soaking up some sun – just keep reading.

Zanzibar here I come!

My husband’s birthday is coming up and to celebrate we are going to Zanzibar! We loved our island holiday in the Maldives so much that we wanted to do it all again – but somewhere different and close…and not Mauritius.

No matter how fast moonlight runs, daylight catches up. (Zanzibar Proverb)

We are staying at a very basic hotel right next to the water. We just want to sleep in the beach bungalow and the rest of the time eat, drink, swim and go on excursions. We aren’t those people that sleep off a babelaas until after lunch – we are out and about. Sometimes it is me dragging a sleepy husband out of bed to take a swim and walk around with a camera or it is husband wanting to eat.

I travel lightly…

This is the shocking part of my travel post – I only travel with carry-on luggage! I can pack for a 10 day holiday in a carry-on suitcase and take everything I need and come back with souvenirs.

I heard gasps of disbelief and jaws hitting the floor…

It is true, it takes some creative packing skills and planning to pack for a holiday in a small suitcase, but it takes away the stress of the airline “losing your suitcase” and you not having clothes. In my mind, that makes perfect sense.

I make packing lists – and I promise you, I have not forgotten a single thing I wanted to take. It is the best planning tool.

What am I most excited about?

Taking photos! Lots of photos will be taken. I want photos of Dhows sailing, some Masai etched against the blue water and Zanzibar doors.

I am also excited about the day we will be spending on a dhow sailing to 2 islands. I might get sea sick but I will take so many photos of that dhow it will look like the best thing I’ve ever done.

Then we are also going to Stone Town because I have this obsession about doors and photographing them with my Instax camera. I am drooling over photos of these Zanzibar doors and my husband has quietly resigned himself to his fate.

The water… I love the sea. I can stay in the sea for hours. I love to swim and luckily so does my hubby. (Have I ever told you that my hubby was a surfer in Ballito when he was younger?)

The only thing I hear my husband mumble is crayfish, seafood, swim – make it happen…and I will make it happen – in Zanzibar!

by
Keep Reading