In this episode I introduce you to one of my favourite places in all of Africa - Nungwi on the northern tip of Zanzibar. This was "Paradise" - a small fishing village with limited tourist exposure with strong traditional and Muslim ties. At the time it was difficult to get there, 85 kms of rough potholed roads that took hours to arrive. Therefore, not many tourists arrived. The men of the village were fishermen and boat builders, sailing their dhows during the night and landing their catch in the mornings. The women fished themselves in the shallows using nets, noise and teamwork. 

I spent six weeks at this village camping in my tent, lazing on the hammock and strolling along the white sand gazing out at the crystal blue water. Initially I spent time with a German girl also travelling solo but she had to leave after a few days. So I spent the time there alone watching the activities in this village and even joining in with the women in their effort to catch the small sardines with their nets and beating pots. The sunsets were some of the best I have ever seen. It was often made even better as you lay on the hammock, listening to the lapping waves and watching in the foreground of stunning colours, the fishermen raising the sails on the fishing dhows ready for a night of work.

Sometimes I would stroll up the beach, away from the village and sunbake. Often I had a group of village children trailing behind. At one stage a young girl asked me why I was sunbaking and it really made me consider the purpose and why women, and even some men, change the way they look to reach a prescribed beauty when really we should be happy in our own skin. The thought were so profound that I have never sunbaked again.

I discuss how Nungwi has changed from my initial shock seeing some tourists turn up scantly clad in a primarily Muslim population and showing no respect for the culture......to current day when the hordes of tourists have found out about Nungwi and it is now covered with huge resorts from the big hotel chains and it seems the occupations are ferrying tourists around on boats or working in the hotels to cater for their needs.

Is it progress or loss? Have they lost their culture in improving the village economy? And are they now immune to the way westerners disrespect other cultures and display their body for all to see. I am so glad I saw Nungwi when I did - a special place!

Photo: Fishing dhows getting ready to set sail J.Murray Pentax Z-10 200mm Sigma lens.