Travel feature printed on the issue 27 of African Woman . Check the magazine online at:
http://www.africanwomanmagazine.net/
When you travel, whether you are a last-minute planner or you book everything in advance, let yourself be surprised by the unforeseen. Our visit to Bagamoyo ended in a sailing trip towards a spectacular enchanted island.
By Claudia Giampietri
It’s Saturday morning. After a week of work in Dar Es Salaam, instead of heading to the airport to fly back to Kampala, my husband and I decide to join a couple of friends and go to the seaside. We are always prepared for these last-minute changes of plan and the swimsuits are packed. We rush to the taxi station where we meet with our friends Claudia and Harald and wait for the local public transport, the ‘dala-dala’ known as ‘matatu’ in Uganda.
We are heading north, towards the historical town of Bagamoyo and after a relatively smooth ride which lasted less than an hour and costed us the modest price of 3200 Tanzanian shillings we reach destination. As everybody is tossed out of the vehicle we are overwhelmed by the uninterrupted voices of the drivers who compete to offer the best price to take us to our hotel, the Travellers Lodge. We disappoint them deciding to walk and spend the afternoon visiting the town following our map.
Exploring Bagamoyo is like travelling back in time, to the flourishing but partly inglorious period when Arab and Indian traders were shipping ivory, copra and slaves from Bagamoyo to Zanzibar using dhows, or when the German Empire colonized the area and the first Christian missionaries were stepping on the East African soil. The history of this small town is eventful and in the 19th century Bagamoyo left its status of insignificant fishermen village to become the most important trading centre of eastern Africa. Strolling around the town we come across decaying European style buildings fallen victims to the coastal humid climate and its corrosive effects. In 1886, Bagamoyo became the headquarters of German East Africa and the Boma was the German governor’s residence, an impressive two-storey building constructed in a U shape. Close to the Boma there is also a German graveyard for German soldiers and an old fort. Walking north we find the Roman Catholic Church built in 1868 which is said to be the first one erected in East and Central Africa. Next to this building there is the old church tower named Livingstone Tower. Apparently, the dead body of the Scottish explorer David Livingstone was brought here by porters after a journey of 1500 kilometers from the town of Ujiji in western Tanzania before being taken back to England. Bagamoyo is small and apart from the Kaole, ruins of mosques and tombs dating back to the 13th century and located 5 km south of the city, most of the buildings and attractions are concentrated in the Old Town which extends along the coast.
Exhausted from the sun we decide to head to our hotel and go for a swim. Our en-suite cottages at the Travellers Lodge are big, airy and nicely decorated. They are equipped with ceiling fans and air-conditioning, and a generous shaded veranda with deck chairs which faces the ocean. For security reasons there is a bamboo fence which separates the hotel’s area from the beach but luckily it doesn’t obstruct the view.
We hasten to wear our swimsuits and run to the end of the fence where a gate allows the access to the shore. Claudia and Harald join us and we speed up while the feet sink into the soft and white sand and finally reach the sea. The expressions of excitement on our faces change at the sight of the water which is shallow and a bit cloudy. We expected the inviting colours of the Indian Ocean but it seems that we have to content ourselves. Anyway, we enjoy a short bath and once back to the shore we walk along the seaside and admire the dhows coming back from a day of sailing and fishing. The beach is soon crowded with fishermen busy checking their nets or fixing the sails. From the seafront we can see the straw roofs of our cottages surrounded by palm trees that fit perfectly with the environment making the Travellers Lodge the nicest hotel in the area.
We relax sitting in the shadow of a tree and try to come up with an idea for the next day when a couple of fishermen become interested in our conversation. One of them, Issa, speaks a very good english and is eager to take us for a boat trip towards a deserted sandbank, Mbwakuni, that emerges with the low tide and is surrounded by the most beautiful water. Realizing our only concern, Issa reassures us that he will provide a shelter to protect us from the unforgiving sun. Tempted by the promise of paradise we start bargaining the price and since we will use a wooden fisherman boat powered by an engine we agree for 100 USD – fuel included.
As the sun disappears behind us, we go back to our cottages and get ready for dinner which is served in the open-plan restaurant with thatched roof and Makonde-wood carvings. The menu offers a nice variety of fish and meat, and the food is fresh and nicely prepared. Well-chosen background music creates a nice atmosphere made especially romantic by a suggestive full moon.
Temperatures slightly drop during night time allowing us a good night’s sleep.
Sunday starts with a delicious buffet breakfast and at eight we meet Issa on the seashore. Everything is organized – shelter, water, food and snorkelling equipment – and an aged captain and his young mariner are ready to leave. The sandbank is roughly an hour from the coast sailing towards Zanzibar along the same routes that two centuries ago traders navigated shipping slaves. Issa recounts those dark sides of history and explains that the word Bagamoyo comes from a Kiswahili expression which means ‘lay down you heart’ also translated as ‘give up your hopes’ referring to the slaves forced to abandon their home country and freedom forever.
The voice of Issa recalling the history of these places accompanies us during our trip until in the distance we sight Mbwakuni. No doubt, it is heaven! We reach the shore and unload our stuff from the boat. The whiteness of the sand is nearly blinding and contrasts with the clear blue sky. The water is warm, transparent and has all the shades of green and light blue. We walk to the highest point of the sandbank just few meters above the sea level and we stand there in amazement. The island extends in its length for approximately 500 meters and we cannot see anything but the ocean around us. We help our guide and captain to fix the shelter: a big piece of rectangular iute, open to the sides and supported by sticks. We all feel like Robinson Crusoe and decide to catch a fish and grill it for lunch. Equipped with flippers, masks and snorkels we start searching but I am soon overwhelmed by the wonder of the submerged world and forget about fishing. I enjoy swimming along the coral reef, explore small caves where I encounter octopuses and different types of clownfish. I easily manage to avoid a few jellyfishes that move undisturbed following the currents and spot the biggest sea stars I have ever seen and beautiful uninhabited shells laying on the seabed. Thanks to the flippers, I cover quite some distance and lose the sense of time completely until finally, I drag myself out of the water and reach the group who is sheltering and having a snack after a rather unsuccessful fishing expedition.
Time is flying and the tide is changing. Part of the island which was visible when we arrived is already covered with water and we just wait until the last minute to jump onto the boat before the ocean swallows the last grain of sand.
We sail back to Bagamoyo feeling tired and baked by the sun but immensely grateful to Issa and the crew who made us discover the magic of this enchanted island.
We just have the time for a shower and a short rest before being on our way back to Kampala and ready to start a new week completely energized by the charming power of nature.
USEFUL CONTACTS
Accommodation
In Bagamoyo you will find a great number of hotels for different budgets and tastes. The Travellers Lodge is a middle-range accommodation with an excellent value for money
Visit www.bagamoyo.com/travellers-lodge/english/frame.htm or call 00255744855485
Sailing to the Mbwakuni
Contact Issa – mobile: 00255785799397 – and he will organize the boat trip to the sandbank
© Claudia Giampietri and Appunti. Claudia Giampietri, 2007 – 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Claudia Giampietri and Appunti. Claudia Giampietri with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
