We were thinking of a trip to Africa. We had been in Tunisia a few years ago through an agency. Now it was our turn to take care of organizing the vacation on African soil because we wanted it to be different. I chose Zanzibar. The first thing I did was to check the necessary travel documents on the MFA website. This is how I found out that Romanian citizens do not need a visa for a period of 90 days, and vaccination against yellow fever, typhoid fever, hepatitis A&B, diphtheria and polio is not mandatory. But it is recommended. We preferred not to get vaccinated, but everyone decides whether they want to be immunized or not. Regarding malaria, we decided not to take the pills, because we did not travel to the mainland, where the risk of disease was higher. We consulted the family doctor who advised us to drink a lot of tonic water (quinine being useful in preventing mosquito bites and in treating malaria) and to have mosquito sprays with us. He also recommended some pills in case of indigestion. We had them with us, but it was not the case to use them. After we bought plane tickets, the next step was to look for accommodation. As usual, Booking.com jumped to our aid. We knew what we wanted: relaxation, so we chose Dream of Zanzibar, an all-inclusive resort, located in Pwani Machangani, in the middle of lush gardens overlooking the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

Located on the north-east coast of the island, 45 km from Stone Town and the airport, Dream of Zanzibar is the ideal choice if you are picky. A flawless location, combining local Afro-Arabic design with a modern and contemporary one, creating a luxurious architectural style, offers you a selection of six restaurants, four bars, themed evenings under the stars, with entertainment and exotic dishes.

But, as the salt and pepper of our holidays is the adventure, this holiday could not be an exception. We were going to take a taxi to The Rock, the famous restaurant perched on a rock in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

To really feel the energy of the place, you have to live like the locals, we told ourselves while we were drawing with the driver the route of a perfect day. So we decided to leave for one night the 5-star resort where we were staying and spend the night at the edge of the ocean. I rented a palm tree hut on Michamvi Pingwe beach. The fan was spinning, the door was locked. Who would have needed more ?! We felt safe in our den. The light was coming from outside through the meshes of mosquito nets placed instead of the window. A canopy that looked huge, with impeccable linen, covered three-quarters of the 12 square meters. It didn't take us long to catch the taste of the lack of comfort. The smell of the jungle reminded us that Africa had taken over us. We were not alone. Several English families had chosen to spend their holidays here. Primitive, but not simple. Quiet, but intense. Beyond time. The driver who had brought us from the resort turned back, and the next day, in the evening, he would come to pick us up.

Mnana Beach Bungalows, on her real name or Mnana Banana as I liked to caress her or staying in a suitcase, as Iulian liked to call her, was an experience I would repeat. Nestled in a hammock, we try to penetrate the deep meanings of the decor that nature offered. I was fascinated by the tide, just as I was fascinated by the sunrise and the sunset, which, making my palms close to my eyes, I was content to look at them, without saying a word. The ocean at ebb is the first picture that Zanzibar paints. Then, it populates it with creatures lost in the water. All other paintings are populated by people. Poor, but not naked. Silent, but not sad. Zanzibar is to be lived, not understood.

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