6-52am
Tomorrow we leave, so today, we must make the most of doing nothing! We did very little yesterday as well. In the morning, I did the blog, but didn’t manage to get it up before the internet ground to a halt. We read and chatted. After lunch, Julian and I took off for a walk to a nearby village. I went in search of a local basket. On our way, we passed a very intimidating bull…
Fortunately, he was attached to ropes, so although he looked as if he was about to charge, we knew (and he knew) that he wouldn’t get far. I took the picture and quickly walked away!
We also passed a small baobab tree…a lovely memory of my youth. Seeing them at sea level is unexpected. I guess they like the heat…
There are many small village schools. The one on the road to the village is probably the best we’ve seen. Painted in bright colours with different objects and their English names impressed us. I got a little closer to take a photo, only to find that not all the spelling was out of our English dictionaries…
This was the other side of the school, where a fork is a folk and a bowl, a bawl. I don’t know if it was the organiser’s fault or the painter’s fault, but they made a good attempt. And, they can use it as a test for the children to be able to tell which ones are wrong! (They don’t have spell check as I do…and even then I make mistakes!)
One of the funniest English mistakes came on the resort menu, when we read of an upcoming “Aborigine” dish – we waited with great interest to see what would arrive. It was difficult not to laugh when an aubergine arrived. We ate Aborigine!
So we got to the village, but never found a basket, so, in the heat of the day, we returned, glad of the exercise but glad to be back. I swam, then lazed in the boma, reading. It was after tea time, that I determined to try and find out what was happening with the internet. I still hadn’t got the blog posted and evening was rapidly approaching.
I ended up going to the reception which is at the top of the resort and asking if there was a problem. While there, I took a few photos….this hangs on the wall….
We have experienced why. It’s very easy to give Ngalawa Beach Village 5 stars on Trip Advisor.
From the reception, a long flight of stairs takes you to the main part of the village….
One of the manager’s gave me the neighbouring resort’s password and so I snuck down to the beach and sat on the bottom of a palm tree and got it posted. Although the beach is a wonderful place to write, it’s not ideal for computers and mine got a bit sandy! The view though was quite spectacular…
After dinner last night, one of my greatest memories was made. It’s almost new moon and the sky is at its darkest. We walked down the beach away from the lights of the resort and in pitch dark we looked up at the canopy of stars above. Never before, have I seen so much of the Milky Way. We are 6 degrees south of the equator and the weather was warm and balmy. I kept saying “I’ve never seen these stars before!” The Bible verses that resonated through my mind came from Psalm 8:3-4
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?”
We witnessed the majesty of God’s creation – just a fraction of only one galaxy. There’s much more to it and many more besides. I am like a tiny grain of sand, yet what is important to me is important to God. And that goes for you too!
What a night. Tonight, we will do it again!
Keep the smile going…
God bless you loads.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 
Quite a little piece of peaceful paradise.
) taxi and we set off for the other side of the island. We passed a vast array of unusual Zanzibarians – many hurtling helmetlessly along on scooters, the colourful headscarves of lady passengers blowing behind them. Cyclists, taxis, goats, cows, builders, children, shopkeepers all to be seen crowding the roads, going about their regular Tuesday business. It was not entirely unfamiliar to typical South African township life. After about 30 minutes, the roads quietened and the landscape changed to become more rural. The road flanked by forests and plantations. Unexpectedly, a petrol station came into view. We turned right and then right again, this time onto a narrow dirt road. We sensed our destination was around the corner. It was. Driving through very un-ostentatious gates, we drew up to a plain looking building. This was Ngalwala Beach Village! Apprehensively, we went inside to be met by the owners. After registration, our suitcases were taken to our rooms. As we left the reception building, we went down a long flight of stairs, being cheerfully greeted by workers as we went. The resort unfolded before us and it was GOOD! Whew! Our room is the top corner one…
