Easter at Pangani-pure indulgence

This blog is purely about my fantastic few days at the beach

Left home early morning in the pouring rain to get the dala dala to town. Endless hassle at the bus station ‘you want Dar/Tanga/Barbati/Mwanza?’ Found Lucy and Brie already on the bus only to be told that we were transferring to another, obviously the companies were consolidating rather than running half full busses. So our carefully chosen seats went by the board and we were scattered throughout the bus. Lucy was convinced we would arrive at Tanga by 1.30, 2.30 at the latest. I had my doubts, these were well placed because we arrived after 4! Further hour and a half to the river crossing at Pangani, then another 45 minutes later we arrived at the Beach Crab resort at twilight but this didn’t stop Lucy and I running to the beach like 2 excited toddlers. After settling into our room, a beach bungalow made from coconut wood and matting with a salt water shower, we enjoyed a 3 course meal with the sound of the ocean in the background and a blue black sky lit up by nature’s lights-the moon and the stars

 

 Friday was spent walking along the beach scouting for places to eat and drink, we ventured out in the evening with the torch supplied by the resort only to see thousands of crabs scuttling along the sands. Part of the walk was in the water as the tide was still quite high. Great meal at Drifters, another at Mike’s Bungalow and the best meal of the trip was the beach barbecue at the resort. The lights were dim and we weren’t exactly sure what we were eating but is was pretty darn good and lots of it. I much prefer to eat fish than meat so I was in my element. Lucy fell in love with the waiter,who doubles up as a dive instructor,-see evidence, actually what she was doing was pleading for no more food.

I ventured into Pangani on a piki piki, I always said that I would not use one due to their horrific accident rate, but there’s little traffic on that side of the river and 15kms is too far for even me to walk. Interesting town, not in the least bit touristy, I spent a pleasant couple of hours wandering, watching the boat builders and chatting to the kids. The river crossing cost 8 pence each way-bargain! No ATM, nearest place to get cash is Tanga

 

Book of choice for this trip was the classic novel War and Peace, it’s actually a very good book but such hard work turning pages over to the sounds and smells of the Indian ocean but I did it. It remains a work in progress, 5 days is nowhere near enough time to even make a small dent in it. Rest was enforced as I’d, stupidly, trodden on a stick leaving a bit of a hole in the sole of my foot. Nature’s cleansing agent-the ocean-helped but it was pretty painful

On Easter Sunday there were decorated eggs on the breakfast table and small gifts of wooden eggs/bunnies. My bunny is now, earless, hanging from my camera

Tuesday morning we set off bright and early to go home, the kitchen staff made us a take away breakfast of sandwich, fruit drink and water. We stopped at a service station-not what you’d get on the M1 in the UK but there was a loo and food available, much needed on an 8 hour journey. The hustle and bustle of Arusha were not welcome sights or sounds but it is home-for now

Some random pics, I love natural shapes

 

 Great place, great company. Thanks to Lucy McMichael for arranging it