Achieving Buoyancy

In our often hectic lives, balance is something that is always being touted as the key to achieving maximum success and happiness. Perhaps we are missing the real wonder of buoyancy, rather than mere balance. I’ve recently discovered this, in learning to dive, and will never be the same.

In our lives, we are restricted by a multitude of constraints, gravity included.

Achieving buoyancy under water is like floating in inner space, traveling to another world. There is nothing like it. While buoyancy on land has certain limitations, back to gravity again, it is possible to achieve buoyancy every day in our lives, by letting go, letting things be, going with the flow.

What I didn’t realize, before trying it myself, if that diving is like underwater yoga. The number one lesson is to always breath, and never hold your breath. It is essential to breath slowly and deeply. As you drift along, you literally follow your breath. Rather than moving with your breath, as in yoga, your breath moves you – literally. This is something I’ve done in reverse through yoga, but it takes on a whole new dimension under water.

There are many lessons to learn in diving. My journey has just begun. I’m looking forward to many more adventures in exploring new depths of this world, and myself.

Namaste,

Miel

Akuna Matata – Zanzibar Style

A week in Zanzibar is just enough to leave me feeling slightly like jello; in a good way. Everything is easy going. No mind that you’ve got competing music from the assortment of bars on the beachside, as the sound of the waves drowns out all. Wishing my internet connection was working, but figure that it is what it is. Akuna matata. (No worries)

It’s just enough time to remind me how essential real vacations are. I know I’m luckier than most, in that my work may seem like a holiday. Yet while it is certainly a never ending adventure, my travels are most often anything but leisurely. On this trip I’m reminded a bit of what it was like to be a backpacker a dozen years ago, but happy to have more of a budget to work with.

Traveling alone means meeting all sorts of people, from all of the world, coming and going from various adventures. Honeymooners from my neighborhood in DC; Swiss dive buddy living in Nairobi; fabulous South African Dive Instructor with a Finnish fiance; a couple of young Canadians doing Capetown to Cairo; a guy from Ashland, Oregon; a young Canadian hedge fund broker working in Kuwait; a seven year old Italian who is destined for Olympic volleyball; and many more.

Now back to work. Next I'll share my adventures in Somaliland.

Cheers,

Miel

Diving into the Blue of Zanzibar

It only makes sense that diving was my next avenue for exploration. I didn’t come to Zanzibar with the intention of learning to dive; I really didn’t have many plans to begin with. Yesterday I completed my Open Water Diving Certificate and couldn’t stop with that. After another two adventure dives today (working on deep water and navigation skills), I’ll be completing another three tomorrow to finish off my Advanced Open Water Certificate.

I couldn’t be happier with my choice to become a diver. I feel this shift in how I look at the opportunities that present themselves in life. It’s like putting on a new pair of shades, where all I can think of is where I will dive over my lifetime. I’ve already covered considerable ground in the real sense of geographical exploration, but diving opens up a great deal more of this incredible planet of ours.

I was already very fortunate enough to have spend significant time on reefs, doing two courses in marine biology on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as a time in Fiji explore the surface, but diving really does allow you to reach more depths than ever before.

I was fortunate enough to have a fabulous dive buddy as well as instructor!

My last day of my Advanced Open Water was incredible. Mastering buoyancy and achieving the fabulous upside down underwater Buddha. Try that in yoga!

Miel

Day Two in Zanzibar

I wake up refreshed after a good night’s sleep. Basic breakfast at the hotel, and then off to explore Stone Town. This is the old city of Zanzibar, looking very much like it sounds, with small winding alleyways. You can’t worry about getting lost. It’s best just to wander and know that eventually you’ll find your way back to where you started.

I find a nice rooftop bar (see pictures from last post) and enjoy a lovely cup of spiced tea as the city continues to wake up, and read my book. I’ve managed to bring along a book that I can’t put down, but of course will be done by tomorrow – if not tonight. Luckily I have one other, as well as a final reserve back in Nairobi. We’ll see if that lasts me for the next five weeks; I’m somehow doubtful.

I stumble into the market, with spices galore, mangoes aplenty, and the requisite meat being butchered up. Markets in Africa aren’t for the squeamish or weak stomached. I resist buying any spices for the moment, but certainly have them on my list before I leave. The cinnamon bark is found in thick curly chunks. Cloves, cardamom, fresh vanilla beans, saffron, curries, masala, and more. I hear the spice tour is nice, so I’ll be headed there sometime during my trip.

Stone Town is known for its small alleyways and incredible architecture.

Zanzibar is known for its mixture of African and Arabic cultures, but as you can see, the various influences abound.

I find a nice café in the afternoon, drink a delicious vanilla latte, and continue to read my book.

I later make my way to a beach side bar that is supposed to have wifi. After only a couple of minutes of skype chatting with my husband it goes out. I suppose it is better than nothing. In the mean time I watch as boys jump off the pier and frolic in the warm ocean water. I wonder how the girls refresh in the humid heat.

Zanzibar is known for its unique doorways as well as being the spice island.

Massive cinnamon sticks, anise, cardamon, fresh vanilla beans, saffron and so much more abounds.

A ferry barge arrives and pulls itself up the beach. Men carry boxes back and forth like worker bees coming to a fro from the hive. They make short order of several large truck loads of cargo.

On the other side of the beach, young men practice backflips in the sand. I’m still waiting for African gymnasts to take over the Olympics. Give these guys any equipment and I have every confidence that we’d have some gold medalists in the mix.

Now it’s 7:20 on a Saturday night. I missed that tonight would be the full moon festivals up on the coast, or I would have headed out of town for those. Now to see if I end up meeting any fellow tourists, or where my night takes me. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach is lovely.

I managed to find a crew on their tale end of adventures climbing Kilimanjaro and doing Safari in Kenya/Tanzania. A nice German couple, a Swiss gal, and a Canadian guy. Good times.

Miel

Zanzibar Next Stop!

Off to Zanzibar! Well, actually now leaving Zanzibar, but the internet was not working in my favor to post in advance, so we'll have some delayed postings on Zanzibar while I'll actually be in Somalia. Then I'll post on Somalia while I'm back in Nairobi. What a sorted life I live!

After an incredibly packed week of meetings in Nairobi, it takes me until 2am to finish up my work and be ready to take a week of leave – with still a number of things to follow up on while I’m in Zanzibar. Still worth the sacrifice. Of course I am then plagued by the dreaded mosquito in my ear. Just when I terminate one, thinking peaceful rest will soon be on its way, the next come buzzing around. If you’ve ever been in such a situation, you know that the only real method is to wait for the mozzy to buzz close enough to your ear, and then smack yourself upside the head. Needless to say, not a restful couple of hours of sleep.

So next I’m up at 4:30 to catch a taxi at 5:30 and a plane to Zanzibar at 8:15. Or so I think. Little do I know, that I’m actually destined to not only Kilimanjaro en route, but also Dar es Salaam. The first plane is so short it feels like spelunking as you make your way toward the back of the plane. The second is no better, approximately the size of a minivan, but luckily not as many people as a Matatu. I’m so incredibly exhausted that I fall into a deep sleep on the flight. I find myself dreaming of a plane crash, spiraling closer and closer to the ground, seeing the end is near. Of course I wake up to the plane jerking like a bucking bronco. Apparently death is not near, so I fall back asleep.

When I finally reach Zanzibar’s Stone Town - after six hours en route – I find a mediocre hotel, insert my trusty earplugs, and sleep blissfully for the next five hours.

I awake to explore the city.

Miel