Breakfast later today and there was no sign of the monkeys of yesterday evening or this morning. As arranged our driver arrived at 10.30am for a trip to the Amboni Caves. He was on time and had brought his son, Innocente, who had never seen the caves. First of all he took us to the fruit and vegetable market, John would like to have taken some photos but was advised not to. En route we came across road works and a newly constructed bridge. We were told the Japanese are financing the works. Along the dirt road we passed through African villages and glimpsed young men with the back of their bicycles piled high with grass which is dried for their cattle, firewood too, the women, with buckets of water balanced on their heads walking home through the long grass. We also saw children swimming and playing in the river near to the Amboni Caves.
The caves, 20 million years ago were under the sea which had carved varying sculpture. We progressed through the caves in stages. Huge footprints in the first room, a bison hoof print, a ship, and an aeroplane. A huge stalagmite glistened in the torch light as if covered in diamonds. One chamber was inhabited with bats and it was a little eerie to hear them twittering and flying around. Another chamber had some natural light and people picnic here on special occasions. Unfortunately there is also a lot of graffiti and it trivialises this wonder of nature.
Then it was time to visit the Sulphur springs. They were reached via a narrow track running through banana palms and thick vegetation. We could smell the sulphur before we actually arrived and parked. The springs consist of a narrow flow feeding into a pool with the colour of a vivid blue which looked inviting enough to swim in. The water erupted spasmodically and was very warm. After looking at the springs we retraced our steps and the guide climbed a coconut tree with foothold notches cut into it for easy climbing he then cut four coconuts, made a hole in one of the eyes, we all had one each and we drank the milk. The first time I had ever tasted coconut milk.
Then it was back to the Mkonge Hotel for of pizzas which would have been better if the base had been home made instead of bought bases. Not good. At 3.00pm our driver collected us as prearranged to take us to the Tanga airstrip to catch the plane a Tanzanair Cessna 12 seater back to Zanzibar. The airport Tax was US$10 for two. We had a stop at Pemba and we were advised to alight and as there was a 20 minute stopover. We arrived in Zanzibar 23 minutes later and this time the taxi was there on time to collect us, arranged by Coastal Travel. We arrived at Emerson and Green hotel, where we read for a while, showered and then went upstairs to the rooftop restaurant for dinner. I was sitting next to a lone American woman, she told me she was working in Baghdad with CAP in education for the interim government. We had an argument as to which town was the capital of Tanzania, Dadoma or Dar es Salaam. She was adamant that Dar was because the American consulate was there, however in this she was incorrect. Our entertainment was the lone Arab violinist again. This was too much for my American neighbour who decided she hadn’t enjoyed anything about the evening and went down to reception to ask for an escort back to the Serene Hotel.