Back in April I spent four nights in Zanzibar, the coolest-sounding place name that I have ever heard. It’s a tropical island off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa and is best known internationally for its endless white sand beaches and heavenly coastline. April isn’t usually an advisable time to visit, as it’s in the middle of Tanzania’s rainy season, which lasts from March to June. I got seriously lucky and it didn’t rain once during my 10-day visit to Tanzania (except for 2 hours before my departure, which I took to be a sign). Zanzibar in low season was really empty, meaning we had beaches, hotels and swimming pools virtually to ourselves. Personally I much preferred it that way.

          Considering it’s a tropical paradise, it was actually a pretty busy four days! I’ll write a proper article about the island in due course, but in the meantime here’s a handmade postcard I picked up in a small shop in Stone Town, the island’s capital. It’s made from banana leaves if I’m not mistaken and I liked it so much I even bought it in a coconut wood frame. As a taster to whet your appetite, I can give away that my trip to Zanzibar involved lots of time spent on and under the water, some hilarious monkeys and two amazing 12-seater planes!

Keep an eye out for a proper write-up of that trip soon!

Have you ever been to Zanzibar or it on your wishlist? And do you tend to buy artwork when you’re abroad or more little trinkets and gifts?