Travel Tip: Keep Your Feet on the Ground

Indian Ocean sunset, Zanzibar, Tanzinia, 2004.

Indian Ocean sunset, Zanzibar, Tanzinia, 2004.

Here’s an excerpt from “Crossroads,” my newly published book about how to become a geographer while you’re traveling (learn more about the book here).

Here, I recall a memorable evening in Zanzibar, Tanzania:

… With a good friend, rooftop bar in Zanzibar (say it again, it’s fun – Zanzibar!), cold beer after a day of exploration, the Creedance Clear Water long version of “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” playing rather quietly on the audio system, the sun starting to set in the Indian ocean. And wafting over the roofs of the century old buildings of Old Town Zanzibar is a Call to Prayer from a mosque just east of the bar. And then another mingled in with the first, and another. The soft sounds of the Muezzins calling for prayer filled every corner of the town. It was sunset in Zanzibar.

And when it ended, the sounds of the ongoing routine of the daily lives of the people of Zanzibar faded back, coming together in that moment.

Ahh, this is when travel and people and places merge to let you know it is a good life.

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