Ras Mbisi Lodge

Early One Morning

2011-10-15T00:21:00.000-07:00

Up before the birds this morning, full lodge, 2 boat trips to organise, one carload of guests off to the Mafia Marine Park and 8 staying in-house - whew!

Royal Visit to Tanzania

2011-10-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will visit townships and community projects during a tour of Tanzania and South Africa next month.

The trip, which will focus on the environment and sustainability, education and trade, is timed to take place just a month before the Durban Climate Summit.
In Tanzania, the official visit will be part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of independence from the UK..They will visit a Masai village, a national park and Zanzibar.They will meet President Jakaya Kitwete at his residence in the country's capital, Dar es Salaam.

The duchess will make visits to child literacy programmes in both countries.

Prince Charles has recently become president of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the UK, and in both Commonwealth countries there will be a strong focus on the charity's work to protect endangered species and fragile ecosystems

A Really Big Thank You

2011-10-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

We had some post today, a large envelope which contained the certificate in the photo above. A massive thank you to all those guests who wrote reviews on Tripadvisor. Reviews are important to an out of the way business such as ours for a myriad of reasons, obviously it's lovely to know that people had a good holiday, but also given that we get no passing trade it gives people a view other than ours or a travel agents.

So from the team at Ras Mbisi, Asante sana and Karibu tena Ras Mbisi xx

It's that time of year again

2011-10-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

The Whale sharks are back in the channel, the last couple of mornings have been early starts (5am) as the tides are not in our favour for the next few days, thankfully by the end of the week, guests wanting to swim with them will get their breakfast at the lodge rather than bacon,sausage and egg rolls on the boat :)as the tide moves to a more respectable hour of the morning.

Hmmm

2011-10-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well I think it's official, i've been a bit rubbish about keeping this blog up to date - I've got lots of reasons (ok excuses)though, which are;
The lodge has been busy
We've had weddings and nuptial celebrations (will be posting about this in the next few days) and lots and lots of honeymooners
I'm building a new website for the lodge - very excited about this, Matt killed himself laughing when i phoned him to talk through some stuff, he told me i was turning into a geek :)
Preparing for WTM2011 (the World Travel Market - held every November at ExCel,4 days of manic activity promoting Ras Mbisi and Mafia)
and err, all the other stuff I have to do every day

BUT, I am going to try really hard to get back to regular posting, I miss it, shouting my opinions into the internet.

The New Season - Happy Days

2011-08-01T03:25:00.000-07:00

We’ve had an amazing start to the season, great guests, mostly great weather. The new menus are going down well, and the new Dhow bar and pool table are especially popular.
The new kanga bathrobes supplied in the rooms are also proving popular as are the full size toiletries (Shampoo, conditioner, body cream), and of course the Mafia Coconut soap made especially for us at N’gombeni in the south of Mafia.
So it seems the changes we made for this season were good ones, now just the count down to the opening of our Coconut Spa, offering a simple menu of massages and scrubs, based around the local coconut oil. No overegged ‘rituals’ or gimmicks here – just real bodywork to relax you into Swahili time.

I had an interesting trip to the mainland last week, Coastal had delays and we therefore had to fly via Kilwa, as we flew south we saw many (more than 20) Humpback Whales breeching, was an amazing sight.

*FREE Whale shark trips – for stays of more than 7 nights between November 15 and December 15 2011- book before 1st September 2011 and get a FREE trip to swim with Whale Sharks, also if you book online before the end of August then November stays of 5 nights or more get a free night (Stay5Pay4)*

Sympathy Tourism

2011-07-11T04:58:00.000-07:00

This is something that has been on my mind for while then today I read David Whiteleys piece on his blog GrumpyTraveller.com this last paragraph really says what i think "Tourism as an industry is about service, not charity. People are not giving their money to destinations, they are spending it there. There is an enormous difference. If people are genuinely moved by plight, they’ll make a charity donation, not book a flight and hotel. Tourism is a business, not a welfare scheme – and anyone tempted to overplay the sympathy card would do well to remember that." Most Lodges and Hotels in Tanzania (and elsewhere in the developing world) have involvement in their local community, and there is no reason to hide it, BUT, as a primary marketing tool? Really? How many people actually choose their annual break to help others? As a bonus, great, but most people want to have a great holiday, and to be honest promoting the fact that people nearby are in desparate need of your financial help probably just makes people feel guilty.

Ras Mbisi is about good food, relaxing and being looked after, by people who really want you to have an amazing holiday, if we choose to donate or set up projects with monies earned then great, but we will never force guests to contribute, in fact we are unlikely to mention it to you at all. Occasionally we will refer to it in a blog, but it is not the reason we exist, we exist to give our guests the best we can on this beautiful remote and deserted beach paradise.

Zanzibar 20 years on

2011-06-22T01:47:00.000-07:00

Getting ill just when things are getting exciting is so irritating! I woke in the early hours of Saturday night with bunged up nose,burning throat and chest and aching all over. Yup, flu. No choice but to carry on though, so Sunday morning I upped and left Dar for Zanzibar. Considering there is an International Film Festival (ZIFF) on it’s pretty quiet. My plane had one other passenger and the hotel I am staying in is all but empty. Bizarrely I can still find my bearings, it hasn’t changed all that much, Ok lots of hotels and dukas,(which were decidedly NOT around 20 years ago) and a few good restaurants, but it hasn’t lost its magical essence. That said, the papsi (touts) are pretty bad, you get them in Dar as well, but Stonetown is such small place that it can seem you are being hassled constantly ‘seestar seetar I give you tour, I take you here et c etc. I think the thing I was most conscious of was being a lone female, I don’t think they would have been any different had I not been alone, but it could be more intimidating when you are, I did not feel unsafe at any point, but more sensitive souls might(but I guess they wouldn’t be travelling alone). I think that as it is still low season there aren’t enough tourists to go round, in other words once high season hits you might only get hassled once or twice during a walk and once you said no they would move on, as it was I found it annoying (being ill probably didn’t help!). All that said, Stonetown is so amazing and if you are coming to Tanzania you really can't miss it out, I didn't have the chance to check out beaches, but then I don't think any beach can compare to Ras Mbisi!!

I’m staying at the Abuso Inn, very authentically Zanzibari, and very simple, my shutters open to a view of the sea and I had an uninterrupted gaze at the sunset on Sunday evening.

Food was very much a grab it and run back to bed, I had a Prawn curry at the Buni Café for lunch, and I hit Forodhani Gardens that night for coconut sesame bread, grilled shrimp, falafel with salad and chilli sauce.

Monday brought seminar time, I was much more comfortable speaking ‘in public’ having done Fridays one in Dar and it seemed to go over well, I think/hope having someone who has started out knowing zero about marketing let alone social media and internet marketing/branding helped people see that it is possible and that you don’t have to be a computer whizz kid to achieve some success. Almost more importantly it's FUN!

I spent Monday evening with Julia from ZATI and Rachel from Mambo Magazine, G&T’s in Mercurys and dinner at Tatu’s really good getting some perspective on the similar issues and challenges we all face working in Tourism here, it’s easy to forget that we are all in the same boat.

Monday morning brought breakfast at the Serena Inn and my flight to Dar followed by the short flight to Mafia (and the discovery that Flightlink are starting a Zanzibar-Mafia flight this season!!)

The view from Banda 3

2011-06-15T01:36:00.000-07:00

E Tourism Frontiers (& Zanzibar)

2011-06-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

It has been a few years (20) since I last visited Zanzibar, having grown up in Dar es Salaam I had visited many times during my childhood and teens. In those days there were no hotels and we always stayed at the British High Commission house. Spring forward 20 years and Zanzibar is apparently COVERED in Hotels! Back then Stonetown was a rundown rabbit warren of streets, now it’s a World Heritage Site and masses of restoration has happened and is on-going. I have vivid memories of hiring (huge) bicycles with no gears to get around and spending most of my time flat on my back-side (and it was not as well covered back in the day).
Well I am getting to return to Zanzibar thanks to Damien and Elizabeth Cook of E Tourism Frontiers as I am one of their case studies for a series of one day workshops they are holding in East Africa. The purpose of the workshops is to promote the use of E-commerce for tourism within East Africa. On-line bookings and payments, social media, decent websites et-al.
I shall write up my Zanzibar trip on my return, I’m a bit excited, but also nervous about going back to a place I loved, although I’m hoping that as I know in advance there have been big changes it won’t be too much of a shock. In the meantime for those that are interested the remaining Workshop dates and places are as follows;
Dar Es Salaam (June 17th Kempinski Hotel),
Zanzibar (June 20th Grand Palace Hotel) ,
Arusha (June 22nd New Arusha Hotel).

The Dar es Salaam Goat Races 2011

2011-06-08T01:14:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year, the announcement that people and companies can choose and enter a goat for the Annual Goat Races. I know mad, but anyway - the Dar es Salaam Goat Races are the Dar equivalent of Ascot, lots of dressing up and HATS, and it's all done for Charity.

The Goat Races started in 2001 and have run each year since getting bigger each time, it raises masses for charities based in Tanzania and is a totally over the top fun day out (although it carries on into the night at various bars for the adults!!)

We will be donating a weekend at Ras Mbisi for the Goat Race raffle. http://www.goatraces.com/

The rainy season

2011-06-06T05:27:00.000-07:00

As the picture shows, it doesn't rain ALL the time during the long rains. It just feels like it!

Masala Omelette Wrap

2011-05-22T00:33:00.000-07:00

This is a family favourite, excellent hangover fodder, good for breakfast on the run (it can be wrapped in foil to keep it hot), brunch, quick lunch, eminently suitable for a solo dinner, relatively diet worthy - all round fab!

Masala Omelette

Small non stick frying pan
Teaspoon of cooking oil
One small onion, chopped finely
½ teaspoon garam masala
Pinch of salt
Dried chilli flakes, to taste, a pinch if you’re wimp,
2 beaten eggs
Handful of fresh coriander
One flour tortilla (or a chapatti)

Heat the oil (yes, in the frying pan), add the onion, garam masala, chilli flakes and salt, fry for a couple of minutes, you want the onions to still have a bit of crunch. Add the eggs, moving the pan to make sure they cook evenly. Once set, but still a little moist slide onto your tortilla/chapatti, top with the coriander and roll up. Eat!!

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

2011-05-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

Mercilessly stolen from A Girl, A Style blog (a must read) these are now a regular feature at Ras Mbisi, I do play around with different ingredients (e.g. lime (zest), cardamom and cashew), but this (the original) is fantastic!

CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO BISCOTTI

This is perfect with a strong mid-morning coffee, (and so much better than the stale, brittle biscotti you buy in coffee shops). Makes around 35 pieces and keeps for 1 week.

Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking power
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
100g good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
3 large eggs
2-3 tablespoons melted butter (begin with 2, and add more if needed to moisten mixture to a firm dough)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or 1/2 cup for a darker version)

Method:

Preheat over to 180 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add pistachios, chocolate and any other filling. In a separate small bowl, mix eggs, melted butter, vanilla and cocoa. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until combined (dough will become quite hard to mix, so use hands to knead into a smooth dough).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough into two, and shape into two logs about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle each with brown sugar if you wish. Bake until risen and firm (15-20 minutes). Let logs cool completely on sheet (about 30 minutes).

Reduce oven to 150 degrees. When logs have cooled, cut crosswise (using a serrated knife) into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake until dry (15-20 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

The Honeymoon

2011-05-02T06:14:00.001-07:00

Well there we go, Wills and Kate are married, but not heading off on honeymoon just yet. The official line given was that he had to apply for leave and didn’t get it. They depart on Honeymoon in two weeks to ‘a remote island in the Indian Ocean, the accommodation is set in a coconut grove and the area is known for nesting sea turtles’ had it added “and whale sharks” it could have been Mafia Island!!! Happily none of the accommodation on Mafia costs $4000 a night though!

Where do you think they are going?

Celebration!

2011-04-29T01:19:00.000-07:00

Perfect moments

2011-04-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Kiss

2011-04-28T07:46:00.001-07:00

The vows

2011-04-28T07:37:00.001-07:00

We have a Bride

2011-04-28T07:11:00.001-07:00

Beautiful lovely Meghan and big brother Craig

Where's the Bride??

2011-04-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

Almost there.......................

2011-04-28T03:12:00.000-07:00

All chilled and waiting to toast the happy couple

The 'stage' is set

All we need is a bride................

Behind the Scenes

2011-04-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

Wedding Preparations

2011-04-27T01:08:00.000-07:00

It seems the world has gone Wedding crazy, make that Royal Wedding crazy. As regular readers know we had a wedding here in February, the photos arrived last night and I will be posting the ones of the big day in the next few days. As a taster though here are a few from behind the scenes.

Letters in the post

2011-04-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

The loveliest thing, a real letter in the post! Not a bill, or junk mail a real letter. This was from some wonderful guests who stayed in February and came via one of our UK based agents

Re-produced Letter
‘‘Dear John and Michelle

I can’t believe that it is eight weeks since Michael and I returned from Mafia Island. In that time I have spent six of those weeks keeping and eye on an aged aunt in Plymouth whilst her carer went on holiday, as well as juggling bits of work courtesy of my laptop, mobile phone and passing homing pigeons. Michael went straight back to work with a week of high pressure meetings with colleagues from the UK and America plus consultants. Reality has a cruel way to bring you back to earth.

We have very pleasant memories of our stay at Ras Mbisi that will stay with us for a long time. One of our best, if not the best, holiday, ever thanks to you both and your team.

It has taken me eight weeks to get some pictures printed that I took of the guys on the boat when we visited ‘your’ desert islands. They aren’t the greatest photos on the world, as the bright sky tends to skew the exposure. But I did get enough prints so that there’s one each. That’s if they want them.

Also, as the car turned the corner from the Lodge we realized that we hadn’t said goodbye to Rama who had looked after us so well at meal times and also on the boat trips. He must have thought us very rude white trash, so do please send our apologies and could you give him the enclosed envelope as a thank you. (I/We never seem to get the tipping thing right.) This time we put it all in the tip box thinking that would share it all out fairly. But the looks on the guys faces when we left having seemingly given them nothing made us feel awful. So next time in Africa, or anywhere else non-European, we’ll do a mixture of individuals and tip boxes.

We have put the word round about Ras Mbisi and given the web link to a few friends so we are doing our PR bit too. I hope the rest of your season goes/went well and that the wedding event was a great success. Good luck with next season.
Warwick Square sends its regards as do we.

Peter and Michael’’

Just a note; the tip system here is a shared tip box, this was/is the staffs choice and they are very happy with the system, they also never expect tips. As all our staff are local most had never had jobs before let alone worked in the hospitality industry so until the first tips happened they had no idea they would get them as well as getting paid. They don’t take them for granted and know that if guests don’t get exceptional service there won’t be any tips. There is no need for any guest to feel they should tip directly (although if they want to then that is their choice – but please, be aware that there are many staff members behind the scenes that you rarely see but are just as responsible for making your stay as those you do see and interact with). By the by, the ‘look’ on the guys faces was sadness, they are always sorry to see nice guests go – but you should see the jigs of joy when the rare nightmare ones leave!!!!
The reference to Warwick Square was because they live just off it and I used to live just on it (long ago in my single, girl about London days), a fact discovered over cocktails at sundown.

The photo? That's Shungu Mbili, our 'desert' island, site of many a beach BBQ for our guests.

Community spirit?

2011-04-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

Photo is the Village Chairman, Amin the deputy head, Castor, our GM and the Village Secretary - no idea who the last guy is, he jumped into shot at the last minute!!

Well today was a bit different, I spent it in our nearby village attending the Village Committee, glad handing the Village Chairman and the deputy Head of Chungaruma School. The reason? To hand over a computer for the school that was donated by guests – specifically Meghan and Daniel Hunter on the occasion of their wedding which was held at the end of February at Ras Mbisi (no, still no photos). Ras Mbisi donated, system discs for the PC and PC CD-Rom games, the football one was VERY popular.

It’s so nice to be able to do these small things within the community – even if it does mean I am giving up a day a week to give computer lessons – gulp! We hope to be able to raise funds for more over the next season, plus access to the internet, a valuable tool for teachers and students alike.

So, if you are feeling generous, or just happen to have an old laptop having upgraded, please think of putting it in your luggage to bring with you on holiday, likewise any computer games suitable for use on a PC/laptop.

New projects on the go - the vegetable project is getting going, we now have 4 people trained up, they will be responsible for the day to day running of the project within the village. School desks are as ever on-going

Internet woes

2011-03-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

Rains are here! Everything is turning green, it is incredibly beautiful here now, it doesn't rain constantly and the sea is still and totally clear as is the beach. In fact it's possibly the nicest time of year providing you can cope with the heavy downpours when they do come. We are contemplating remaining open during next years rainy season as the runway will have been completed and planes will be able to land in all weathers.

Of course, just to help, the internet is down! I was having to travel to town to answer emails etc but have manage to rig up a rather Heath Robinson contraption with a Vodocom dongle, not great due to the weak signal, but better than nothing

We are hoping that Vodacom will come good and supply a booster/repeater so that we have a decent mobile signal at Ras Mbisi, this will have the knock on effect of internet access for guests (and us), it has to be said though that Voda are not exactly proactive with regard to keeping us informed so we may yet have to resort to contacting one of their competitors, we don’t want to as we have had Voda mobiles for over 5 years and all our 40 staff also use Voda, but if it becomes necessary the change will have to happen. Regardless, we are NOT going to continue to pay AFSAT thousands each year for zero customer service, 1gb of download a month and constant grief! (by which I mean the connection is down more often than it’s up and working) Had they been just a little reasonable with a small amount of ‘give’ we would have upped our allocation and had a second connection for guests, they would have made a lot of money through ‘on demand’ internet access payable via our 3G VISA provider. Being told, ‘it costs this much xxxxx, oh there is a problem with your connection, no we can’t advise you, you must pay $5000 for an engineer plus more for new equipment’ isn’t good, especially when Voda can provide 1gb for less than $30 a month!!!!!!!!!!! Basically they have not just priced themselves out of the market, their customer service is really bad, even for here! Our current mobile signal ‘drifts’ partly due to all the coconut trees (full of water which distorts the signal), and also we are 18 kms from the nearest tower. Lets just hope Voda sees the value of all those roaming customers and gets it sorted, hopefully in my next blog I’ll be able to tell you it’s all up and working!! For bookings, don’t forget you can book online with credit cards for no commission charge and know that your booking is secure.

Exciting news kept for last. Tribes have awarded us with a 3 globe rating for our Eco and Social awareness, despite the fact that we do not push our ‘eco’ or sustainable side as there is as yet no substantive international charter it is lovely to have it recognised by such a high profile Fair Trade agent. http://www.tribes.co.uk/countries/tanzania/accommodation/ras_mbisi

All New!

2011-03-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

All new things happening at Ras Mbisi. We've hit the end of the season (again), renovations and additions now underway - so excited about all the new things happening for next season, some real treats in store for all - and next season is looking BUSY!! Which is great, all the staff have worked so hard alongside us to make Ras Mbisi a success, and now as shareholders they get to reap the rewards.

Some shopping Tanzania style photos for you this time - enjoy xxxx

p.s. still waiting for the Wedding photos - hoping to get them soon

Shopping Kilindoni style

Kilindoni main market

Waheedis - source of good fabric, if you look hard enough, I buy linen and silk jersey to make into trousers and tops

Mitumba stall - 'tree boutiques' as we call them, second hand clothes, I've found everything from Primark, through Banana Republic & Gap to Jaeger on these stalls (photo credit for Mitumba stall - MangoTree Musing)

By Scarlet (when she was 5)

2011-03-06T02:20:00.000-08:00

Sunday funnies! I found this on my old laptop when searching for some lost files - bless her, the spelling is 'interesting'!

RAS MBISI LODGE

Ras Mbisi lodge is a nice famly lodge on mafia island east afrca Tanzania
It has got a pool a byotfool bech and wen you arif at you bandr there will be sam coconut juice and wen its tiem for lunch you will get lovle madup mils
Mad by michelle vickers bot cocd by the cichin staff and lovle grdons
With butffool flowers

MAFIA LODGE

Mafia lodge you can go diving wen ever you wont to you can see fishes. If you wont to go snocling there are a fyoo reefs .
At lunch you will get bad food the ries is hred and the rest is just tast los

TAWN

Tawn is a nice plac wife nice popl there is a plac cold rshedes it’s a shop wer you get swets a nice man cold rshede ons it .

STAR FISH BANC

The star fish banc is a sand banc fool of star fish that are vere prity and all ovor the place . They hav bytfal calors .

THE ISLANDS OF RAS MBISI

The islands of ras Mbisi are very ciose 1 is closer then the othr the cioser 1 is cold
Abarcony a rlacsing pesfol plac wer you can rlacs in pes and cwiot the othr 1is cold shongonbile it to is rlacsing becos of its byutfl bech and sea.

THE LITE HOUSE

The lite house is the tall ist bilding on mafia and just desid is a jrman rooin
And you can clim the rocs

CHOLA LODGE

Chola island is a little island close to chola bay. chola island olso has a lodge to .

POLAPOLA LODGE

Polapola is a nice lodge wif nice strff.
You can go wollcing froo the mangrov if you wont to.

CHANGROOMA

Changooma is a village wif very nice pople you can biy fish and clams and venchaballs.

SANDAYs WEVR RPOT

Its clawd with a slit chrnts of sam san.

THE LOST BOOK OF BESTS

The lost book of bests blongs to a girl cold maddie and she wos locing ever wer for it but she codont find it becoz she is blind and deth but har little sistor
Wos tacing all the books of the book shelf and she grabd it bi acsadont and
Wen I went to clen it up I graved the book of beasts then shawted the book of beasts I hav ben locing ever wer for that book.

WOT SCARLET DID TO DAY

To day I wos fling a cit and plead bas bull to gather with my dad it wos fun.

MONDAY WEVOR

Its going to be a sane and hot day.

THE THREE WIZODS

Ones a pone time there wore three kids that live in englond they cap on getting strang letors but one day there dad fawnond awt abawt it so they movd to a far
Away plays wer nobody can send letors.
But on the frst night they hord somebody nocing on the door “ ill get it said 1 of the
Grles but there dad did not let her opon it “ go to bed he said.
The porson at the door whos a wizod “ I am hir to tak your doorts “ tak mi doorts ! ok ill get them up he said “ komon kids your going on a night trip he said
“

1

Friends and links and things

2011-03-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Long overdue this post, I/we have had so much support from friends ‘in the biz’ or with links to it I think it’s about time I tell everyone about them

Richard Chanter of Chanters Lodge, Livingstone, Zambia - @livilodge was one of my first followers on Twitter and a staunch supporter of the Ras Mbisi ethos, we love him and can’t wait to visit – also he used to run one of my fav places in Malawi, Nkapola Lodge, I have yet to dare ask him if he remembers a 6 year old and her 3 year old brother attempting to head out onto the lake on one of the pedalo’s!

Rachel Hamada of Mambo Magazine – Mambo is an online mag for coastal Tanzania in general and the islands in particular and it’s FAB, she is also a travel journo a former political journo and has an involvement with Mustaphas Place in Bwejuu, Zanzibar – we have met a couple of times in real life and she is a fun person to spend time with as well as being quick and well informed on her specialist subjects (not to mention vocal on any subject you care to mention)

Sally Mckenna from Africa-beat.com a great resource for TZ residents and tourists alike, Sal-gal has bigged us up, given us exposure, put us up and generally been an all round good egg

Matt Bell from receptionbook.com we luurve Matt (and Adam) they maintain our website, explain complicated internet stuff (well ok not complicated just make it simple for idiots) and run our reservations system.

Ulric Charteris and his team from Roots Marketing, Dar es Salaam, the AV, the brochure all their work, we don’t just love them we want their babies 

Elizabeth Cook Tell ‘em PR in Nairobi another Twitter mate and the first to visit Ras Mbisi – we first met over (many) a glass of wine in the Level 8 bar at the Kempinski in Dar – btw I still have your mates swimming costume lovely.

Jane Alexander @exmoorjane on Twitter, follow her and read her blog, her pieces in the Telegraph, The Lady et al, she has done so much to raise awareness of us and has earned a special place in our hearts – I am still trying to combine a tour of the specialist beer producers plus ‘alternative’ health destinations in TZ so we can get her and hubby here to visit in a ‘work’ scenario 

Stay tuned – we are waiting for the photos of last Saturday’s wedding here at Ras Mbisi – an amazing and beautiful day such a treat to be involved (although I did have a few sleepless nights!!)

5 reasons why you should visit Tanzania in 2011

2011-02-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

A wee treat for you today, a guest blog, so none of my wittering today, this post is brought to you by the folks at travelsupermarket.com

5 reasons why you should visit Tanzania in 2011

If you’re currently in the process of deciding where you want to holiday this year, one place you should be certain to bear in mind is Tanzania. There’s so much to see and do in Tanzania, making it the ideal place for your summer-holiday 2011. Below are just 5 of the things that make Tanzania such a special place:

1. The Serengeti

Divided into four corridors (north, south, east and west) due to its sheer size, the Serengeti National Park covers a massive 5,700 square miles and plays host to an array of wildlife. Probably the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, there’s no finer place to see the variety of stunning animals that roam free throughout the National Park. Home to the ‘big 5’ (lion, elephant, buffalo, cheetah and rhino) as well as a whole host of other species, the name ‘Serengeti’ is derived from the Masai language Maa and means ‘Endless Plains’. Undoubtedly one of Tanzania’s greatest attractions, the Serengeti is a must for anyone wanting to go on safari.

2. The Masai People

The semi-nomadic Masai people are renowned for many things. Whether it’s their colourful blanket wraps, their stretched earlobe piercings, their shaved heads or their beaded jewellery, you’ll certainly know who they are when you see them! There are thought to be around 430,000 Masai people living in northern Tanzania and a similar amount living in Kenya. An interesting fact about the Masai men is that their wealth is judged on the number of cattle and the number of children they have. Generally, a herd of 50 cattle is deemed to be respectable and the more children they have the better. Interestingly, a man who has plenty of one but not the other is considered to be poor.

3. Mount Kilimanjaro

The highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres, Mount Kilimanjaro sits on the Northern border of Tanzania, overlooking Kenya, and just over 200 miles south of the equator. Despite extensive studies, nobody is quite sure what the name Kilimanjaro actually means. The percentage of people that successfully reach the summit varies depending on which source or article you read but one thing is for certain; tackling Mount Kilimanjaro shouldn’t be taken lightly. The size of the challenge is clear as hikers usually take around 6 days to reach the summit, allowing time for acclimatisation to the high altitude and ensuring over exertion is avoided. That said, it is possible to reach the top much faster than that as Italian Bruno Brunod showed when reaching the peak of the mountain in a record 5 hours 38 minutes and 40 seconds back in 2001!

4. Ngorongoro Crater

Often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ and regularly touted as being the 8th wonder of the world, the Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact caldera. The crater, which is said to have the most dense concentration of wildlife in Africa, covers about 260 sq km and is up to 610 metres deep in some places. One of the best areas in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino, animal populations in the crater include most of the species found in East Africa (there are no impalas, topis, oribis, giraffes, or crocodiles). The views from the rim of the Ngorongoro Crate are magnificent so it isn’t just the wildlife you’ll need your camera for when you visit!

5. Mafia Island

A peaceful place with miles of unspoilt white sandy beaches, Mafia Island is the perfect place if you want to relax in complete isolation. Whilst this alone is reason enough to visit, the islands party piece is the world class diving reefs that offer an unparalleled variety of corals and tropical fish. Despite this underwater paradise, fewer than a thousand people a year visit Mafia Island so it is an ideal destination for those looking to get away from it all. The locals are extremely friendly and are very welcoming to their Island that they are understandably very proud of. There are plenty of things to do so you can be as active or as inactive as you want to be during your stay.

Written by the team at travelsupermarket.com

Helpful information (hopefully)

2011-01-28T05:31:00.000-08:00

Just a few notes, some of these are obvious, some not, but knowing about them will make your time in Tanzania go more smoothly.

Language
Although there are many tribal languages spoken throughout East Africa, Swahili is the common language spoken in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya and Uganda. English is very widely spoken in Tanzania, particulary in tourist centres, hotels, lodges and main cities.

The People
The Tanzanian people are friendly and hospitable. They are rightly proud of their country, so be sensitive as you would be anywhere in your travels. Unfortunately tourist centres such as Zanzibar suffer a degree of hassle from touts so be firm and definite in saying “no thanks” as they can be very persistent . One of the joys of Mafia, is that they don’t exist on the Island.

Tanzanian Visas
You can obtain these on arrival for most nationalities; contact us if you are in doubt.

Currency
Tanzania’s currency is Tanzanian Shillings and Cents. You will be able to change foreign exchange at the airports, or at the many bureaus that exist (DO NOT CHANGE MONEY on the streets – these are scams) and also at any other banks in the major towns. US Dollars are often favoured, and most excursions, tips, drinks and curios can be paid for in Dollars. We advise clients to take spending money in the form of US Dollars cash. Traveller’s cheques carry a service charge of at least 5%. Credit cards are also widely accepted but again subject to surcharge, as the commissions are high anything between 4 and 12%. There are no ATM's on Mafia and generally you will only find them in major cities.

Electricity
The Biomass Generator electricity supply is 240 volts.

Clothing
In Mafia one-piece or bikini swimsuits are fine on the beach or around your hotel pool, but not appropriate in the villages or outside the lodge. Topless and nude sunbathing is not acceptable anywhere and is seen as a major insult.

Baggage allowances on charter flights and small aircraft
Scheduled small aircraft flights and charters limit baggage to 15 kgs per person. Please would you also take your luggage in soft bags rather than rigid suitcases as it makes it easier to fit in the small aircraft.

HEALTH
Yellow Fever
The famous Yellow Fever vaccine is required if you have passed through a classified Yellow Fever area. We do recommend that you consult your doctor about other recommended injections, normally the advice is that Typhoid and Hepatitis injections should be taken.

Malaria
Malaria is endemic throughout Africa. There are a number of prophylactics available and be sure to obtain one from your physician and follow his directions. If, despite taking recommended drugs, you feel unwell and feverish, seek medical advice as soon as possible. If you are already in the UK, please do not forget to mention that you have been in a Malaria area.

Stomach Upsets
It is advisable to carry medication supplied by your physician for simple stomach upsets. In the first few days of your trip you may suffer from mild upsets attributable to a change in food and water.

Communications
Mobile services are present on Mafia, but not all company providers are operating on Mafia and the signal at Ras Mbisi is very poor (we have only had a signal at all for the last 18 months).

Billing and Payments by VISA or Traveller’s cheques
We cannot accept payments by credit card or traveller’s cheque on site, although we can accept credit cards through the on line booking service (no charge).

Time to relax...........probably not

2011-01-20T23:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a mad few weeks, peak season was great, lots of lovely new people to meet, plus welcoming a few return guests. January has been steady with all new faces, lots of excitement over whale sharks and island trips (we've not drawn a blank on Whale shark viewings since October). We're about to take a short family break on the mainland as we haven't had a day off since before the beginning of the season. Then full swing into February, lots of bookings, a wedding which has booked up the last 5 days of the month - and we're still getting enquiries for that period, Reservations are asking people that if it's possible to adjust plans please think about the week before or the week after, both of which still have some availability, otherwise sadly we can't accommodate you.

Birdlife

2011-01-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

Photo credit:- Ulric Charteris, Genius at work

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

Wishing all guests and readers past, present and future a very Happy New Year. Let's hope 2011 is good to all.

Weather:

2010-12-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

We are really lucky at Ras Mbisi, the two monsoon winds cool us for most of the year due to our being on a peninsular (Ras) which faces north.

June to mid-November – Kusi, this is the south easterly monsoon breeze, this time of year is sunny, clear but not too hot

Mid-November to early December – short rains, these are generally short showers often at night rather than in the daytime.

Early December to March – Kaskasi, this is the north easterly monsoon wind, although this period can be very hot and humid the effect of the kaskasi at Ras Mbisi is very cooling.

End of March to early June, the long (masika) rains include heavy downpours, at times for up to 48 hours at a time. We are closed during this period.

Please note, we are in the tropics, it can rain at any time, from August to late October it is very unlikely to do so but not unheard of, however rain outside of the long (masika) rainy season tends to be short heavy showers followed by bright sunshine.

No Charge for credit card bookings

2010-12-13T00:12:00.001-08:00

The on-line booking system is up and running with all the 'bugs' ironed out, we have taken on the high charges imposed by the banks rather than passing them on to the client. The best things about it are that no longer do customers have to do a bank transfer with all the associated costs and they have a greater protection regarding their payments.

Other excitements include Christmas of course, I came back from the World Travel Market laden with bags containing presents for the girls, the older two can barely contain themselves, Georgy at 22 months is obviously still oblivious but I am sure will love unwrapping everything on the day! Balancing the family christmas together with putting guests needs first can be a challenge, but the girls are old enough now to understand and join in with the work knowing that they will get their time once things calm down. We're looking forward to the busiest Christmas and New Year so far, scary but so satisfying as most have come via word of mouth recommendation. We do still have a couple of rooms over New Year thanks to a last minute cancellation from a Tour Operator!

So Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to all, looking forward to 2011 and welcoming many more future friends to our remote island paradise,

with love

Ras Mbisi Lodge

Mafia Island

Honeymoons (& Weddings)

2010-11-29T03:04:00.000-08:00

Leave the world behind....
If your fiancé is welded to his laptop and his mobile, Ras Mbisi is your ideal honeymoon retreat.

It simply doesn’t get more romantic than this. Your own desert island paradise. Just you, him and eight kilometres of pure white sand. No rowdy night life, no glitzy shops, no crowded beaches or frenetic bar-hopping. Better still, there’s no TV, no phone signal, no Internet. In other words, nothing to distract you from each other.
If your fiancé is the kind of man who is welded to his mobile or laptop, this truly is your honeymoon heaven.
Ras Mbisi is a small remote ‘beach meets bush’ lodge on the ‘secret’ island of Mafia, just off the southern coast of Tanzania. Ras Mbisi offers simple, elegant, barefoot luxury. With white sandy beaches, dazzling aquamarine waters and refreshingly few tourists, Mafia is the way Zanzibar was 30 years ago, the cool laid-back eco-alternative.
Imagine your own simple yet sophisticated open-tented thatched banda sitting a few metres from the beach, looking out over the white sand and pristine water. Your four poster bed is swathed in white gauze and you can sit on your veranda watching the sun come up or, more likely, the sun set (and enjoy bickering over which is the more beautiful).
The restaurant and sundowner bar also overlook both the beach and swimming pool: sit sipping a cocktail while a gentle sea breeze dances on your sunkissed skin.
The food is all local and strictly seasonal – fresh locally sourced fish & seafood, vegetables & fruit, cooked simply but with flair, using a combination of traditional Swahili recipes with Middle Eastern and Asian flavours. We could say it’s the food of love but that would be corny...
You can swim with the whale sharks or watch the Humpbacks make their way past during their biannual migration. You can scuba or snorkel, sail or kayak. If that sounds far too energetic bliss out on a sunset cruise or combine a whale shark trip with a fish bbq for two on deserted Shungu Mbili island.

You can get married at Ras Mbisi, we will need the following original documentation:
An application letter in English (signed by both partners) indicating that they want to marry in Tanzania with the intended date of marriage
A signed written statement from each partner, stating that they are single (if you have been married before, a copy of the divorce papers)
A 21-day notice before the actual date of the service will have to be put up at the notice board of the municipality in town. If you already have this from your own country and town, please send it as it will help enormously.
If you send all the above papers to us at least two months before the marriage date we will be able to carry out the whole bureaucratic process for you. We will also make sure that the Priest or responsible Government official who conducts civil weddings in Tanzania will be at Ras Mbisi in order to conduct the official ceremony

Seriously, leave your shoes behind, you don’t need them.

(with thanks to Jane Alexander for her expert help)

The Ras Mbisi 'film'

2010-11-11T23:32:00.000-08:00

The magic of Mafia (Island)

2010-11-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

Total treat for you today, a guest post from Catherine Woods and Olly Patterson who were guests in September 2010 - I think they had a good time! Catherine and Olly actually came to Ras Mbisi on the recommendation of other previous guests Luke and Kadriye Sherrington who stayed in March 2010 - love that the word is spreading.

We’re standing on a beach of white sand, so fine and powdery that it squeaks
when you walk across it, stretching in either direction as far as you can
see. Apart from the two of us, the only other visitors to the beach this
morning are the ghost crabs scurrying between the surf and their shoreline
burrows and a trio of black monkeys chattering in the trees. In front of us
is an endless expanse of pale turquoise, the horizon interrupted only by a
scattering of picture-perfect coral islets, and just behind, nestled between
the gently swaying coconut palms, is our home for the next 10 days: Ras
Mbisi. Which, roughly translated from the Swahili, means: “oh my god, this
place is *amazing*”*.

It started with a fish. A Kingfish, to be exact. Straight off the grill,
served on a palm leaf with crispy fries and flavour-packed salads fresh from
the vegetable patch, washed down with an ice-cold Kilimanjaro beer. We had
been at Jon and Michelle’s lodge for just half an hour and after the
revelation of that spectacular beach we were experiencing Ras Mbisi’s next
knockout punch: the food. Just-caught rock lobster, red cabbage with peanuts
tossed in a zingy dressing, spicy fishcakes, creamy linguine piled high with
fresh prawns, chocolate mousse, fruit salad with sugar-dusted donuts,
meltingly tender Tanzanian steak, watermelon and papaya with warm carrot
muffins for breakfast... And so much of it, far, far more than we could eat
after a hard day sunbathing, snorkelling and dozing in the sunshine – which
is pretty much how we spent our stay at Ras Mbisi.

There are far too many wonderful memories to list here, but, in summary,
here’s our advice: take the dhow trip to snorkel the reef and play Robinson
Crusoe for a day on your own deserted island (although it’s unlikely RC ever
got barbecued lobster and chilled white wine for lunch), learn how to play
Bao, kayak to the starfish sandbank, have a sunset gin and tonic on the
balcony of your banda, ask Rama [sp?] to teach you how to fold a linen
napkin into the shape of a dinosaur and get really, *really* good at
Frisbee. Or just sit and stare at one of the best beach views in the world.

This is not the place if you want nightclubs, jet-skis and internet access
on your holiday. If you like a door and windows (the bandas are open on
three sides, though still feel remarkably private) then you should probably
check into a hotel. But if you are looking for a place that ticks every
single desert island fantasy box, if you fancy falling asleep every night to
the sound of the waves and the breeze ruffling the coconut palms, then you
really can’t do better than Ras Mbisi. We can’t wait to go back.

(*probably)

Mafia Island to Dar es Salaam to London

2010-11-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Well the last few days have been a whirlwind, work, travel, socialising, travel etc. There was a nail biting, hair raising will it, won't it be ready on the film front. Thankfully all is fine and it looks AMAZING. Can't wait to get it in front of people. The new brochure is also FANTASTIC, so excited. Ulric, Tim, Stefania and Hannes are so bloody talented it makes me cry.

So, Dar, well getting there was a mission, with the elections just finished traffic in Dar was at an all time high, had a lovely evening with friends at Osaka in Oyster Bay, Teppenyaki and sashimi. A fun night with great friends.

Action cricket wasn't really my thing (I had zero idea as to what was happening), but the Poohs won which apparently was the important thing!

I had the most amazing view of Kilimanjaro from my window seat, a pic for you to enjoy!

Twitter visitor

2010-10-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

Our first visitor from Twitter arrives today! A warm welcome to @ElizabethNBO she runs a PR company in Nairobi that is branching out into Tanzania and Uganda. She and her husband @DamianCook were two of @RasMbisi first followers. Elizabeth and I first met in real life in July this year and bonded over good South African white wine and lots of chat. I fully expect more of the same this weekend.

A guest post on Eco-tourism

2010-10-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post kindly supplied by Helen Cross of Simonseeks.com

The Importance of being eco

I recently featured Ras Mbisi in a blog I wrote for Simonseeks about ecotourism. To me ecotourism is more than just a trend: it’s a necessary evolution of the travel industry. As stated in my blog; the effects of badly managed tourism are far wider reaching than the simple, yet horrific, degradation of a beautiful place: environmental damage leads to the loss of livelihoods, damages economies and can lead to the extinction of species; in fact a recent conservation study warned that one fifth of animal and plant species are under the risk of extinction. In its broadest sense, eco-tourism should protect humans, animals and plants alike. There appear to be limitless eco-tourism companies at the moment but there is a danger, as with any trend, that some disingenuous companies may be using the warm and fuzzy connotations that come with the ‘eco’ tag, without putting in the hard work to make sure their experiences truly are sustainable. This phenomenon has become so widespread that a term has even been coined to describe it: ‘greenwashing’, meaning the marketing of a company as environmentally friendly purely to increase sales or improve customer perception, and without any basis in reality.
The International Ecotourism Society has defined a set of principles that an organisation must meet to truly call themselves ‘eco’:
• Creates an international network of individuals, institutions and the tourism industry;
• Educates tourists and tourism professionals; and
• Influences the tourism industry, public institutions and donors to integrate the principles of ecotourism into their operations and policies.

Horror stories of ‘fake’ ecotourism abound: the company outed by Survival International for banning Kalahari Bushmen from their ancestral land and water supplies, whilst simultaneously offering ‘nature walks’ with the very same Bushmen, or the elephant trekking companies in South East Asia that seem to consist of a few malnourished animals forced to carry the weight of tourists through steep jungle paths. As our natural environment is continually damaged by tourism, one can only hope that eco-tourism becomes the norm rather than the exception, and that ‘green-washing’ becomes a thing of the past. As it stands, take a real look at the ethics of the companies you entrust with your holiday, it will benefit far more than just your conscience.
This is a guest post written by Helen Cross, a keen traveller and eco-enthusiast who works for new travel site Simonseeks

Whale Shark season is here!

2010-10-22T00:45:00.000-07:00

Well it’s official, the Whale Sharks are back! First sighting of a single adult just over a week ago, two more at the start of the week and then six spotted yesterday. Now that they are appearing in greater numbers the chances of seeing them obviously increase. Between now and early April we should be seeing more and more of these beautiful, gentle giants. They are attracted here by the plankton that starts to appear in the Mafia Channel from September onwards. We have actually seen them here year round, especially when there are young as the channel appears to act as a nursing ground – but the odds increase during the Kaskasi (north-east monsoon season)

From Wikipedia

This species, despite its size, does not pose significant danger to humans. Whale sharks are actually quite gentle and can play with divers. Divers and snorkelers can swim with this giant fish without risk, apart from unintentional blows from the shark’s large tail fin.’

‘The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow-moving filter feeding shark, the largest living fish species. The largest confirmed individual was 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) in length. The heaviest weighed more than 36 tonnes (79,000 lb), but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks. This distinctively-marked fish is the only member of its genus Rhincodon and its family, Rhincodontidae (called Rhinodontes before 1984), which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class Chondrichthyes. The shark is found in tropical and warm oceans, lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years. The species originated about 60 million years ago. Although whale sharks have very large mouths, they feed mainly, though not exclusively, on plankton, microscopic plants and animals, although the BBC program Planet Earth filmed a whale shark feeding on a school of small fish.

Introduction to the reefs close to Ras Mbisi

2010-10-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

Introduction

The mid-west coast of Mafia Island is characterised by small patch reefs surrounded by large expanses of sand and mud, occasionally dominated by seagrass in the shallower areas. The whole area is relatively shallow, generally being less than 30m deep. As guests are most likely to be interested in seeing coral and the associated wildlife, it is the patch reefs that are of the most value and therefore covered below.

Eleven reefs are highlighted, having previously been identified as possibly dive / snorkel sites within reach of Ras Mbisi.

The closest reef is Kasilani at approximately 4km NNE from Ras Mbisi. The furthest is Al Hadjiri to the WSW at 17km, just outside the Mafia Island Marine Park border. GPS coordinates and distance from Ras Mbisi of all sites are given in the table below.

Reef GPS coordinates Distance from Ras Mbisi
Kasilani S07°47.15 E039°41.73 4km
Ras Murundo patch reef S07°47.51 E039°44.87 4km
Halfway reef S07°45.65 E039°42.59 6km
Mbakale ya mwamba S07°47.91 E039°39.35 7km
Mwamba Mkuu S07°45.05 E039°44.72 8km
Mbakale ya fungu S07°45.39 E039°39.38 9km
Tirene reef S07°52.08 E039°39.23 9km*
Barakuni island S07°43.52 E039°45.60 11km
Shungu-Mbili S07°42.32 E039°40.84 14km
Sefo S07°49.95 E039°34.25 16km
Al Hadjiri S07°53.11 E039°34.81 17km*
* These reefs cannot be reached in a straight line, add approximately 2km for actual distance.

Reef Details

Kasilani Reef - This patch reef is approximately 300m by 200m in size. The reef flat is 2 to 5m deep depending on the tide. On the periphery, the reef slopes down to approximately 7 to 9m, forming a small but still noticeable wall. Beyond this is sand that gradually becomes deeper. This latter area is fairly devoid with only the occasional coral lump. Visibility is generally good but can be reduced in stormy weather or at mid tide. Hard coral cover on this reef is generally very high and fairly diverse but it does lack the complex topography (i.e. ruggedness with caves, nooks and crannies) that is often present on reefs. Subsequently, the fish present tend to be small with fewer large fish such as groupers. Having said this, many different reef fish species are found here including unicorn fish. Hawksbill turtles are occasionally seen here. Given its shallow reef flat, high diversity of hard corals, general good visibility and range of fish life, this is an ideal reef for all levels of snorkellers at low or high tide. The best area is the north east part of the reef flat (S07°47.115, E039°41.789). In terms of diving potential, it is most suitable for relatively inexperienced divers at high tide due to its limited depth. Experienced divers may find it a bit shallow. The best area is on the small walls in either the east (S07°47.167, E039°41.787) or north west (S07°47.099, E039°41.701).

Ras Murundo Patch Reef - Exploratory dives have been unable to locate any reef, the area appears to be predominantly seagrass, despite how it appears on the chart. It is therefore not recommended for either snorkelling or diving.

Halfway Reef - This is a fairly large reef with a distinct and steeply sloping wall in some areas. This wall, however, mainly consists of a sand and rubble bank. The reef flat has a fair amount of hard coral in some areas but in general, the entire reef seems to have a low diversity of coral species. In addition, this reef regularly suffers from very poor visibility and because of this, it is not ideal for either snorkelling or diving.

Mbakale ya mwamba - This reef varies greatly in quality. The reef flat is largely rubble, with some small patches of coral bommies. The north eastern wall (S07°48.091, E039°39.233 to S07°47.877, E039°39.419) drops to a maximum of 16 to 18m and consists of large patches of coral interspersed with fairly devoid patches of sand and rubble. Where present on the wall, the coral is dominated by large submassive forms which attract a high diversity of fish life including angelfish, butterflyfish, groupers, spadefish and large shoals of sweetlips. Other wildlife resident on this section of reef includes many bluespotted rays, nudibraches, octopus and occasionally turtles and dolphins. Visibility tends to be ok but can occasionally be reduced due to tide or weather. Because of the relatively barren reef flat, this reef is not suitable for snorkelling, however the north eastern wall makes for a good and interesting dive.

Mwamba Mkuu - Despite appearing as an undulating fringing reef on the chart, much of this reef is in fact seagrass. Small patches of good coral reef do exist (e.g. S07°44.990, E039°44.413) so the potential is there for both snorkelling and diving, but further exploration is needed to find the best areas. Visibility can be reduced here at times.

Mbakale ya fungu - This reef is approximately 600m long by 400m wide and there is a small sandbar at the southern end which dries at mid to low tide. The reef flat is approximately 2 to 5m deep, and consists of a wide diversity of hard and soft corals. The eastern wall (S07°45.400, E039°39.470) is the deeper of the two walls, extending down to around 20m in places and is quite varied in the quality of coral present. There is evidence here of previous destructive fishing practices. The western wall is shallower (10-15m) but has a much healthier coral cover especially towards the northern tip (S07°45.309, E039°39.368) On the western wall there is a high diversity of fish life, often with large shoals of parrotfish and moorish idols. Turtles (both green and hawksbill) are regularly seen here. Other wildlife of note sighted at this reef from the boat include dolphins and humpback whales at certain times of the year. The reef flat and the shallower sections of the reef wall make for very good snorkelling and both walls are good for diving especially the shallower western wall.

Tirene Reef - Despite it’s appearance on the chart Tirene mainly consists of a shallow sand and rubble bank, with a few large coral bommies (e.g. S07°52.068, E039°39.283) Depth here varies between 3 and 10m. Large sections that were previously reef have been reduced to rubble, presumably by destructive fishing practices. Wildlife tends to be concentrated on and around the bommies and can appear to be completely absent elsewhere. Near this reef is where many whale shark sightings tend to occur at certain times of the year. Snorkelling at this reef is very hit and miss, depending on the number of bommies encountered. At low tide in good visibility the bommies can be seen from a boat and are easy to find. Similarly diving is very variable here but because of the lack of depth, this reef is probably more suitable for snorkelling.

Barakuni Island - The main reef is found on the eastern side of the island and extends a fair distance offshore. While much of the reef close to the island is shallow, further out the coral extends down to a depth of 12-15m (e.g. S07°42.669, E039°45.539). The reef here consists of a diverse range of both hard and soft corals and is home to many species. Giant grouper and hawksbill turtles have been seen on this reef along with unicorn fish, batfish and large parrotfish. Visibility is variable but generally good. This reef can be considered good for both snorkelling and diving.

Shungu-mbili Island - Limited trips to this area have suggested that the main reef can be found on the north east side of the island but is fairly shallow. High coral cover and diversity, along with a good range of fish and invertebrate species make for good snorkelling, but the reef is probably too shallow for divers. While better dive sites on the reef may exist, they have yet to be found.

Sefo Reef - One of the two reefs just north of the Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) border, Sefo is a very large reef with sand bars that dry out at low tide. The reef itself ranges in depth from the surface to around 10-15m and is punctuated by coral sand gullies. A typical area can be found at S07°49.919, E039°34.212. Very high and diverse coral cover provides habitats for a very large number of fish and invertebrates including angelfish, butterflyfish, large parrotfish, along with many other species. Green and hawksbill turtles are also regularly seen here and visibility is consistently good. The reef provides an excellent site for both snorkelling and diving and is arguably the best dive site on the mid west coast of Mafia Island.

Al Hadjiri Reef - The second of two reefs just north of the MIMP border, Al Hadjiri has generally high coral cover and consequently a high diversity of fish and invertebrate life. Shallow but distinct walls can be found in places that drop from a few metres to around 8m, whilst in other areas the coral consists of large coral bommie fields down to approximately 10m. Due to high wildlife diversity, good visibility and a range of depths, this reef offers good potential for both snorkelling and diving.

Good environmental practice

 Anchors and anchor lines dragging over the reef can damage large areas of coral which may take years to recover. Always drop anchor on a sandy area well away from any coral.

 Many coral species are fragile and easily damaged. Snorkellers and divers should always avoid touching, standing or resting on the reef and should never remove any ‘souvenirs’, living or dead.

 No litter, especially plastics, should be thrown in the water from a boat ever, as it persists in the environment and can kill birds and turtles that swallow items mistaking them for food.

Trip Advisor Reviews

2010-10-16T01:42:00.000-07:00

It’s interesting reading Trip Advisor reviews, mostly you need to read between the lines, most highly rated places will have a few really bad reviews in amongst the 4 and 5 star ones, did those people visit completely different places, or was it that they had either mis-conceptions about the hotel/resort or had they been mis-sold by the operator? Most operators dealing with small scale lodges in Africa claim to have visited every one on their books, this is rarely true! Africa, and Tanzania in particular get either glowing reviews or ranting ones, some people think they are coming to Disney World and expect perfection in everything, others appreciate that it is a third world/developing country and come with an open mind – saying that, if you are going to a five star resort it should be perfect, they are completely insulated from the outside world, just know that your money does not contribute to the local economy but to the economy of the country the owners reside in (or an off-shore tax haven). Happily on Mafia (with a few notable exceptions) the lodges are owner managed and the money stays in Tanzania, with the lodges running and contributing to projects on the island – and recruiting their staff locally!

I read one truly awful review about a lodge on Zanzibar this week (one that I know to be a really fantastic place), it was one long whinge about everything. One comment really stood out, ‘if you come to Zanzibar and XXXXX in particular expecting to swim in the sea you will be disappointed, the tide goes out at 11am and is out for pretty much the rest of the day’ – REALLY? Is it not the case that you spent 2 nights there and at that time the tide cycle was that, but that as the tides change with the moon cycle (no I don’t understand the science) that each day the high and low tides WILL CHANGE! The east African coast is tidal, there will always be a period during the day when the tide is out, it’s why most places have a pool!

Have to laugh - quote from Charlie Brooker (I know, I know but anyway)

2010-10-10T03:53:00.000-07:00

"The Conservative party
The Conservative party is an eternally irritating force for wrong that appeals exclusively to bigots, toffs, money-minded machine men, faded entertainers and selfish, grasping simpletons who were born with some essential part of their soul missing. None of history's truly historical figures has been a Tory, apart from the ones that were, and they only did it by mistake. To reach a more advanced stage of intellectual evolution, humankind must first eradicate the "Tory instinct" from the brain - which is why mother nature is gradually making them less sexy with each passing generation. The final Tory is doomed to spend his or her life masturbating alone on a hillside, which, let's face it, is the way things were supposed to be all along"

More of my beautiful girls

2010-10-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

A while back I posted a photo of Maddie, here now are her younger sisters, Scarlet and Georgia. Some might question why I post photos of my daughters on the 'lodge blog' but the girls live here, they are a part of the daily life of what is very much a family business, not an impersonal hotel.

'Chic Shack Awards 2010' Elle UK Magazine

2010-10-08T00:23:00.000-07:00

Well it’s official, we are a ‘Chic Shack’ as nominated by Elle Magazine. Quite an honour. Despite being a Red Magazine ‘secret hotspot’, Harpers Magazines ‘Robinson Crusoe option’ and being the ‘Mafia connection’ in South Africa’s Ski Boat Magazine. We still get VERY excited about our 'baby' being in print.

Thank you very much!

Exciting times

2010-09-27T02:01:00.000-07:00

So much happening it's hard to know where to start! We've got Wedding's booked; so lovely, the person booking came here last year for her birthday loved Ras Mbisi and has decided she wants to get married here, so that's a full house at the end of February for 4 nights. She wants a simple elegant theme with drift wood, and only off-white, pale green and chocolate brown for her colour theme.

Lots of other stuff too, editorials in major UK magazines, one due out early next month. I'm doing a couple of guest blogs elsewhere (will post details here once they are up) and a couple of bloggers writing about us on their blogs (again will post details once they are up). Add to that some fab tripadvisor reviews and I'm having a pretty good month.

Looking forward; World Travel Market (WTM) at ExCel in early November, will be good to catch up with the operators that do so much to encourage people to visit Mafia, I have some amazing material for them this year, including 'the film' which I will be handing out on DVD. Looking forward to catching up with friends and family too, not to mention my new 'friends' who thus far I have only 'met' virtually - yes @exmoorjane i'm talking to you!!

Early start

2010-09-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

Roused even earlier than normal this morning, and not by a little voice calling 'mama' ever more urgently. This morning it was our regular fisherman with a massive haul of tuna, kingfish, snapper and grouper. So, sashimi for bar snacks tonight, and I think some spicy tuni maki rolls as well. We are so lucky with all the fresh produce here, our own eggs - which have the most orangey yolks I have ever seen, people coming from safari or even just other lodges are always amazed as the typical egg served here in Tanzania has a yolk so pale it is barely distinguishable from the white! Vegetables straight from the garden, not all admittedly as many things simply will not grow and after more than 4 years experimenting I now go with what I know will grow, we do bring in a small amount from Dar es Salaam but we certainly haven't gone the route I have heard others boasting about and flown them in from Kenya! Tanzania grows amazing vegetables why not eat them! All this freshness means our menus are full to bursting with new ideas every day, I have never managed to do the rotation menu here, every morning we design the days menus with whatever is good and fresh that day - it can be a bit 'fly by the seat of your pants' at times!

Support us?!

2010-09-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

It's hard work keeping up an internet presence, someone commented to me the other day, she wanted to know how I found the time. The truth is, at the moment I barely do. The business has only been up and running for just over 2 years and we are still at the point where we do pretty much everything. We do need to change this as we are both being stretched too thin and new projects are also on the boil. But we do appreciate all the support we're getting from friends, family and our lovely, lovely guests, it's what keeps us going, especially when we've just completed another 20 hour day and the baby will be awake in under 3 hours!

Want to support us? Ras Mbisi is active in the following places http://www.twitter.com/ as @RasMbisi so do follow, on http://www.facebook.com/ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8953691954 so please join, on http://www.flickr.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/47145710@N03/ do view, new photos being added. Those of you that have visited can show support by placing a review on http://www.tripadvisor.com/ http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g317083-d672607-Reviews-Ras_Mbisi_Lodge-Mafia_Island.html

how gorgeous is my girl - this is my beautiful eldest daughter Madeleine (Maddie)

2010-08-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

When the guest says 'jump' ask 'how high?'

2010-08-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Imitation the most sincere form of flattery? Or the last acts of desperation………..

2010-06-09T01:35:00.000-07:00

Something I/we have been pondering for a while now, there is an element on Mafia that appears to follow our every move, butting in on our conversations on social media sites, telling tour operators all sorts of bizarre nonsense about us, poaching our staff, posting misleading information on travel forums and other websites. This has stepped up since the publication of the latest Rough Guide to Tanzania which gave us a very good review. Perhaps there’s jealousy creeping in?

But here’s the thing; there is more than enough room on this Island for every one of the small number of Lodges/camps. Each offers something different, aimed at different types of client, ranging from extreme sport types to beachcombers and lovers! There’s also a range of prices to cover all types of traveller and holidaymaker. So why the need for any dirty underhand dealings? It may be that we are naïve in our approach to business. However, these activities don’t seem to achieve much and could be damaging to the reputation of the islands tourism industry. The biggest losers would be the islanders themselves, not the likes of us and the owners of most of the other lodges who always have choices if the going gets bad.

We’re all concerned with survival during these difficult economic times but surely it’s better to concentrate on providing the best experience for tourists and promoting this wonderful island in a positive manner?

Disasters & good news

2010-05-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Oh disasters how we love you! This time of year the weather is predictable in its unpredictableness – it is the rainy season, and the time of year the winds change from the north east monsoon to the south east monsoon. The south easterly is known in Kiswahili as the ‘kusi’, this wind is strong, so strong that it caused severe damage to our water tower and yep you guessed it came crashing down, note; a five thousand litre poly tank full of water does not bounce, it smashes into many pieces (see picture)

So, good news is there any? For us yes, busy full house this weekend, we aren’t really open until mid-June, but happy to do so for a reasonable amount of people, weather has improved and has been lovely and sunny, the sea is calm and clear so why not!

Congratulations to Giulia for winning the 10th Anniversary Dar es Salaam Charities Goat Races Members Enclosure ticket raffle – a break for two Full Board at Ras Mbisi, we look forward to welcoming you to Mafia very soon.

Slower pace of life - really? when?

2010-05-14T05:23:00.000-07:00

Well the Lodge might be closed for the annual 'long' rains, but life here goes on. We are busy renovating, updating and renewing everything ready for the new season in June. So much to do, so little time. The boat being built is actually to become our new buffet table - trust me it'll look ace............I hope!

We've managed a short break in Dar, lots of running around getting 'things' for the lodge that are not available on Mafia (that'll be everything then), celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. Having real family time back on the Island has been lovely.

We are looking forward to the new season, welcoming back past guests, and greeting new ones, it looks like being a busy time for which we are thankful although I bet I'll be moaning by September!

Exciting times in the Kitchen, Daudi is back from his training in one of Dar es Salaams top 5 star hotel kitchens, he's full of enthusiasm which is fab. He's one of our real success stories, having started 2 years ago as a general labourer, he moved on to be kitchen assistant and dishwasher. He is now my right hand in the kitchen. We also may be having a Michelin Chef staying this season, he has offered private cooking lessons which Daudi and Masiku are VERY excited about. Those of you who have stayed with us will remember Rashidi, as our bar man he knew before you did that you were ready for your next drink! He is now stepping up to become our Guest Relations and Events Manager.

Off now to start working on the new seasons menus, we have lots of new taste sensations in store for you all!

We like nice reviews!

2010-04-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a particularly nice week for reviews, one on TripAdvisor which was glowing and then on in the new Rough Guide to Tanzania which I re-produce below for you. I've always been a fan of the Rough Guide series, and now my love knows no bounds!!!

Ras Mbisi Lodge16km northeast of Kilindoni T 0754/663739 or 0734/284397, W www.mafiaislandtz.com. No question about it: this British owned lodge, an hours drive from Chole Bay, is one of the best along any stretch of Tanzanian coastline. Situated in a remote location on an ever-so-sweet beach, complete with swaying palm trees, this sustainably built place has an intimate vibe, friendly staff and a swimming pool, so it’s great for families as well as smoochy couples. The accommodation isn’t half bad either: the nine beachside bandas are all made from coconut wood, coconut poles and thatch. The food is fabulous, and its ethics are more than just words, with bio-gas powered electricity, extensive use of coconut wood, solar heated water and good local relations. Activities (at an extra cost) include snorkelling, diving, sunset cruises, canoeing and various land excursions. Rates include transfers. Closed April and May. FB

Menu 13 March

2010-03-13T23:58:00.000-08:00

Lunch -
Tomato salsa and garlic, sundried tomato and pine nut bread
Thai crab cakes, rice salad, asian salad, mango and parsley salad,
Mini donuts with mango sauce

Afternoon Tea -
Chocolate cake

Bar Snacks -
popcorn
Pizza

Dinner -
Coconut and coriander battered calamari with salad and tartar sauce
Lobster Newbourg with tagliatelle, mange tout, green beans,
Passion fruit and caramelised banana frangipane tartelettes

Menu 9th of March

2010-03-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted one of these for a while, we've had a lot of people with food intolerances and the menus have not been (to my mind) very inspiring.

Lunch
Crab with Lemongrass noodles
Chili Squid
Mango & flat leaf parsley
Green beans with toasted coconut
Fruit salad with cinnamon treacle biscuits

Afternoon Tea
Scones with Lemon curd
Hummingbird cupcakes

Dinner

Watermelon gazpacho
Kingfish Steak, Lemon rice, Leeks & spring onions in red pepper sauce, Broccoli
Pinapple tarte tatin with cream

End of season

2010-03-07T00:04:00.000-08:00

The end of the tourist season on Mafia brings many things; much needed rain, we are getting daily downpours now, eagerly received as they cool the air, the humidity has been incredibly oppressive. Respite from the hordes, by this point you start to be 'a bit over people', their demands reasonable or otherwise taking precedence over your own. The chance in a few weeks to slob out occasionally in front of the box, have a lie in, read a book.

We've had some mixed feelings about this season, I would say around 98% of the guests have been lovely, or at least they have enjoyed themselves which is reward enough for us. Just a few have been awful, one particular group threatening to write up bad reviews on Trip Advisor if we didn't heavily discount or give them things for free, another recent group nicking everything that wasn't nailed down in their rooms, the theft of all our snorkeling equipment I could go on but frankly it's too depressing.............

One interesting bit of news was that the Ministry of Tourism and the Tanzanian Tourism Authority have decided that they need to come up with a new classification for Lodges such as ours. i.e lodges that are trying to run on sustainable grounds either environmentally or conservationally or with strong provable community links (or all of these). We have been asked to come up with suggestions for the classification system. Whether or not in the final analysis they will actually take anything we say into account remains to be seen - the more cynical might think 'ah ha so we would have been a 2 star under the existing system (no a/c, no tv, no business centre),therefore our licence fee was low, now they will bring in the 'eco' classification and suddenly we are a 5 star with a six figure licence fee to match' - i couldn't possibly comment, watch this space!!

Time management

2010-02-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

I have been very bad at keeping up to date on this, in my defense we have been busy and I simply haven't had the energy. There's a lot going on behind the scenes that I can't talk about yet, but if things all fall into place I will be shouting about it here!

Biggest news for us is, we're getting on a plane this afternoon to head for the fleshpots of Dar. We haven't had a break/day off since June and being on duty 24/7 wears you out.

'I'm up a tree'

2010-01-26T06:26:00.000-08:00

Picture the scene, the phone rings, 'Hello, Ras Mbisi?' , 'Yes, this is Ras Mbisi Lodge, how can I help you?' 'I'm up a tree' - 'Umm, OK, where?', 'I'm up a tree near Ras Mbisi, please come and help'. 'OK, I need a bit more information, for one thing this is a Coconut Plantation and there are over 2000 trees so if you could narrow it down a bit it would help, and secondly who are you and WHY are you up a tree?' 'I am from the TRA (Tax man basically)I have come to collect the 'beach games & whaleshark fees', I had to climb a tree because the Ras Mbisi dogs were chasing my motorbike'. By this time Jon who was taking the call was practically on the floor crying with suppressed laughter.

The picture was taken last year on Ras Mbisi beach, please note, I was 8 months pregnant at the time!

Menu 23 Jan

2010-01-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

Lunch - Garlic flatbread, Tomato Salsa

Crab Tart, Rocket Salad, Watermelon and Cucumber Salad, Three Bean Salad

Passion fruit curd shortbread

Afternoon Tea - Mafia Ginger Cake with Lime icing

Bar Snack - Karanga, Sambusa with Tamarind sauce

Dinner - Swahili Buffet

Fish Masala

Octopus Curry

Coconut Rice

Chapati

Spinach with nuts

Aubergine stew

Potato Curry

Okra with tomato

Beans cooked with coconut milk

Roasted cinnamon pumpkin

Firni - a kind of rice pudding,made with rice flour and coconut, flavoured with cinnamon and cardamon

Kalimati - fried dough balls (a kind of cross between profiteroles and donuts) with local wild honey

Menu 20 Jan

2010-01-20T20:55:00.000-08:00

Rosemary flatbread, Tomato Salsa

Lunch - Crab Linguine & Rocket Salad

Fruit Salad & Cinnamon Biscuits

Afternoon Tea - Carrot Cake

Bar Snack - Chilli Popcorn, Kingfish goujons with tartare sauce

Dinner - Calamari & king prawn salad

Slow cooked Lamb with fruit & nut couscous and roasted vegetables

Coconut creme caramel

Coconuts

2010-01-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

Ras Mbisi is set right in the middle of a working coconut plantation, guests love to watch the croppers collecting the nuts. Climbing a 100 foot tree that bends every which way in the wind is my idea of terrifying, all in a days work to the croppers who are self employed but heavily subsidised by our Landlords.

We use coconuts heavily here, the young 'madafu' (green or drinking coconut) awaits guests on arrival, very refreshing after the journey. Coconut milk in cooking and cocktails - coconut milk is not the juice of the young coconut, in order to produce it the flesh must be grated and then mixed with water, squeezed and strained. Coconut oil in the soap provided in the rooms, our roof is made of 'makuti' which is the leaves. The rooms and furniture are made from coconut wood, the fibres of the mature nuts are used to make rope and also mulch for the garden - i don't think there's a bit we don't use!

Menu 18 Jan

2010-01-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

Lunch - Tomato salsa and garlic, sundried tomato and pine nut bread
Thai fish cakes,chilli squid, mango & flat leaf parsley salad, Green bean, Sugar snap pea & Red pepper salad with lime, chili & toasted coconut dressing
Fruit salad & Coconut shortbread

Afternoon tea - Hummingbird cake

Bar snack - Cashew nuts, Vegetable tempura & dipping sauce

Dinner - Crab & coconut soup
Octopus curry, rice, Steamed fresh vegetables, chapati
Mousse shots with Langue du chat (3 shot glasses with mousse, 1 dark chocolate, 1 passion fruit, 1 lime & mango)

Menu 17 Jan

2010-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

Lunch- Tomato salsa and walnut bread
Lamb kofta,courgette & feta fritters, carrot & coriander fritters,tabbloheh, hoummous,baba ganoush,red cabbage and karanga salad,rocket and parmesan salad
Lemon curd Shortbread

Afternoon Tea - Chocolate & Beetroot Cake

Bar Snacks - Karanga, Parmesan Wafers

Dinner - Smoked Sailfish with Tanga Halloumi & Potato Rosti with Horseradish dressing
Lime sour beef fillet with coriander & mint, cassava chips, swahili spinach with sesame
Coconut custard pots with pineapple accompanied by cashew biscotti

A bit of History

2010-01-16T08:58:00.000-08:00

Myself, husband (Jon) & our 2 daughters (Maddie, born 99, Scarlet born 02)moved here (Mafia Island, Tanzania) in August 2006 from Ramsgate in Kent where we had lived since 2002, prior to that we had lived in Sydenham, South East London for 7 years (we married in 1998). Since we became a couple we had been restoring properties (in addition to our careers in the Civil Service, and then in my case becoming a full time Mum), the fruits of our labours have been poured into building a Lodge here on Mafia. Currently Ras Mbisi Lodge has been open for just over 2 years.

Since being here we have had to; dig our own bore hole (and learn how to use the various pumps required), build a solar system for the house (no mains power here), restore the house we now live in, start a vegetable garden, employ over 40 people (for building the lodge then staffing it etc) thereby feeding over 250 mouths a month, set up a development programme for the local village – currently raising money for the school and clinic, set up a satellite internet connection and home school our daughters. Build a biomass gasifier to power the Lodge. Plus deal with both central government and local government paperwork. Learn how to live in isolation, in my case remember my long forgotten Swahili, in Jon’s case learn it from scratch. Not to mention learn ‘the swahili way’ – nowhere near understanding that yet!
When we moved to Mafia we spent 3 months living in an insect infested guest house (infested to us after the UK) whilst this house was renovated from a subsiding bat, rat and hornet infested pit into a semi-inhabitable hovel. We have been in this house for 3 years and two months during which time it has; poured in water during cyclones and the rainy season due to inadequate capping to the new roof, run out of water due to bad remedial work on the plumbing and the final straw, the NEW shelves in the kitchen fell down bringing all my herbs, spices, cereal etc with them. Why the final straw? Cereal has to be stored in glass jars, to keep the dreaded white ant out of them, Cheerios cost £6.92 for 750g, yes you read that right £6.92!!!!!! And i can’t feed my children cereal sweep off the floor with glass in can i? Olive oil costs £15.84 a litre, hmm can i mop it up and squeeze it into a bottle?!! WHY did that shelf come down? It was held up with ONE screw per bracket (3 in all) and NO BLOODY RAWLPLUGS which we bought and paid for and are nowhere to be found! Lesson in Tanzania, don’t believe that just because a team of builders from Dar has worked for Embassies and High Commissions that they know what they are doing, or rather they know what they are doing but cannot be trusted to get on with it for even as long as it takes you to drive to town for whatever they insist they need!

In addition to all that we run the lodge, I deal with food, bookings, invoicing, marketing, the kitchen & dining room, housekeeping, buying/ordering updating, Government permits etc. Jon deals with all things accounting, mechanical, building,electrical, plumbing, front of house, the grounds etc etc. Oh, and we had another baby 9 months ago, so we keep busy – if we couldn’t multi-task before, we can now.

At some point in the next few days I'll fill you in on how/why we ended up here, even if you aren't interested LOL :-)

Rambling thoughts

2010-01-16T00:36:00.000-08:00

Much of what graces the plates at Ras Mbisi is obtained here, fish, seafood, fruit, we grow what vegetables we can(although the humidity and wadudu (insects) limit us somewhat). Everything else must be brought in, some by ship, some on the small aircraft of Coastal Aviation. The ship was due over a week ago, it's unlikely to arrive before the middle of next week now. Obviously this affects our supplies, but has a real effect on the southern part of the island as said ship brings the fuel for the Power Station, currently the main town and the main tourist area of Utende (i use these terms loosely as the town consists of a few dukas and the main tourist area 5 small Lodges)have no electricity, mimicking the problem on Zanzibar. Thankfully we are self sufficient in that regard as we are not on the grid and given our distance from the Power Station we are never likely to be.

It often surprises guests that Mafia is so undeveloped (and therefore unspoilt), there is no ATM, no phone lines, patchy mobile reception, no shops. This is changing slowly but like they say 'no hurry in Africa'!

Menu 16 Jan

2010-01-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Lunch- Sundried Tomato & Pinenut Bread, Tomato Salsa

Lemon Chicken, Crab Soba Noodle Salad, Cucumber & Mint Salad, Lime & Coconut Bean Salad, Avocado Salad.

Fruit Salad & Shortbread

Afternoon Tea - Banana Muffins

Bar Snacks - Chilli Popcorn, Spinach,Feta & Black Olive Pizza

Dinner - Roasted Butternut Soup with Toasted Seeds and Chilli Oil

Pan Fried Kingfish with Caramelised Watermelon, Lemon Rice & Steamed Vegetables

Crepes with Mango and Chocolate Sauce

Early morning trips

2010-01-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

Kaskasi (northern trade monsoon)finally dropped slightly today, the sea looks like a mill pond this morning. Wageni (guests) off first thing to swim with whale sharks, armed with Bacon rolls, homemade pastries and strong coffee. Ibra our Dhow skipper spent 3 years working with a marine research programme and therefore has an extremely strong code of conduct regarding the Whale sharks, all guests get a lecture before he will allow them in the water. He and Johnson then swim with the guests watching out for the weaker swimmers whilst Bakari looks after the boat and gets the coffee and snacks ready for everyone when they get out. Hot coffee is always welcome after snorkeling even in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

My day today will consist of time in the kitchen as always, as well as home school for the older two and playtime with the baby, not to mention marketing, invoicing, answering emails and trying to avoid the last three with timewasting on Twitter :-)

Menu 15 Jan

2010-01-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Lunch - Tomato salsa and garlic flat bread
Coconut &coriander battered prawns,rice salad,Loatian Larb salad,red cabbage,lime & karanga salad, tamarind sauce
Donuts with mango sauce

Afternoon Tea - Lemon Drizzle Cake

Bar Snacks - Salted, caramelised nuts, Guacamole with potato wedges

Dinner - Calamari Caesar salad
Pork Saltimbocca, Sauteed potatoes, broccoli, Green beans & Roasted red and yellow peppers
Passion fruit curd tart

Menu 14 Jan 2010

2010-01-14T01:41:00.000-08:00

Lunch - Vietnamese pork meatball & noodle soup

Fruit Salad with condensed milk ice cream

Afternoon Tea - Scones with cream and jam, Mafia Ginger Cake with Lime Icing

Bar Snacks - Karanga (fried groundnut with coconut)

Dog Tooth Tuna Sashimi with Wasabi, Soy & Homemade Pickled Ginger

Dinner - Roasted Tomato Soup with Fennel Seed Rolls

Whole Karambesi (Giant Trevally)cooked with Coconut,Chillies & Coriander, Matchstick Potatoes, Roasted Butternut Squash & Mangetout

Pineapple Tarte Tatin with Chantilly Cream

Playing catch up

2010-01-14T00:37:00.000-08:00

Having set up the new blog months ago (old blog at travelblog.org/bloggers/titch - note a lot of posts lost during travelblogs server failure) we have been so busy I have not had a chance to actually write anything!

Christmas and New Year were full and frantic, the sheer amount of food brought in and consumed was scary, the less said about alcohol consumption (yes Helen's Party that's you!)the better.

Whale sharks are now constantly being seen in the channel, these gentle giants are so amazing they actually follow the boat, no need to search for them at the moment. Combining a whale shark trip together with a fish bbq on deserted Shungu Mbili Island is a big favorite especially with honeymooners.

The photo has our dhow Kukulachi in the background and a local fisherman in the foreground.