Path to Mafia Island

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Path to Mafia Island





Looking back, I understand that the trip to Tanzania was one of the highlights of my life. It's great that I decided not to save money and took my youngest son with us on a trip. I hope for him this will be a memory for a lifetime, which for me was a trip to the Crimea in the distant 1985... — mr. Omortson

There are two ways to get to Mafia Island. The first is obvious, fast, comfortable and of course very expensive, like everything in Tanzania intended for foreign tourists. There is nothing easier, you just need to get a credit card and buy a plane ticket. A little more than half an hour in the air and you are already on the island, drinking a mango cocktail. The second is non-obvious, obscure, but oh-so-very cheap. This is a ferry. Just five hours by sea in the warm company of locals...

Of course, it all started with collecting information about the ferry. Expat friends were sympathetic to our choice, tried to get through to the terminal. But it turned out to be not so easy. Through a search on the Internet and on a shmuggle map, it turned out that the ferry leaves from the town of Nyamisati. There were also several reviews about the ferry and the terminal. Reviews were written by several locals and one foreigner. The latter specified that there were two ferries, a new one and an old one. Then, through third parties, they received the timetable for the ferry, - the departure shifted along with the time of the tides.
We started considering options. It turned out that we had to arrive in Nyamisati in the evening (+3 hours), spend the night (+12 hours), take the ferry in the morning (+6 hours) and arrive at Mafia around noon.
Something went wrong with the bus to Nyamisati, now I don’t remember what exactly ... it turned out that you need to take a driver and, plus, an incomprehensible hotel in that same Nyamisati. I was embarrassed by the loss of about 20 hours and the need to hire a driver.
In the internet, I found the contacts of the dive club. A certain kike, let's call her Sandra, willingly made contact and gave exhaustive answers. She commented on the hotels I chose, told about her dive club. When I told Sandra that I wanted to take the ferry, there was a tense pause... then the girl wrote that in our case it looks like a dirty perversion. No, she is not against perversions, but she advises to fly by plane...

There are two airlines flying to Mafia. The ticket hovered around $80 one way. Three of them made a decent amount. I didn’t even want to think about the harsh prices for Mafia hotels. The family budget bled like a bull pierced by a bullfighter...








Walking around the territory of the Slipway hotel, we noticed an Indian agency selling package tours to the Mafia and Zanzibar. Upon closer examination, it turned out that buying a package gives a fair amount of savings. But the joke was that the packages were offered by top hotels, Butiama Beach Lodge and BIG BLU MAFIA ISLAND DIVE CENTER. The first was recommended by everyone without exception, the second was liked by the price tag and the hangout of divers, but embarrassed by the daily tax for staying in the protected area. In the end, we chose Butiyama. Then, after staying in each of them, I realized that I had to take the second one. But more on that later... Having received the check for payment, I shed a tear. It turned out that the cost of staying a family of three at Butiyama Lodge was $450 per day! For our family, this amount is insane. The Hindu girl looked at me like a conductor - "Comrade, are you going or getting off?" A huge toad pressed against his chest. With a sweaty palm, I felt the treasured envelope with a Payoneer card ...

Once I already had a chance to fly small aircraft. The flight gave me then a fair amount of pleasure, so the expectation of a flight to the Mafia acquired a certain sweet shade of anticipation. On vacation, time flies quickly. We did not have time to look back, and here is the much-awaited morning of departure to the island.

The small airport of local airlines left a pleasant impression and raised from the depths of memory the images and impressions of childhood. I suddenly vividly remembered our city airport where my ancestors worked. The same concrete floor, the wooden trim of the check-in counters... suddenly I thought - it's worth going down the corridor, turn right and there will be a spiral staircase leading to the control room, a fabulous realm of green lights and flickering screens.

In the waiting room, we met a couple of German tourists. These guys rested with German thoroughness. Their tour lasted six weeks. We exchanged impressions. I was especially impressed by the pictures from a trip to the Mahalee Mountains reserve, where they had close contact with chimpanzee monkeys. The guys, using the unlimited capacity of their credit cards, were based in one of the top hotels in Dar es Salaam, once a week heading to one of the national parks.

Time for an interesting conversation runs quickly. The board with the Germans flew to the Serengeti, the board flew to Zanzibar. Finally, it's our turn...

Thanks to the active position of my son, we got seats right behind the backs of the pilots. After a short greeting, the aircraft commander begins to switch the control toggle switches. Exciting moment. How many times have I had to do this on a flight simulator! But reality is still different.








"Cessna" maneuvers on the airfield for a long time. And finally, the airplane freezes at the beginning of the runway... the crew is ready for takeoff, the engine is straining to gain momentum... the pilot releases the brakes, the airplane accelerates... liftoff, slight subsidence and a brief feeling of weightlessness. We are in the air!

The plane rolls, under us the carpet of chaotic buildings of Dar es Salaam spreads. There is a smooth climb. The aircraft is on the correct course. The pilot puts the controls on autopilot, leans back in his seat and calmly glances at the instrument readings. How simple, isn't it?

Literally after half an hour of flight, the plane begins to descend. For me, landing is the most exciting moment of a flight. Palm trees flashed under the wing and the shore ... touch, and the Cessna rolls along the runway.

Representatives of hotels snap up luggage and its owners. Literally five minutes later we are at the reception of Butiyama Lodge.

At first glance, this is exactly what we are going to Africa for. Ethnic architecture under a roof of palm leaves, "Maximki" with a snow-white smile and a mango cocktail on a tray ... the staff immediately tries to convince you that 150 ye paid well ...

To be continued

Stand by













Sincerely yours

...

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