shaunism: Winter is (still) here

It's been an awfully long Winter. And I don't just mean the 900 years of Tory government. Like 2011-12, 2023-24 has been one of those years where Winter came in early Autumn and is still with us. I love low, grey weather - I am happiest in a jumper and no sunglasses. But even this many months of dreary, cold, wet weather is too much. Will it ever end?

At least politically, it has finally ended. Britain is basking in the sunlight of hope, if not actual sunlight. Football might even finally be coming home. But while I am happy to see the back of the Tories and a change in tone and political leaning, I really don't think life in Britain will be much different at the end of this parliament that at the start. There will be some good-press stick-it-to-'em tax rises, and there might be a bit more money for the NHS, education and local government, but there is no civic or political will to change the fundamentals of broken Britain. At best, we will see tinkering in the right direction over the next five years. But that was the choice we had on 04 July, and we got the best option. At least we're not in America's shoes.

While we haven't been able to escape the political tempest on these sceptred isles, we did get a break from the meteorological one. Over Sushil's birthday we had a sunny holiday in Nairobi and Zanzibar. New places for both of us, a little bit of gritty urban exploration followed by some relaxing downtime on hot, sandy beaches - and an upgrade to business class on the return flight - turned out to be a great break far away from it all.

Fingers crossed that hopeful sunlight manifests itself faster and stronger than anyone thinks.

Cheers,

Shaun

Nairobi is the 'New York of East Africa', a busy, buzzing metropolis full of opportunity and freedom for millions of people from Kenya and beyond. It's notably in the developing phase of its history, with gleaming skyscrapers next to decrepit piles, and lush, gated residential estates lining potholed roads, but it has the energy of a place on the up. We were there before the recent protests, though, so not sure if there's a different mood in the air now.

There are entrepreneurs everywhere, including those taking advantage of the TikTok economy. Good lighting and cameras are expensive, so aspiring influencers can hire them from dozens of teams who line the streets of central Nairobi.

We made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro!

My brand new sunbrella got to go on its first holiday with us.

First sunset in Zanzibar.

The turtle sanctuary in Zanzibar. Who doesn't love turtles?

One of the commonest things to do in Northern Zanzibar is a boat trip to the 'Maldives of Zanzibar', a gorgeous area of sandbanks and coral. While it was genuinely beautiful, I was not prepared for the volume of boats that were doing the same exact route to the same exact Instagram hotspots. When you see the pictures online, it looks like they are in pristine solitude. What you don't see is that behind them there are 30 other boats full of tourists positioning themselves just so to get the same misleading image. And we were there in low season, I can't imagine it at the peak.

And then the dolphins - the poor dolphins. When any were spotted, all 30 boats would speed towards them and encircle them so people could jump into the water to take a snapshot. They must’ve felt like they were being hunted and been terrified. It was awful to see and I’m horrified I played any part in it.

Stone Town, the old colonial part of the capital, was more my vibe. Touristed, yes, but lived-in, walkable and lively. We opted to take a female-guided walking tour. Despite the many Western visitors, Zanzibar is conservative and Muslim; female empowerment is low. Our guide was great, clever and funny, and surprisingly candid about her life and the reality of women on the island. She's still single because she wants to find a husband who will allow her to work after they are married. In a sense, and within her paradigm, that is a sort of empowerment. Ten or so years ago there were no female guides, and now there are more than 20. Progress can be slow, but progress there is.

Memorial at the former slave market in Zanzibar. Arab slave trade, not European, some are quick to point out. Happening while under a British protectorate, less quick on that bit.