Cash is KING in Zanzibar

January 9, 2014 at 7:20 am  •  Posted in Finance, Tanzania by

From the airport near Stonetown to our spot perfectly named, “Crazy Mzungos,” takes over an hour by taxi bus. The price, however, changes as often as Lady Gaga’s eyeshadow.  The first shot for the nine of us one way went for $150, bargained down from $175; the last was $90 but it is cash only. Your taxi is also taxed for the number of people within and requires a stop at a unmarked building, forms to fill out and a thirty yard drive further on to hand said papers to one of six uniformed fellows who allow the passage to continue.

When you arrive at the beach you realize that you need cash for everything. No credit cards. The nearest ATM /bank is back in Stonetown and the taxi back is, surprise, cash only. The ATM in Stonetown is often out of money but when working allows a maximum of $250 a pop and only two to three shots a day.  In addition, the Tanzanian shillings you get make a wad nearly a foot thick. But wait, we eventually found that the kiteboarding spot takes credit cards as did the “hotel” up from it and only a 40 minute walk on the beach.  Nirvana.  We stayed, ate, swam and drank there daily.

FYI: Stonetown for me was just lunacy. It is like someone exploded a combination of a run-down Stop and Shop with Building 19 and partitioned the results into five square foot sections each hawking “stuff.” Cash only.
We figure to make it home with a good $1.25 in my pocket. Cash.

Lisa and Terry hanging out at another of our favorite spots, Upendo, because they would take a credit card :)

Lisa and Terry hanging out at another of our favorite spots, Upendo, because they would take a credit card :)

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5 Comments

  1. Cari Johnson / January 9, 2014 at 1:01 pm /

    I hope you got a volume discount! How you all paid for a caravan of 9 in cash for a couple weeks is beyond me. Congratulations!

  2. Cheryl Kyle / January 9, 2014 at 4:06 pm /

    Not sure any of more info was posted. Here I go again.

  3. Cheryl Kyle / January 9, 2014 at 4:08 pm /

    Phone in Arusha is +25568037492. I’m a friend of Jennifer Noering. Arrive in Arusha Jan. 15 for two months. . Would like to meet you.

    • Lisa / January 12, 2014 at 3:43 am /

      Wonderful Cheryl! We are here until the 18th so we will call you!

  4. Gretchen / January 9, 2014 at 6:11 pm /

    Oh, we feel your pain! We tried five or six different ATMs when we first got to Tanzania, and none of them had money, but everything required cash. We ended up borrowing from our safari driver!! Like you guys, things were lean in between the times we found credit card takers!

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