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My Necklace Took a Trip of Its Own in Zanzibar

September 3, 2023

After one night resting up in paradise, it was time to leave the tranquil Pongwe area for my next stop on Zanzibar, the livelier village of Paje.

But first, a massage.

I’ve said before that I don’t take time to relax when I travel, and that goes for spa treatments too. Even though I love massages, unless I can squeeze it into something I’m already doing, (like getting a massage during the night markets in Thailand), it’s not a priority.

So that goes to show just how wrecked I was after climbing Kilimanjaro: Relaxation became top priority.

The massage therapist, Margaret, gave me a few minutes to undress, and I folded my clothes onto a nearby chair before I eased myself onto the table. At this point, my calf muscles seemed permanently clenched. There were knots in my back. My body was speckled with bruises and sunburn.

The moment Margaret pulled my hair away from my neck and put her hands on me, I audibly groaned with relief.

She paused for a moment and touched the chain around my neck. “May I remove this?”

I had totally forgotten about the necklace. I wear it every day and never remove it, so it hadn’t even crossed my mind. Nodding, I told Margaret to go ahead. She unlatched the chain and showed me where she was placing it, atop my pile of clothes.

As the massage proceeded, my mind wandered to other things. Like, wow, this woman works miracles and I hope my toenails don’t fall off in her hands. And finally, I have to pee.

I had to pee so bad. This is why I am bad at relaxing. Because I cannot regulate my beverage intake well enough to go 90 minutes without a bathroom break. Suddenly a toilet was all I could think about, and I willed the massage to be over as fast as possible.

Relief

The moment Margaret left the room, I yanked my clothes off the chair and dashed for the restroom, which was connected to the massage room. Afterward, relieved, I got dressed, walked out the door, tipped Margaret, and left.

I didn’t even remember the necklace until I was in Paje, more than an hour and a $50 taxi ride away.

Any stress that had dissipated during the massage returned and hit me with a wallop.

My necklace. I couldn’t think of anything else in my life that was at once so worthless but also so precious. I’d purchased the necklace in Greece, just a few nights after my emergency surgery in Athens. It was a tiny evil eye, smaller than my pinky fingernail, and it hung on the most delicate silver chain.

Fresh off a medical issue, I wanted an evil eye for protection. A talisman. But it also served as a beautiful reminder of Greece, the place that lives in my heart. I’d worn it every day since.

Maybe I could find something close, I thought, and scoured the internet. Somehow there were approximately 78 million evil eye necklaces on the world wide web, and none of them were similar to mine. I remembered how my family and I walked through dozens of tourist shops until I found the perfect one — and when we found this necklace, it was just 15 Euros. It was the only one like it.

Even if I could find another, this one was irreplaceable.

Lost and found

I messaged the hotel on WhatsApp, but I didn’t have much hope, because I didn’t even know if my necklace was there.

I assumed that when I yanked the clothes off the chair, I launched the necklace somewhere. But where? What if it fell behind something? Or what if another client picked it up? What if they threw it away?

“We have located your necklace!” someone from the hotel replied.

Next we had to figure out how to get it to me.

I’d hoped that Pongwe to Paje was a well-traveled route. Perhaps another hotel guest was coming this way?

They weren’t.

The hotel employee suggested I take a taxi back to Pongwe, pick it up, and return to Paje. But I couldn’t stomach the thought of paying $100+ to go back and forth.

I was still weighing the cost when I received a message with good news: There was a taxi driver who was headed my direction, and he could bring me the necklace. I’d have to pay for the trip and for his time, but it would be far less than $100.

The lesson

I remember hearing a story once about how Cher hired a separate limo just for her wigs. It sounded like the height of decadence — not only did Cher have these exquisite wigs, but the wigs had their own driver, and they traveled without her. Think of all the adventures Cher’s wigs must have!

Now my necklace was the broke girl’s version of Cher’s wigs, traveling around Zanzibar before returning to me. I loved thinking about that, imagining all the places it might go.

Here’s the other gift I received.

The hotel couldn’t tell me what time to expect the driver, and I didn’t want to miss him, so I agreed to hang out at my place in Paje and wait. Luckily, I was staying at Mr. Kahawa Waterfront Suites, a stylish and comfortable boutique hotel that also happens to be located on the most picturesque, pristine stretch of beach. When I tired of watching the kitesurfers, I could take a cool dip in the pool.

Hours into my wait, as I lounged by the water, read a book, and luxuriated in solitude, I realized that my necklace was forcing me to stay in relaxation mode. So maybe that evil eye gave me some protection after all, and protected me from myself.

And yes, I’m wearing the necklace right now.

I named her Cher.

•••

Chasing rest and relaxation in Zanzibar

September 2, 2023

I couldn’t go all the way to Tanzania without making a side trip to Zanzibar, an archipelago boasting white sugar-sand beaches, lush forests, and turquoise water.

So after I summited Mount Kilimanjaro, I made the quick hop from mainland Arusha to Unguja Island, Zanzibar, a zippy flight that took about 90 minutes.

Zanzibar instantly did something to me. You know the sensation of wearing tightly tied hiking boots for a long time — and them taking them off? The loosened laces, the heaviness falling away, the blood rushing back. That’s what landing in Zanzibar felt like. An unbinding.

On arrival

I wasn’t interested in staying at a party hostel or bustling town, which why my first stop was Pongwe Bay Resort, perched along a shimmery teal bay near sleepy fishing villages and seaweed farms. My goal here was to unwind, which I find difficult to do when I travel. I’m usually the person who will try every activity a hotel offers, wander the area for miles, and have a long list to sights to see.

This trip, however, I knew I needed rest and recovery. The steep descent on Kilimanjaro left my feet battered and bruised. My bones ached from sleeping on the mountain. I had been cold for days; a mere 48 hours earlier, my tears were frozen to my cheeks. What I needed was comfort and quiet.

Pongwe promised nothing but sunshine, flowers, gentle ocean waves. The most popular sightseeing spot is a small, fine-dining restaurant located on its own teensy island. It sounded perfect.

I had been so focused on Kili, though, that I was ill-prepared for the Zanzibar part of my trip. I hadn’t packed any beachwear or footwear beyond hiking boots. And while I assumed I could pick up some budget-friendly flip flops and sundresses along the way, I didn’t have a chance to stop anywhere between the airport and hotel.

Was I going to be miserable?

So this is heaven

When I saw the remote location of the resort, I imagined myself clunking around a tropical paradise in my stinky boots. Then the proprietor of the place intervened.

“Just so you know, this is a no-shoes resort,” said the owner, a handsome Italian man. “All of our paths are made of soft sand or cool stone, so please do not wear shoes anywhere.”

As if that wasn’t amazing enough, I arrived at 9 a.m., well before the 3 p.m. check-in. However, my room was already ready.

“Unless you want breakfast …?” the owner said.

I did want breakfast, because I had to leave my other hotel at 4 a.m. and hadn’t had time to eat. But I don’t like spending money on a hotel breakfast, which tends to be overpriced and underwhelming.

“You know you booked a room that includes food, right?” the owner said. My stomach rumbled in response. He gestured to a room adjacent to the dining area, filled with buffet tables covered with luscious fruits and homemade dishes.

I was already about to weep with joy when he added, “We’re running a special right now on massages. Seventy-five minutes for $40. Let me know if you’d like to book anything.”

Yes. Yes, I would be booking something.

The owner confirmed that I was only staying one night and asked what time I’d be checking out.

“Checkout is usually at 10, but nobody has the room booked after you, so you can stay as long as you’d like,” he smiled. I thanked the man profusely, and I apologized that I’d only booked one night.

He shrugged, “So you must live this one day to the very fullest.”

•••

This sweet treat was born in Chicago

August 30, 2023

You might think you don’t care about the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, which was held in Chicago.

But let me tell you about some of the now-cherished items that debuted there: Cream of Wheat, Juicy Fruit gum, the chocolate bar (Hershey’s), Aunt Jemima Pancakes, the #2 yellow pencil, Shredded Wheat, the automatic dishwasher, Cracker Jacks, the zipper, Ferris wheels.

Also America’s first serial killer.

Right. We could’ve done without that last thing.

One of my favorite books, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, delves into that World’s Fair and how it profoundly changed the country. The inventions! The murders! The new foods! The murders! Zippers! More murders!

It’s a gripping and wildly informative read, and it’s also a master class in nonfiction that reads like fiction.

What does all this have to do with a sweet treat?

Well, I was recently in Chicago with my high school girlfriends. As we walked around downtown, we passed by a place that sounded familiar from the book: the Palmer House Hotel.

I pulled my friends inside, not just because it’s a grand building …

And not just because it’s infused with historic details, like Mark Twain’s gallon-sized beer stein, and ostentatious lamps …

but because this is a place in food history!

Palmer House is where the brownie was invented.

As the story goes, the dessert was inspired by socialite Bertha Palmer, who was married to Potter Palmer, the millionaire owner of the hotel. She chaired the ladies’ board for the World’s Fair and tasked the hotel pastry chef with creating something that would be easy to box up and transport to the festival grounds.

Voila, the chef dreamed up brownies! (Although they weren’t called that until 1898, when they appeared in a Sears Roebuck catalog.)

The Palmer House confection is not quite to my taste, as I’m more of a crunchy edge brownie person, and this one has a gooey, fudge-like consistency. But hey, we need both kinds of brownie eaters in this world.

If you want to try it yourself, here’s the recipe. More than a century old, it’s the same one they use today.

Training for a Mount Kilimanjaro trek

March 31, 2023

I’ve had a few people reach out to me about how I trained for the Mount Kilimanjaro trek, (and I also want to remind myself of what I’m capable of), so I’m pulling it all together here. It’s a blend of weightlifting, cardio, Peloton, outdoor activity, and Wim Hof method.

Here we go:

THE BASIC PLAN

I started ramping up my cardio and doing long hikes many months in advance. But as the date of my trip creeped closer, I got serious about training. This 12-week training plan was my basic outline, and my friends who summited used this too. Because I work, have a family, and juggle a freelance career, I did modify the plan on occasion, but I tried to stick to it as best I could.

CARDIO

For cardio, I rode my Peloton a lot. For my “fun” rides, I opted for Jess King’s sweat steady rides or HIIT classes from my favorite instructors. But I primarily focused on doing Power Zone challenges — these are 6-8 week challenges of Power Zone classes, which use your individual functional threshold power for a customized workout to improve endurance, performance, and strength. I think PZ classes are also particularly effective for improving VO₂ max, the amount of oxygen your body can take in and use during exercise, and that was a priority for me. I’ve struggled with asthma my entire life, and I was nervous about the thin air at Kilimanjaro’s extremely high altitudes.

WEIGHTS

I also knew I had to get stronger in order to carry a heavy pack for several hours each day, scramble up rocks, etc. I have a set of free weights that I use at home, and I used those to do the IRON series from Caroline Girvan on YouTube. I won’t lie — these classes are HARD. Some days my muscles trembled for hours afterward. But they’re great. It’s like having the world’s best personal trainer in your house.

YOGA

Power yoga was recommended by both my pulmonologist and a friend who has summited Mount Whitney, so I added that into the mix too. It was beneficial for keeping me flexible, but also for learning to regulate my breath with strenuous movement. I took Peloton’s yoga classes, but you could do classes from anywhere. (One thing about me and yoga: I always have to force myself to do it, even though I feel great afterward and love having done it. So if you feel the same way, you’re not alone.)

OUTDOORS

Outdoor workouts were also a huge part of my training. In addition to long hikes, I also walked up the steepest road in my neighborhood, sometimes wearing a backpack weighted with dumbbells, sometimes wearing my friend’s baby in a carrier on my back.

In my case, the steepest road around is Tramway Road, which climbs 1,800 feet in 3.7 miles, and I grew to love my sunrise walks there. (We just moved away, and I miss that road more than I expected, especially considering how many times I cursed at it.)

WIM HOF

Are you familiar with Wim Hof? He’s a Dutch madman who plunges himself into ice, performs extreme athletic feats, and can hold his breath for six minutes at a time. And I completely and wholly believe in his methods. I first learned about him in a wacky GOOP documentary, I’m embarrassed to admit. Then he led a breathwork session on my favorite meditation app, and I felt tingly and high just from breathing. (That was on Insight Timer, but sadly his session has been removed.)

To prepare for Kili, I knew that cold exposure and increasing my lung capacity would be helpful, so I cobbled together some Wim Hof training on my own. I read everything I could about the guy and his techniques. I downloaded Wim’s app, paid for some of the trainings, and practiced his breathing method. I don’t have an ice bath for cold plunges, so I did cold water for the last few minutes of every shower (I increased the cold water time over a period of months). You can also find instructors trained in the Wim Hof method all over the world.

Overall, I worked very hard long before I ever saw the mountain, and then I worked very hard to summit it. And I discovered that I’m stronger and more determined than I ever realized.

Kilimanjaro gear: Some of the more unusual items

February 9, 2023

I’m almost always a minimalist packer, a carry-on only kind of gal.

So packing for the week-long trek up Kilimanjaro, which moves through five climates, has been giving me fits. Bookending the climb is a long layover in Paris and quick jaunt to Zanzibar. Plus there are also weight limits to consider.

I know this is just another travel puzzle I need to figure out, and I’m working on it.

In the meantime, I wanted to share some of the more unusual items I’ll be stashing in my duffel up the mountain.

Camp shoes

I’ve camped before, but I’ve never had a dedicated pair of camp shoes. The Kilimanjaro guides recommend bringing some, though, because your feet get cold and tired each night, and your hiking boots are the last thing you want to wear.

I bought these Ramble Puff slippers from Chaco, and they are unbelievably light and comfortable while also being very sturdy. I love them so much, I’m not going to lie — I will probably wear them in Paris with confidence and pretend they’re fashionable.

Detergent strips

Lazy Coconuts is the detergent I use at home, and I always bring a couple of strips with me when I travel. They’re great for washing a couple of items in a sink, or you can toss one in a washing machine. (I’ve had people ask how I make a few items of clothing stretch for a month-long trip, and this is my boring secret. I do laundry all over the world.)

Silicone bags

Tanzania banned plastic bags in 2019, and it’s my understanding that plastic bags can be confiscated at customs/immigration. That inspired me to finally invest in some Stasher reusable bags. I plan to use them for keeping things organized in my duffel (along with my beloved compression cubes), but they’re made of food-grade silicone, so I can use these for snacks and food prep when I get home.

Portable urinal

This is my portable urinal, or as I call it, my pee accordion. This was another item recommended by the guides, because apparently it gets so cold at night, you should not leave the tent to pee. (And I WILL have to pee, I already know this.) That’s where the portable urinal comes in.

Some folks use a Nalgene bottle. However, I will be using Nalgene bottles for drinking water, so I wanted my urinal to look as different from a Nalgene bottle as possible. My night vision is terrible.

Amazing style — priceless

A balaclava is necessary to keep my face from becoming frozen, and these polarized sunglasses are for preserving my sight, even in snow and ice.

For the balaclava, I wanted both style and substance, which is why I opted for the floral. It’s giving me Magnum P.I. climbs a mountain. Or Golden Girls at 19,500 feet.

As for the glasses, I love these already. They’re Goodr, a brand that other Kili climbers raved about, and they’re so light. When it comes time to get new sunglasses again, I’ll be a return customer.

Disclosure: I only endorse things I personally use and have purchased for myself. If you buy anything using one of the above referral links, I might receive a small commission. However, there’s no extra cost to you, and the $ goes toward paying my Internet bill.

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