Is there any fantasy as captivating as fleeing ‘the real world’ to soak up the sun and session every day on a tropical island? Polish couple Tusia and Daniel did just that, choosing to put down roots in Zanzibar! Find out if the reality matches the fantasy in this article!

Is there any fantasy as captivating as fleeing 'the real world' to soak up the sun and session every day on a tropical island? Polish couple Tusia and Daniel did just that, choosing to put down roots in Zanzibar! Find out if the reality matches the fantasy in this article!

If you were to paint a mental picture of Poland, your thoughts might be full of enchanting old-world architecture, plump pierogis, and the energetic city of Kraków. This story, however, is not about Poland; That is only the first chapter of the book!

Our love for the sea began at home, in a spot called Rewa. Many people aren't aware that our northern coastline on the Baltic Sea receives warm, summer winds, creating ideal kiting conditions. We ran a kite school in this spot for many years, sharing our love for this beautiful sport. 

As with all kiters, especially instructors, the lure of foreign winds was impossible to resist. We spent six years travelling the world, teaching along the way and competing in kite events on beaches in Brazil, the Caribbean, Italy, Turkey, Thailand, and Egypt, to name a few of our favourites. 

Our love for warm, windy locales made it impossible to resist the opportunity that came before us last May. When we received a call with an offer to open a kite school in Zanzibar, we were enchanted. Imagine endless blue, shallow water with tropical sun, constant wind, and picturesque palm trees. Instantly, we knew the next chapter of our lives was about to begin!

Is it sensible to open a kite school in a foreign country during a pandemic? Well, perhaps not, but we did anyway! In September 2020, we hopped on a flight to Zanzibar to set up our kite school in a spot with what may be the best teaching conditions in the world. We haven't looked back!

Zanzibar life is at its own pace; Nobody here looks at a watch, which is not so handy when trying to run a business! They say "pole, pole", which means "slowly, slowly". There is no rush at all. Our school is based in the small village of Jambiani, and, at times, it feels like we've travelled 20 years back in time. Everybody knows everybody, and nobody looks at their phones; you have to wander around the village searching if you want to find your friends! The shops have just the basics, so you have to go to Stone Town, which holds a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List, to get anything specific. Traffic is crazy, with cars, bikes, scooters, pedestrians, and even chickens, goats, cows, and cats sharing the same roads. Driving here, especially at night, is for thrill-seekers only!

Living here compels you to wake up and go to bed very early because Zanzibar is located just south of the equator. The sun rises at 6:30 am and sets at 6:30 pm every day of the year. The weather is the biggest difference, though, with the lowest temperature of the year being 25 degrees in winter. 

This place is unique because you can travel here year-round, though April and May are often quite rainy, and the Christmas and New Years holidays can be crowded and expensive. The winter season is the best for kiting, with stronger winds up to 25 knots in July and August. The summer winds offer great conditions between mid-December and mid-March, with a light but steady wind blowing 12-17 knots most days. With high temperatures and humidity year-round, one thing is for sure; the best place to be is on the water!

We have two of the most popular kite spots here, with Paje being the most widely known for its vast swathes of clear, blue water. The tides come and go fast, making this place magical and ever-changing. With no reefs or boats to avoid, it's a nice spot for beginners with lots of kite schools on the beach. If your travel companions aren't kiting, they'll be happy to put their feet up at one of the many beachfront bars and restaurants.

Just 15 minutes by car from Paje is Jambiani, which is where we've chosen to base our school. It's calm and quiet, with only a few kite schools operating. During low tide, it's only a few minutes walk into the ocean, where flat, knee-depth, and urchin-free water awaits. You can't ask for better teaching conditions, and experienced riders can always find a place to throw down some tricks. At high tide, boats pepper the shoreline, something to be cautious of as kiters, but a great place to barter for your after-session catch of the day! We are still exploring new places here, but it's hard to find better spots than Paje or Jambiani.

Of course, starting a business in Africa does not come without its challenges. But we were ready for the challenge, and unsurprisingly, the first one was Covid. When we first arrived in September 2020, the island looked abandoned. Kite spots were closed, and beaches were empty. Luckily, the island never closed for tourism, and by October 2020, Zanzibar was 'Covid free', and tourism was on the rise again. All you need to travel here is a negative result on a Covid test!

We can't say for sure that there is no Covid on the island, but life has gone on regardless. People here are resilient and do not listen to the radio or watch the news on TV, so they don't live in fear of anything. We had forgotten what life without masks was like and how good socialising felt, but we settled back into it pretty quickly!

The openness of Zanzibar was a boon for tourism, especially for digital nomads who were able to work from this relaxed, tropical paradise while sipping on a coconut and watching the colourful kites sail through the sky. Visitors seeing the energy and stoke of kiters coming off the water can't resist giving it a go, and as we all know, one taste is all it takes to start the addiction! 

Now that season is in full swing, our kite school and spot in Jambiani is getting busier. We teach on Cabrinha kites and are lucky to have the incredible gear and support from Shinnworld. We've got a dream team of instructors here with locals and foreigners, teaching in Polish, German, French, and English. When we're not teaching, we ride together and challenge each other to progress. On the high tides, we chase waves or send it old-school on our twin tips. On a low tide, it's all about freestyle.

It's not always windy, of course! On the no wind days, or when we're not working, we can visit the dolphins or turtles snorkelling or diving; the centre is located right next to our school. There's cliff diving, the monkey forest, spice farm, and a secret cave with a hidden watering hole, endless activities to entertain on a holiday or day off! However, after a long day of teaching, the best place to be is often on a hammock reading a book.

We came to Zanzibar nearly a year ago, and we didn't know what to expect. We were always busy at the beginning, running the kite school diving centre. There was no time for anything but working to get everything running efficiently. Now, though, we have fallen into a nice schedule with a great team of trusted people around us. 

The longer we're here, the more we've come to love this place! We live on the beach with a view of our spot. We can go kiting straight from our balcony! It's hard to imagine a better life for ourselves. It's the life we always dreamed of, and it's finally our reality. If you ever want to see and experience this beautiful life, come visit us in paradise!

By Tusia Witkowska

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