Baywatch Pretender in Zanzibar - a great original beach story by Jaklien on a beach holiday.

Baywatch Pretender in Zanzibar
Life is good. The warmth of the sun is tickling my skin and wafts of coconut oil and salty sea air drift by. The gentle sway of my hammock and the sound of the waves are making me sleepy and I’m finding it hard to concentrate on my cheap summer holiday read. I so deserve this holiday. For two weeks I don’t have to think about work. For two weeks I don’t have to worry about looming deadlines and unreachable targets. For two weeks I am doing absolutely nothing on the idyllic island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. We are in the bohemian village of Nungwi beach on the north side of the island which was a very important centre of the spice trade a few centuries ago. Now it is a popular holiday destination for newlyweds and backpackers who come here in search of sun, sea and relaxation. And so have we.

Suddenly I’m brutally yanked out of my state of pure bliss when I hear someone cry for help. Still half asleep I look over the edge of my hammock and to my horror I notice a pair of flailing arms sticking out of the water and realise that someone is drowning right in front of my eyes. Fortunately a lifeguard is already on his way to rescue the victim and within a mere moment he is back and lays the poor guy on the sand. He begins to resuscitate the swimmer, but to no avail. He looks up at the small group of spectators that is standing around them and yells that someone needs to call an ambulance immediately. I've been a big fan of Baywatch for as long as I can remember, so agilely I jump out of my hammock and feeling very much like Pamela Anderson I run to the nearest beach restaurant. Completely out of breath and panting like an 80-year old man, I try to explain to the barman what happened and that a doctor should be called urgently.

The bartender looks over my shoulder and then starts to roar with laughter which is not quite the reaction I was hoping for. I really don’t understand what is so funny about this horrible situation that has just unfolded. Still rolling on the floor and gasping for air, he points to the beach. I turn around and see much to my surprise that the victim is very much alive and high fiving the lifeguard. The bartender explains to me that the PADI-dive centre next door is training its dive masters and that rescue swimming is part of it. So there is really no need to call that ambulance. Not quite sure whether to laugh or cry, I turn around and walk past all the snickering beach visitors and grinning dive masters as fast as I can and crawl back into my hammock where I hide for the rest of the holiday. I figure that instead of pretending to be a character on Baywatch, I should perhaps focus on what I do best: Doing absolutely nothing.

Author : Jaklien