Why did you choose to send one of the characters to Zanzibar? I had to google it to even find out where it is.

Gwen’s reply.

Zanzibar holds a special place in my heart – I even have a little house there where I escape to during the winter months to focus on my writing. Funny enough, my first visit to Zanzibar was on my honeymoon and it was a disaster. I spent the entire time stuck in the hotel bathroom with a dodgy stomach. But fate had other plans for me, as a friend from Malcesine who works there convinced me to give Zanzibar another chance.

And boy, am I glad I did! Zanzibar is like a dream come true – white sand beaches, friendly locals, delicious food, and the stunning Indian Ocean. It’s a paradise on earth.

Exactly like my trusty driver in the book, Mustafa, who does exist, is real and always greets me with a can of Red Bull after a long flight. Despite his decrepit minibus, he knows exactly where to take me from the airport to my house. Mustafa is a bit crazy but in the best way possible. Just like the Mustafa in my book, he laughs and says ‘Zanzibar’ whenever we hit a pothole or get stuck in a puddle. He knows which shops I need to stop at on the way from the airport to get my essentials – wine, Cadbury’s (a rare find in Italy but not in Zanzibar), crisps, and cans of tuna.

Zanzibar and Mustafa – two things that never fail to put a smile on my face. (I have included pictures of the beach and Mustafa below.)