I’d never seen a moonrise until I traveled to Tanzania. 

I’ve seen my fair share of spectacular sunsets, and sunrises..but a moonrise is just something I’d never thought about until I landed on Paje Beach in Zanzibar. 

There I was, lying on a sunbed chatting with some cool people I’d met from the hostel, when the familiar big, reddish purple half sun rose up from over the horizon.

Except it wasn’t the sun.

It was the moon, and the first time I’d ever seen a moonrise.

There it was.

A powerful, blood red moon rapidly peering up over the horizon just beyond the ocean.

Unfortunately, most of my pictures don’t do it justice. My budget Android phone was no match for the might and splendor of the moon.

There’s a special feeling you get when you are standing opposite a gigantic, blazing red moon that changes the beach from pitch black to a glowing night beach and looks as if someone switched all the street lights on.