Matatu, coach, hire car, piki piki, boat, tuk tuk, besides walking and lots of it, added variety to this extended time away from Nakuru.
Part 1
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Nairobi. Leaving Nakuru approximately 11.30 am, travelling to Nairobi by express matatu, had us arrive mid afternoon. After booking our seats on the Coach to Mombasa, we met Linet, Kijea's sister to say hello and had a late lunch.(Tilapia again). She is studying hair dressing and should finish at the end of the year. After seeing Linet off home on her bus, we then moved back to the area of the coach terminal. The departure time was 9.30pm so we headed to an upstairs bar across the road. As usual I created a bit of interest being the only mzungu present.
As it was Friday night, workers were meeting for a social drink and a night out. A group of woman started smiling and waving at me. All very pleasant..... then the conversation turned to ...where was I from? Can you find me a mzungu husband? My answer was that they needed to go where they were as they were in the wrong spot..to find one.
Time drew near and then the fun started at the terminal. We had our bags in a secure storage room and not only us, were waiting for the boss to come and unlock the room. Time ticked by and the open area filled. Much talk that I could not understand. However it turned out that a coach due to leave at 7.30ish had broken down and they had not been informed. The two groups of passengers were combined with onto the replacement, we only left an hour late.
The coach was full, had curtains to stop the lights of oncoming traffic, seats reclined, but they played loud music ALL the whole way. (I was not expecting that). I had read stories of how bad the road was from half way and then onto Mombasa.....yes it is. rough, bumpy, like a road was half prepared with stones and left for the traffic to smooth it out...... Not sure how but I did sleep a bit. The driver used every bit of the power of the engine as we did not wait for anything. Spending a fair bit of time on the wrong side of the road and being Friday night, I think all roads led to Mombasa.
Arriving in Mombasa at 6 am, we joined the morning throng as life started in this city. Matatus full of workers and tuk tuks filing by looking for passengers, woke us up from our blur of the previous night.
After a tuk tuk ride to the railway station to get our bearings( this is where we were being met by our driver) we headed on foot to look for a coffee and breakfast.
Finding Moi Avenue and the well known land mark of the Tusks, we headed on hoping to find that coffee(well for me anyway). Eventually Amor cafe turned up and satisfied our thirst, hunger and weary legs. Open 7am to 11pm and cheap. Omelettes, coffee and toast for 2 for about $AUD10.
Returning to the run down, neglected station of this city, I hope the train service is not indicative of the state of this sign.... maybe no touch up of the paint work since the British left in 1963???!!!
The train was 40 mins late, but that did not worry us as we had a seat out of the rain that decided to come down.
With Mr Khan, our driver, along with Sam and Faith who arrived on the train, we set off for Mwazaro Mangrove Lodge.
This sign marked the area where traffic was diverted to the ferry. Unfortunately, signage asked for no photos to be taken in the area. Not sure what they had to hide but that would be a story in itself.
Our days are never dull and this was no exception. Having negotiated the Likoni Ferry we headed south. Likoni is the suburb on the south side. Little stalls litter the roadside, water carters, carts, buses trucks, cars etc all try and use what I thought was a single lane of bitumen and dirt shoulders....
After less than 10 mins we were broken down on the side of this road....we were going nowhere.....told to keep the windows shut to avoid losing items from hands in the window, the heat rose, and then it started to pour with a' tropical' shower. After a while a flustered, drenched, Mr Khan organised a replacement vehicle and we were on our way. The timing belt had broken.
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Mwazaro Mangrove Lodge
This touch of paradise is about 70 kilometres south of Mombasa. We turned off the main road that headed to the Tanzanian border and headed almost east. A winding track, rough , not used that often had me wondering where I had chosen to spend 4 nights. Then it opened up into what I was expecting and lots more. A very apologetic staff for the mishap with the car that had been ordered, and quenching our thirst on fresh coconut juice, had us relaxing in no time.
Booked into a 2 bed apartment"Sirius", we were not disappointed.
The entrance to our corridor..
The terrace with our direct access doors
View from my room at high tide.
The top room above allowed for relaxing with Wi-fi on the day beds and great views of the surrounding area
The upper bar area(not opened for the season yet), that we relaxed in.
Kijea at the breakfast table. note the high tide behind.
View from the restaurant at high tide, looking north.
The mangrove at low tide. I almost sat in the water to take this shot.
Checking the permanent fish trap at low tide. There was a trap door the man accessed the inside area. Fish were caught as well as a large squid( probably the one I helped to eat.)At high tide the tops of the lower level sticks are just out of the water. Tides of 2.5m and 3m are common in this area. This concept fascinated Kijea who rang his friends in Nakuru to try and explain that sometimes there is water and other times, none.
I was told I was starting to look like an African woman. Not sure why but then I realised, by tying the shirt around my middle attracted this comment. Lesso used as skirts are all tied. In this, I had every pocket filled with phones, wallet, camera etc as Kijea wanted to walk out as far as the sand was in the distance. Too far back to shore to drop things off. The small channel behind me proved a little deep for me to cross so I just waited.
Walking along the foreshore, we found this Boab tree was clinging to the edge.
The host, Hans and staff attended to any requests and nothing was a bother. With 2 meals per day provided, it did not take long to settle in to a relaxed mode. Sam and Faith proved very friendly, spending each meal sharing the table.
Sam, Faith, Kijea and I
One thing I noticed was that Kenyans have a very different palette to our own. Both Faith and Kijea being Kenyan were reluctant to try, or like the taste of different types of seafood to fish. Well for Kijea he liked the Tilapia deep fried and crispy. Prawns, squid(calamari), both were double ups for Sam and I when served. By the third day Kijea was craving his nyama choma, so I promised we would look during our day trip to Shimoni. Our last night here, Hans decided to serve up a seafood BBQ, yum for me....Kijea was a little concerned he would go hungry so ordered chicken for lunch, along with sweet talking the waitress, to order chicken on the bbq but was offered Nyama Choma (roast goat, ugali and kachambali.) he was over the moon.
The open air dining area is just wonderful. Miles from anywhere, yes very private, the gentle breeze in the palms, just look up to a million stars, the hushed sound of the waves onto the beach and it could be called 'romantic.' Oh my, prawn skewers, fish pieces sorry fish slabs, calamari that melted in the mouth, what a fitting way to end our time here. A place to return to for peace, recharging the batteries and at one with the ebb and flow of the tide.
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Placemats and Tablecloths.
A placemat worked with reverse appliqué , just one of many designs. I was reliably informed they were from Uganda.
This is a close up of section of a cutwork tablecloth. All the sections were of a nautical theme, different fish of the area, marlin, sword fish, tuna, shells and Talapia, the fresh water fish from Lake Victoria.
This cloth, along with the floral design by the same method, was draped over this traditionally made wooden canoe.( a style still used in the area). Dominating the restaurant area this table for large scale catering, enabled them to be shown to their full extent.
*Day trip to Shimoni and Wasini Is.
My interest in this area started when researching a place to volunteer for this year. Through GVI, volunteering is possible in this out of the way area of Kenya. Not choosing this for placement, a visit was planned, and I was not disappointed.
For our 2nd full day at Mwazaro, a piki piki was booked through the office and the two of us headed off on one motor bike with the 'driver' to Shimoni, a short distance of about 10km. The countryside is lush with mangoes, pineapples, coconut palms, & sugar cane growing in the area. Local houses on plots of land frame the roadside, chicken running around, children and families walking the edge of the road, woman carrying loads on their heads, dressed in brightly coloured, patterned fabric draped and tied around the body.
Standing on the main street of Shimoni
The village is a relatively small coastal one, relying on tourists with diving, deep sea fishing and seafood restaurants serving local delights to day trippers for Kiste Marine Park.
Approaching the centre of the town we were stopped by a group of guys asking about what we wanted to do.. Go to Wasini !!! No not a sail and lunch....I knew I had Kijea for a reason....off he trotted with one guy to discuss the boat ride to the island and a guide and return....KES2500 altogether...good deal to what is quoted in Lonely Planet Guide...
Upon arrival on the island we first visited the Coral Gardens.KES300 for me KES100 for Kijea.
The coral rocks add a moonscape appearance to this area. he tide fills the area twice per month, with the mud crabs loving the deeper water.
The not so secure railing, and
the gaps became more often and wider apart. The call came out regularly from in front 'Mind the gap"
I was looking down all the time avoiding the inevitable.....
Great place to visit..love to do it on a full moon when the water was up...
A walk in the alley ways. Lots of broken down housing,
the biggest Boab I have ever seen in the grounds of the local primary school. When primary school is completed, children must travel to the mainland. This poses a problem with unreliable services of the boat transport with children often arriving late and the cost involved. Many are forced to stay with relatives on the mainland village of Shimoni.
There are approx 600 residents on the island dominated by Islamic culture, no electricity, no permanent water supply, pollution at the waters edge by discarded batteries noticed, building bricks of newly heuwn coral blocks, colourful washing on the fence to dry, all add to the mix of this society.
New coral bricks stacked.
Rain water is collected into two huge covered Reservoirs. Locals collect water in drums on wheel barrows or carried . Washing is carried out by women in the area of storage. At least 5-6 times a year, during the dry periods, water must be transported from the mainland, to replenish the tanks. Medical staff from the mainland also visit to check, monthly, the health of the water storage facility.
One of the water storage tanks
Snapped! These woman are so talented with carrying items on the head, their posture is perfect......
Some of the beautiful Lesso . these designs seem to me to be from Tanzania, quite different from those available in Mombasa.
Washing day!
The tide receded during our tour. We were in awe of these houses suspended above the water. The rush of water action has eroded the coral rock, leaving a shelf.
Not much lee-way here
The long walk out to our transport. Care must be taken during this walk to avoid sea urchins and sharp remains of shells. I kept my shoes on.
Our transport was recalled and ....Now for the lunch treat....
Kijea's favourite food. He always gives fine details as to the method of cooking.
Very tasty.
The bit of excitement here was when I needed to visit the loo...'.Oh there were Baboons when I went'!
Not wanting that encounter I voiced my concern so I was accompanied by the waitress,.. lucky for me and/or the baboon...they had moved on..
After an interesting tour, relaxing lunch, our bike rider was called and we headed back to our little piece of paradise...
to be continued......from Fort Jesus.
