Finally got my butt out of Zanzibar in Tanzania to return to Kenya to do some of the same - chilling out at Tiwi Beach & then on ward to Lamu Island

Yeah Zanzibar was pretty OK but it was time to move on. If I didn't want to take a ferry into Dar Es Salam (the largest city in Tanzania) I had to book a ferry ride to leave Zanzibar to go to Tanga. Unfortunately there is only a weekly ferry on Tues from Zanzibar to Pemba (sister island to Zanzibar) and then on to Tanga on the mainland. Unfortunately like everything else it cost me a lot to get on and off the island. I had to pay $50 USD (more if I paid the equivalent in Shillings) to get the ferry. There were mostly locals in their Arabic outfits in the hot sun. They passed out these plastic bags which I naively thought were to put our garbage. However I later found out that they were barf bags for the passengers as the water got very choppy and wavy. Most of the pax got sick, the only thing that saved me was I went out on the deck to get fresh air. All the others stayed inside and got sick watching a stupid Jackie Chan movie. That in itself was enough to make me sick.

We got to Tanga and I had to find a bus to get me to back to Kenya. Unfortunately no one spoke English except this one girl who helped me out. I got back across the Kenyan border OK but the officer noticed my Kenyan visa expires on Dec 14. So he asked if I was aware of it and if I was leaving Kenya or renewing. I said yeah I’ll be leaving soon but didn’t tell him my ticket has me flying out on Dec 19, a week after my visa expires.

I decided to stop at Tiwi Beach south of Mombasa to check out the place. So I got dropped off at the highway and had to catch a cab to this Twiga Lodge (the cheapest place on the beach). Dam cabs have a monopoly on the 10 min cab ride so they can charge $7 one way – a King’s ransom in this country. But it was hot and I wanted a drink so I took the cab.

There are only a few people staying at the Lodge which was nice. Dec is normally a busy month but this year Kenya is having a Presidential election on Dec 27. So a lot of people feel there may be violence leading up to it so they have stayed away. But their loss is other people's gain.

The lodge is really nice and I got a double room with bathroom and fan for $15 a night (of course nice here is all relative). There’s a restaurant/bar where all the guests congregate so it was easy to find company to talk and drink. The food was so/so but the beer was cold. There were a good group of people there so we hung out and enjoyed our selves. About 8 of us took a cab into the next town to go to the ATM to get some money. Then we descended on a nice African restaurant with more Indian cuisine than Kenyan but hey it was good fiddles. Then everyone wanted to check out the local night life so it ended up a crazy but fun night.

The next 2 nights we built a bonfire and cooked some fish and crayfish on the beach. I didn't contribute much but my appetite and a couple bottles of cheap wine! Nothing like having fresh seafood on the beach over an open fire in the tropics. If you have a chance check out Tiwi Beach as not many people bother but it’s fun.

Some of the people went out on a boat for the day of snorkeling, fishing, etc. However I had to give it a pass as I had promised John (the Kenyan friend taking his PHD in Vancouver who set us up for our volunteering gig in Kanyawegi) that I would come to see him in Nairobi. At that time I said I'd come to see him I didn’t realize I’d be in Mombasa (a 9hr bus ride away) but thought what the heck, I'll still go see him.

Mombasa is the 2nd largest city in Kenya with a deep Swahilli and Muslim influence. There's an old city which is nice to see but other than that I wasn't too impressed with the city. The beaches and islands up and down the coast are nice and relaxing but Mombasa is just another big city to bypass if possible.

I didn't realize it but Mombasa is on an island so I had to take local bus to the walkon ferry. Then catch a matatu (local mini bus filled to the rafters) to the train station with this American guy who was also going to Nairobbery. We thought the train would be a nice change from the dusty, bumpy bus ride. Unfortunately we found out the train doesn’t run overnight on Sat but on Sun. So we had to end up taking the night bus on the dusty, bumpy road getting to Nairobi at 7 am Sun.

I got invited for lunch at this Kenyan family's home some where in Nairobbery. It was really nice to visit with them. I got a couple of favorite foods here - chapatti and goat meat.

Then I went to meet up with John at a downtown hotel bar. Boy it was Sun afternoon but the streets were still really busy. It was good to talk to John and his friends. I wasn't sure what to expect from John as I didn't exactly part company with my KASOW volunteer group in Kanyawegi as I had sent an email telling them about our frustration. Before I met with John he had a chance to visit the village of Kanyawegi to find out first hands the problems we encountered. So he was aware of why I had been frustrated. However John is such a nice guy that there was no animosity towards me for my undiplomatic email leading to my dismissal from KASOW, He understood that my concern and interest were for the villagers and helping them.

So after my 2 hr meeting with John, I went to catch another 9 hr overnight bus back to Mombasa. Most of the buses were already booked so I had to search to find a 3 rd class bus to get me back to Mombasa. The ride as usual was a bumpy dusty ride but I was lucky to get a seat up at the front, which eliminated the dust but I still got the bumps.

So you might say I was pretty tired after 2 nights on a bus but didn't want to spend anytime in Mombasa. So I took my 3rd bus long distance bus in 2 days to go to Lamu Island which is about a 6 hr bus ride to the north.
Crap this 6 hr bus ride to Lamu Island was longer and tougher than the 9 hr bus ride to Nairobbery. No one told me they take a big greyhound size bus and stop and pick up passengers on a milk run. I think we ended up with probably over 100 people on board! First time I saw people standing on the seat with people sitting on the actual seat. I got the last seat on the bus on the condition that I give up my seat if any army people get on. Even though I had a seat it was like I had someone leaning on me all the way. I was sitting by the door and it was so crowded they couldn't close the door all the way. I got squished between 2 Muslim women in their traditional black head pieces so all I could see were eyes, no face. All this reminded me of my years in Saudi Arabia - all the good old days of pray calls and Salam Malekum's, Enhallah, etc.

By the time I got to Lamu Island I was tired, hot, dusty, hungry and a few other feelings too! I then had to take a hot ferry ride to the island. Lamu is another throwback to the ancient Swahilli Arabic days. It's similar to Zanzibar with narrow walk ways but there are no cars. They use donkeys as a mode of transportation and beast of burden. So of course there is donkey crap all over the place. I find the town safe and a place to chill out. I've been here 3 days and have not made it to the beach yet. But there's always tomorrow - Bokra enhallah (arabic for tomorrow god willing)! In the meantime I'm just veggie as usual!

But there are a few interesting things happening here I'll post about