Mombasa Movements (Dec 18/02)

Jambo!! MOMBASA ROCKS!! Such a change from Nairobi - it's friendly, safe, and in some places, even beautiful... completely opposite of 'home'... but closer to my real home! :) Mind you, it's bloody hot - the proximity of the coast makes for appallingly humid conditions. But you can even get used to that (as long as you have access to a shower... see later in the story!)

[Warning: prepare for a long read - I have lots to say and not much work to do today! I'm the only one in the office as it's the AGM... so I've been Christams shopping, riding my motorbike, and writing email all day!! :) ]

Anthony (a.k.a AK - Alpha Kilo from our office in Lokichoggio) & I took the train last Wednesday... in fact we nearly missed it (are you surprised?? ;). While in downtown Nairobi we met up with someone from Lokichoggio, who proceeded to take us to a neighbourhood pub for some kingfisher fruit wine... unfortunately the 'neighbourhood' was far from the rail station, and traffic impeded our progress back. I think we jumped on the train as it was moving.. whew! Checked our 2nd class room - they had previously said 4 to a berth, same gender - but since there weren't many people on the train, we managed to miraculously acquire our own suite... sweet! The dining bell rang almost right away, and we had some surprisingly good food (along with more wine d'accord!). Since the train moves at night we didn't get to view the scenery (it goes right through a game park) but the rocking motion put me to sleep pretty fast (not a wink for Anthony though - too loud - he's truly from the middle of nowhere!)

Breakfast was early, and we arrived in Mombasa around 8am. Off in a matatu (those crazy Nissan minivans) and out to a place called Changamwe. In Nairobi, this would probably be a slum - but in Mombasa, there are no slums. The buildings were concrete and even had taps strategically placed (though the uncaring placement of garbage, sewage, and animals makes it a bit tricky to walk around). Saw where Anthony used to stay (when he was a trucker doing the Mombasa-Lokichoggio route), met some of his old friends, then met up with a girl from his hometown named Chaps and her husband Melly. They brought us to their place, where we sweated buckets and waited forever for something to eat (turned out to be noodles, matoke, which are unripe cooked bananas that taste like potatoes, and the ubiquitous goat meat). Anthony was too hot to stay in their house so retired to the cool refreshing breeze (ha! as if! but the Canadian could stand it!!). We then found a small hotel named Jambo Village (with a bar of course) and made our way via matatu to Kenyatta public beach. Throngs of people since it was Jamhuri (Independence) Day... very low tide (like Amherst way)... salty warm bathwater... then a glass-bottomed boat ride to see coral, poisonous urchins, tropical fishes... cool! AK can't swim, but it was hard to teach him in such low tide with my backpack on (like I'd leave my digital camera on the beach!! :) After sipping coconut juice and eating mangos sprinkled with chili, we matatu'ed back to Jambo Village to catch an acrobatic/comedy show. After we went to Chaps' for boilingly hot dinner, we brought her and Melly back to the Village for drinks and dancing. She (Chaps) has only been in Mombasa for a month - Melly found her in Lokichoggio years after they had been highschool sweethearts, sweet-talked her, and convinced her to be his wife.. they're very happy! End of Day 1.... and what a day!

So on Friday when we woke up (late) - no electricity, no water... no fan, sweltering heat... had to splash-shower with a bucket of water that had been there for lord knows how long. It was at least cool though! Grabbed some mango juice and a handful of peanuts, then set off for Akombo Village, a handicraft factory where they have hundreds of artisans carving all those African animals and figures you see everywhere.. I have a photo of AK with a life size teak Maasai warrior coming your way! Made our way to Fort Jesus, a harbour citadel made by the Portugese in the 16th century and thereafter sacked by the Arabs. A guide accompanied us around old Mombasa town, with its winding streets, unkempt ancient buildings, shops of jewels and silver, robed men and scarved women, and scent of curry wafting... (well, curry and garbage :). After this we vamoosed to the ferry and headed for the south coast. This is where all the beach resorts are - and as much as I wanted the 'authentic Kenyan experience' of real Mombasa, I also wanted to luxuriate... and needless to say, Anthony's never been to such a place. We managed to get the Kenyan resident rate at Jadini Beach Hotel (in Diani Beach, Southcoast, look in your travel brochures!!).. and the beach was magnificent. Fine white sand that felt like flour beneath my feet.. endless seas of pure blue - deep enough and refreshing to swim in.. wow! I loved it. Got totally sunburnt of course... but so worth it. We stayed overnight on Friday and spent all of Saturday on the beach. I definitely got my ocean fix!

Back to the city on Saturday night.. except we didn't plan on where to stay, just that we wanted to go to Northcoast to check out this singer we'd heard a few nights before. Keep in mind we've been lugging our bags the whole time.. so we trudge to a Kenyan-priced place (ie. no fancy beach hotel!) and find it full... around 9pm at night, it's one of those things no Kenyan wishes would happen - stuck on a dark road with no place to stay... We had enough cash to either eat & drink or pay for a small room the manager scraped up for us - so of course we decided to have a beer, have some food, and shoot some pool! Then we caught a ride back to a nightclub to catch that singer, danced and joined a wedding party, made some friends, and much later went back to the city centre to try our luck at Glory B&B - ch-ching, we were in business! This is a small chain in Nbi/Msa - not that it's a real decent place, but it was kinda clean and they had water - definite bonus! Plus, even though we drank all of our money, they let us stay... usually unheard of around here! (visa's not such a common thing dammit!)

On Sunday we walked around Mombasa town to book a bus back to Nbi for the following day - Anthony wanted anything other than a Nissan diesel in the hopes we wouldn't break down, and again, we lucked out. Further, as we were about to turn down a side street, a vendor whistled after Anthony and actually warned him not to go down there - not only had someone just been robbed, the thieves had spied us and were making a direction change to intercept us as their next victims. Imagine! In Nairobi the vendors would giggle while you walked as they anticipated the next robbery/entertainment act! Everyone leaves their windows open and cars unlocked in Mombasa, and the places really moves at night - with candle-lit kiosk shops lining the streets, lots of people walking about, and no one much worrying. In Nairobi the streets empty at sundown and the only people brave enough to venture the streets are watchmen, whores, and thieves... not even police (mother take note, I'm describing Nbi city centre, and I live in the nice little suburb of Lavington - completely safe!). And the most obvious difference - which I couldn't quite put my finger on until the last day - was that nothing is gated and guarded - nothing! The only watchmen around are those for the banks - ordinary houses and buildings are just unprotected. In Nairobi (incl. Lavington) every single property has a gate and a security guard - you can see how normal it's become for me - but I didn't even notice when it was gone! We went back out to Chaps' place for dinner and finished our last evening at Casablanca, just around the corner from our 'glorious' pad.

The bus trip was uneventful (though quite scenic) and we made it back to Nairobi safely... unfortunately Anthony didn't make it back to Kitale until today, but that meant we had extra time together in Nbi. [If you haven't made the connection already... I quite like Anthony! More on this later, I'm waiting until after my South Africa trip to see how we proceed... but suffice it to say we're thoroughly compatible and had a wonderful time!]

So that was the trip... just imagine how long my Capetown email will be!!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone - I'm thinking of each and every one of you as I celebrate on the beach! A big congratulations to Jeff & Karen, and Iain & Sabra!!! Someone please print this for Oma and ask Grandaddy if he's checking his mail. (Hi Oma!! Miss you!!)

Son/Shan/MikeT/Ang/Tara/Oma - you have a little something waiting at my parents' place - check with them on or after Christmas day. For everyone else, you have my best wishes & apologies that I couldn't send something to everyone... remember I'm on an international aid mission with the corresponding volunteer's salary!!! :) But feel free to visit my parents anyway :)

Note to anyone wanting to call me (hint hint): My Kenyan number won't be available after the 23rd but I will get another in SA and forward it to my parents asap. Or maybe I'll just use Amrita's - she'll be my travelling companion and her number is xxxx  - but I think you drop the zero and add the int'l code (27 for SA) - just call the operator and ask, but then dial the number yourself - it's cheaper! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Johanna

 

 

 

Copyright Johanna Voerman Khisa, 2002-03. Reprinting or reposting without permission is prohibited.