On the Water in Kenya

Before I reached the gorgeous Diani Beach, I had an interesting 1.5 hour taxi ride from Mombasa.

The city of Mombasa is on an island. There are two bridges and a bypass road, but to head south along the coast, the easiest way is using a ferry.

There are usually four ferries going back and forth constantly. It was 180 shilling (Cdn$1.80) for our car but foot passengers were free.

And as I’ve seen everywhere in Africa, payment was cashless via an app.

There is no bridge on this side of the island due to ships headed to the large international port.

After the cars loaded, hundreds of foot passengers flowed down the hill.

An older ferry loading.

Meeting another ferry on route.

Both sides of the channel were jammed with people, markets and transportation (motorcycles, tuktuks, buses), and we moved very slowly!

I had a small two-bedroom cottage. It wasn’t fancy but it was on the beach and very quiet and peaceful. And it had a kitchen, which was very exciting with my restaurant fatigue.

You have to try mosquito nets to know how a moth trapped in a curtain feels in the middle of the night!

View from my veranda.

It’s usually booked solid a year ahead with regulars. The other guests were all working in or from Africa. The group of Italians working for a NGO were very nice. And a young family originally from Lethbridge in Canada were next door!

The biggest excitement was the baboon. I was sitting at my table when he pushed in my door that wasn’t latched tightly. He was a meter tall and reluctantly left when I yelled at him.

My neighbours weren’t as lucky. He got in their cottage and trashed the kitchen, including opening the fridge. Two days in a row.

The funniest moment was watching the groundskeeper chasing him away with a slingshot!

I walked the beach for hours. The vendors got to know me, and joked if I was walking to Mombasa!

Taking a tuktuk into the grocery store. One of two times in a week I had to put on shoes.

There was also a fruit guy who came around every day.

He was the quintessential African. An entrepreneur, friendly, willing to bring whatever you wanted, and preferred payment in M-pesa.

I ended up buying more because he didn’t have change. I gorged on passion fruit, mango, pineapple and sweet little bananas!

And all in reusable cloth bags as no plastic here.

M-pesa is a mobile payment where vendors, shops. Tuktuks, literally everyone has a number you input to transfer money. I had the wrong cellular provider to make it easy but definitely recommend.

Kite surfing was huge. Much nicer than jet skis.

Fish with a coconut sauce!

It was a wonderful birthday week of being a barefoot beach bum!

Then it was time to put on shoes and head north up the coast to Lamu.

Lamu is part of an archipelago of islands. The airport was across the water so first step was a boat.

Hotels had people greeting you so very easy.

There are no cars on Lamu. Just many, many donkeys. And motorcycles.

Streets are tiny and wandering. Perfect for getting lost. The only wide area was along the water.

Dating back to at least the 12th century, Lamu is the oldest surviving Swahili town in East Africa and the only coastal settlement to retain its original character.

During its heyday (1700-1900) Lamu was a wealthy trading port. The old town is full of buildings from that period, made of coral with limestone.

I took with a tour with an older local guide.

Demonstrating the benches where the men sat all day while women were hidden inside.

Some houses have been bought by foreigners and restored in a deluxe style.

The area was built in the 17th century. My hotel was originally three houses. The rooms were small and basic but there were many nice outdoor places to sit. And extremely short showers with only cold water.

Lamu Fort was started in 1810 by the Omanis. In 1910 it was converted to a prison under British rule. It remained a prison until it became a museum in 1985.