Wednesday, April 20, 2011

time out in mombasa....

Turquoise water, white sand, warm air, fresh fruit, monkeys, coconut dropping out of trees, rain, sun, bugs...fresh fish...constant requests for money, hawkers selling things we don't want or need, "mzungu, mzungu"(white person, white person), family together...plus friends, relaxation, exercise, snorkeling, reading, sleeping, sweating...walking, running, eating, drinking...talking, laughing...games...Ali leading yoga sessions...
Our week of vacation in Mombasa...
Today we went into the old town of Mombasa where we saw the sights of movies and books...Swahili culture, slave caves, old forts and harbors, feral cats, dead rats, flies on fresh meat, spices of all colors including bright pink, burkas, an old Caprice Classic in the road...How did this get here?
We are staying in a true African beach chalet...on the beach, but not without ants, lizards, a cockroach or two, hermit crabs, monkey thieves, cats and fleas!? Today Warren asked that our mattress be changed out....hoping to get fewer flea bites tonight! Somehow he is getting eaten alive despite the mosquito net?? They have no interest in me...no surprise.
Today I told Erika that I felt tired. She asked if I thought I might take a nap. I said,'no, i mean of this continent'. I was feeling wiped out by the day of travel and sightseeing, as in sight seeing...many sights, not all great. And an hour plus long wait for a ferry ride in incredibly hot conditions...with the ferry(s) in constant site...taking an assorted group of vehicles and people, but never quite getting to our line?!!?
Eventually we made it. It was a classic TIA episode.
But so was the fresh red snapper and garlic prawns that waited for us, cooked by our cook for the week, Hassani, who has whipped up an assortment of seafood and curry to die for all week long. So taking the bad with the good...we will enjoy another day of white sand and sunshine tomorrow, with plans to end the day at a restaurant inside a coral cave!

2 comments:

  1. I read your adventure out loud to Larry..."it's like watching a movie!" TIA- the uniqueness and the daily hardships. We miss you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Easter Fishers.

    Thanks you for these descriptive posts. Great to know what you are experiencing. I'm so glad that your whole family is there. Wonderful that Ali is leading everyone in Yoga.

    We miss you too. Can't wait to be with you again. We will learn from your experiences for years to come.

    Love to all of you,

    Gretchen

    ReplyDelete