There are many ways in which I could have imagined my flight to Mombasa would have gone, but I never in a million years would I have thought that I would be descending into my new home whilst sitting in the Jump Seat of the cock-pit. Kenya’s answer to easyjet has found an interesting way round the problem of overbooking flight, and as I sat there I wondered if this would ever be considered legal in Europe.
As I landed in Mombasa I was hit by the heat. It turns out that in Kenya at least, the cost is by no means cooler than the cities. I was so grateful to find that as promised Mona and her sister were there to pick me up from the airport. They drove me to Bombolulu, picking up water and Mona’s son in law on the way. We got to Bombolulu, and had a little trouble finding the workshops. After driving round and calling Stephen (the guy who sorted out my accommodation) a couple of times, we finally managed to find where we were going. Mona and company dropped me off, and after waiting for one of the women at the centre I was finally taken to where I would be staying.
My new home is the Zimmerman Guesthouse at the Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural centre. It is a cute little bungalow with an open-planned kitchen living room, a double bed, shower and toilet. I have been here about 5 days and am getting settled in. The weather in Mombasa is unbelievably hot, and it is not even their hottest time of year. It has been a long time since I was somewhere o hot without easy access to a pool or the sea, so it is a not entirely pleasant novelty. I am sure I will get used to it soon, but for now I spend my days, and most of the nights convinced that I am about to melt right into the chair I am sitting on/bed I am lying in... And unlike anything I have felt before, after the rain comes, instead of leaving a cool wind in the air, the rain seems to strip all the moisture from the air, and leaves it even hotter than before. So it swings from hot and humid, to brief bursts of rain, to then becoming even hotter than before! How I would love a pool at this stage. The one benefit being that I don’t mind my cold shower. I had forgotten what it was like to be happy to get into a cold shower, but here I am 5 days in and it is one of the few things I think I am actually used to.
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| My new house |
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| Kitchen and dining area |
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| My bedroom |
I have to admit one of the things I am finding more and more irritating are my uninvited guests... I appear to be playing host to a veritable schmorgasboard of creatures in my little place. There are tiney little ants that get everywhere (including in my computer keyboard), there are bigger ants which look like they could take off half your toe. I have found millipedes in my sink, on my chairs and making their way across my shower mat. There is quite an impressive spread of geko poo all along my walls – I have not had the chance to get a photo of one as they move very quickly, but the poo is there to prove their existence. There are cockroaches the size of small mice, and on Monday morning to make things complete I was visited by a snake. As I sat on my sofa eating breakfast it cruised its way under my front door, had a good look around. I sat there trying to work out if I would be able to make it up over the coffee table, onto the dining table and over the kitchen work-surface quick enough were it to head my way. However, after a while it seemed to have gotten bored and proceeded to make its way back out under the front door. I have to admit, although I think snakes are very cool, I am also very aware of what they are capable of, so ever since I have been very careful when making my way out the front door and across the grass.
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| Millipede on the showermat... |
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| Yeup - that's geko poo! |
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| These tiney things get everywhere. |
The people here are lovely, but I am definitely suffering from a case of culture shock. Being a single white woman abroad isn’t very easy, and I have found that along with writing, I am spending my time trawling the internet trying to make connections with the outside world, and watching hours of cheap DVDs. I am not within distance of many ex-pats or people I would be able to hang out with on my own, and with no car I am not able to make my way around as I would like. I normally hate having technology with me when I am away, but that is when I have people to talk to and things to be doing. As I find myself sitting in a house, miles away from people I understand with very little to do, I have never been so happy to have the internet and with it the contact all of my loved ones.
But this paints a very dreary picture which is unfair. I have a fantastic place that is my own and the workshop and cultural centre is a fantastic place. It is a massive compound which houses a number of homes, a primary school, a cultural centre and a group of workshops. It is part of the Association for the Physically Disabled if Kenya (APDK) was set up to help the physically disabled people of Kenya. It provides them with skills and opportunities to become active members of their community. The cultural centre has a range of replica houses (including Kayas!) which show different cultures from Kenya and other African countries. There are also people who will play visitors traditional music and conduct traditional dances.
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| Kaya medicine hut |
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| Giriama ancestral carvings |
There is also plant nursery which grows plants for local hotels and sells seeds for people to take abroad. They have found plants which grow successfully in other climates. They have a set of photos from people across the world who have successfully grown the plants bought from Bombolulu.
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| This plant grows from the leaves (not from seeds) |
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| Making mobility vehicles |
It is a fantastic place, and the people here are very passionate about what they do. For now it is home, and once I have a car and can start making headway with work I will find I am happy and much more settled.
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| Some of animals I don't mind - very cool lizards around the place |
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