Moving on: The Mtwapa chapter

There are few things more generous than opening your home to someone, and you really know your friends, when not only do they open their home to you, but give you a place to live when you find yourself homeless. And thus I found that I not only have I made friends who are fantastic to hang out with, but I had made at least two very generous friends. On my return to Kenya I was given a place to live by Marloes and Kim. They were originally living with Sinead, but now that she was gone, and I was homeless they took me in, and what a blast we had.

The next few weeks the logistics surrounding my project came on leaps and bounds. I bought a car, spent a lot of time going back and forth from Mombasa to Kilifi meeting with the Coastal Forest Conservation Unit  (CFCU - the branch of the National Museums of Kenya who I am affiliated with) discussing and shaping my project and I found a place to live in Kilifi (that would be available in July).

But the month I spent with the girls wasn’t all work! With trips to Diani for Rugby matches, more wakeboarding practice, a few more parties, midnight chats and giraffes in Mombasa. I also became closer to Kim and Marloes, and got to know the work that they do with their charity ‘Why Not’ better (for more information on Why Not, please visit: http://en.whynotkenya.org/) I spent time with them and the children that they work with, and found real inspiration in the work that they do, and their dedication to what they do.

Kim at Haller Park

I also continued to find my feet in Kenya. It turns out that there is as much skill learning to live and work in a country like Kenya as there is in the research that I do, and to be able to do so in a way that has balance and focus is something that will take me more than my first trip to master. I developed my own small philosophy for working here based on a meal at a local cafe. On ordering my usual chapatti and cabbage I began to devour my favourite meal. However half way through, when ripping off a piece of my chapatti I discovered a load of dead ants inside the chapatti. Without thinking, I opened the layers of the chapatti, scrapped out the ants and carried on eating what was in fact a lovely meal. I didn’t realise what I had done until I was walking away from the cafe. At that point I realised I had come to a new understanding of how to live in Kenya – if you can push all the bad bits to one side and ignore them, then you can just enjoy life out here. 

Arusha to Zanzibar: Part 3 – Beaches, Spices and Stunning Streets

As is the usual fashion for all those travelling round Africa (and many other parts of the world) via public transport, the next step in our trip saw Seline and I getting up very early. This time we were prepared. So with bags packed, packed breakfasts and taxis ordered the start to the day was not so bad and we were on the bus to Dar Es Salam in no time. As anyone who has ever travelled with me as a passenger will know... I don’t make the best company. Put me in a car, train, bus or boat, and unless I am driving or watching for something specific I’m out like a light. I was even known to fall asleep in the landrover whilst working in a game park in South Africa. So poor Seline spent the first 5 hours of the journey watching me seep. And by sleep I mean practically unconscious – I even missed a free drink!

Once awake the journey suddenly went a lot slower, but did give me the opportunity to discuss plans with Seline. We had none. Well other than to get over to Zanzibar as soon as possible, and head for a beach. We looked up a few places in Seline’s Lonely Planet guide and made the decision that we would find somewhere cheap to stay by Matemwe beach. We were assured that the bus would get us into Dar in time to get a taxi to the docks and the last ferry over to Zanzibar. Time was getting tight, but we jumped in a taxi and sped across the city. After some in-car-bargaining (never recommended) we came to an agreement 20,000 if we made the ferry; 15,000 if not. We didn’t and unlike was promised our taxi driver also did not take us to the main office to buy tickets. Instead I found myself being yelled at and insulted by Swahili men who were selling us what seemed like rather dodgy tickets. I battled through, and eventually got what we hoped were real tickets, for a decent price for the first ferry out in the morning. We then headed to a hostel.

Once at the hostel I realised our second mistake. We had let the taxi driver put our bags in the boot. After another heated exchange, and almost having my baggage stolen we finally got inside. Dar was not making a good impression on either of us. We showered and decided that after a very long and what ended up being quite a stressful day we would treat ourselves to a posh dinner at the Palm hotel in town. This time we found a much friendlier taxi driver, and headed off for an evening of gorgeous food and beautiful surroundings.

The next day we got up and were on the ferry heading to Zanzibar by 7am. We decided to play it safe this time. Instead of being caught by drivers by the ferry we would head into town a bit (hoping to look like we knew where we were going) and would find a driver away from everyone else so we didn’t get caught up in the swarms. We found a driver and after discovering that I possessed a Kenyan Permit, he agreed to take us to Matemwe for ‘local price’. By lunchtime, we were checked in, showered and reading our books on sun loungers by the sea, and officially relaxing.

The next few days were wonderful. We found a great hotel which let us sit by their pool and use their facilities as long as we bought a drink (and of course we normally bought more than one). We relaxed, went snorkeling, ate fantastic food, and even treated ourselves to a massage. All our concerns and stresses from the safari and Dar were gone, and we were loving it!

Seline enjoying our spot by the pool

Time was soon running out, and there is more to do in Zanzibar than to sit on a beach. I had planned on going on the famous spice tours, but instead decided an extra day on the beach was worth it, but we both wanted to see stone town. We were not disappointed. We had two days to explore (and as was now the tradition – shop!) and it was wonderful. We found great places to eat (including a place that served real, absolutely gorgeous, ice-cream), we went to markets, and explored the alleys. It is such a beautiful and interesting place, and small enough to do on foot, but with enough stuff to see that one could get lost for days.

Our hostel in Stone Town

A little 'window' shopping...

Unfortunately that was not quite possible. So after a couple of days the time came for Seline and I to part, and head back to our respective projects. Luckily for me it is not only possible, but faster, cheaper and much easier to fly from Zanzibar to Mombasa. So by mid afternoon on the 25^th June I was back in Mombasa and heading to Mtwapa and my new home (for now).