Saasa!!
I just got back last night from Mombasa and a one-day game drive in
Tsavo and wanted to tell you a bit about my trip. This is the part of
Africa that most people desire to see in their lifetimes.
The day before we left (Wednesday), we had a little business to attend to. We went to the orphanage that Jennifer (Ann's sister) works at. This orphanage is called Amazing Grace and its about a 5-minute walk from the house. All of the children are orphans from HIV/AIDS. What was different about this one though is that it was clean and neat and every child had his/her own bed. There were also more than 1 bathroom and indoor plumbing. There was a large classroom area for the children to learn, decorated with posters and their art work. This is what an orphanage should be -- not depressing and overcrowded and dirty. We delivered storybooks to the children and read to them all afternoon.
Okay, now to the holiday. Our plane left Nairobi at 7 am for Mombasa.
Its a 1-hour flight that only cost $125 US round-trip. We got to Mombasa and checked into our hotel and headed straight to the beach! We had Thanksgiving lunch at this amazing restaurant/pub called Pirates. We indulged on black-pepper and citrus fish with chips (fries) and Tusker Lager. It was no turkey, but the fish was so incredible (since its a coastal town, all the seafood is really fresh). We went back to the hotel and spent time pool-side, had dinner in their restaurant, and went to bed early.
The next morning we were picked up in our own private van at 5 am to
head out on the 2-hour drive to Tsavo East National Park.  We drove
around the park until noon, had lunch at a gorgeous hill-top lodge
overlooking the park, and headed back out for another couple-hour drive before leaving the park and being dropped back at our hotel. Here is a comprehensive list of animals we saw: Eagles, a Monitor Lizard, Snakes, Wildebeests, a Wild Dog, Impala, Dik Diks, Gazelle, Heartbeests, Zebras, Baboons, Buffalo, Giraffes , 3 Elephants, 5 Lions (all female), and an array of gorgeous/colorful lizards and birds. That night we walked to a restaurant not too far from our hotel and retired early.
Saturday, we went to the historical landmark Fort Jesus and had a tour of the facility and surrounding neighborhood. After that we returned to Pirates for beer and a snack and had them watch our backpacks as we spent the afternoon on the beach and swimming in the Indian Ocean. I ended up getting stung by a one-inch long jellyfish, which hurt a bit but wasn't terrible. At sunset we went to a famous Mombasa restaurant on that overlooks the bay called Tamborind. We had cocktails and a full 3-course fresh seafood meal (mine was lobster bisque, red snapper with prawns and rice, and an assortment of fresh fruit sorbet). It definitely rates up there with one of the best meals I've ever had.
Sunday, we went to a cultural center in the morning. This place houses a few hundred people who are blind, deaf, and/or disabled from polio.
There are a series of workshops that employ these people and they make jewelry, wood carvings, and an assortment of many other African crafts which they sell in a shop on-site. The proceeds from the shop go to fund the center and to provide income for the residents. In the afternoon, we went back to the beach were I spent the afternoon lounging in the shade and reading. We flew back in the evening. Everywhere was so great that I would love to return again.
Later this week is Kamau's (Ann's brother) wedding. Other than that, I don't have too much more planned until mid-December. I will try to keep you all posted as I continue on my journey. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! - Mark
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