mombasa

Kaleigh and I were headed home from the Abilia's home last Sunday when I turned to her and said, "Kaleigh, let's go to Mombasa this week." I said it out loud and that was all that needed to happen. Everything from there got pulled together flawlessly with tons of help from Babu and we were on the all night bus two days later to Mombasa. 

It was a long night. My butt bone was not very happy with the 7 hour ride. We get there and it is humid. We take a motorcycle taxi to Mombasa Backpackers and check in. We tried to sleep a little more but nothing was coming for me. We hit the beach. 

We encountered beach boy after beach boy. They walk and talk with you up and down the beach... even if you walk a mile or two. They will stick to your side. They try to sell you things and get you to go snorkeling or swimming with the dolphins. Also on this beach were a plethora of white people. This is where they have all been hiding. Most of these white people where older grandparents in bikinis or speedos. It was awful. I bet the beach boys really like Kaleigh and I because we were a good break from that nasty sight. 

We just walked the beach that day and then headed back to the hotel. While grabbing lunch their we met Jochen. He is this blessed soul from Germany. He taught German in Eldoret, Kenya for 2 years and was back to visit. He has a ton of tattoos, piercings, is vegan and loves to smoke. He was so nice and just a great person. It was an insta-friendship and after lunch he took us on an adventure to Fort Jesus and Old Town. 

Fort Jesus is this old ruin looking place. I have no real idea on the historical stuff behind it but I do know that it is in the shape of Jesus. There are two arms, two legs and a head. It was fun to explore and it looked super cool. I also don't know very much about Old Town but it was one of the first towns settled by the Portuguese when they came to Kenya. 

Old Town was just cool to walk around. I love walking around Kenya. I think that I just love Kenya. Yup, that is it. We went home after that. We watched movies and hit the hay. In the morning we woke up and hit the beach. We walked up and down it for hours. We made an appointment to get henna at 2. We take the matatu into Mombasa and then jump into a tuk tuk to get the rest of the way. 

I love tuk-tuks. It was Kaleigh's first experience in one. The driver dropped us off where this lady said she would met us. She came like 15 to 20 minutes later and had us go up 3 flights of stairs to her house. She did my henna first. I got a portion of my shoulder and foot done. Kaleigh was next. She got a ton done on one foot/ leg and both hands. After I got a little done on one hand. She was a proper Indian Kenyan. She didn't over charge us. We paid 800/= for the both of us and headed home. 

My shoulder is my favorite part. I love it. We watched more movies that night and went to bed. In the morning we went back to the beach. We hustled with the beach boys and struck a deal with one of them to go snorkeling for 2000/= a person. We went back to the hotel and changed. Jochen ran into us on the beach and ended up joining. We got onto this ghetto isha wooden boat and headed out into the ocean. 

The tide was way out. We walked on the reef for a while before we got to the lagoons to snorkel in. We saw a lot of cool animals and creatures on the reef. Kaleigh also fell into the reef and got sea urchin in her foot. That was eventful. 

Then we went snorkeling in the lagoons. It was sweet. The first lagoon we went to was like we were apart of Finding Nemo. There were so many fishes swimming around. I loved it. We could have stayed there for hours. They took us to another lagoon that was larger. It was crazy. We were right there with the coral reef. It was sweet. We also watched a puffer fish go from normal to blown up. It was incredible. I loved it so much. 

We headed back to the boat via the reef again. We found more animals and creatures. 

Jochen was super hungry. We basically ran home and changed and went to the Java House. Jochen and I got fajitas and Kaleigh got a burrito. It was a good taste of home. It was Jochen's first taste of Mexico. He loved it. 

After that Kaleigh and I went to get aloe vera for our extreme sunburns and then to the hotel to pack. We got our things together. Our night bus left at 9:00. We got to Nairobi at 7:00 am and were back in our home by 9:00. 

It was a wonderful vacation. I know you are all thinking that we are already on a vacation but it was break well needed. Also you are most likely thinking... did I wear the same thing everyday? The answer is yes. No shame. It was comfy and that place was freaking hot. Don't hate. A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do.