Watamu

Tuesday 3rd July 2007 Ocean Sports, Watamu
The south east monsoon, the “kaskazi” blew gales all night and we had to move the Landy to face the wind as we were flapping and rocking with the wind. The palm trees sounded like the rattle of porcupine quills as the leaves vibrated in the gale. Not a good night. This Kaskazi blows from April to October, then the monsoon trade winds change to northeast, from November to March called the Kazi. These are the trade winds exploited by the arab dhows during the Eoropean medieval times when Europe was in the clench of the Roman Catholic church. East Africa was being exploited by the Arab Sultans who were trading with spices and textiles from Persia for ivory, gold and slaves from Africa.


Monday 2nd July 2007 Ocean Sports, Watamu
North again to Watamu, where the only available campsite near the beach was at a resort called Ocean Sports which was closed for renovations pending the high season starting in August. ‘Helen’ kindly said we could stay here for R40 per night per couple. The beach is full of seaweed and pollution with empty blue water bottles and old broken plastic slops. Not very attractive. B&M and we visited the famous Gedi ruins while the others sat in the campsite.
These ruins are very like the others we have seen, but extend over 45Ha. It is a whole city , but only the upper class ‘inner city’ has been excavated. There were the remains of the palace, mosques, tombs and houses. We spent the afternoon frustrating the otherwise competent guide who couldn’t answer all our questions and speculations. The remains of the water and sewerage systems are always fascinating.

Sunday 1st July 2007 Kilifi Beach North coast of Kenya
We left reluctantly because it was such a beautiful, peaceful site, but Brian had negotiated that if the others stayed an extra night, we would forfeit one night there. (?????????????). Anyway, it had been agreed, so off B,D,I&W went northwards towards Mombassa while B&M and we went south towards Diana Beach and Shimoni. At Shimoni we were guided through a ‘slave cave’ where it is reputed that the Arab slave traders kept the slaves before loading them on the ships. The guide spoke as if he had learned everything off pat out of a book, with little expression, it was quite funny. We could see the remains of the iron shackles imbedded in the coral rocks. There were stalagmites and stalactites around, still growing. There was a well inside where the slaves could have drunk, and the height of the slightly brackish water still rises and falls with the tide. We took a walk around some other old ruins which had been declared National Monuments in 2002.
We couldn’t find a beach to match Kiwi further south as all the lodges were right next to each other and there was nowhere to get down without going through a lodge whose prices were quoted in pounds stirling! Brian had to have a puncture fixed (potholes I the tar again!) And we had a pizza lunch at Leonardos, an Italian restaurant where everything is made of wood. Absolutely beautiful. There were two range rovers outside which had been rebuilt with all the external metal exchanged for magnificent wood, well varnished and glowing. As we left we passed an sorbet parlor and succumbed to temptation and after tasting a few, all chose the passion fruit flavour. Delicious and refreshing. Had a taste of western Italian culture in amongst all the Africanisation.
So we went north to Mombassa, which is built on an island. Three roads link Mombassa with the mainland. The north road, over a bridge, the west road over a causeway, and the south road which uses a very efficient ferry service over the bay (the one we used, for only R6). We drove around the ‘old town’, similar but not as nice as Stone Town on Zanzibar, with similar Arab origins. We drove up the narrow streets, with the streets getting narrower and narrower with the Landys battling to squeeze through the alleyways, and Nev muttering that he thought he was going the wrong way. We eventually ended up going the wrong way down a one-way street with everyone gesticulating, but Nev was already committed and couldn’t turn, would have had to reverse for 300m, so he drove the rest of the way, luckily not meeting an oncoming vehicle, and Brian following shouting over the radio that we are going the wrong way. Mombassa is a typical small African city with dust and traffic, mixture of first and third world, street traders nd luxury shops, and nothing special apart from its unique position. The ferry crosses a shipping route in and out of the harbour.
We then proceeded north to Kilifi along another badly potholed tar road. The others had got there first and negotiated for us to stay in the only place they could find, which was the use of one room at a holiday resort. We had to park in the construction site, but it did include breakfast for all of us, and it was a safe place to sleep. Our worst campsite so far, Nev would rather have negotiated with a farmer.

Saturday 30th June 2007 Twigi Campsite, Tiwi Beach
At low tide this morning we took a walk along the exposed intertidal coral reef which extended 400metres from the shore, spotting cowries, brittle-stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, lots of different little fish, and Brian got squirted with ink by a startled octopus. We went snorkeling and walking in the pools and caves. Then I went thud, or sthlup as Nev says, both feet in the air, I slipped and landed on my side on a rocky protrusion on my left thigh, whew ouch! Now I am really handicapped and am battling to walk with a huge bruise on my thigh.
The group seems to have naturally divided itself into two. Those who want to see and do as much as possible (Brian, Maureen and us) and others (Ingrid, Beryl and Dave) who are quite willing to sit in camp biding their time, but champing at the bit wanting to get a move on so that they can achieve their goal of reaching home by 30th November instead of Christmas, as originally planned. With Willy sitting in the middle. We hope it doesn’t cause problems.
This afternoon Nev changed another universal on the prop-shaft and then we went for a swim when the tide was high again. We had prawns for supper while sitting on the beach watching the rising full moon glistening on the sea.

Friday 29th June 2007 Twigi Campsite, Tiwi Beach
We packed and left, taking a lousy side route through the rural areas where the trees have again been devastated by the charcoal demand. In a remote village we were stopped by very smartly dressed, friendly and polite policemen, and for the first time was asked to produce Nev’s driver’s license and insurance papers. All the other police road blocks we have come across seem to wave tourists through. The route took us via Shimba Hills National Park (didn’t go to that reserve either) which was very overgrown with very large trees, and finally arrived at Tiwi Beach where we joined the others.
This is the BEST!
Palm-tree lined white sands, right on the beach, surf sounds, full moon, perfect.
This is the typical tourist brochure beach, paradise.

Thursday 28th June 2007 Royal Safari Lodge, Voi
We went back to Nairobi and the temperature dropped from 33 deg to 14 deg within 20Km as we rose up the hill. Brian’s Landy was fixed, finding that his power steering pump had also given in. He spent a total of R10,000 having the following fixed: clutch, a couple of bearings replaced, and power steering, and brake cylinder. While we waited, we went to a panel beating shop to have bolts tightened as our roof had been vibrating and needed screws replaced.
We then proceeded towards Mombassa along a pretty terrible road, and suddenly after about 80Km we traveled on a brand new “China” road, the best since we have left SA. The country was very dry and desolate like the Karroo. We passed a section of kilometers of extrusive volcanic lava rocks which lined the road, and saw the mountain with its volcanic lava flows steaming off to our right.
There was a section which has the most concentration of baobabs we have ever seen, thousands and thousands of grey-topped trees covered the landscape in all directions between the Maasai homesteads. Maasai cattle sheep and goats are everywhere, and overgrazing is very evident. We made good time and slept the night at a campsite in a nondescript little town near the East gate of Tsavo National Park (which we didn’t go to) called Voi.

Wednesday 27th June 2007 Ologasailie
This morning before it was too hot, for we are now in the Rift Valley where it is hot and arid, Maasai country, we took a tour around the museum and diggings of the archeologists. There was no-one actively digging because at this time of the year it is too hot. It is a joint project between the Smithsonian Institute of USA and the National Museums of Kenya. Thousands of stone hand tools were found in the area, as well as the petrified bones of extinct hippos, zebras, etc, and a complete skeleton of an extinct elephant, twice the size of the African elephant of today which lived 750,000 ears ago. The bones and many of the implements are still lying around in the protected areas. The sites are very well preserved and it was most interesting. I was sad we had missed the Olduvai Gorge in the Serengeti (because of the democratic vote of the others outweighing those who wanted to see it). In Northern Lake Turkana is another such site, I hope to see that one too.
Then we went south to the beautiful pink Lake Magadi where there is a huge Soda Ash mining company and its associated town. This lake was different from the others, although it had thousands of flamingoes, pelicans, yellow-billed storks and other birds which took to flight and settled again as if to an orchestrated ballet.
We loved the Olorgasailie camp site so much we made our way back in preparation to once again spend time in Nairobi for Landrover to complete their job on Brian’s Landy. I am glad we didn’t miss this part of the trip, and cannot understand why the others preferred to spend the time at the beach.

Tuesday 26th June 2007 Olorgasailie
Brian’s Landy was meant to be ready at 10am and eventually at 12.30 they let us have it and we left to go towards Lake Magadi, where we were meant to be by Saturday 23rd. We dropped from 2000m near Nairobi to 607m and realized there were hot places on the equator after all. On our way there, Brian radioed us to stop as there was black oil on the windscreen. It turned out that an oil pipe had come apart and the fan had sprayed the oil everywhere. Also the aircon didn’t work, so the Landrover garage in Nairobi did a terrible half job and we have to go back for them to complete it. Brian secured the pipe and we made our way to Olorgasailie Prehistoric diggings and camped in the silence. There is something about remoteness and silence which is good for the soul. We all felt it as soon as we got here, and relished it after the continual noise of the city. We talked in hushed tones as if the area were sacred. The light of the moon approaching full was sufficient and the crackling of the fire was the only sound. Peace.