the coast

So I am currently traveling with my two friends on the coast. We left Nairobi on Friday night and took the overnight train to Mombasa. It was supposed to take 14 hours but ended up taking 20. Oh well, we still got there and found a guest house to stay in right in town. We showered, in cold water of course and chilled for the evening. That night we went out for dinner and drinks and enjoyed a bit of the coastal city night life... very fun. Sunday morning we shopped around it town and bought some cloths called kangas which are brighly colored wraps that Kenyan women wear. Then we headed toward the ferry (because the city of Mombasa is on an island) and crossed the channel. From there we took a matatu, a 14 passenger van t othe town of Ukunda and from there to Diani Beach. We found a place to stay (using the Lonely Planet guidebook which we have been living by!). It was a cottage about 100 yards from the beach and it had a restaurant attached, very very cool. We spent the afternoon on the beach and swam. The water was wartmer than any shower I have take here the entire time....

Monday morning we woke up very early and took a matatu to Bodo, the little village we did our rural homestay in when I was a student here. It's in the absolute middle of nowhere and its beautiful. It was cool for Cara and Elizabeth to see it and meet my family and everything. We drank water from fresh coconuts, walked around the village, saw the beach, ate coconut rice, and relaxed. It was wonderful! Later we somehow got a free ride back to our place, which was nice. We ate at restaurant last night right on the water with our feet in the sand. Diani Beach is pretty touristy but there are some beautiful places.

This morning we headed back into Mombasa and took the ferry to town where we boarded a matatu to Malindi. We got to Malindi, put out stuff in a guest House (thanks Lonely Planet) and headed to the beach where we spent the last 4 hours. It was not quite as nice of a beach but still pretty sweet. Were leaving here tomorrow morning to go to Lamu, an island 4 hours north of here up towards the Somali border. It's supposed to be beautiful, very traditional and awesome. I'm hyped....

The trip has been great so far. We have really enjoyed it and it's been nice to get away from the every day routine. I've seen more white people in the last 2 days than in the last 3 months combined.. haha but still not many Americans.

I hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful December weather in the US. It is 90 and sunny and beautiful and hot here EVERY DAY. I'll soak up some rays for you all....