Magical Kenya...

Kenya... I dreamed of this trip for so long that, as soon as I had the chance, I didn't hesitate... The four of us set off for Mombasa on 21/09/2007 with a night flight with Livingstone, a smooth journey even though the excitement was great.. We land in Mombasa after 8 hours of flying and the Condor coach is already there waiting for us; after loading the luggage we set off for Watamu, a small village about 25 km from Malindi. The coach journey lasts 3 hours, luckily on an almost entirely tarmacked road. I look out of the window and the magic of Kenya wins us over at once with its colours, sounds and sensations... everything seems like a dream to me! At last we arrive at the village, the Aquarius Resort in Watamu. The structure is beautiful, in full Swahili style, the restaurant is excellent and the staff are friendly and helpful.

The only downside is the almost non-existent entertainment. Once we've dropped our bags we listen to the briefing at the hotel; naturally they start presenting the excursions and making endless remarks about the "dangerousness" of the beach boys (they're lads from Watamu you find right outside the hotel or on the beach; at first you'll surely think they're too pushy but trust them because they're really capable people who work with great enthusiasm) Well!!! The prices they offer us at the hotel are outrageous but it doesn't matter because we already know who to turn to. We decide to go straight to the beach and outside our hotel there was Zucchero waiting for us, a beach boy contacted beforehand from Italy!! We immediately realise he's an exceptional lad and that with him there was no risk; he's very experienced and speaks Italian very well.

He offers us the same excursions as the hotel but at really convenient prices, to say the least half of what the tour operator asks, and we can also count on his constant assistance. We immediately decide to book three excursions: the 2-day Safari to Tsavo East with an overnight stay at the Voi Wildlife Lodge (full board), the Blue Safari and Malindi; it was also possible to organise other excursions such as the island of Lamu, Marafa, Mida Creek etc. but we only had a week available. We go to the beach crossing the Aquarius path, reserved for guests only, and we're immediately struck by the colour of the sea, not to mention the sand, which here is so white it looks like talcum powder... a true paradise. The next day we set off for the Blue Safari; the excursion consists of a day at sea, snorkelling in the marine park and a lunch of lobster.

We set off on a boat complete with glass bottom, we stopped in the middle of the marine park where it was possible to dive. We then set off again towards the mangroves and arrive at a lovely beach where a group of lads welcome us with songs and dances; they're hilarious. Naturally the "restaurant" is outdoors and we eat rice with coconut sauce, lobster, king prawns, swordfish, octopus all grilled, and plenty of fruit. After lunch we stayed there a while talking with the local lads, who told us a bit about their lives, and we bought a few souvenirs. The following day we spend on the beach; the sea is wonderful and thanks to the succession of tides truly incredible natural pools form, there are beautiful starfish everywhere. It's astonishing how much the sea recedes leaving immense stretches of white sand and the landscape changes several times during the day..

We try to enjoy this day of relaxation but we're excited because the next day we leave for the Safari. At six we're already on the minibus together with our inseparable guide and a very nice couple of lads from Sardinia, Barbara and Fabrizio, who have joined our little group. The road to reach the Park is incredible... two hours on a not particularly comfortable road but the landscape is astonishing.. we meet lots of children in their colourful school uniforms who walk for miles to get to school and greet us cheerfully. At last we arrive at the entrance of Tsavo East Park and on the banks of the river we can see crocodiles, very close up. We set off on a game drive among the animals; we're immediately struck by the colours of the Savannah burnt by the sun, by the majestic Baobabs, and we soon see lots of baboons, zebras, giraffes, elephants...

the sight is extraordinary, beyond all expectations!! Lunch break at the Voi Wildlife Lodge, a luxury structure inside the Park; they welcome us with damp towels to freshen up - we're covered in a thin layer of red sand (which will hardly come out of our clothes!!) - and offer us something to drink. They hand us the room keys; you could choose to sleep in tented camps or in the lodge. The thing that struck me most about this structure is that opposite the restaurant terrace there's a small lake where the animals come to drink; at dawn and dusk it's possible to take picture-postcard photos.. In the afternoon we see a great many animals, elephants, gazelles, antelopes, giraffes, dik-diks and lots of buffaloes...

now the only thing we want is to see lions! After a couple of hours of breathtaking landscapes and red earth everywhere, we manage to see some lions but they're too far away to photograph, and besides they're lying in the shade of a big tree and have no intention of moving from there... it really is very hot!!! We're a little disappointed but the sunset on the savannah consoles us.. a spectacle of indescribable colours that's hard to put into words.. We return to the Lodge for dinner. Everything is delicious, and the company is excellent too; we're all cheerful and happy for the emotions this place is giving us. The next morning a very early wake-up call and after an abundant breakfast we're ready for a new outing in the Park; we continue to see animals and take photos, each more beautiful than the last..

On the way back we cross small villages of red earth and stop to see the places where the film "Out of Africa" was shot; we take the opportunity to greet some children and give them pencils and sweets.. The next day we spend the morning on the beach and after lunch we're ready for the visit to Malindi. We visited the wood factory where numerous artisans create fabulous sculptures, masks and statues; naturally we do a bit of shopping (prices are anyway cheaper on the beach..) and take a wander round the city. Back at the Aquarius we ask Zucchero if he can take us to Mama Lucy, a lovely supermarket where there's a bit of everything and which is near our hotel. With the energy we have left we ask our guide if it's possible to visit Watamu and he, helpful as usual, obliges; we see the cinema, the bar and the various little shops...

There would be an endless number of things to do but unfortunately our week of holiday is about to end, so on the last day we decide to spend it on the beach but we're a bit unlucky because it rains all day.. so we spend the time chatting with the beach boys who are anyway always there outside the hotel and are so nice that it's hard not to feel like their friends.. The moment of farewells has arrived and the sadness is truly great.. We thank with all our hearts all the people of Watamu whom we were lucky enough to meet on this trip, and a special thanks to our guide Zucchero because he made our holiday a wonderful and unforgettable experience! We love you. You can contact Zucchero by e-mail zuccherojirah@hotmail.com or mobile 00254735266394 and visit his website