Fantastic Kenya

KENYA - WATAMU - Summer 2008 Our journey begins on 25 July 2008 with the direct Eurofly flight (a little late...) from Fiumicino to Mombasa. On arrival in Mombasa (26 July) the weather isn't great; indeed, shortly afterwards we got caught in a proper downpour, luckily it didn't last long... At the airport we meet Ivana and Leonardo, a couple from Bologna, who turn out to be wonderfully friendly travelling companions!!! The transfer from the airport to Watamu takes about a couple of hours. We're staying at the Jacaranda Beach Resort, an excellent 4**** hotel under Italian management (the food is superb!!!), 7 km of dirt road from Watamu and about 20 km from Malindi.

In the afternoon we meet Salim and Dida on the Jacaranda beach, two "beach boys" we had already contacted from Italy through Federica from Grosseto, to whom our immense thanks go!!! They immediately seemed like serious, reliable people, despite their young age (23/24). We organise the excursions and negotiate at € 220.00 each (nothing like the hotel prices...) the trip to the Island of Love, the one-and-a-half-day safari in Tsavo East, the ruins of Gedi, Malindi and the Blue Safari. Ivana and Leonardo also confirm all the excursions with Salim and Dida: and so our marvellous adventure begins... 27 July: we leave at 9.00 from the Jacaranda with Ivana, Leo, Dida and Salim for Watamu: destination the Island of Love. We board from the Watamu beach on a sailing outrigger canoe to reach the island (the crossing takes about 10-15 min.).

The place is enchanting! The low tide slowly starts to make itself felt and the little strip of sand soon becomes a beautiful white beach!!! After a lovely swim and plenty of purchases from the local women (necklaces, bracelets, henna tattoos, wooden objects, sarongs and sarong clips), we have lunch based on grilled fish and excellent fruit. In the afternoon we take the canoe again and return to Watamu to visit the village, always accompanied by our trusted guides. 28 July: wake-up at 4.30 and departure at 5.00, destination Tsavo East Park. After a short stop in Malindi, the adventure into the endless savannah begins. From Malindi to the park entrance there are just under 4 hours of dirt road. We enter the park at 10.00 and after a few km come the first sightings... elephants, gazelles and zebras... there are loads of them...

shortly afterwards we spot a hippo in the distance and the splendid giraffes, and then baboons, ostriches, snake eagles... Thanks to the sharp eyes of our friends Dida and Salim we finally manage to see the lions... a bit far away but with binoculars we can make them out perfectly!!! Around 13.00 we arrive at the beautiful Voi Wildlife Lodge (we settle into our tents (yes indeed, despite the option of beautiful rooms we preferred the tent... sleeping in the silence of the savannah is a fantastic experience, especially for nature and camping lovers like us!!!). After lunch and a short nap, here we are ready again for the afternoon safari: we spot dik-diks, mongooses and again elephants and zebras. After dinner we take an hour to relax and in the darkness of the savannah two buffalo come close to the Lodge's little pond! 29 July: wake-up at 5.30.

At 6.00 Dida and Salim call us on the mobile: "Hurry, a surprise is waiting for you!!!" At the pond there weren't the 2 buffalo of the previous evening but an entire herd... lots of them... an incredible sight... If the day looks good from the morning we have a good chance of meeting the lions!!! Not two hours later, there they are... in the middle of the yellow steppe of the savannah... there are two... fantastic!!! That morning was luckier than we could ever have expected... Salim's lynx eyes spot 2 cheetahs... a bit fleetingly but we manage to see them before they move away... What an emotion!!! We return to the Jacaranda for lunchtime with strong emotions... 30 July: a sunny morning at the Jacaranda and after lunch departure for Watamu with our friends from Bologna, Dida and Salim. We go to visit the children of the orphanage, leaving pens, notebooks and maize flour.

A touching encounter... heart in the throat. The afternoon continues with a visit to the ruins of Gedi, a fine archaeological site of a 13th-century Arab town, and then on to Malindi, where we visit the wood factory and a few little shops to buy small gifts for relatives and friends. 31 July: departure at 8.30 for Watamu, where at 9.00 we board the boat for the Blue Safari excursion in the marine park: we see many colourful fish in the lovely turquoise sea and the mangroves! We land on a small island and have lunch based on coconut rice with octopus, lobster and grilled prawns, always followed by excellent fruit! We return to Watamu and spend a couple of hours in the company of Dida and Salim... by now our holiday is almost over and we were happy to bring in other Italians to keep our trusted friends working. We spend the last day in idleness... sun, sea and walks at low tide.

We say goodbye to and thank our lads Salim and Dida, leaving them medicines, shampoo, toothpaste, Autan, etc. Without them it would have been a banal seaside holiday... Jambo Kenya, we hope to meet again!!!! If you'd like to ask me for more information, don't hesitate to write to me: alessiasaracino@libero.it Or you can contact Salim directly: mobile +254.736722513 salimomarabubakar@yahoo.com Dida: dida.momo@yahoo.com