"There was only one thing I wanted then: to return to Africa. I hadn't left it yet, but every time I"

setting off

excitement at its peak... it's the first time I've tackled such a long trip! the plane leaves two hours late and after 10 hours and a stopover in Zanzibar we arrive in Mombasa. I'm in Africa, I can't believe it! The air is warm and humid and the sky an unforgettable blue. at the airport a tedious rigmarole begins: they have us fill out forms for the visa, forms for swine flu etc. and the first tips begin... tip to the police officers, tip to the baggage handlers. our fellow passengers abandon us and my mom and I are left alone, waiting for someone to come pick us up. At the exit there are two men who call us and lead us toward the minibus that will take us to our village. thus begins our adventure. from the minibus I observe Mombasa, a chaotic city, full of people walking in the street, full of colors and scents.

we move away from the chaos and take a straight, narrow road that will take us all the way to Watamu. stretches of agave. beautiful. the asphalt ends and a path begins that seems to lead into the jungle... out of nowhere children appear greeting us... many... barefoot and hungry. we arrive at the Jacaranda truly tired and worn out from the trip but they welcome us very warmly, they offer us a meal outside regular hours and give us information about the village and the excursions organized by them. they ask us for a higher price than what I had read on the internet for the safari... I refuse! I wander around the village, it's now five in the afternoon and there aren't many people... I want to see the beach... the ocean. an emotion overwhelms me... the colors, the wind, the silence... Africa I've arrived!