Weekend in Mombasa and Diani Beach

This weekend I went to Mombasa, which is on the Kenyan coast. Not gonna lie, Mombasa is a pretty sketchy city. Noisy, dirty, and impossible to walk down the street without someone grabbing your arm offering to take you on a tour or sell you some junky trinkets.

The famous Mombasa tusks--every source gave me a different explanation of their significance.


I took the overnight train there, which arrived in Mombasa at 9:30am (it was supposed to get there an hour earlier, but that's Kenya for you, I guess). I stayed in a cheap hostel in the center of the city, and slept under mosquito netting--malaria is apparently a big problem on the coast. Saturday morning I walked around Old Town and Fort Jesus--the big sites in the city. The constant hassling got really annoying though, so after a while I checked my guidebook for another way to spend the afternoon.

View of the ocean from Old Town--I made the man trying to sell me fake ebony Maasai warrior figurines stand behind me to take this picture


I decided to visit Bombolulu Workshop, which is a type of village that provides vocational training for the physically disabled, who learn how to create and market different handicrafts. I toured the workshops and learned how the village operates--it was really amazing. They have a shop onsite where 80% of what they sell they make in the various workshops, the other 20% come from other cooperatives with fair-trade policies. I was happy they took Visa.

Wood carving workshop at Bombolulu--the workers are behind me but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to take their picture...


Later that night I went out to watch England v. Portugal and then went to bed really early--my plan was to wake up at 5:30am and head to Diani Beach (about 45min away) for the day. Well, the 5:30am plan didn't work out, but I eventually got to Diani at about 9:30, where I learned that all of the full day boat tours had left at 7:30am (when I originally wanted to get there). I was a little disappointed, but found one of the big resort hotels, pretended like I was a guest, and they let me in no problem. I set up a 2 hour boat tour of the area for 1pm, then read for a while until lunchtime.


View from the hotel


I had read about a restaurant nearby that sounded good--"African Pot Restaurant." I showed up at noon and was the only person there, so I got great service. I ordered chicken karanga, which is cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and other stuff I'm sure. They cook it all in this earthenware pot and bring it out to you in the pot to serve yourself from. It was delicious but way too much food.

Imagine how awkward I looked taking this picture in the restaurant by myself surrounded by employees standing around doing nothing


After lunch I headed back to the hotel and then down to the beach for the tour.

Tour guide named Kongo (sp?) and the boat. He wanted me to meet his family and stay in his village. I politely refused.


The guide was a little sketchy but friendly enough and kept pulling all sorts of creatures out of the water to show me.
Check out this neat sea spider!!!



I forgot my swimming costume


After the tour I had to sit out in the sun for while and dry off--I didn't want to board the plane soaking wet and covered in sand. Then I headed back to Mombasa, had a cup of tea at the hostel and watched "Ed" for about 45 minutes until this Kenyan man changed the channel and told me "this show isn't funny." I made him turn it back. Next I headed to the airport and flew back to Nairobi--not the cheapest option but I didn't want to miss anymore work.

Ok, posting those pictures took forever, and I've got to hit up Nakumatt before I head home, so I'll post about my first matatu experience(s) tomorrow.