1 bus, 11 friends and the Easter bunny
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 22/Apr/2009 10:08, 34 days ago
At 3 am on Good Friday, armed with backpacks full of beach wear, Richelle and I hopped in a mini bus full of our new Kenyan friends to start our 4-day Easter weekend adventure.After a very bumpy, long and hot bus ride, we arrived in Mombasa mid-day and immediately went to Island Dishes - a local restaurant which is known for having some of the best Swahili food on the Coast. There, we enjoyed delicious chicken and beef biriani and fresh squeezed tropical juices, then drove through the old town with our heads outside of vehicle, trying to take in some fresh, humid, coastal air.Immediately upon arrival at Hotel Indiana, we changed into our swimsuits and dove into the refreshingly cool pool. Around us, monkeys collected mangoes, then scrambled up the trees and either purposefully or inadvertently caused many others to fall all around us! When the tide was in and the sea ankle deep, we took a stroll down by the beach in search of ice cream and enjoyed cool drinks at a bar overlooking the sea. Then, after well deserved nap back in our air conditioned rooms, we got ready for a night out on the town.Mombasa is known for having some of the best night life in Kenya, affectionately called Mombasa Raha! We went to a local restaurant for nyama choma (roast meat) and enjoyed some of the most delicious spare ribs I’ve had, along with ugali (boiled maize meal and water), rice, sukuma wiki (cooked greens), chips and sodas. After enjoying boxed wine in the parking lot (yes, I did actually just say that) we went into a very popular “bar” called Bob’s. Bob’s is actually more of an outdoor parking lot, which is converted into a bar during the evenings on weekends and is one of the most popular spots in the city. According to my friend Rosemary, who organized our trip, “Bob’s always guarantees a good time!” and it didn’t disappoint!