Friday night date night…An entire restaurant to ourselves on a moonlit night…

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Moonbeams over the Indian Ocean last night at the Blue Marlin Restaurant, reflecting off the ocean and lighting the sand.  Tiny sand crabs were scurrying about at our feet on we stood in the sand. 
 
The moon as it made it’s way from the fast moving clouds.
Ah, moonlight!
This spot was ideal for relaxing after one drank too many Margarita’s!

With a 7:30 pm reservation at the acclaimed seaside restaurant, the Blue Marlin, we were shocked when by 9:30 pm not another guest had arrived to dine.  We had the entire restaurant and staff to ourselves, receiving impeccable service and thoughtful attention on a perfect moonlit night. 


The chalk board at the Blue Marlin listed the daily specials.



The Blue Marlin offered a relaxed comfortable environment for diners. Notice an actual blue marlin on the wall.



Tom drank two bottles of this local Tusker beer.  You’d have to carry me out if I drank two of these.  I’m often tempted to have a drink but having anything with alcohol, as seldom as I do, results in outrageous hangovers from two of anything.  Plus, one is no fun!

The strong breeze from the sea was refreshing, the food divine, the ambiance inviting, leaving us feeling relaxed and at ease.  The short 5 minute cab ride confirmed yet again, that within our reach are all the restaurants we could possibly want for our weekly dining our experiences. 

Yes, I know.  Photos of us often shows us wearing the same clothes over and over.  After ditching most of our clothing to lighten our load, we have no choice but to do so. We try to wear the same items frequently in order to wear them out for disposal, saving the newer items for the future.  So far, nothing has worn out.  With no clothes dryers available, the thinnest tee shirts “live” forever.

As we work our way through Trip Advisor’s list of the top 18 restaurants in Diani Beach, thus far we’ve tried 3 of the top 4 and will continue to work our way down.  

What a smiley guy! I’m lucky!

With our remaining time in Kenya, we’ll fall short of trying out the entire list, plus with our upcoming safari over a weekend, we’ll only be able to have tried the top 11.

The chef insisted we take a photo together!

The Blue Marlin’s fish and shellfish are caught each day in the Indian Ocean, a few short steps from their door, to be served that evening for some of the finest tasting seafood we’ve had in our travels. 


The waiters were anxiously waiting for more diners to arrive.  Why, they didn’t baffled us.

The aroma of garlic, butter and rich fish sauces permeated the air as we pulled into the guarded gate sending our appetites to “full on” mode.  With Tom’s finicky palate, I wondered if there would be alternate selections for him. 

The cooks at work  in the outdoor kitchen preparing our appetizers and main courses.

For appetizers, I ordered a gluten free crab salad prepared in a creamy seasoned mayonnaise sauce while Tom ordered bacon wrapped jumbo prawns.  Both were epicurean delights, pleasing to the palate. 

Tom’s appetizer of bacon wrapped jumbo prawns.  I pointed out the bulging eyes.  He asked, “Why’d you tell me that?”
 

My appetizer was a delicious creamy crab salad. 

Once again, my guy surprised me ordering a local fish dish referred to as Swahili Fish, most likely a type of snapper with special sauces and spices, served with coconut flavored white rice and vegetables.  He ate every morsel on his plate.

Tom’s dinner consisted of a sizable portion of Swahili Fish, most likely a type of snapper.  Bone free and lightly season with a rich buttery coconut sauce, he had no trouble devouring every morsel.

My dinner was grilled calamari rings from what must have been one giant squid. I could have worn them as bracelets as opposed to the usual small rings typical in fried and battered calamari. 

Look at the size of these calamari rings!  I, too, savored every morsel on my plate.

Usually chewy, (one of the reasons I like squid), they were prepared to perfection leaving the chewiness factor in tact.  The remainder of my plate was filled with slightly crunchy grilled vegetables, seasoned in local spices. 

Tom took this photo from the beach on the Indian Ocean as tiny sand crabs scurried around his feet. While we dined, the crabs were everywhere.  Our dog friend, Zaa Zaa couldn’t resist chasing the larger crabs that she found on the beach.

With the full moon rising in a spectacular display throughout the evening, on several occasions we walked the short distance to the sand to take photos.  It couldn’t have been a more perfect evening.

Two dogs lived outdoors at the restaurant, one a malamute and the other, a Jack Russell mix.  The JR, Zaa Zaa, never left our side, graciously soliciting a tidbit.  Tom fed her the bulgy eyed head of one of his giant prawns which she enthusiastically devoured. 

I chuckled to myself a few times thinking, “Gee, we have a moonlit night, extraordinary food, ideal weather conditions, quiet surroundings, an attentive adorable dog at our side, all the while engaged in lively and animated conversation with each other.

The total cost for the evening was US $75.53 which includes meal, cab fare, tax and tips.

Zaa Zaa, our friendly companion for the evening, lying at our feet as we dined.

Tonight, we’ll be dining with Jeri and Hans at their home.  Happy hour will be on their third floor veranda.  I wonder if we’ll dine at their cozy indoor dining table or outside on the veranda.  We haven’t had an indoor meal in almost three weeks.

How weird is that!

Part 2, An unexpected cultural experience…Rich in content…Profound in its core…

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This worker was making the smaller rebar pieces to be used in the ongoing construction.
Little did we know that we’d receive a valuable education on life in Kenya when visiting Hans‘ construction site only a 12 minutes fast drive down the road. Feeling like school aged children on a field trip, we reveled in each aspect of the hard work and construction methods used by the creative and hard working people of Kenya, including Hans, his supervisors and more than 50 workers.
 
The pricing on the two bedrooms units, fully completed:  Kenya Shillings $9,900,000 (US $113,298) and for the penthouse:  Kenya Shillings $15,000,000
(US $171,664). 
 
A Maasi guard at the property.  Often the Maasia are the subject of photos taken by tourists.  This can be annoying for them.  Some tourists may offer a smalltoken of cash for the opportunity to take their photos. This guard had no exception to the photo since he was on duty working for Hans.  As Hans’ guests he made no objection.
 
 A quote from Hans‘ Flametree Beach Homes
Brochure (photos too large to load):
“It’s like living in paradise. Be enchanted by the
white beaches, the palm trees and the African way of life. The holiday resort
is situated on the Indian Ocean in Diani Beach, 30km south of Mombasa. The
proximity to the beach makes this property extremely desirable. On a beautiful
5000 sqm big plot in the heart of Diani Beach this apartment resort is
developing.”
 
Mining the coral from the property’s ground by hammer and chisel method is backbreaking work in the heat but a necessary method to keep costs down.
For additional information about these fine properties, feel free to contact Hans at this link and he’ll be delighted to answer any questions.
On the second level, we shot this photo of the future verandas, again supported by tree trunks and branches derived from the land when it was cleared for construction. This wood won’t be destroyed at completion of the project but re-used in a multitude of ways.

The raw materials for making the rebar needed during construction.
The workers were enthusiastic to show us how they make the rebar, ensuring they were in proper position as we took the photos. Check out that smile!



Pride in their work was evident in every aspect of the construction site.
Notice the bar was straight in the prior photo, now bent to accommodate the use of the bar in the construction.  Brute strength was employed as is evidenced in these photos.
 
 
One of many final rebar structures, carefully crafted by hand.
The beginning of the future septic system.  It was much larger than it appeared in this photo.  There is no city sewer and water in Kenya



Tom bent over this hole for the future well while I stood cautiously behind him.  In a prior post, I’d mentioned a shortage of water incorrectly.  Hans explained that Kenya is rich in an underground water supply which homeowners and business owners are able to tap into.  Apparently, the private well water is drinkable, although salty from the sea.  Thus, we’ve chosen to use bottled water for drinking, cooking and brushing our teeth.  The  well water is clear and clean for showering, laundry and washing dishes.



This long narrow building will house security personnel,  a spa with private massage and treatment rooms and various storage areas for maintenance.
The septic system.
As a few details near completion we were able to see this partially completed window. Every aspect of building, results in higher costs due to added security features.



As we pulled away from the project, Tom alerted to me to grab the camera.  The battery almost dead, I was able to get this parting shot of cows walking along the road, a common occurrence in Kenya, new to us.
We’d hope to have included architectural renderings of the units but with their huge data size, we were unable to upload them.  In any case, our experience gave us an opportunity to observe first hand the work ethic of many of the local citizens, eager to provide for their families and to build a life for themselves.
 
Unfortunately, the unemployment rate in Kenya exceeds 25%, the majority of which is young people. These stats may  be higher due to the unreliable nature of determining the stats of tribes that provide for themselves living off the land. 

To see firsthand that one person, such as Hans, has the ability to create a work opportunity for the lives of 50 or more local workers, although small, reaches out to the lives when including their family members.

 
Wages are low but its obvious that the Kenyan people, when given an opportunity, are creative and resourceful.
 
Thanks Hans, for sharing this day with us and ultimately, our readers.
 
 Busy weekend upcoming.  We’ll be back with more stories and photos.
 
 Thanks for reading!

Part 1…An unexpected cultural experience…Rich in content…Profound in its core…

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This is a rendition of Hans‘ new construction project  (The pool is not illustrated in this rendition.)
As we entered the multi-unit building under construction, we were amazed by all of the handmade ladders, made from materials on the site. 
Still, on the main floor, we walked from room to room, envisioning the future appeal.
We couldn’t stop smiling over this creative means of supporting the ceilings.
This is why we’re in Kenya, its culture, its people, its wildlife, its vegetation, and its natural wonders all of which never cease to amaze us.
The expected completion of the first of 4 buildings on this particular site is by the end of 2013.
Seemingly fearless workers worked atop the highest levels of the building utilizing their handmade ladders.

There are a few historic buildings to sustain its tourism business.No ruins to attract visitors from afar. Buildings are made of locally handmade materials, indigenous to the parched soil; the coral, the stone, and the wood of myriad trees.

As we exited the car we were amazed by the piles of products to be used in the construction with little waste. Hans built this neighboring house.

Hans, originally from Germany, our landlord, neighbor, and now new friend, discovered Kenya in 1978, finding its richness and culture a lure he couldn’t resist. With a passion for construction and a desire to be a part of the development of his favored Diani Beach, Hans has provided much-needed jobs for the locals, making his roots firmly entrenched in the coral soil. 

This is the area where the pool is being constructed.  Rather than “pour” a pool as familiar to us, every inch of the interior and exterior are hand-engineered, one stone at a time.
These coral rocks for both the pool and the buildings are hand-dug on the premises.
The tall pile of pale blue stone is used to give the walls of the pool a blue color.
Coral and mortar, placed by hand, to build a swimming pool.
View of the future pool from the penthouse level.

Moving to Diana Beach permanently over two years ago, he and his lovely wife Jeri, from Nairobi, Kenya, have made Diani Beach their home as well as offering thoughtfully maintained vacation rentals along with the construction of future properties for sale.

These solid cement blocks are made on site in one of the future bedrooms!
This woman is working with the cement blocks.

Yesterday morning, Hans drove us to see one of his construction sites where no less than 50 local workers were deeply engrossed in completing this phase of the building project by the end of 2013. 

The water lines positioned within the walls of the units.
More branches, used as supports.

For us to see to the workers laboring in the hot morning sun, smiles on their faces, quick to offer an enthusiastic “jambo” greeting as we toured the huge project, our hearts skipped a beat. 

This is the stairway we took, albeit carefully, to the 3rd level to see the penthouse, also still under construction. We’ll be long gone by the time this project is completed, but Hans agreed to send us photos.
More coral and mortar used to build the walls on the interior and exterior of the building.
A future bathroom in one of the 2 bedroom units.
This method of securing the support for the ceilings was evident in almost every room, a sight neither of us had seen on a construction site.

This was life in Kenya surrounding us: the Maasai in their colorful robes; the young. athletic muscular men wearing long pants, no shirts, sweat glistening on their ebony skin;  the women, many mothers working to feed their families, wearing handcrafted tool belts while lifting heavy materials; and the older men, a lifetime of hard work etched into their deeply lined faces accentuated with a wide smile, the brightness of perfect white teeth a contrast against the rich dark skin.

Another view of the neighboring property from the penthouse level.

Walking over uneven ground through coral, stone, and rock, we followed Hans as we worked our way through the partially completed first of four large buildings to be built, each containing four large units, plus an elaborate penthouse. Once the four buildings are sold, Hans will begin building a comparable complex on an adjacent parcel of land, keeping these 50 workers and more in jobs for years to come.

“Jambo” yelled the workers as they smiled and waved to us.

Gingerly climbing up railing free cement stairways we worked our way throughout the entire structure, in awe of how different the construction was from that in the US. 

An archway being built on the penthouse level.  Here again, tree branches are used, in this case holding up the wooden mold in order to build the archway.

Literally, every major material used (except plumbing pipes and electrical lines), was made on-site by the hands of the workers: coral for the walls, hand-dug from the property’s grounds; the ladders, constructed with wood from fallen trees during the preparation of the land; the rebar made by hand as we watched up close; the solid cement blocks made in one of the future bedrooms, as we watched. 

Creative, economical use of land surrounding the building site to grow plants for future use.  How amazing is this!

A gardener tended a garden growing the future trees, plants, and shrubs, left our mouths agape in pure wonder over the sensible use of that which the environment so freely provides in abundance in Kenya. We couldn’t believe our eyes.

The beginnings of the garden that will supply the property’s landscaping.

The sun beating on us as we walked the massive uneven grounds, sweat pouring from us with nary a complaint, slightly overdressed in discrete clothing in respect for the Muslim way of life, prominent in Kenya, we didn’t want our exploration to end. 

The gardener was proud of his work.

Finally, we made our way back to the car to sip on our water-filled mugs to wait for Hans as he spoke to his foreman and workers. By noon, we were back on the road for the 12 minutes fast drive back to stop and pick up Jeri from her teaching job, heading back to our respective homes.

After stopping to pick up Jeri at the well guarded private home, she suggested lunch at a local Kenyan restaurant on the side on the road, where there was a row of tiny open-air thatched structures, where locals stopped to dine, day and night. 

The hut where locals dine on delicious food made without chemicals, with all ingredients locally grown.  Photos of foods follow below.

We giggled as we described it as Kenya’s “fast food” restaurants; low priced, fast, and delicious, the difference being healthfully made local foods, as opposed to the processed fast-food restaurants that we’re used to seeing in the US and around the world, none of which we’ve seen so far in Kenya.

When we returned from our outing, we walked over to Hans” and Jeri’s home to take photos of the local food they purchased for lunch at a total cost of Kenya Schillings $150, US $1.77. Yep, $1.77!  When was the last time any of us purchased a meal for 2 for under $1.00 each?
Ugali, a cornmeal staple is commonly enjoyed as a side dish is made entirely with flour and water, boiled to perfection.  Apparently, the flavor is fabulous.  None for either of us. In my old days, I sure would have gobbled this up, maybe adding butter and syrup.

Hans and Jeri suggested we try the food.  Most certainly, I would have had many of the items had they not been prepared with flour and starches. Tom, on the other hand, would hardly have enjoyed the seasoned, vegetable-laden items. Too bad. What a fine experience that would have been! However, we took photos of the food to share with our readers. Notice the total cost of the 2 meals under the photo.

Kenya stew may consist of beef, chicken or goat.

For more information about the foods of Kenya, click here. Tomorrow, in Part 2, we’ll share more details about the buildings, the hand made the making of rebar, the units for sale, drawings, plans, pricing of the units, and more photos. 

This is a chapatti, a flatbread comparable to a tortilla. This was especially hard to resist, soft, warm, and flexible, easy to fill with whatever one likes.

Over the upcoming weekend, we’ll be dining out twice, sharing those details and photos.  Our story of Kenya continues on…

Dinner party at our Kenya home last night…An evening to remember…

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Last night as we greeted Jeri and Hans in the yard, Tom took this shot.

What a glorious dinner we had last night with our guests, Jeri and Hans!  We couldn’t have had a more perfect evening. The temperature in the 70s, by dark, with the mosquitoes at bay after my indulgent use of repellent and BugsAway clothing.

Only moments later he took this shot, but oddly, the sky appeared brighter.

Yesterday’s grocery shopping was a bit of a challenge with guests coming for dinner, with little idea as to what to make.  With limited ingredients available for our American way of cooking, we opted for a tried and true menu, easy to prepare in the tiny galley kitchen.

We pulled off a delicious dinner with the limited cookware on hand.  Yesterday, Hesborn brought us a bowl from Hans’ house which we will continue to use while we’re here.  We’ve been using cooking pots as bowls these past few weeks. I was so excited about the bowl that I feared Jeri and Hans could assume that we invited them for dinner for the bowl. 

Tom took this photo from the 2nd level of the strip mall as I was grocery shopping on Tuesday morning.  He was upstairs to purchase additional data for the borrowed Hotspot.

Here was our menu:

  • Marinated Fresh Garlic Filet Mignon: so tender that we cut it with our butter knives
  • Butter Sautéed Button Mushrooms
  • Eggplant, Zucchini, and Carrot Ratatouille (using available ingredients)
  • Steamed Long Grain White Rice
  • Coleslaw:  Our usual recipe
  • Garlic bread: made with the bread we purchased yesterday morning when it was still warm, to which I added unsalted butter, fresh diced garlic, garlic salt, all topped with Parmesan Cheese and placed under the broiler for 2 minutes

(I didn’t have any rice or bread due to my way of eating.  Tom splurged partaking of all but the veggies).

Yet another baboon shot on our return cab ride from the grocery store. They approach the car when we stop, curious to see what food we may have for them.  We had none but a lot of tourists buy bananas to give to them.

Setting the table with what that which we had on hand, using paper napkins as shown in this photo, it all turned out to my liking, picky that I am when serving guests.

Our guests, Jeri and Hans, couldn’t have been more delightful.  The conversation flowed as did the drinks for Hans and Tom.  Jeri and I stuck with the non-alcoholic beverages. 

Quickly losing interest in us when we had no bananas, he meandered off for hers/his day’s tasks.

Even Gucci and Jessie, their two precious little dogs spent the evening with us, lying at our feet, hoping for a dropped morsel.  Jessie had disappeared Monday night. Jeri and Hans looked everywhere for her until, by sheer luck, she was returned moments before our dinner last night by a local resident after word got out that she was missing.  With our love of dogs, we too, worried along with them, fearing her fate.  What a stroke of kindness and good fortune!

At the end of our evening, Jeri and Hans invited us to their home next door for dinner on Saturday night.  We’d already made a reservation for dinner at a local restaurant, happily and easily changing it to Friday.  Offering to bring something to add to their meal on Saturday night, they both jumped in at the same time, “Could you bring that salad?”  We all laughed.  Darn, that coleslaw is good.  We never tire of eating it keeping a steady inventory of the necessary ingredients on hand.

Our glass table was set and ready for our dinner guests.  With no Windex or glass cleaner in the grocery stores, I’ve had a heck of a time cleaning the glass tabletop. I asked Hesborn how he is able to clean it so well with no streaks. He said he uses soap and water on a rag, drying it with a dry towel. I tried this method, only to end up with streaks. Guess I’ll watch him do it today.

Frequently entertaining guests in our old lives, doing so once again brought a new enthusiasm. We hadn’t had dinner guests since we lived in Belize from January 29 to April 9, 2013. The chopping and dicing were tricky with dull knives and no mechanical chopping devices.

Gucci, a male and larger of the two dogs and Jessie also joined us for dinner last night.

Soon, when our package arrives from the US, we’ll have our own Mezzaluna knife that we’d discovered in Tuscany, making chopping and dicing a breeze.

This is Jessie, who disappeared for 24 hours to later be returned by a kind local man after he’d heard that a small long-haired dog was on the loose.

Today, we’re going on an outing with Hans to see the properties he’s building in the area. Of course, we’ll take photos sharing the details here tomorrow, in the same manner, we’d done for Roger and Nancy on the fabulous house they’d built in Belize. 

We find it interesting to peruse real estate values in the countries we visit. Doing so provides us a better perspective of the local architecture, the culture, and the property values, adding to our repertoire of knowledge that we gratefully acquire traveling the world.

Jeri and Hans, our landlords, neighbors and new friends joined us for dinner last night.

Again today, it’s slightly cooler and less humid. This morning I hand washed my BugsAway clothing, dirty from all the cooking last night. Hopefully, they’ll dry by tonight to further arm me for yet another evening in our outdoor living room, which actually, folks, I’m beginning to enjoy much more than I’d expected only a few short weeks ago.

Tomorrow, we’ll share many photos and the story of visiting Hans’s construction site where 50 local workers diligently forged ahead in the blazing sun and humidity.  This offered us an interesting glimpse into the culture and lives of workers in Kenya, a true culture shock.

Booked our flight to Mpumalanga, South Africa for November 30th plus required one night hotel stay…

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OK, we get it. Pronouncing Mpumalanga is challenging. Here’s a link to a site that will pronounce it using a computer-generated voice. Tom and I practiced using this app several times and I believe we now have it down.

How annoying when travelers are unable (or unwilling to take the time to figure out) as to how to pronounce where they are or where they’re intending to go. As we’ve traveled, we’ve made an effort to familiarize ourselves with the names of local cities, establishments, and basic greetings.

Here in Kenya, “jambo,” a Swahili word, is the standard greeting with many meanings as indicated in this link. It’s so easy to go overboard using a certain local word, hoping to endear ourselves to the locals.  From our humble perspective, moderation is the key, as is the case in many aspects of life, not always easy to accomplish.

(At the moment, as I’m writing in our outdoor living room, there is a peculiar sound in the ceiling above my head. It sounds as if a creature is biting into the wood beams, but we’re unable to see it. This has been occurring over the past 30 minutes. Hmm…).

Today will be a busy day for us. Soon, our driver Alfred will appear to take us to a local G4S/DHL store to inquire in person as to their willingness to accept a package of supplies we’re shipping from our mailing service in Nevada.  

Hans kindly offered to have us ship the box of supplies to his PO Box. But, with the high risk of theft throughout the local postal system, we’d prefer having the package sent to an actual package shipping service, where more security will be in place. 

Once we meet with the staff at the nearby G4S/DHL location, our minds will be at ease. It will be interesting to see how much we’ll be charged for them to hold the box for less than one day. When we’re notified by email that it has arrived, we’ll immediately contact Alfred to take us to pick it up. 

In order to arrive in Mpumalanga, Kruger National Park, South Africa, the route was tricky. Here’s what we settled on which was the least amount of waiting and flying time at the best possible price.

11/30/2013 – Departure   1 stop
Total travel time: 8 h 55 m
custom air icon
Mombasa
Nairobi
1 h 0 m 
MBA  11:25am
Terminal 1
NBO  12:25pm
 
Kenya
Airways 
Economy/Coach
Layover: 3 h 35 m
custom air icon
Nairobi
Johannesburg
4 h 20 m 
NBO  4:00pm
JNB  7:20pm
Terminal A
 
South African
Airways
Economy/Coach (W)
| 
12/01/2013 – Return   Nonstop
Total travel time: 0 h 45 m
custom air icon
Johannesburg
Kruger National
Park
0 h 45 m 
JNB  11:10am
Terminal B
MQP  11:55am
 
South African
Airways  Operated by 4Z/SOUTH AFRICAN AIRLINK
Economy/Coach (L)

With the 7:20 pm arrival in Johannesburg, South Africa at 7:20 pm, and the next day departure to Mpumalanga, Kruger National Park, we could either hang around the airport for almost 16 hours or stay overnight in a nearby hotel.  We opted for the hotel, taking the complimentary airport shuttle in the morning. 

The one-way fare for both of us on all 3 flights is a total as follows:

Traveler
1: Adult
 
$613.67
Flight
 
$375.00
Taxes & Fees
 
$238.67
Traveler
2: Senior
 
$613.67
Flight
 
$375.00
Taxes & Fees
 
$238.67
Expedia Booking
Fee
 
$14.00
Total: $1,241.34

(By the way, I am the above referenced “Senior” being 5 years older than Tom. Obviously, I wasn’t awarded any benefit by disclosing this fact.)

Our seat assignments, not stated here, were established when we were directed to the airline’s website.  Luckily, we’re able to sit together. This trip will be considerably shorter than the long flight from Venice, Italy to Mombasa a mere two weeks ago today. How the time flies (no pun intended)!

The cost for the one night’s stay in a highly rated hotel was US $117.66 after a 50% discount provided to us from Expedia.com. Add another US $125 for meals and tips for a grand total US $1484.00.

Considering the distance is over 2300 miles from Diani Beach, Kenya to our destination, this fare is not unreasonable. We’d actually budgeted US $1500 for this leg of our journey.

Soon, we’ll make further arrangements for a driver to pick us up at the Kruger Park/Mpumalanga airport to be on our way to our new home in Marloth Park, located on the edge of Kruger Park. 

At times, we’ve been asked, how we can begin planning the next leg of our travels when we recently arrived at a particular location?  It’s actually quite easy for several reasons:
1.  It takes our minds off of it, freeing us up to fully enjoy our current location.
2.  It ultimately saves us money, when the lowest fares usually sell out first.
3.  It allows us to sit together.
4.  It enables us to select flights in time frames that are most appealing to us.  Some of the options for these flights required a 5:30 am departure.  With the International requirement for arriving at the airport no less than 2 hours before the flight, choosing such a flight would result in our losing an entire night’s sleep.  Also, we consider the check-in time for the upcoming location to avoid waiting for hours to get into the property.

Overall, advance planning translates into “stress reduction.”  With the situations that occur for which we have no advance warning, we’ve avoided creating chaos, of which Tom and I are adamantly opposed.  Chaos avoidance is the crux of making our worldwide travels as seamless and stress-free as possible.

And still, regardless of our best efforts and intentions, stuff happens.

Off we go on our stop at the package store after which we’ll grocery shop. We’re having Hans and his lovely wife Jeri over for dinner tonight. Gee, I wish I had some linen napkins!

Hot, humid…Stay off the grass after the rain….Observations on daily life…

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Hans invited us up to his 3rd level veranda for “happy hour” and to watch the sunset. As we enjoyed the view from up high, we all noticed this animal’s butt sitting inside a window. Definitely not a monkey with this type of tail, we anxiously waited for it to turn around.  y the time it was totally dark, it hadn’t moved, leaving us all without a clue as to what it was.

Hesborn, our trusty houseman, suggested that we stay off the grass, especially in bare feet after the rains.   Apparently, the rains draw out the creepy crawlies. There are certain small worms in regions of Africa, that enter the bottom of one’s feet, eventually working their way to the brain. Yikes.

The sunset is beautiful everywhere. From the 3rd floor of Hans’ house, we were thrilled to take the progression of the sun’s setting in the horizon

It’s too warm to wear shoes.  Unfortunately, neither of us wears flip flops.  We couldn’t seem to ever get used to the intrusion between our toes. Barefoot the entire time we were in Tuscany, except for walks and road trips, it’s nearly impossible for me to tolerate wearing shoes.

Thus, we don’t step off the stone floor of our mostly outdoor lifestyle without wearing enclosed shoes. Last night, with the mosquitoes on a frenzy at dusk, I bit the bullet wearing not only shoes inside but also a pair of socks. It’s been hot and humid. My feet were steaming in the heat.

Hans made Tom one of his special local concoctions while I sipped on my usual ice tea while chatting with Hans’ lovely wife Jerie (not sure on spelling).

This morning while preparing to take a shower, two things occurred; One, a 6″ lizard ran up the wall of the bathroom to eventually run to the screened window and disappear and two, it rained in buckets. I laughed about the lizard, didn’t scream, and grumbled about the rain. Rain equals more humidity and subsequently more mosquitoes.

My usual one cup of coffee made me feel too hot to drink it. No usual morning tea after my usual coffee for me today either. For Tom, sitting around with no shirt on, he’s able to stay cool. There is no cotton bra or tee shirt that I own in which I can feel cool. Topless is not an option.

As the sun set, the lush greenery appeared brighter than during the day’s sun.

Amazingly, after two weeks in Kenya, we’ve been able to sleep at night. The overhead fan, the top sheet with no blanket has been all that we’ve needed. The temperature during the day is usually in the 80s with humidity to match. At night it drops to a humid high 70s. Plain and simple, uncomfortable. I’m working on getting used to it.

In movies about travelers to various countries in Africa, I recall the women holding a handheld fan made of dried palm leaves. Where’s mine? I don’t see it anywhere. It would have come in handy yesterday and again today.

Look at these lush ferns, abundant in Kenya’s humid weather.

With no clothes washer at our disposal and laundry done only once a week, the zillion dishtowels I formerly used when cooking are long forgotten. The three towels I do have at my disposal end up soaking in the sink overnight, taking two days to dry when I hang them on the window sill. The only paper towels available in the grocery store tear apart easily, are flimsy and relatively useless.

Having disposed of much of our clothing, hand washing is a necessity almost everyday. My lightweight underwear takes two to three days to dry left hanging on the rack in the bathroom. Tom’s takes longer so he doesn’t bother, instead waiting for the weekly wash. He’s capable of wearing the same pair twice if necessary. Not I.

The haze, a result of both humidity and fires burning, leaves an eerie view over the horizon.

With the shortage of water and the high cost of power in Kenya, my days of daily laundered clothes are over. I tell myself to “get used to it.” In time, I will. Tom’s oblivious to all this. I’ve yet to see him hand washing anything, by no complaint from me. He’s willing to “live without” more readily than I. 

Tonight we’ll use bath towels as napkins with dinner. The dishtowels won’t be dry by then. Small annoyances. Luckily, we’re having leftovers tonight requiring less towel use.

From high up on the veranda, these coconuts caught my eye.  They are everywhere!

Am I whining? Perhaps, maybe a little. Am I unhappy or distraught? No, not at all. It’s all a part of the adventure, of letting go of the easy, the familiar, and the convenient while embracing a different lifestyle. It won’t always be like this. We won’t always be living outdoors.

When the rain poured in buckets this morning as I dressed for the day, Tom wandered around our outdoor living quarters, wondering where we’d park ourselves, if the wind continued to pelt the rain inside at us. Our only option would be to go back to bed. Luckily, by the time I got outside, the rain had stopped, the sun was shining and a new day had begun.

Soon, it would be set and darkness would fall as the sounds of the nocturnal wildlife rings through the air throughout the night.

Now, sitting here as the sun burns off a little of the humidity and a slightly cooler breeze wafts in from the ocean across the road, I can hear the sounds of the goats conducting their usual morning “baa fest.”

The neighboring roosters are crowing with their determined call welcoming the new day while the morning doves are joyfully engaged in their gentle “hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot, hoot hoot” and dozens of birds of varying species are chirping almost in unison. It will be a good day, after all, especially since “I’m working on it.”

Finally, the sun went down and we wandered back to our house next door.  It was after 7:00 pm and time to make our dinner as we reveled in the good time we’d had next door at happy hour.

Dinner in a cave?…Yep!…Last night we dined in a cave…

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I thought Tom looked great in this photo, but I reminded myself of Morticia wearing all black or, of the day in Abu Dhabi when we entered the famed White Mosque, requiring that I wore the black abaya in the 100+ degree weather while I was sick. I’ll never forget that day or, that photo which my sister Julie gets hysterical over every time she looks at it! (See the post in the archives for May 30, 2013).

As we continue on our mission of trying a different Diani Beach restaurant each Saturday night, we enjoyed on our second outing at the locally acclaimed Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant. 


The ambiance, in a natural cave, was formed by the sea over 400,000 years ago while the restaurant itself is thought to be between 120 to 180 years old, renovated in the 1980s with the intent of maintaining its original integrity.

Standing at the top of the stairway leading down to the natural cave, we were able to look down at the bar below. Every effort was made to maintain the original integrity of this environment when it became a restaurant over 100 years ago, renovated in the 1980s

This was accomplished with the most finite details, using only a minimum of modern-day amenities such as; candles as opposed electricity; few electric wires discretely placed to allow for small fans for movement of the humid air as opposed to air conditioning; an open ceiling as nature had created allowing a view of the stars in the night sky while dining.

During dinner, Tom mentioned that it reminded him of a “man-made attraction one might find at Disneyland where the walls we made of molded resin as opposed to the natural stone.” 

The lounge in the bar where we had our drinks while waiting for our table. The restaurant didn’t open until 7:30 pm with most diners not appearing until 8:30 or later. I guess us folks from the US are early diners.  We’ve found that dinner is typically served at 8:00, often 9:00 pm as we travel the world.

Adding to the ease of making online reservations for dinner, Ali Barbour Cave Restaurant provides complimentary driver service to and from the restaurant. At promptly 7:00 pm, the driver arrived as we waited with the guard at the main gate to our complex.

As the older van pulled up, I asked, “Where are you from?” as a safety precaution. When Joseph replied, “Ali Barbour Cave Restaurant” my mind was at ease.

Another view the seating areas in the bar, depicting somewhat of a Moroccan theme, of which we’ll see plenty when we live in Marrakesh Morocco, a mere six months from now.  My, how the time is flying by!

Based on the restaurant’s proximity to our home on Google Maps, I’d anticipated a short two or three-minute drive. Once on the dark, narrow, bumpy unlit road, as cars drive on the left side, I began to worry after more than 10 minutes had elapsed. 

Joseph reassured me it was down the road a short distance. As we pulled into a narrower rocky unpaved, unmarked road, Tom and I squeezed each other’s hand, wondering why there was no sign on the road and where we were going.

View of the walls in the bar. All lighting in the walls and at the table was a result of candles, creating a warm atmosphere, romantic to say the least.

Later, when we left the restaurant, we noticed a glaring sign on the opposite side of the highway that we missed when turning in. Perhaps, we were foolish to give it a thought.  But, living in Kenya one cannot be too cautious.

The seating across from us as we lounged on the love seat in the bar.

For the first time in our travels, with all the bumpy and scary roads we’ve traveled, last night was the first time I felt a little carsick. The weaving back and forth along the busy highway, the lack of air conditioning, the smell of toxic fires in the air, my stomach revolted in queasiness. Luckily, once we arrived, the feeling quickly passed.

To our surprise, no security was in place at the entrance to the restaurant, although a Maasai guard/greeter wearing traditional African red robes warmly welcomed us, graciously opening the car door and offering a hand to assist us out of the back seat.

The story about the cave.  Excuse the flash.  In the dark cave, it was unavoidable.

Upon entering the unique space, we both were instantly in awe of yet another of nature’s creations that humans had so carefully maintained.

The air, thick and humid, cooled by numerous quiet, well-hidden fans, took a few minutes to become adapted. After all, we were in a cave.  I’d expected to find a few bats flying about or perhaps evidence of guano. There was no evidence of either.

In Kenya, living, and dining all of our meals outdoors, I feel sticky and grimy at all times. Also, the necessity of re-applying mosquito repellent (DEET free is working well, but requires reapplication every few hours) during all waking hours (we’re protected by the mosquito netting in bed) invariably attracts the soot and sand in the area at all times, only adding to the feeling of being dirty.

Showering every morning leaves me at my worst by the end of the day. With the water restrictions, we choose to only shower once a day. Having to dress in more “evening out” clothing as is typical in finer restaurants in the area (no shorts allowed), it’s difficult to make myself change into other clothing, as the mosquitoes are in a full frenzy around 6:30 pm each night. 

Diners began to filter in around 8:00 pm, filling all tables by the time we were ready to leave around 9:45 pm.  We’d be warned not to rush the servers for the check-in our travels. Many countries’ servers are accustomed to taking their time in delivering the bill. Most often, as is the case here in Kenya, tips are only allowed to be paid in cash, not added to the credit card slip.  Of course, this requires us to keep adequate change on hand.

When staying in, we both change into our BugsAway clothing provided considerable protection from the mosquitoes except for exposed skin. Each night before dinner, I lather my arms, hands, and ankles with the stinky lotion.

Going out to dinner changes the entire scenario.  With no BugsAway clothing acceptable for dining in finer restaurants to protect me, I have no alternative but to fully coat myself with the lotion before putting on the evening clothes. 

Talk about feeling hot and sticky! Of course, I bring the lotion with us, often requiring an additional application during dinner, as the mosquitoes swarm around me. 

This is the natural opening in the ceiling, allowing a view of the night sky. It would interesting to visit during the day to look down into the hole in the main dining area.

Perusing the dinner menu, we were at a loss as to what we’d order. With their chef familiar with gluten-free cooking, I felt reasonably at ease, especially after explaining that he need also consider my avoidance of sugar, grain, and starches.

Twice, the waitress came to our table graciously inquiring as to our readiness to order, and twice we still hadn’t decided. Tom, beef lover than he is, coupled with his finicky taste buds, ended up choosing double Fillet Mignon once again, one of which was veal with Bearnaise sauce and the other regular beef with a peppercorn sauce. 

Only a few tables had guests when we entered the dining room around 7:45 pm. Within an hour, it was fully booked, mostly with non-English speaking tourists.

He didn’t find either of the sauces offensive in any manner but said the steak was less tender than he’d had the prior Saturday night at the Sails Restaurant at the Almanara Resort. 

Compliments of the chef, we were both served this tangy GF marinated salad.  Tom took one bite turning his serving over to me, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

My dinner was similar to a pesto cheesy chicken recipe I’d concocted while living in Italy using the fresh herbs from our patio garden. The portion at The Cave was small leaving me hungry after dinner. Upon returning home, I ate a large handful of Macadamia nuts, which took care of that issue.

The dining room extending beyond where we were seated.
Most likely, we were the oldest diners in the restaurant all evening.  We noticed that the majority of the diners were younger couples, mostly in the late ’20s and ’30s. As we’d also observed in Italy when out and about, we seldom encountered any “old-timers” like us, causing us to wonder where all the retirees have gone for vacations or “ex-pat” living.
With the cost of living escalating in Kenya over the past several years and, with tourism down considerably, few retirees are making Kenya their home.  Also, the negative press regarding the crime rate in Kenya has deterred many travelers from coming this way.
This was the view to my right as we sat at a cozy, not too small table against one of the walls. We always prefer a wall, table as opposed to one positioned in the center of the room.
Candlelight accentuates the natural holes in the cave, adding to the ambiance.

For my dinner, as shown, I ordered the Cheesy Chicken atop a pesto sauce, all gluten-free, with a side of sautéed vegetables. Tom, as always, scooted his vegetables onto my plate, a common occurrence due to his distaste for “green things.”

My dinner, Cheesy Chicken atop a pesto sauce was well seasoned and pleasing to the palate, although the serving size was small. Rather than a chicken breast, this serving was a small single thigh. 
Realizing that my dinner may not satisfy my now ravenous appetite I’d considered a side salad.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have a salad dressing befitting my way of eating (low or no sugar and gluten-free) plus, we assumed that the raw vegetables weren’t washed in purified water, adding to the risk of disease or illness.
Tom’s dinner of two small Filet Mignon, each with a different sauce.  He was disappointed in his meal, having higher expectations after reading many five star reviews.

Would we recommend the Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant? Yes. The interesting and unusual atmosphere is well worth the visit, although we’d consider the food to be average. The service was flawless. Over the top!

Overall, including VAT tax, Tom’s two huge bottles of beer, my full liter of sparkling water, the service charge, tips for the servers, and the shuttle driver, we spent a total of US $68.09.

The stairway going up and out of Ali Barbour’s Cave Restaurant. Gee, we’ve gone up and down a number of stone stairs in these past months!

Currently, with taxes, we’re spending approximately US $40 per day for groceries. It’s certainly worth spending an extra US $28 for us to get out of our outdoor living room for an evening and to dine at the hands of a local chef.

Our safari to the Maasai Mara is booked!…Photos, rates and information today!…

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The lodge at Sanctuary Olonana where we’ll experience our first safari.

Possessing the knowledge that we’ve finally booked a safari not only puts our minds at ease, but creates a sense of excitement that is indescribable. After all, this was the reason we came to Kenya.

Our hope is to see The Great Migration.  If it has moved on and no longer in the area by October 5th, we’ll accept this and enjoy our safari of the abundant wildlife in the revered Maasai Mara.

Three weeks from today we’ll be heading 10 minutes down the road to the Diani Beach Airport to board a prop plane holding anywhere from 18 to 40 passengers for the 2 1/2 hour flight to the Maasai Mara where upon arrival, we’ll be greeted by a representative from our chosen safari camp, Sanctuary Olonana. We’ll be escorted to our tented quarters for a wealth of experiences during a short action-packed three days.

Of course, we’d have loved a longer stay. Unfortunately, the cost is more than we ever imagined we’d be willing to pay, slightly over US $5000, all-inclusive including airfare. We’d hesitantly budgeted US $4000 only to discover the options were very clear: either “rough it” sleeping in cots in tents or go, first-class, in a luxury “tent” that is comprised of all the amenities one could possibly desire.

We’ll go on 2 game drives each day, one in the morning from 6:30 am until lunchtime and another in the early evening from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.  Often, meals will be served in the bush, as we and the other guests feast our eyes on the surrounding wildlife.

We chose the latter, not with the intent that we “deserved it,” but more so, based on a desire for more creature (us creatures) comforts that we so willingly forfeited in many ways in order to accommodate our new lives traveling the world. Now, almost a year later, we’re looking forward to this treat, so befitting our love of nature. 

Many people have flinched when we’ve mentioned our limited interests in old buildings and ruins. We’ve seen our share in this past year and, rightfully so, enjoyed it all.  My gosh, the Panama Canal and Petra were life-changing experiences for us.

Most of these photos were from the Sanctuary Olonana website. For more information click the link.

But now, we’re getting closer to the core of our passion to travel the world, as so clearly illustrated in many of our posts.  We love Life; animals, people, and vegetation, most assuredly, a mutual obsession consisting of the perpetual reveling in the Life that God (or your chosen belief system) placed on this earth for us to nurture and to respect. 

For us, dear readers, this passion is the basis for our sense of ease living a life without roots or a home to call our own. 

We are truly residents of this earth surrounding ourselves in an environment that amid nature, creates a sense of “home” wherever we may be.

In the event of rain or if we simply want to be inside air-conditioned comfort, the lodge at the camp provides indoor activities, a bar, and a restaurant.  Our living quarters will be lavish private tents on the banks of the Mara River, overlooking families of hippos splashing and snorting in the water.

Thus, a safari epitomizes the essence of why we are here in Kenya and why in less than 3 months, we’ll be living on the edge of one of the largest animal sanctuaries in the world, Kruger Park,  South Africa, again exposed to the elements, scary bugs included, seeking to satisfy this endless quest to savor Life to the fullest. We’re infinitely grateful that we’ve found a way to incorporate these experiences into our lives before advanced aging prevents it.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, all of our criteria have been met by booking at Sanctuary Olonana. By reading the above, perhaps it makes sense as to why we willingly paid this substantial amount for this leg of our journey.

This is a typical interior of one of the permanent tents, outfitted with full bathrooms, electricity, free WiFi, and mosquito nets.  We always share one bed when there’s two, using the other for our “stuff.”  Of course, we’ll be bringing our laptops, two cameras, binoculars, and other digital equipment, writing here each day with many photos.

Now, with the full amount paid in advance, we are able to let go of thoughts of the cost, resting assured that we’ve absolutely made the right decision.

In reviewing the details of our upcoming stay at Sanctuary Olonana we’ll be ensconced in our private well-appointed tent along the banks of the Mara River in the Maasai Mara (various ways of spelling) where the 2 million wildebeest travel to feed before their journey back to the Serengeti in Tanzania. From the veranda in our tent overlooking the river, we’ll be witness to the hippos living and playing, a prospect that in itself, takes my breath away. This fact alone was a huge draw for us. 

Hopefully, we’ll meet (but not too close) Mr. or Ms. Rhino while in the Maasai Mara.

Sitting on verandas has provided us with some profound viewing this past year, as we sit on one today, in awe of the endless flow of wildlife and vegetation on which we feast our eyes hour by hour, day by day.

Hopefully, The Great Migration is positioned in a location enabling us to witness their masses. If not, we’ll certainly be excited to see the famous Big Five: elephants, hippos, lions, tigers, and water buffalo (which may be a different 5 animals, based on varying opinions) and other wildlife indigenous to the area.

Neither of us is into spa treatments.  Tom is too ticklish to relax long enough to enjoy it and I don’t want to turn my brain off in order to stay acutely aware of every moment of our surroundings.  Just not our thing.
A short time ago, Tom announced a baboon walking gingerly on the security glass shards atop the stone wall in our yard.  Grabbing the camera to turn it on wasn’t quick enough to get a shot. Going forward, there will be many more photos to follow.

Our safari decision is made…Details tomorrow with photos!…More visitors to our house…

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At dusk, Tom shot this Kenya sky.  Rather impressive for the infrequent photographer.

Over a period of several days, we’ve read reviews, viewed photos and perused dozens of websites searching for what hopefully will be the perfect safari for us.

Yesterday afternoon, I pulled up a chair close to the open wrought iron weaving (to keep us safe from the monkeys or other larger animals) surrounding our outdoor living room to take photos of the many birds singing in the yard.  In my impatience, I was unable to capture many birds instead focusing on items that caught my attention such as these branches in the shadows.

The prices for anything other than a basic tent in the bush are more than one would ever anticipate. If seeing The Great Migration wasn’t what brought us to Kenya, most likely we’d have waited to see the Big Five when we get to South Africa on December 1st, living on the edge of Kruger National Park.

The red in the background is a bunch of flowers on the bush behind this palm.

But, the Great Migration has been one of the first items on our “must-see” list inspiring us to come to Kenya.  And, see it, we will! 

The tall pointed thatched roof of the house next door to us.

After narrowing our choices down to two separate camps in the Masai Mara where the herds are right now, we continue to weigh our options.  Realizing there was no way we would be able to experience this magical wonder of the world without literally spending US $1000’s, our search has been intense and goal orientated.

Hidden in the fronts of the palm tree, this little yellow bird, the Golden Weaver, the male of the species is noisy and feisty, providing much entertainment flitting about frantically. The male makes the nest and if the female doesn’t like it, she goes on to mate with another more nest building worthy colorful male.
This is the very noisy and particular female of the yellow bird, the African Golden Weaver, less colorful.  They are elusive, sensitive to movement, making photo taking a near impossibility for a novice such as I.  She seeks the colorful yellow male capable of building a satisfactory nest. She landed in our outdoor living room, enabling me to get this lopsided shot.

The criteria we’ve searched:
1.  Close as possible to the Masai Mara where the massive herds of wildebeest will be grazing after their journey over the river.
2.  An option to have breakfast overlooking the “hippo pool” on the river.
3.  All-inclusive: meals and beverages (including cocktails for Tom)
4.  Two daily game drives
5.  Meals optional in the dining room or in the bush, day or night
6.  Complimentary WiFi throughout
7.  Electricity (needed to recharge our digital equipment)
8.  Availability for dates in early October for a better opportunity to see the Great Migration in the Masai Mara
9.  Entrance fees to the reserve to be included (cost at almost US $100 per person/per day for a three-night stay)
10. Round trip airfare included from the local Diani Beach airport, a short distance from here.
11. Affordable based on our budget

Hesborn offered to open a coconut that had just fallen from a tree.  They seem to fall throughout the day.  We have to be careful when we walk under the coconut trees, they cover the entire yard, leaving only a few safe spots for sunning without a risk of being clobbered on the head.

The camps we’ve narrowed it down to meet all of our criteria. At first, the cost of such a three-day event has been shocking. After reviewing the inclusions, the cost at other camps, we’ve resigned ourselves that when it comes to safaris, you get exactly what you pay for and, if not careful, it could be much less.

Hesborn with his machete preparing to cut this thick stringy exterior off of the coconut before releasing the stringy brown interior that we see for sale at the grocery store.

Choosing either of these two options will put our minds at ease, both being highly rated by many booking sites including Trip Advisor, Booking.com, Hotels.com, and more, along with 100’s of positive reviews, ensuring us that in either case, we’ll make the correct decision. We’ll decide today, posting details tomorrow.

This coconut meat was exceptional, the best I’ve had. Tom has no interest in eating this without sugar so he passed it up. What a treat!

With all bookings sold out for September, our only possibilities haven been for October, still in the peak season, still at higher prices. If we waited until November, we’d increase the risk of not being able to see the Great Migration, a risk we just don’t want to take.

As we’re sitting in our outdoor living room this morning while writing, seven goats jumped over their stone wall behind our yard directly in our yard only a few feet from us. Waking up early such as we do, they decided to jump over the stone wall separating us to dine on the lush leaves of the hibiscus bushes in our yard.
I wasn’t able to get a photo of the seven of them together as they were jockeying for space at the lush bushes in our yard. They were a little unnerved by my enthusiastic chatter.
They were in goat heaven munching on the flavorful leaves when they usually dine on boring grass. For them, this was a gourmet meal.

It’s hard to believe it’s Friday again, the time passing so quickly these days. We’re waiting for a confirmation for our dinner reservation in a cave for Saturday night which we’ll excitedly share on Sunday with photos.  Dining in a cave sounds interesting.

Notice the white two front legs on this young goat along with the white tip on the left rear foot. Cute, eh? Hesborn came running into the yard shooing them back up over the wall when he’d realized they were missing from their yard when he brought them water this morning. We all laughed!

Hope all of our readers enjoy today’s mishmash of photos we’ve taken over the past few days.  he number of surprises we continue to experience just “hanging around” makes each day rewarding and unique unto itself. 

BTW, as we wrote this morning, we received information that has prompted us to make a decision on our safari in early October. We’ll post photos and information tomorrow. We’re excited, to say the least!

Be well. Be happy. Check back!

Critters…some scary…some not. Plus, photos all the way to the end of the post…

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Hesborn, our houseman, stopped by Wednesday morning, after a full night of rain,  to
show us this carnivorous, stinging, dangerous creature which actually has less than 100 legs, and yet is still referred to as a centipede.  He warned us not to walkin the grass after a rain.  A sting from this ugly creature will require a trip to an emergency room.  These not only walk but also climb up bedposts.  Oh.

The past few days have been interesting. On Tuesday morning our XCom Global MiFi wasn’t working, leaving us unable to post. Normally posting in the morning, the planned 10 am cab ride to grocery shop gave me no choice but to write in the early afternoon when we returned only at that point to have no connection.

Frustrated, we decided to stop at the Safari Com cellphone store, conveniently located above the grocery store, to see what options were available to purchase a global GSM unlocked HotSpot, comparable to that which Hans loaned to us.  Although less powerful than the MiFi, a portable hotspot requiring SIM cards, can at least provide us with connectivity.
Once past the armed guards (as mentioned in Wednesday’s post), the response to our question,  “Do you have a Global GSM Hotspot that will work for us after we leave Africa?”
This good-sized lizard came to call as we lounged in our outdoor living room.  Thanks for the nice pose, Ms. or Mr. Lizard.

The emphatic answer from the representative was a resounding “Yes!” as he pointed to a device, similar to that which we’d borrowed from Hans which we’d brought along with us in the event of a language barrier. He turned us over to a sales woman, who spoke very softly with a thick accent, difficult to hear and understand. Attentive and determined to be helpful we appreciated her efforts, continually thanking her for her efforts.

An hour later, Hans’ Hotspot no longer worked after the rep had removed the SIM card, disabling the device until Hans could late re-enter his PIN # which we didn’t have with us. Oh, good grief.

Hesborn referred to this as a millipede.  We didn’t bother to count the number of legs. Apparently, these are harmless, although if walking on a person, they leave a trail of “itchy liquid.”
Then, as we’re ready to pay after “being approved” by their system, once again I asked, “Are you sure this is a worldwide device?”
A millipede in relation to the tip of my shoe.  One wouldn’t want to snuff this out with their foot if discovered in the bathroom in the middle of the night“Wait

“Let me ask,” the rep helping us stated, moments later to return with an emphatic, “No, it works only in Kenya.”

As Alfred drove us to the stores, we passed many similar buildings.
That does us no good whatsoever. We’ll use Hans’ device while in Kenya which he so kindly offered to us, for which we ended up purchasing additional gigabytes, most likely to last for a month.
We left the store with only the extra “scratch offs,” used to reload the gigs on a phone or hotspot. We purchased US $72 of SIM cards, hoping they’d last long enough for us to continue recording our favorite shows on Graboid and, for Tom watching the Minnesota Vikings game.  
Wednesday, we ordered a new device online as we’re gathering supplies for a box to be shipped to us via DHL hopefully within a month. (We’ll share details of our inclusions once the box arrives).
Its these run down lean-to type shacks that depict the aspect of a third world country, many without running water and electricity.  And here we are,in the upscale resort community of Diani Beach.
Next, we attempted to visit the recommended travel agency in the same two story mall as the grocery store to determine which safari options were available during our three month stay.  They’d gone out of business. 
Next, we grocery shopped, spending yet another US $300, after shopping only a week ago, spending slightly more at that time. 
However, included in our grocery bill was a case of beer for Tom; US $4.85 for the 24 empty bottles, US $34.33 for the liquid in the bottles and US $3.83 for the crate holding the bottles with the liquid in it, for a grand total for the beer of $43.03.  Of course, we’ll eventually return the empties for a refund of US $8.68.
Few of us can relate to the hardships of daily life in these sparse habitat.

Next, we purchased two 18.9 liters of bottled water, the liquid at US $8.24, the empty returnable bottles at a total of US $23.79. All is all, we spent US $75.06 for beer and water out of the total bill US $301.12.

In a prior post I mistakenly stated that the VAT tax on groceries was 21% when in fact its 16%, the 21% applying to dining in a restaurant. Please excuse the misquote. Thus, the tax for our groceries according to the receipt was Kenya Shillings $3062 for US $35.04.

The Nakumatt grocery store is guarded with armed security who, for security reasons refused to be photographed.
Individually, no single food item was outrageously priced except for my medium sized bags of unshelled pistachio nuts for US $16.25. Add the tax for a total of US $18.85, not worth the price.  There are other less expensive nuts I’m happy to munch on such as Macadamia nuts at US $3.94 for a large bag. Many items in the grocery store weren’t clearly marked, making buying decisions difficult.
A good sized container  of “natural” insect repellent lotion was US $1.66. You get the drift.  Most products are inexpensive. Taxes and “extras” are high. Going forward, our goal is to be more mindful of the cost of items as we become more aware of the pricing while finding a comfort level with the exchange rate as we shop.
The parking lot as we waited the few minutes for Alfred to return to pick us up with our groceries.

In almost every grocery aisle is an employee, friendly and anxious to assist with purchases and, as mentioned last week, good little salespeople, pushing certain products. With their warmth and attentiveness, it’s difficult although at times necessary, to turn down their often pricier suggestions.

Our cab driver, was on the spot when we called to say we were ready to leave.  He insisted on loading and later unloading all of our heavy groceries. Once they were inside on the garage floor, Hesborn jumped in to help bring the boxes and bottles inside (no grocery bags here, only used cardboard boxes). Tom, with nary a lazy bone in his body, insisted on helping.
This mother baboon was carefully watching us with her babies in the background as we stopped for a photo. Tom quickly shut the window when she approached the car to peer inside.

Putting away the groceries was once again challenging in the small galley kitchen. I threw Tom out to tackle this on my own, having found a place for everything a short time later.

The kitchen door must be shut in order to open the refrigerator door. In essence, this is probably a good thing since monkeys have been known to race into a kitchen to begin grabbing food out of an open refrigerator door. Having a habit of leaving the door wide open while unloading perishable groceries, this reality is especially motivating for me to remember to shut the door.
Baby baboon searching for morsels of food in the grass.

With our shopping completed and put away, we had to begin figuring out why the MiFi wasn’t working and to find Hans to help us with his hotspot. A few hours later, now close to dinnertime, Hans arrived, easily getting the hotspot up and running. 

As for the MiFi,  I sent XCom Global a request to give the device a “hit” after listing multiple codes, serial numbers and device information into a lengthy email. With the time difference, we never heard back.  
The second baby baboon we excitedly observed as we stopped along the road on the return drive from shopping on Tuesday.
Wednesday morning, it was working again.  Apparently, the hit worked enabling us to switch back and forth between the two devices based on the amount of data we’ll be using for larger downloads. 
Technology issues in a primarily third world country can be frustrating, as we’ve so well experienced. The more we’re able to figure out solutions for our technology, the more time we’ll have to experience the reasons we choose to visit countries such as Kenya, as illustrated in these and other photos we’ve included here.
Mama baboon as she lost interest in us and returned to her children.  Oh.
We chose to experience Africa to witness its people, its wildlife and its vegetation, all of which we’ve already richly enjoyed with a modicum of effort while staying relatively close to home.  Soon, we’ll expand our horizons for the life changing thrills of a safari. If we get excited over seeing an unfamiliar insect, can you imagine our reaction to an elephant? A zebra? A lion?
Gucci, one of Hans’ two small dogs, came by for a few scratches this morning which we’re delighted to provide.  We love dogs.