Day #221 in lockdown in Mumbai, India hotel…Kenya anniversary holiday, seven years ago…

A morning view of our tucked-away ocean cottage at The Sands at Nomad in Diani Beach, Kenya.

Today’s photos are from the post on this date in 2013 while living in Diani Beach, Kenya, when we embarked on a mini-vacation to celebrate our first anniversary of world travel. Tomorrow is our eighth anniversary of embarking on our world journey. For more from this date, please click here.

The restaurant has opened in the hotel. If we so chose, we may now dine there. As we’ve settled into a comfortable routine, sitting in our comfy chairs in our hotel room, with trays on our laps, I doubt we’ll change our routine. I think this may be the case for the duration, for however long that may be.

Finally, we were able to take photos of the elusive Colobus Monkey. Note the long sideburns.

What a fantastic three-night stay at The Sands at Nomad Resort! They treated us like royalty, knowing we’d be documenting our entirely unnecessary experiences. Today’s photos bring back many pleasant memories, which bring a smile to our faces during this challenging time.

Many times we ask for special pricing for several reasons:

1. We’ll be promoting the business, not only while we’re on the premises, but also for years to come via our website
2. In most cases, we’ll be staying longer than most guests
3. We have acquired a five-star rating as renters from past property owners and property managers

Another Colobus with the long swatches of hair. Not all of them had these particular markings.

As in the case of those mentioned above short three-night stay, our special pricing included a discount of 30% off the regular room rates. We were happy with that at the time. But, now, after researching online, their prices have increased by 40%. Today, their room rates range from a low of US $329, INR 24551, to a high of US $418, INR 31192, per night. Such prices would be beyond our reach if we could return to Kenya anytime soon.

We had such a good time during those three days. During our three months in Kenya, other than the apprehension we felt for our safety due to high crime risks, Our favorite restaurant, Sails, which we visited many Saturday nights, was bombed by terrorists a month after leaving.

After returning from the pool where the umbrellas provided too much shade, Tom did a quick 20 minutes in the sun on one of the chaise lounges in our front yard.

We were ill-advised about renting a car while in Kenya, even in the more upscale area of Diani Beach, due to the high risk of carjackings. Instead, our landlord provided us with the name of a reliable local man who drove us everywhere. Based on these facts we didn’t go sightseeing as much as we have in other countries.

It was while we were in Kenya that the horrific attack transpired at a shopping mall in Nairobi. Even at the grocery store, the taxi was searched by military staff carrying rifles, and we were searched upon entering the market or the phone store where we purchased data. Military personnel was stationed at every ATM.

The chaise lounges at our ocean cottage, where fresh towels are delivered each day.

Our family members and many friends/readers contacted us to ensure we were ok. But, Diani Beach is an almost 10-hour drive from Nairobi. The fact our house and the owner’s house next door were guarded by two guards in two 12-hour shifts seven days a week provided us with a modicum of peace of mind, especially at night.

We had a red emergency button next to our bed, and the windows throughout the house had steel bars on all windows. At night, we had to close the windows due to the mosquitos and other insects when there were no screens on the windows. The house became a hotbox during the night with only a slow-moving ceiling fan over the bed.

Early this morning as we left our cottage for breakfast in the main restaurant.

Why did we go to Kenya? To be able to visit the Maasai Mara for our first safari experiences. But, we are grateful for the time we had in Kenya, which toughened us up. The fantastic local people we met, who were warm and kind, and the rich cultural experiences were presented to us in one way or another, day after day.

Kenya is now open for tourists, and occasionally, there are a few odd flights out of Mumbai. But, based on the above scenarios, neither of us feels it makes sense to return at this time. We long for the freedom of movement, driving, shopping, and dining out, all of which will be possible when and if we can return to Marloth Park, South Africa.

A sunny view from our veranda to the sea.

Don’t get me wrong, Johannesburg and other cities in South Africa have very high crime rates, as shown here:

Countries with the Highest Crime Rates (from this site)

The countries with the ten highest crime rates in the world are:

1. Venezuela (84.36)
2. Papua New Guinea (80.04)
3. South Africa (77.29)
4. Afghanistan (76.97)
5. Honduras (76.65)
6. Trinidad and Tobago (72.43)
7. Brazil (68.31)
8. Guyana (68.15)
9. El Salvador (67.84)
10. Syria (67.42)

Marloth Park, in itself, a five-hour drive from Johannesburg, has its share of crime from time to time, mainly burglaries of the bush homes, occupied by both locals or tourists. Let’s face it, many cities in the US are not safe right now either.

This adorable cat came to visit daily as we sat on the veranda of our beach cottage.

The bottom line is, “you can run, but you can’t hide.” Of course, with COVID-19, that becomes another consideration for which countries will accept us and their subsequent restrictions for US citizens and those arriving from India. In time, it will all come to fruition, won’t it?

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, October 30, 2019:

Bartenders are performing tricks at the Ice Bar on the ship. For more photos, please click here.