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| Friday morning at The Sands at Nomad, 8:00 am. Low tide. |
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| Our mini-vacation left us both relaxed as we walked the beach as we celebrated our first full year of travel. |
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| The clean sand on the beach feels wonderful underfoot. It’s no wonder the resort is called The Sands at Nomad. |
The past 3 days at The Sands at Nomad have been the perfect venue for celebrating our first year of worldwide travel. This fabulous resort epitomizes the fulfillment of expectations of the most discriminating traveler with its attention to detail, exemplary service, finest of amenities, excellent food, and relaxation-inducing environment.
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| The eye-catching view from our padded chaise lounges in the ocean front yard of our beach cottage. It was amazing that no matter how hot and humid the day, sitting in the shade on these lounges continually kept us cool and refreshed. Although we were excited to have air conditioning, we seldom used it, preferring to spend our time outdoors to languish in the ocean views, the wildlife, and lush greenery. |
In addition, it’s accommodations, sensitive to energy conservation, never left the guest needing more and if so, any reasonable request would graciously be provided. With one bath towel per person per suite per day, no washcloths, on and off switches for hot water, reminders to turn off the AC and the lights, we never felt short-changed, instead, appreciating this concerted effort of both management and staff.
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| This “house” kitty was fast asleep at the bar when we ordered our cocktails last night. Although some may be “offended” by a cat on the bar, we found it indicative of the homey atmosphere at The Sands at Nomad. |
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| Many resorts along the beach have a “house” dog as an adjunct to security guards. The fact that his older dog may no longer be the best watchdog and yet continued to be welcomed to stay, further exemplified our respect for the resort staff. |
The mosquito netted bed was comfortable with lush sheets and blankets and soft pillows. The bathroom, although on the smallish side, was adequately equipped with toiletries. The living area had a comfortable seating area with a TV, coffee table and a well-stocked mini-bar fridge where we were able to keep a fresh bucket of ice, we’d requested be delivered twice a day.
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| This tree referred to by the locals as an “upside-down” tree is due to its branches appearing to be more roots than branches. The constant care, maintaining the landscaping was a feature we appreciated.
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The décor is befitting the African theme embellished with a Moroccan influence with artwork, statues, and artifacts adding to the warm ambiance, allowing the guest, regardless of the length of stay, to feel at home.
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| The monkeys, however pesky they may be, are treated with kindness and reverence by the staff, asking guests to do the same. This young woman came to call yesterday when we were dressing for dinner, once again peering in the window of our beach cottage for a possible fruit plate. As close as I was to the opposite side of the glass, through which I took this photo, she never backed off until finally, we opened the door to step outside.
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Complimentary coffee and tea were offered at any time of day delivered to the suite. A bottled water dispenser with both hot and cold water was provided and the balance monitored daily. Teabags, instant coffee, cream, and sugar were also on hand.
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| No, I didn’t edit the mouth on the forward camel which appeared to be laughing. |
The front ocean veranda appealed to us at all hours of the day and night, especially with the frequent visits by two breeds of monkeys, both large and small, often entertaining us. The powerful ocean breezes kept us cool and comfortable, out of the hot sun. Two padded chaise lounges under an umbrella were attended to daily with fresh towels in our oceanfront yard.
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| This photo, taken from a considerable distance, is rich in the beach culture on the Indian Ocean in Kenya, camels, and a Maaasai worker, side by side on the beach. From afar, it appeared the camel had 2 heads causing us to do a double-take, later to reveal in this photos, that it was these two “attached at the hip” camels. Now, they’re both laughing.
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The pool area, although clean, beautiful, and well situated had few sunny spots for sun worshippers so we opted to do our short sunning periods on our own chaise lounges each day.
On the first day, many of the elusive Colobus monkeys created the perfect backdrop of entertainment as we lounged by the pool. After that first day, we never again saw another Colobus monkey, although we looked several times over the remaining days.
Luckily, we were able to post our many Colobus monkey photos including our favorite below which we’ve posted here today, one more time for those who may have missed it while busy watching the exciting US World Series.
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| Repeat photo for those who missed it. This Colobus monkey and I made eye contact for some time until finally, he offered me this pose, now one of our favorite monkey photos. |
Rivas, the poolside bar, is open 24 hours a day, a unique offering for night owls. The main dining room opens at 7:30 am with a hearty breakfast buffet, offering an endless array of foods appealing to guests from all over the world. The dinner menu and buffet provided the utmost in dining options befitting all age groups and tastes.
We had chosen the B&B option which included our oceanfront cottage and breakfast which especially worked for us with neither of us caring to eat lunch. Dinners were prepared with skill and attention to one’s preferences, which in my case was utmost of importance. I never felt I was imposing or “asking too much” when requesting my special considerations.
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| With flour laden sugary desserts not an option for my restrictive diet, the chef didn’t hesitate to prepare this delicious cheese plate. |
Staff quickly learned our names making us feel at ease and welcomed regardless of the area we were visiting, especially in the restaurant. The only suggestion we’d offer is that the beer wasn’t cold enough and thus, Tom requested it is freezer-chilled before we arrived for dinner, most evenings around 7:15. Bruno happily complied to ensure this was handled each evening.
The “snake show” on Wednesday evening at 5:30, brought many of the guests together for an entertaining experience for even the most squeamish of attendees. As you’ll see in tomorrow’s post, our final post on our mini holiday celebration, we took plenty of photos.
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| This morning at low tide as we dined on our “custom made” omelets and multiple offerings at the breakfast buffet which was included in the cost of our cottage. |
Complimentary coffee and tea with “crumpets” was served poolside each afternoon from 4:00 to 5:00 pm which we never attended although we’d intended to do so. Instead, we were lazily relishing the cool ocean breezes, the rampant wildlife easily visible on the property, and the relaxing environment. The Sands at Nomad freely exuded its obvious mission to create a flawless and memorable holiday experience. Mission accomplished.
The cost for oceanfront cottage for three nights with breakfast, tax, and service charge included:
Kenya Shilling $77550, US $914.50 plus extra for three nights dinners plus cocktails and beverages, Kenya Shillings $12330, US $145.40 plus all tips Kenya Shillings $3000, US $35.38 plus taxi fare to and from Kenya Shilling $1300, US $15.30.
Grand total: Kenya Shilling $94180, US $1110.60
Note: As for our pleasant surprise upon returning to our Diani Beach home, with one more month as of today until we leave for South Africa, was that Hans and Jeri had arranged to have our house professionally treated for insects. With us gone, it was an opportunity to let the process work and to protect us from the fumes. We couldn’t be more appreciative and thrilled to know we’ll be swatting fewer insects off of us.
Also, when we returned, our temporary dogs, Jessie and Gucci went wild with enthusiasm, barking, and literally chirping when they saw us. Now back a full two hours, they’ve yet to leave our sides. It feels like “home.” But, then again, isn’t that what a temporary home for world travelers such as us, is supposed to feel like?