Sat 31…after a leisurely b’fast we collected our luggage from the hotel and got a matatu to Malindi. Immediately headed to Neem House. What a smart, beautiful,stylish and comfortable house with a nice little swimming/plunge pool.
The 3 nights cost me 9,000…20gbp per day. Mark and I did some food shopping and cooked in the house… sausages and bread the first 2 days. The last night we went to the Baobab restaurant and had a delicious curry. We went into town a couple of times for shopping and once for a light lunch. We arranged for a tuk tuk to Mambrui in advance and visited Swahili house where Mark had stayed once before. Oh and we booked our bus to Lamu for the 6th.
I did quite a lot of walking. To Vasco da Gama pillar. I complained and had a tantrum about the price. I pulled my usual stunt , saying I had left my ID card in Taveta and wasn’t going to pay the tourist price. In the end I got in for 100 instead of 500. It wasn’t worth more than 100 anyway. I walked down the beach a couple of times to Coco beach for a drink.
Went one morning for tea and mandazi at a local Banda. Got very irritated at being thought of as Italian and being greeted with a ciao and bonjourno. Lost my cool a few times and said. ” I don’t understand your language ” !!
A wonderful stay. Luxurious is an understatement…possibly the nicest house I’ve ever seen.
Tues 3rd. Tuk tuk into Malindi town for provisions to take to Mambrui. Fun tuk tuk ride all the way to Mambrui..only 20 mins…I was expecting it to be longer.
Stayed at Karibuni Villas…a purpose built holiday complex. We had a detached 2 bed villa…very comfortable…hot water, air con. Cost 4,000 for 3 nights….or, 9gbp per day. There was a big pool in the complex. Was told off on the first day by an Italian lady… didn’t understand a word she was saying but I figured from the sign language etc, that I should shower before going in the pool. I obeyed the rule in future !!
We discovered Konno Kono Breeze in the local village for cheaper drinks and a good atmosphere. Went there every late afternoon. We cooked sausages again for the first 2 nights and I made a vegetable sauce and pasta for the last evening.
Otherwise, I went to the beach every day. One day I walked 45 mins and walked amongst the sand dunes and took pics of naturally weathered wood sculptures on the beach. An incredibly relaxing time. Had never stayed at a holiday complex like that. Was very grateful to Mark for having such good contacts. After that it was to prepare for Lamu on Fri 6th.