Taveta
Fri 8th. I woke up too early again although the bed was very comfortable and I had a fairly good nights sleep. I had a cold partial wash. I heard another guest asking about hot water. I knew it cost a very little 1,000 extra, but I learned it only arrives after 08:00; okay if you’re prepared to wait until that time to wash before going out.
I finished packing before going next door for a tea. I recognised the chef from a few years when I used to eat at her restaurant because she was so pretty..!!! Then Joseph came along and we walked down to the main road.
It wasn’t long before a dala came along to take me to Marangu Mtoni. I immediately went to the restaurant across the road and ordered my mtori and tea. This time the mtori was served with chillies as well. Interesting having chillies with my banana porridge. It was after 09:00 when I arrived at the Craft Shop & Café for a coffee as Margaret was opening up. From there I went to the stage and got in the front of an empty dala dala.
It’s 12kms down the hill to Himo and it takes 20 minutes. As I was on the Moshi dala I had to change in Himo. It was a while before we got underway, but only 10kms or so to Holili. I walked down to the border….well, not all the way as someone who recognised me from a few years ago gave me a lift in his car for the last few hundred metres. I handed my printed ETA to Kenya immigration and she stamped my passport with 3 months…no questions asked. I was expecting some sort of problem….but no, very easy.
I took a boda to the Taveta stage. Had a tea at Texas. Went to see Mercy. I sorted out my room. I went for some decent WiFi at Challa Htl from where I phoned Tor for his birthday. I had pojo and rice with lots of chillies for dinner at Texas. A pat on my head signalled that Joseph had spotted me. We went to Rockland where John bought us 2 bottles of County…probably out of guilt for not supplying a big bottle on the day of the ‘lunch’ at his place on 25/02. A bit more to drink than I had planned, and so to bed.
Sat & Sun 9th & 10th. Normal life activities..walking around town seeing friends. Actually, I wanted to go across to Holili and treat a friend to kiti moto, but the usual lack of communication meant I ran out of time. But as I had a bit of a craving for kiti moto I went to Mwangaza for one of Grace’s specials. Then I met up with Joseph at Utamaduni to watch Premier league Football.
Sunday was fun. I met up with Sara and Vorin – the 2 Norwegian physiotherapists working at Taveta hospital – at Green Park. We agreed to meet at 15:00 and we were all bang on time…so different to the usual timekeeping that I have to put up with !!! A great couple of hours having a chat over lunch…I had a plate of masala chips. And a bonus was the Spurs game being shown on TV…and they were winning !! I got to hear about Sara’s ascent of Kili and Vorin’s Kenya holiday with her family.
From there I met up with Joseph again at Utamaduni. Earlier I bought a Naekana ticket to Kilifi for Monday morning. The Al Wahim guy wasn’t around and I found out that Naekana have now started the route via Mariakani and Kaloleni, so I decided to try out Naekana. That route bypasses Mombasa and I know it is much quicker. After a Texas tea I went to my room and packed.
Kilifi.
Mon 11th. The 06:30 departed before 07:00 so that was fine. Unfortunately over an hour stopover in Voi plus picking up passengers along the way, resulted in 6 hrs and 30 minutes to Kilifi. Drop off was just over the bridge and before checking into Titanic I had a tasty tamarind juice at Nuus.
I was given room 301…it receives more light than the others… which I’d been in before, a few years ago. One evidence of cost savings is that there is no longer a TV in the room !! The room prices had gone up to 2,000 excl breakfast, but I negotiated a price of 1,500…closer to what I paid last year.
By this time it was mid afternoon. I had beans and chapati for lunch/dinner at Apache Indian café and went to the Kilifi Club for one beer. Such a nice view across the mouth of the Creek from there. I went towards town to the AP Canteen where Maina was already waiting for me. We had a great catch up evening over a period of about 5 hours. I got bored of Balozi and switched to a small bottle of Hunter’s Choice whiskey. I slept very well !!!
Tues 12th. Had my simple mandazi breakfast at Apache. I paid for an extra night at Titanic.Then I walked across the bridge and down to the beach on the other side. It’s a lovely spot to watch the various boats going up/down the creek. On the way back to town I bought some chevda in Naivas and stopped off for a Nuus’ tamarind juice.
I was to meet Maina at the Prison Canteen this time. I set off at 15:30 and it only took 20 minutes to get there. We only spent a couple of hours together this time because I didn’t want to walk back in the dark. I refreshed; had rice and pojo at Apache; went to AP canteen for a nightcap.
Wed 13th. I decided to stay an extra day so I could meet up with Frida who used to work at Market View in Taveta and who was there at the time of Dad’s 90th birthday party.
After my usual breakfast I walked to the beach. I had a soda at B10, which is undergoing huge expansion, and walked back. Only 35 minutes each way, but quite tiring in the extreme heat. Another shower and then over to Village Dishes to meet Frida. Village Dishes was closed for Ramadan so went around the corner to Nuus.
She brought her 2 year old daughter with her who at first was very shy but by the end of the afternoon was very chatty and cheeky. I had chips zege to eat; suddenly I’m seeing zege on menus, whatever happened to chips mayai ??!! From there we took a tuk tuk to the Ferry port / beach and chilled at African Pavilion overlooking the creek. Very relaxing with comfortable seats and big cushions on the floor. Nicely renovated and decorated by the owner, but with higher than average prices. It was nice to watch all the boat activity on the creek.
At around 17:30 Frida and daughter got a boda home and I walked back into town. Can’t remember if I went to Apache for any food, but I showered and went to AP for a beer. I sat quietly by myself and caught up on my blog.