African Journey Begins (June 2011)

 The flight over took just over 8 hours and we took off at 8pm. The time difference is only 3 hours and as I was flying over night I wouldn’t be jetlagged. I thought that I would be able to get a good rest on the plane, but I was very mistaken. 6 hours into the journey and I was still watching a movie, someone had thrown up and I was feeling like I was going to ‘chunder everywhere’. It may have been the in-flight curry or the stench coming from 4 rows behind. I had the Kenya airways sick bag ready in my hand just in case and I was getting a lot of bad looks from my neighbours.
Once off the plane, I had the task of finding accommodation for Myself, Sam and Alex who were joining me out here. We had 4 nights before the volunteer course started.  Information desk. Asked for a 20/30-dollar place a night. She pointed to a couple on a piece of paper, of which I had not a clue where or what they were like. A random man approached. He will take you, she said. Although the likelihood of being kidnapped is very very slim, you cant but think in those situations, especially when he had no id and it was my first time in Africa. He was amazing. He took me to 4 different hotels, a wide variety of places, from 20 dollars, every time bartering with the receptionists for the best price. After the Swahili discussion between them, he would give me the price and his opinion. We had been to 3 places before coming down this unpaved off road track to a gate.  A man in green convict suit/ one-zee opened the gate and we drove down.  It was a number of white buildings. Got shown the rooms and price was 30 dollars including breakfast. 3-person room. Right on the beach. Perfect. Paid for 4 nights as the taxi driver said if you don’t pay up front then they can kick you out if another person comes. The room was nothing special. 3 beds, with mosquito nets, a shower and sink linked to the sea, so they spewed out salt water, and a fan. Could not wait until the guys got here.

A man trying to get fruit down from a tree by throwing rocks at them, off the road our hotel was on

Walk back from a restaurant on the beach

D and quant unhappy about last nights dinner. Ordered Rice and spaghetti Bolognese, took over an hour and a half and was cold. We were the only three in the hotel at that time. African service is the worst i have ever come across

View from the Hotel

Us with the waiter we nicknamed Manuel after the Forty Towers character because of his mannerisms

Fort Jesus in Mombassa

Boy bathing by an abandoned cannon outside Fort Jesus

A boy running away from our tok tok after he tried to steal out water from out of the back 

A Security firm building that looked like it needed to hire Security, in Mombassa City Centre

View from our $2 a night hotel in Mombassa

Night View from Hotel. Had a shocking night sleep. Had bad sweats and the noise from all the cars, trucks and the mosques outside were almost unbearable. Felt so ill. Went to have a check up at the doctors. Make sure everything is all right. Found out I had malaria, but it was at a very early stage, got medication. Worst news possible. Checked out of the hotel we were staying in and went to a place with air conditioning, a lot nicer. The journey there though was horrific, I felt like I was going to die. Sammy D and quant very helpful, got money for me and checking if I was ok. Ended up staying there 3 nights and finding out that i was diagnosed wrong and didn't have malaria. Ended up getting to Camp 2 days late