Hakuna Matata: Our Weekend in Mombasa

Last weekend (March 7-9) we had a mini spring break in Mombasa since our program doesn't have a spring break.  Mombasa is a Kenyan city located on the coast of the Indian Ocean.  It’s a very popular tourist and vacation destination for Kenyans and Europeans.  We were all really excited to go because the MSID staff told us at the beginning of the semester we wouldn’t be able to visit because of recent isolated Somali terrorists incidents.  (Usually MSID places people in Mombasa for the internship phase of the semester, but for safety reasons no one is being placed there this semester.) Since things had seemed to calm down since the beginning of the semester, the MSID staff (after a lot of begging and pleading) let us go for the weekend. 

            The last couple weeks of class the MSID staff decided to give us Fridays off to write the four or five papers that are due at the end of the semester.  Though we always intend to do our homework, we always seem to be traveling somewhere :) I figure I might as well take advantage of the opportunity to see as much as I can while I’m here because I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back!  And I’m sure my papers will get done eventually! Anyway, since we didn’t have class Friday some of use flew out of Nairobi Thursday night.  After only about an hour we landed in Mombasa.  Immediately when we stepped off the plane we could feel the change in temperature.  We heard it was hot along the coast, but we had no idea it was going to be so humid!  Even at midnight, we couldn't stand to sit in our van without the windows wide open.  It reminded me of July in Washington, D.C.  After about an hour and a half, we finally arrived at our hostel around 1:00 AM.  Our hostel, South Coast Backpackers, was more like a resort!  It has a big pool, a bar, a kitchen, nice bathrooms, a TV room, and lots of space outside to hang out.    

            On Friday morning we woke up and went straight to the beach, which was about a five minute walk from our hostel.  The beach was the most beautiful beach I had ever seen! The sand was pure white and packed down so it wasn’t hard to walk through at all!  And unlike beaches on the east coast in the US, I didn’t step on one sharp rock or seashell.  The water was also so blue and warm!  I actually wished the water was a bit cooler as it was so hot and humid outside!  We pretty much soaked up the sun all day as different Kenyans came up to talk to us.  Often times they wanted us to buy things, but some times they were just welcoming us.  The people in Mombasa were all so nice and accommodating.  They wouldn’t stop saying “Karibu! (Welcome!)” and “Hakuna Matata (No worries/No problem)!” (Hakuna Matata actually means “No chaos” in Swahili and was made a popular saying from The Lion King despite being incorrect.  Most Kenyans will say “Hakuna Shida” instead and will just say “Hakuna Matata” to tourists.)

 On Friday afternoon, we decided to ride camels!  It was such an awesome experience riding such a majestic animal along the gorgeous beach.  I was surprised how calm and well behaved they were.  They pretty much listened to anything their owners told them.  I thought it was funny how the camels sit on the beach…they fold their legs under them.  I’m not sure how they bend that way!! The owners had the camels lay down so we could get on and off more easily and it was crazy how much height they lose when they collapse their legs!  I definitely thought I was going to fall off!

Friday night we just hung around the hostel and swam in the pool.  The only complaint I have about the whole weekend was sleeping in the humidity.  We had fans in our dormitory, but it didn’t help much!  I slept in a t-shirt and shorts and woke up sweating! I honestly considered sleeping in the pool :)
  

 

Saturday we got up and went back to the beach to go snorkeling.  I had never been snorkeling so it was a lot of fun!  I didn’t see any big fish, but I saw a lot of colorful little fish swimming through the beautiful coral reef.  I wish I had a underwater camera!  At night, we arranged with a local restaurant to feed us a meal of fish, rice, potatoes, and a cabbage salad.  It was sooo delicious.  It was probably the best fish I have ever had (Dad, I bet you're jealous!).  We also bought some local famous coconut wine which was not as great :/ When they brought it to our table in an old coke bottle, I could tell it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting.  I had one sip and that was enough for me! Saturday night I just went to bed early as our flight was leaving early in the morning on Sunday!  Though it was a relatively short trip, it was a nice break from school and the chaos of Nairobi.  It was fun to be lazy tourists for the weekend.

The Local Coconut Wine

       

The delicious samaki (fish), bones and all!