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Weekend number 2 ..recap..

So returned from Malindi today.  It was a good weekend,  full of interesting adventures.  First, I was supposed to go Friday evening, but I was stuck in a 2 hour standstill traffic jam.  A truck rolled over, and we literally didn't move for an hour.  So the typical 30 mins home for the 10km took over 2 hours! 

Then found a Matatus this morning that would take about 15 of us to Malindi (about 80km north I think, but over 2 hours drive).  It was not a bad ride, drove by fields of newly planted palm trees.  Got to Malindi and stayed at a NICE hotel..and used the we are volunteers, with volunteer permits line and got a really good rate to stay there.  There was like no one at this place, but it was really nice.  We then spend the day at the beach, then shopping the tourist market, which is like a fleamarket with carvings, wall hangings and fabrics. 

Then got on the back of a bicycle to get back to the hotel (good adventure). 

We then went for dinner at an italian place (apparently they and the portugese colonized the area, so instead of hearing the usual "myzungo" as we passed by, they thought we were italian and kept saying "ciao bella").   We then wanted to go to a nearby bar.. so we squeezed 8 people into a tuk tuck (like an autorickshaw.. not as much fun adventure!!). 

The today, went to Gedi (Gede) ruins, which is just outside of Malindi.  Its a 12th century Swahili town, that has kept relatively well preserved due to the idea of it being haunted.  That rumour kept the looters away!  It was really cool... we saw monkeys, and these ones aren't scared of people, cause one tried to attack one of the group.. it jumped at her bag, like she had food in it, but she didn't!  I think, I don't like monkeys that much anymore... Noni, I understand your fear now!!

We then took a Matatus back to Mombasa.. but not before waiting for nearly an hour.. and then squeezing like 5 extra people into it for half the distance.. that was definately an adventure....the door wasn't closed.... and well.. they have seat belts.. they just don't adjust... you can literally fit two people into one belt... so that was the final adventure.. must say.. the Monkey part was quite funny.. cause it wasn't me.. but still, monkeys.. they are not even remotely afraid.. apparently lots of people feed them....

hmm... so this upcoming week.. trip to shelley beach with the kids.. its actually closer to Mombasa then I thought. In the past the volunteers had come back home and not stayed there with the kids.. so I will see how that goes...

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