Treve & Katrina Travel The World

So what have we been up to since we last wrote?

Last Tuesday we visited the Elephant Orphanage at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, near Karen (just outside Nairobi). The Orphanage takes in all of the waifs and strays from the surrounding national parks. Typically the elephant calves have been orphaned due to poaching. They are re-introduced into the wild when old enough to fend for themselves. We were also lucky enough to see a baby black rhino, which is becoming increasingly rare in Africa.

Baby black rhino

During the talk, a Matatu-load of school children turned up to view the spectacle, most having never had the chance to see the wildlife up close. These children live in the poor areas of Nairobi and the visits are organised by local charities.

School kids watch baby elephants

Following this, a completely different experience, as we arrived at the colonial farm of Karen Blixen (made famous by the film Out of Africa). The farm provides an insight into life on a coffee plantation in the early 1900s. The house was preserved exactly how it would have been during Blixen's stay, even the boots worn by Meryl Streep during filming were on display (a trophy worth having perhaps?)

The day ended on a high note with a visit to the Langata Giraffe Centre. Here we had the chance to hand feed the giraffe at extremely close quarters - close enough to smell their breath! My! What long tongues they have. Careful though - they've got a habit of head-butting anyone who doesn't have any nibbles to offer!

Yum yum!

During the day, we were ferried around by an Mze (as the local elders are respectfully known) in an old Datsun (remember those?!) which had to be jump-started every time that we stopped. We got funny looks from all of the other smug whites on their overland trucks!

On Wednesday, we left the bustle of Nairobi for the paradise beaches of the Mombasa coast. A 6 o'clock start saw us leave the town and venture into the Tsavo National Park, passing overturned freight lorries and watching the sun rise over Africa's plains.

Sunrise over the Tsavo National Park

6 hours later we arrived in the hustle and bustle of Kenya's second city, Mombasa. A brief ferry crossing across to the mainland (Mombasa is an island) brought us through tropical palms to Tiwi beach.

Our cottage at Coral Cove

Here, we stayed for 4 nights in an old colonial-style beachside cottage, complete with ververt monkeys, bats in the rafters and yapping dogs owned by a Bridget Bardot character (without the looks!) from Sweden.

Vervet monkey with interesting features!

The cottage was full of character, if a little damp around the edges due to the high humidity on the coast. The beaches were your typical idea of paradise, with white sand, turquoise seas and lined with palm trees (sorry to make you sick, guys!)

Beach traders selling kikoys at Coral Cove

The long walk home

One of the local village elders (known as an Mze) cooked fresh fish for us each evening, using traditional Swahili recipes.

Mze barbeques red snapper for our supper

Of course, we managed to fit in watching the Lions rugby match at the local beachside bar.

View of camels from the bar on Diani beach

On Sunday, Jamie & Lian abandoned us in central Mombasa, leaving us to fend for ourselves for the first time of our trip.

Sunset over Mombasa

We certainly were rabbits in headlights as we were bombarded with street urchins and market traders - do we really look that green? Probably! Treve has seemed to fit in like one of the locals - the generous Cornish handshake is working a treat with EVERYONE. Particularly with the well-dressed gentleman at the station who said he was a doctor and had friends teaching biology at Leeds Uni (anyone smell a rat? Treve didn't!) Katrina has, of course, been walking 10 paces behind - as expected in a Muslim town, shrouded in a black viel. Quite right, too!!

We visited Fort Jesus, which was set up by the Portuguese to protect their trading interests on this important spice trading route on the East African coast.

Fort Jesus

Last night, we were adopted by Giles and Lydie, good friends of Jamie and Lian. They took us out for a Swahili meal in a restaurant in the Old Town of Mombasa called Island Dishes. Many thanks for your hospitality, guys! This is an area of the town where Muslims continue to live as they have for 100s of years and still walk around in traditional black viels (burkhas?) A very atmospheric area, particularly when the regular call to prayer is sounded from the many mosques in the town. Certainly feels like the Middle East.

Today, we leave on the night train back to Nairobi. Should be quite an experience, as this is reputed to be one of the most spectacular train journeys in Africa. We will tell you about it if we survive the ordeal!

Love Katrina & Treve x