A week of the usually cold February in the warm Kenya!

This trip has left a mark in our hearts. The more intense colors, the smells different, the wildlife and hospitable people, in short, now we suffer the pain of Africa. Taken by a sudden desire to escape we booked a week in Kenya.
We booked this trip with Theorem Tour at the Coconut Village, Malindi all inclusive.
Legend: ° to see, ° ° on not losing, you can lose ^, ^ ^ to avoid

Flights from Milan Malpensa charter flight Lauda Air. We parked at Malpensa Airport Car Park cost 51 euros. Day with hazy weather and chilly, check in for flight duty and off at 17.00.
We arrive at the airport in Mombasa at 5.00 am local time (+1 h) impact is hard, there are already 30 degrees and only 5 in the morning. Let the sweater t-shirts and we start immediately in line for a visa for $ 40 apiece. Finally after a bit 'of confusion we leave the airport in search of the van that will take us to our hotel. Are 5.30 am and there is a fantastic light, colors more intense, fragrant flowers, in fact say that we passed by the mist of heaven and we feel quite euphoric.
The bus trip is difficult because to do to get 100 km from Mombasa to Malindi, takes 3 hours, but it is always interesting to see new places and rhythms of life even by bus, here all the roads are not paved and if they are, are overflowing with holes so you go to 50/60 per hour.
But finally we're here! At 9 o'clock we came to our village the Coconut Village ° ° and to welcome us there are two kind attendants: one with a beautiful fresh fruit cocktail, the other with a damp sponge asciugamanino and cold from the refrigerator. A pleasure because while the temperature rose ... palms come! There we place on a sunbed by the pool (towels will provide them) sun cream protection 50 (do not be lazy here are the equator, it burns) and nap. For now, the program is total leisure, sea, pool, food, beverages and final show on the adjacent village Kilili this evening offers a show where the real and impressive Masai perform songs and dances of their people.

 

Safari in the Tsavo East Park

Sunday
Even today, the day provides leisure and sea. Accompany us along the beach to bay here called the Jacuzzi ° ° (the foot of the house Briatore) is a beach with pools of clear water and warm and gives the impression of being in a bathtub. Today we discovered the Beach Boys. All along the beach will be eternally tormented by children who persistently offer you purchases, exchanges, travel, can not be alone. TACTICS: you choose a guy who is more sympathetic, buy something from him and tell everyone else that you are in business only with him. I'll always carry one below the other but in return leave you in peace. Lunch and dinner buffet are varied and well cared for. For the 14 staff of the village for a tour in Malindi Tuktuk and visit to a factory of wood. It seemed just a stroll from tourists, casino, Torre Vasco da Gama °, but overall was nice, especially seeing the factory where they build all the wooden objects that are a bit 'more expensive here than the beach stalls boys, but it is certain that the money comes right to those who work.

MONDAY
This morning I woke up to an impossible time! Are 5.30 am but the sun is coming out and it is beautiful and very strange to wake up at this hour with a temperature already high and the array of colors that are wonderful. After the poetry placed me under a palm tree on the beach and sleep some more '. (I've already said that coming out of our rooms are already on the beach?)
At the equator the sun rises at 6 and set at 18:00 and there is no story! For today we have agreed with our beach boy for a ride over the reef and then to 8 at low tide witnessed a beautiful ... corals, starfish, vegetation ever seen.
In the afternoon we visit the reptile °. How nice! It 'full of crocodiles, small ones do you take them in her arms, and big ones look better from afar. There is a sign indicating: banned, who goes beyond being eaten! Awesome!
And then there are the giant tortoises that we have to chase a banana which are tasty and then snakes and if you dare lend a nice python grossogrosso with which to make the photo.

TUESDAY
For today's on safari. We booked directly with the village, cost $ 465 for 3 people, but if you save, you can join your beach boy. The alarm clock is at 4:45, quick breakfast and sleepy and at 5.30 we are directed to park in a jeep Tsavo East ° °.
Journey time is approximately 2 hours and we just entered the wonderful welcome elephants. How exciting! And giraffes, impalas, gazelles, baboons, crocodiles along the River. There is no story that can make this! It 'a show that turns heads and makes you appear to the eye is not sufficient to embrace the beautiful landscape against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro and animals of which we are only spectators of the intruders.
At lunch time you stop in a field specially prepared Tahri Eco Camp ° and enveloped by hot refreshed us with a varied and tasty buffet. He then starts looking for monkeys and hippos, but obviously the heat is too much for them.
A tip for those who can do it one day safari is beautiful and cheaper, but very tiring if you can have two days off, so at night you can see lions and leopards that come out to hunt, while the day sleeping in a cool holed up somewhere. We made only one day because we think with the facts of malaria prophylaxis we did not, and the mosquitoes are only at night.
We found very interesting the way back through remote villages and dirt roads and sandy, passing the children greeted us and we'll send candy and water bottles.

Ocean Safari

WEDNESDAY
Today total leisure to recover from safari yesterday, so every effort pool, sea, cocktails, food, sun, swimming ....

THURSDAY
With our staff we booked the safari beach boy Navy • ° and it was fantastic. Calculate about $ 50 apiece.
They came up from the hotel and took us to the marina where all the boats depart for safari.
Our private boat was a shabby thing that could not be more, but pole-pole (slowly .. great philosophy of life) we started. Then he cast the pole-pole motor but .. We have been driving, while you could take a dip here and there and have a bath and then finally here is paradise! An atoll in the middle white sea, water depth 20 cm, temperature 30 degrees and then blow our commander pulls out from nowhere a barbeque and square in the water, thirty lobsters, prawns in will and way with fire. I was not ever eat in the sea water with their ankles! Then in less than no time popping out of nowhere in the boats with some nice coconut Kenyans selling bracelets, sarongs, statues, wooden masks. Contracted to exhaustion and if you say you do not have money goes well even barter. We've exchanged t-shirts and flip flops for the batik sarongs and very beautiful. Also appreciate the wide-brimmed hats ... do one escort before leaving home.

FRIDAY
Leisure and relaxation! Despite the protection 50 hours in the sea we were a bit 'burnt and today we take it calmly. In the afternoon we went to visit a school run by the Italian Center in Bakhita Majungu °. It 's a school where all children are invited and enticed to go despite the conditions are very difficult and I think that many of them have to march on foot long before dawn to be at school on time because their villages are far away and have no means of transport. If you are going to visit a school you remember to bring your own pens, pencils, colors, if you put notebooks. They do not ask for money but school supplies. I am eager to learn and study, understand that is their future. Before leaving, because tomorrow is the last day we left the school also all the medicines we had with us. To us it seems a foolish thing to leave boxes of patches in half or any type of medicine including spray for mosquitoes but their usefulness is very big.

Saturday
It 's over! He comes home and lose on the road before we leave our beach boys toothpaste, shampoo, spray for mosquitoes last, flip flops, a t-shirt of Italy in exchange for bracelets and necklaces of beads and faux ivory and greeting everyone with Jambo Hakuna Matata at will. Attention is strictly forbidden to trade in ivory and coral, and if you refuse the offer because they realize both the airport and give you a hefty fine. Forget that both then at home on small piece of coral says nothing as part of the beautiful landscape that you have enjoyed thanks to those who do not bare taking away the pieces.

Our return home by airliner Blue Panorama and was sad to receive the usual fog of Milan. We could only console with a beautiful tan in mid-February, with our purchases and photos but also with our memories. We hope to return soon!

NOTES:
Seen the entry visa costs $ 40 each.
Currency: until a few years ago we only accept dollars, but placed on the same course they prefer the euro to the dollar, however you should also Kenyan Shilling (KES) = 0.0097 EUR (1 EUR = 102.92 KES) for small purchases (gratuities ) so you can not cheat so much with the change.
Health: the health point of view our doctor had advised us to do the malaria because in the villages along the coast are not mosquitoes. As a precaution we have done to prevent typhoid.
Weather: Average temperature over 40 ° C. Absolutely imperative to bring sunglasses, hats, sunscreen and plenty of
Language: English course required, but Malindi is basically a quiet Italian colony and then also with gestures.

Total cost of holiday for a family of 3 persons (2 adults + child 15 years):
FLIGHT AND HOTEL ALL INCLUSIVE: 2 adults + 1 child under 16 is FREE and pay only airport taxes and insurance: € 2,800.00
Various safari, shopping, and so € 0.00
Total 8 nights 3 persons € 3,900.00

If you want advice, and various impressions, or if you want to leave us your comments contact us at our e-mail: alpatom@libero.it
http://iviaggidialpatom.altervista.org

We recommend the guides we have provided the information on places to visit: Lonely Planet Kenya, Kenya Routard.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya
http://www.viaggiaresicuri.mae.aci.it/?Kenya
http://www.Kenya.go.ke/