WATAMU, SAFARI IN TSAVO EAST AND WEST WITH THOMAS TOURS & SAFARIS · DA MOMBASA A WATAMU E PARCHI
When
22 Dec 2011 – 31 Dec 2011 10 days · trip of 2011
Who
CINZIA PIETROPOLI · @LA CINZIA · CARATE BRIANZA
How
Travel diary
The story · 1 days
TRIP ORGANISED ENTIRELY BY THOMAS TOURS & SAFARIS OF WATAMU we only concerned ourselves with buying the flight, everything else such as: - transfer from Mombasa airport to Watamu and back - Local residence in the centre of Watamu - Meals - safaris and excursions - Visits to villages and African families - Malindi Thomas Mboya and his safari Agency took care of everything thomasmby@yahoo.co.uk -
MY STORY:
My return to Kenya was long thought about in a hospital room, ten long days spent meditating, full of drips, blood transfusions, painkillers etc, but a great inner strength…..
everything went well! These were the surgeon's words said to my husband after a good 2 hours of surgery and 7 hours of waiting and, from how they had described it to me right from the start, I must say that I consider myself really very lucky!!! My soul, however, was not at peace, I felt an enormous need to thank all the people far and near who have walked with me over these years, who have never abandoned me, not even in difficult moments like this…
the day after the surgery, what I could do from the hospital bed, unable to move, was only read the texts from all my friends and many came from Kenya….One of them said: Cinzia,, hakuna matata,, don't worry the world needs you!
My son Andrea, 9 years old, hadn't quite understood what had happened to me, but when he came to visit me in hospital he said to my husband: Poor mummy!
I had to get back up on my feet quickly, Andrea must no longer see me like that, and I found so much strength besides in my beautiful family, in friends and also in our special African family, adopted in Watamu back in August 2006: Made up of Thomas Mboya, his 3 orphaned grandchildren Siena, Bella, Anthony and mama-grandmother Anna,
I spent whole afternoons writing in my hospital room, making myself useful for Kenya, an unbridled passion that has accompanied me for 5 years and that got me back on my feet in no time… even the nurses had become curious.. they said: the patient in room 6 has some beautiful photos of Kenya, let's go and see them!!!
the convalescence at home was really hard, 3 layers of internal sutures, a beautiful zip on my aching belly that didn't allow me to do anything…only to write and I wanted to feel alive, useful to someone, since I couldn't go to work in the office…
the days passed, and the months too, I began my “thank-you tour” as soon as I could sit in the car for 2 consecutive hours, I went to visit my loved ones at the cemetery 300 km from our home and I felt good praying and giving thanks, but my thought was getting stronger and stronger… I had to return to Kenya… I had to see with my own eyes, after 5 years of word of mouth, what we had managed to build without sending money, and how our efforts to talk about Kenya and its many African families on the web had been invested.
I had to see how the life of our African Family, that of Thomas Mboya, had changed, what Thom had managed to do to get ahead, how he worked together with his collaborators, now that he has his own entirely African Safari Agency “Thomas Tours & Safaris”, compliant in matters of safety and tourism… and how his orphaned grandchildren have grown, whom he has been raising for 7 years as an uncle acting as a “father”.
I checked the prices of the flight only to Mombasa, direct, for days and days… I couldn't afford to make many stopovers with my problem, but alas nothing less than 800-900 euro to which I had to add insurance, board and lodging.. But one day I couldn't believe my eyes: NEOS FLIGHT Milan-Rome–Mombasa, stopover in Zanzibar, 400 euro with internet charges 424,00… and I bought it immediately!!!
I arrived in Mombasa after making a stopover without ever getting off the plane in Rome and in Zanzibar, but when I arrived in Mombasa I immediately understood from the airport that Kenya had changed…FOR THE BETTER! Exactly 5 minutes by the clock to get the visa, paid 50 dollars, exit from customs without any problem, a forgotten African heat and the first thing I did was take off the binder that was supporting my freshly operated belly… I came out of the airport with a trolley, my luggage weighed so much that it had me dealing with excess kilos at the Neos check-in desk which, begged, didn't make me pay anything for the overweight …
my heart was beating fast, the feeling I felt was indescribable, I felt strong, as if I had never had any surgery, I looked around, everyone was calling me taxi taxi… but my eyes were darting around, looking for a familiar face, and here I am!!!!
At that moment no words came out of my lips, they were pulled too tight to smile, it was an almost hysterical little laugh, of amazement, of happiness I saw Thomas together with his collaborators, they came towards me, we hugged and only here could I speak MA DO YOU BELIEVE IT??? I'm here in Kenya!!! The very first thing I did was immediately capture my arrival with a few photos, it was a moment to remember!!! Having loaded the luggage onto a station wagon, my first surprise was to find Thomas at the wheel…I knew he had got his licence, but seeing him driving confidently and at the same time acting as guide, I didn't expect it,.how lovely to hear him speaking in confident Italian….
Right away I saw the road that leads from Mombasa airport to Watamu, improved, few potholes and breathtaking scenery, everyone seemed to be doing better than a few years earlier, even Mombasa seemed improved, the cultivated fields perfect, the little shops along the road, very little rubbish around, in short how lovely!
Thomas talked and explained, the other collaborator told me how the safari agency was structured, we spoke in Italian and in English… While I listened to them, I snapped photos, photos photos, I immediately bought a SAFARICOM SIM CARD And with a few shillings of credit I called Italy for 1 week and moreover they called me on this number from Italy and I spent nothing, a nice comfort. Thomas lent me the Orange dongle for connecting to my netbook that I had brought with me, very handy and cheap.
I stayed in the centre in a comfortable African B&B residence for reaching my favourite beach, that of Watamu Beach, the next day we set off immediately for Tsavo East and West, my safari this time was to be a photo reportage, a collection of useful information, to provide and pass on, once back home, to tourists like me who wanted to set off for this wonderful country. no business for Kenya, but only so much passion for this country that has allowed me to create a sort of collective non-profit, involving over the years other willing Italian families happy to be able to help, simply through word of mouth, African families to work and make themselves known, among the many Italians who write on the web for Kenya,,
We are sure that Kenya should be visited like this, with the Africans doing everything to make you feel at home, where they were born, to make you understand their culture, through safaris, excursions and visits to their villages, families and orphanages to further encourage the development of this country..
In the 2 Parks, I saw landscapes familiar to me, lots of animals, but I was always missing the leopard….after so many years of Kenya and Africa, the sighting of this animal had always eluded me…. I wanted to stay at the Ngulia Lodge Tsavo West where at least I was sure it would come in the evening, the Leopard to eat, since in the restaurant garden every evening they hang on a tree trunk a piece
Day 131 Dec 2011
TSAVO EAST TSAVO WEST MALINDI AND VILLAGES
a piece of meat....and so it was... He arrived step by step, elegant, accompanied by a pair of really funny porcupines and a group of gazelles as spectators...in short, it felt like being at the cinema!
The safari lasted 3 days and 2 nights; it was an adventure within an adventure. Once we found ourselves in difficulty because of too much mud due to the rains that had fallen strangely at this time of year. The rangers helped us at once, and the lodge, when called, had also given us a hand right away. Thomas explained to me that when you're in the savannah, no one abandons anyone; everyone helps each other among the different drivers, even if they're from different agencies, and outside the park, to capture the tourist, they behave like all deal-makers; inside the park, the story changes: everyone is equal and they help each other, and in any case THERE ARE THE RANGERS, the park guards, and if you can't get hold of them, you just call the lodge or tented camp booked for the night, and once alerted, they send you help at once, so Hakuna matata.
Arriving at our lodge well after sunset, I had the chance to see different wildlife: an enormous snake I'd never seen before crossed the road, a big scorpion, and the sounds and noises of the savannah were different... truly a beautiful experience. Our game drive resumed the next morning at dawn before breakfast; we set off really early, touring West Tsavo, very green, full of vegetation. Rounding a bend and finding myself face to face with a big elephant was a moment of fear that made me think... you don't suppose I've got through the hospital operation only to get hurt by an elephant??? But Thomas, quick and professional, managed by revving the engine and honking the horn to make the enormous elephant move off onto the hill; we couldn't do it, but he could...
Once the morning game drive was over we went back to the lodge for breakfast and then off again to look for animals. Our return to Watamu was long, but the stops made along the way were instructive, to understand how Africans live outside the usual tourist circuits and far from the coast crowded with European tourists.
The last days spent in Watamu were a continuous pilgrimage from one beach to another to gather information and photos: TURTLE BAY BEACH WATAMU BEACH BLUE LAGOON GARODA BEACH SARDEGNA 2 During my stay I had the pleasure of meeting 2 couples of tourists who had contacted and booked excursions with Thomas. A particular thanks to Bruno and Valeria, a fabulous couple who in 15 days in Kenya had immediately realised how beautiful this country is when travelled with the local guys. A hello to Alice and her brother Stefano who, just arrived, tried the do-it-yourself adventure of going to Malindi by motorbike in the evening with the Beach Boys; I think few tourists just arrived would try such an emotion....
BRAVO! My dinners based on fish in the little African restaurants of Watamu, spending at most 10 euros, were moments of exchanging information in English with Anthony, now 14 years old, Siena, now 11, Bella the same age as my Andrea, 9, about how they had grown up, educated, composed.
I will never forget Siena when I asked her to express a wish for Christmas: she answered, I'd like "CHRISTMAS clothes". In Kenya on Christmas Day, all children, even the poorest, must wear new little outfits and new shoes, and parents do everything so that this comes true... Bella, on the other hand, told me please next time don't forget my Dolls... She wanted dolls.
I came back to Italy full of strength, of inner happiness, more charged than before and ready to help this country. I immediately contacted friends and tourists about to leave for Kenya, and a thank you to Simona and her husband, who were returning to Kenya for the second time in a few months; they promptly filled their suitcases with all sorts of material to leave in Kenya, and also dolls for Bella and useful things for Thomas. Thanks to Elena, Rosita, Marina, Simona, Rossella and her family who have followed me in this project and in the blog all these years.
At this point I can say ASANTE SANA KENYA!
This time Kenya was for me more than a medicine for the body and the mind, and my mal d'Afrique helped me heal very quickly!!!
Jambo Kenya! Or rather, see you soon.... Cinzia Paolo and Andrea p.malnati@virgilio.it
SPLENDIDO.... HO GUARDATO GIA IL SITO COMPLIMENTI HAI VINTO UNA GRANDE SFIDA E HAI AVUTO LA FORZA PER REAGIRE CREDENDO ANCHE NELLA TUA NUOVA FAMIGLIA..
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SPLENDIDO.... HO GUARDATO GIA IL SITO COMPLIMENTI HAI VINTO UNA GRANDE SFIDA E HAI AVUTO LA FORZA PER REAGIRE CREDENDO ANCHE NELLA TUA NUOVA FAMIGLIA..