Experiencing Southern Africa has been such a joy. Each country I decided to see, left me with lasting memories.
I have made more than one trip to some of these countries. Many things took me to Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. And Zambia being my home country, has been a wonderful home.
Just to go down memory lane, I will, should I leave my country for good, always remember the Mighty Victoria Falls. It is a touristic identity of the country and being in Zimbabwe many times, I must say that the same falls will remind me of Zimbabwe as it is also found there.
I will always remember Namibia for its beaches and deserts and Botswana for its wildlife.
If the truth be told, I would love to do a revisit. What was closest to this visit I am desiring, was when I took a trip enjoying my moment on the safaris of the Chobe River, only to find out I experienced all four of these countries in less than 20 minutes!
Before I got to Chobe River for the safari, I passed through Kazungula bridge and it is at this place that Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Zambia borders meet at a quadripoint. I love that this bridge was worked on and looks beautiful and I spent time admiring the Zambezi River from this side of the country.
This Botswana- Zambia border connects two points on the Zambezi river, one with Namibia in the Northwest to one with Zimbabwe in the Southeast. This boundary on the Zambezi River is also known as the “Four Corners of Africa”. The four countries meet on the eastern side of the Caprivi Strip. What is more interesting is that research has it that there are more than 150 tripoints in the world like Egypt, Libya, and Sudan in Africa; Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela in the Americas; Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan in Asia; Austria, Germany, and Switzerland in Europe but there is only one International quadripoint in the world and I am happy to have had seen this point. It is always a great feeling to come across rare places. You will find the four countries Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana meeting at the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers.
I bet there are other points one could enjoy this quadripoint from, but one of these is on the Chobe River. I sat on the boat waiting to come across some wildlife of Botswana. There were lots of animals to see but that is a story for another day. What made my day was learning and experiencing this rare truth that the boat I was on did not just make a stop on ordinary waters but on a spot that made me experience four countries in less than twenty minutes!
Though this point could take about five to six minutes, I decided to wait longer than this by asking the boatman for his permission. I figured this rare place could be appreciated more if there was a poster or something but because this was on water, there was little chance of this.
Chipata is a city and administrative centre of the Eastern part of Zambia.The city, unlike in older years, has undergone some economic and infrastructure growth, leading up to city status. It is still a work-in-progress though. Do not hesitate to add it to places you can visit for not only the laid-back life but to see the parks which have game and wild animals. When I visited Chipata for the second time, I was happy to see lots of change. Last time I visited, I didn’t know how to share my journey with the world like I do now. I loved Chipata town for simple things like:
Those mangoes!
There are many places in Zambia I have on my bucket list. I have them because of the fruits I have heard are found there. Mwinilunga has pineapples and Mazabuka, sugarcane. When I visited Chipata recently, I couldn’t help but appreciate the mangoes found in this part of the country. The season to enjoy mangoes is from late October to late January. The beauty is they are cheaper in Chipata than in other towns like Lusaka. It was mango parties everyday! I found a reason to use mangoes in things like my desserts. My favourite was custard fruit salad!
Animals at your doorstep
Whenever we want to see certain creatures, we quickly have to be the ones to make the first move to where we can find them. Of course, I don’t mean the wild animals. It was such a great moment to walk out of the house and appreciate the birds that frequently flew by or perched. I usually don’t get to see the S-necked and long-legged kind of birds where I live. It was a super cool experience to get frequent visits from this species of bird.
Because of the wet season, we also had frequent visits from crab-like creatures. I want to think those were real crabs. At least something close to mud crabs. I don’t have my facts right yet. If they are were crabs, we have delicacy on the loose!
I was in an area called Moth in Chipata and that’s were I spent most of my time. This was pretty much in the centre of Chipata. Whenever I saw creatures I was not able to see where I came from, I made sure to take a shot. The one creature I saw the most but failed to take even one shot was one in the family of ferrets. Again, I am not sure these were ferrets but they were furry and looked like guinea pig cousins. I just noticed, they don’t stay put. I tried placing some nuts in strategic places so when they pay a visit, I could take a shot but things didn’t go as planned. I found the nuts gone.
Lovely landscapes, lovely sunsets
Not that I am not a fan of mountain climbing, but in some places like Tanzania ( Mount Kilimanjaro), doing it will cost me an arm and a leg. Chipata has so many hills I could try climbing before doing a legendary mountain climb.
My first attempt goofing around on these hills was with my nieces. This didn’t do the trick but it was good enough for some memorable views. I didn’t have to climb up these hills all the time to enjoy incredible views. Sometimes, I just sat or walked around in the neighborhood enjoying the views I don’t see where I am living. Everyone living where the land is flat knows this feeling when you find elevated lands. I enjoyed my early morning or evening walks because of this.
Sunsets could have been perfect if not for the distracting hills but then again, I was in the eastern part of the country. The sun rises from the east, so says geography. This means sunrises here, should be more enjoyable than sunsets. The hills would be distracting nonetheless.
Bike city touring
Last I checked, especially in developed countries, if you wanna know a city, you have to use a tour bus. This is not the kind of stuff you are gonna find here. I loved seeing more places on motorbikes. This is one thing that has changed over the years. There were no motorbikes used for public transport some time back. This has now become the popular means of transport in this part of the country. In other parts of the country, they are used for deliveries. Here, it’s public transport. Since it’s cheaper than getting on a vehicle, it was easy to see most of Chipata. I even found hidden gems that you should try finding on your own when you tour this laid-back city.
A good amount of adrenaline is good for the soul. It can help part of your body to function more effectively. The heart will beat faster and the lungs will breathe better. Some activities do guarantee a good dose of adrenaline. How many of us are willing to have that ‘rush’?
I have heard of experienced travelers who still get chills before a flight. Does this mean you can never get used to some dangerous activities? I do feel a rush of adrenaline before a flight too. Some people struggle with vivid imaginations taking away the fun from certain activities.
Thinking about the zip line itself gives me some chills. The feeling is worse when you read about personalities like Robert Cadman. He met his death when his rope snapped. History says that this happened when he was descending from Shrewsbury’s St Mary’s church. Thanks, Cadman, for making things worse for scared kitties like us.
I acknowledge the fear attached to such thrilling activities like zip lining. I recently found some good reasons you should try this in Zambia. Try this because:
It is ideal for beginners: I want to progress to the intermediate level. This will give me proper reasons to do the zip line in places like South Africa. The Oribi Gorge zip line for example happens to be the longest in South Africa! Plus, it ranked one of the highest in the world! That’s a full dose of adrenaline right there.
Doing the zip line in Zambia will give beginners or “scared kitties ” a quick opportunity to experience this activity. I tried it using a company called Abseil Zambia. They were the perfect company to help adventurers who fall in my category.
The Oribi Gorge zip line is said to be about 400 meters deep and 5 kilometers wide. No beginner even wants to think along those lines. That is way outside my league! It sounds like an impossibility.
Doing the zip line in Zambia will give confidence to beginners. There are points to do the zip line from. I was lucky to find a spot that was 135 meters across the canyon and about 75 meters over the ground. Beginners in these thrill games should consider zip lining in Zambia.
Affordable: Some tourists say South Africa has cheaper rates for zip-lining activities than Zambia. The standard tourist rate for this activity is around 50 dollars. This is one of the few activities with a lower price given to local tourists.
Activities like bungee jumping are the same for both locals and international visitors. I had 25 dollars on me. The hostel I was at connected me to Abseil Zambia for the zip-lining activity. This is for local tourists and am sure it sounds unfair. I was happy to enjoy the low price.
Doing the same activity on the Zimbabwean side with Falcon Safaris would be about 87 dollars. The measurements of the gorge on this side are 425 meters in length and 120 meters above the river Zambezi. It looks like the longer and deeper the gorge is, the more expensive the zip line activities.
Safe: Safety before the adventure is important. There is no need to put spontaneity before our five senses. I had been researching thrilling activities. Bungee jumping appears to be at a higher level of risk. If the rope snaps in both activities, that would be terrible. It appears there have been more accidents while bungee jumping than zip lining.
I tried monitoring the equipment with an eagle’s eye. Everything appeared safe to me. I noticed there was a concrete slab next to the part of the gorge you take off.
I didn’t want others to get the impression that I freaked out. I asked if I could inspect the pulleys and harness for my peace of mind. They appeared safe but then again one can never be too sure. Things looked good but I still must have sent the message I was still scared.
One of the staff members there suggested doing a duo. This would help get the chills off my case. Long story short, I felt confident. No one wants to die alone and that is if death is ever scheduled.
When you drive to the place where you zip line, you will notice that they place safety first. I saw some signposts that promote the safety of others. looking around before my activity gave me confidence. Their equipment looked on point and safe. Plus, death has this bad habit of not knocking on your door first. I must say the safe instruments here would not be to blame for anything.
Free transport: We love freebies. Transport costs can be low but sometimes high depending on how far you are going. The distance to the gorge is dependent on where you are staying. Some hotels and hostels could be too far from the gorge. This would attract a larger fee for transport. It’s worse when you are in a larger group that needs a larger vehicle or more than one to get you there.
I thought because I was the only one who signed up for the activity, I would have to find my way. but that wasn’t the case. I got picked up. Since it appeared funny to sit alone behind a safari van, I sat in front.
Supportive staff: This adventure was worthwhile because of the supportive staff. The driver was flexible. He did not show signs I inconvenienced him. There are places on the way to the gorge which were beautiful.
I asked to view these these places. I didn’t take up too much of his time. We saw a group of elephants cooling off at the Maramba River. I was also wowed by the Zambezi River and refreshed there. I thanked the driver for this.
The other staff member who was supportive was the one helping with the zip-lining. He boosted my confidence by trying it out with me. He did this because he noticed I had feared.
Do try out all these thrilling activities in Zambia.
Getaways are the reason for some of the good in us like enjoying of health benefits, improved mental health, overall motivation and all those good things. You know the other good thing about them? Saving costs. Just because I love travel, doesn’t mean I always have to go so far off, nop. I just needed to be away yet within and do this without emptying my pockets.
In life, we should learn to have a balance because this world is full of things like work, stress, family, marriage and if you allow this endless list to take the best of you, this may be the cause of many unwanted pressures on you with unpleasant consequences.
The whys of this getaway
Ahhmm… first because planning international trips as a solo female traveller with an 8 to 4 job of a teacher can take longer than usual without using a travel agency. I am my own travel agency. So who is gonna wait for later for a longer break because that in itself comes after a good 3 to 4 months. Am not waiting that long to be out there! The other ‘why’ for this trip is a definite ‘ just because’.
So where are we going anyways?
You know if you have been reading my blogs, you realize I have a soft spot for the beach yet born in a landlocked country hence the constant thirst to get to the coastal areas. Siavonga! That’s the name of the small town in Zambia you could enjoy beach moments without having to travel to the coast! I told myself to cool it with the next coastal visit preps and enjoy a weekend on Zambian soil.
This kind of taught me about few times in life we have looked at greener grass on the other side of where we are standing. Sometimes, it’s okay. But this time was time to enjoy grazing the grass I was standing on. So let’s graze!
Coming from the main international airport in the capital of the country and want to try it? This location is about 3 hours away but you won’t regret the distance.
The road trip
Part of the fun of a road trip is you get to see the country side and being that the wet season is over, brown and a bit of green here and there was the theme color nature provided.
The trip from Lusaka Town area to Siavonga town was about 3 hours but I bet it would be less for faster drivers. On your lucky day, you will find some cows and goats on the road making sure they blocked your way.
From a distance as you head to Siavonga, you will see some hilly areas as well but I particularly liked parts where the road meanders through higher land.
The area an hour and a half from Lusaka to Siavonga is quite underdeveloped and if viewing the slower life is your thing, you will particularly like the African village look having mud or thatched small houses and some villagers selling fruits, charcoal or whatever could be sold by the roadside.
I checked my watch and it was almost 3 hours of this road trip. I knew we were almost there because I could see the color blue in the horizon not too far off and though the sky sometimes appears blue, this wasn’t the sky but the beautiful Lake Kariba! The signpost to confirm we were here was just in my face!
Siavonga
Arrival
I knew this getaway was going to be perfect when I saw the entrance to the destination resort I settled for. Savee Beach Resort has a beautiful entrance starting from the gate to the reception area. The fountain gave a refreshing look to the face of the resort. The decor at the reception was simple and all the glass doors, windows were sparkling clean! The floors, though white in color, were also absolutely spotless. I couldn’t help but make this moment last by keeping a lasting memory. For a beach resort in a village near a lovely lake, the face of this hotel was a cool four star! The personnel were on point trying to check me in with cheerful yet professional attitude.
General appearance
The outside of the resort was more like getting up a hilly area. There were stairs almost everywhere because the landscape was high and low. Stair cases were well built with grey bricks.
I must say it’s home away from home kind of place and quite a beautiful hideout for escapists. A stone throw away from the Lake Kariba makes it such a perfect spot for beautiful sunsets.
Some of the facilities it had were about 70 plus rooms which could accommodate single and double occupancy. I got a single room which had simple yet elegant decor with the theme colors chocolate and cream.
The reason I loved this room was because it had a lake view I could access just by opening the glass door. I could say the same for the restaurant. This resort offers multi cuisine but my concentration was more on the Indian cuisine and having my meal right next to the lake added to the great vibes of the place.
I could have sworn I saw many pools but after familiarising myself with the place, I discovered it has three pools. It boasts a small cozy bar and another building called The Boat House which appeared to be a conference or party spot and still being renovated.
So the general appearance considering that this resort used to be called Fresh View and renovations and beautifying are still underway, I must say I appreciate the smooth transition and what the place is becoming. For me its general appearance was a four star.
The highs and lows of the getaway
The highs of this getaway were the fact that this resort is next to the lake and this means wonderful views. The other high is that the food was mouthwatering!
The lows were that the room I was in had an unpleasant stain on the blinds but am sure they have that on their to-do-list considering the renovations going on.
If there is such a thing as winning the lottery, having a get-rich-quick scheme go as planned or I just happen to afford it, I want to visit North America, Europe, Canada and my absolute favorite, Australia but the way I see it, these will remain dreams for now, but, thanks to bloggers, TV and indeed all the places I have seen and appreciated these places through. Imagine if these channels were never available.
Today I especially woke up with a dire need to share Southern African cities I have come to love and hopefully encourage someone out there to consider adding these cities to their bucket list and even if it ends up being a dream, it’s free to dream, right?
By all means do try out:
1) Livingstone (Zambia)
Let’s say you happen to be on the Southern part of the continent of Africa on Zambian soil and not made it to Livingstone, then you haven’t lived. I think at this moment, Livingstone is tired of having me. This is a place you will find African dancers communicating to you, appreciating and welcoming you through dance. Feel free to tag along and enjoy the rhythms of Africa.
I have done Livingstone sometimes just to get soaked by the splashes from the mighty Victoria Falls. I want no one to disturb me when am spending time with her. You will want to enjoy your awesome moment with her after all she is one of the natural wonders of the world! I love Livingstone! Never a dull moment here. If it’s not the falls you wanna be at, do the Zambezi river, all in one town! This river is like the fourth longest river in Africa.
You will enjoy lots of activities done on this river. Many other activities will make your visit to Livingstone memorable like the nerve-wracking, adrenaline-boosting lion interaction. Most of all, if you are a foodie like I am, you don’t want too many restrictions when it comes to food so enjoy tasty crocodile at some restaurants here but I highly recommend Zambezi Cafe. Yu-m-mmmy!
2) Walvis Bay (Namibia)
This is a port town on the coasts of Namibia. It is said to be the second largest city in Namibia and the largest coastal city in the country. You will enjoy being in Walvis Bay as there are lots of boating and cruise companies to help you enjoy the Atlantic ocean and all that you can do there. Wanna enjoy the Atlantic ocean on African soil? Choose Walvis Bay. The cruise agency I highly recommend is the Laramon Tours which changed its name to Catamaran Charters. They offer variety of cruises suitable for all ocean lovers.
Walvis Bay is known for its varying birdlife for all those birders out there. Bucket list this place for all good hotels near the Atlantic ocean like Protea Hotel where you could enjoy your meals and stays with beautiful views.
3) Cape Town (South Africa)
I was amazed at how beautiful this city looks at night from where I stood. I was quite stunned. Coastal cities happen to be my favorite for some reason. Unlike other cities I have toured in my own style, I love that Cape Town offers city tours and the well known company offering these tours is the City Sightseeing red bus which is the hop on and hop off kind of touring. This absolutely gives you the opportunity to see Cape Town, Seapoint area in style enjoying the views of the Table mountain, Cape Wheel, Nobel Square and a boat cruise tour near the harbor area.
Sunsets in Cape Town are beautiful. It pays off to have a long beach walk and get rewarded with an amazing sunset. For your travel sustainable, clean accomodation, I recommend Mojo hotel in Seapoint right next to where the Atlantic and Indian ocean meet.
4) Dar es salaam (Tanzania)
We celebrate Tanzania because of its beautiful city of Dar es salaam. Everytime I have been here, I always find that this city gives me a whole new vibe. Its beautiful beaches could be well appreciated from pleasure resorts like Azure Boutique Resort. I wanted a quiet moment at the beach and didn’t want a public beach. It was only me, the ocean, the birds and this moment I will not forget. I knew that though Dar es salaam is such a loud town, I would enjoy the coastal town by trying out a private beach.
The market place in Kariakoo, I loved! I went round, shop after shop and all sorts of things by the market place are sold and I even took time to ask what some of this stuff was. I especially enjoyed taking a personal tour round the town center area and Mbezi area using their mode of transport I was enjoying to use because we don’t have these kinds back home. Try Dar es salaam for lots more other activities I did not do. Because it’s on the east side of Africa, you will love the sunrise in this town and you know what else caught my attention? Coconuts! Coconuts! Coconuts!
5) Swakopmund (Namibia)
This beautiful city full of awesome scenery is found on the Western part of the country. The beauty with this town is how you can enjoy the best of two worlds, the desert and indeed the coast right in one space! How amazing can it get?!
I had way too much choice here. Took a walk down the road from the place I lodged at and bumped into a tour company right in the desert area called Desert Explorers.
Looking at camels then quad bikes, the adrenaline in me picked the bikes. You will appreciate the dunes using these tours. I was there for hours and would have loved to be there longer!
I woke up feeling so sophisticated and thought to myself what could enhance this feeling more than a horse ride. I wanted a getaway and be lost in nature so I packed my small bag and off I went to a farm called Trotover Farm which is also known as Trotover Equestrian Center.
There is no harm in going to a horse riding school and after the experience I had, I guess am revisiting my hobbies, wink wink.
The whereabouts of the farm
Planning on visiting Zambia and short of what to keep you refreshed?You could try this activity out just for the fun of it or as a set of lessons. This place is just a 50 minute drive from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) and it will be cheaper if you got yourself a local sim card and downloaded an app called Yango so you enjoy cheaper taxi services but if that is a hustle, ask a nice person from the airport with this app on their phone to order a taxi for you.
I was not coming from the airport of course and my only challenge was the farm was showing on Google maps but not on the taxi app which made me enter on the app a nearby place to the farm then got on another private taxi which charged me more for such a short distance but anywho, I didn’t care cos it’s horses I was gonna be riding right? I forgot about the annoying taxi experience.
I did enjoy quite a bit of riding before in a small town called Chingola at a small ranch with fewer horses than these.
Me with Perle in Chingola
Arrival
For every service you get, so long you paid for it, you expect good to excellent services from staff and I must say I found a helpful person in charge who assisted with locating of the place on phone when I couldn’t find it. He, together with other members of staff had smiling faces as they cleaned up the stables and I stopped over for a short walking tour near the front area of the farm’s reception just to see what it was about.
The horse trail
I could see some poster asking for respect from the public that this was private property and that no dogs or children under 4 years were allowed. By it saying ‘clients only’ must have meant that they usually received unwanted guests. The helpful staff was there explaining to me few things about their horses but the one question I asked was whether it was easy to distinguish between a young horse and an older one. I was told that,”You can just tell.” I proceeded to the stables that had the older ones and yes, I can’t just put my finger on it but I could tell age was catching up with these horses.
After checking out the tired horses, the helper at the farm brought two white horses. They looked like twins except one had longer mane than the other. I chose Jumbo for that. We headed out of the front of the farm using a short route that had leaves falling all over until Jumbo and I headed to a small slop I heard fills up with water in the wet season. I wished I came with company but so what if I do solo chronicles?
Jumbo was calm, friendly and because the only company I had was the guide who knew the trail, I got to learn a sound he kept making trying to communicate with his horse and I picked up on it to connect with Jumbo.
I am no horse expert but I must say I love animals and connecting with Jumbo was no biggie. I have had friends that have had bad experiences with horses even as experts but I didn’t wanna dwell on that and ruin my chances of a peaceful ride with Jumbo in this trail.
After about a good 15 minutes we got to a place which was dotted with some slim trunked trees stretching over a large area and I wish I had recorded the music provided by the birds there. I bet Jumbo was also enjoying this too. The trail wasn’t so defined but clear enough to show there were more trees ahead of us. At one point, I noticed Jumbo was distracted by the grass when we paused for a bit. It was time for free tasting for him.
Jumbo and I enjoyed some slightly hilly spots as well as few depressed ones and I am happy to say he was good at what he was doing. I noticed when we get to these two places, it’s as if he would slow down and think how best he would handle these spots. Smart huh…..
By the time we finished our loop it was almost two hours and this must have been about 8 km to 10 km. I believe we could have gone further but that was where my 13 dollars ended and was already held up for the afternoon.
When I said my byes to the staff, I noticed some drawings of horses on the walls that are coming up quite well and I should be back here to see how they finish and the other was the quote hanging on the wall that I couldn’t agree more to but this ride was actually refreshing and made me reconsider my hobbies. Riding is actually good for the soul and should you be on this side of Zambia, do try this farm out and pass my regards to Jumbo.
Don’t do what I did
Not to brag but I could tell Jumbo was a calm horse and was about no funny business so I tried this ride with no protective gear on my head but I feel it’s important to wear one. The place did actually offer one and I wanted it in pink because it’s one of my fav colors but unfortunately the only pink one available couldn’t fit and I chose fashion over safety and crossed my fingers. Luck was on my side.
I have always been mistaken to belong to a younger generation than the one I belong to. In some cultures, this is a good thing while in some, it’s quite a challenge because people judge you based on your body size. I applaud those who watch their weight by checking what food contains religiously but that has never been my thing. What has helped me is exercise.
Being a high school teacher, I have sometimes been mistaken to be a recent alumnus because well …. some people think that way, not because I still get in touch with my teen self when working with teens at times but because they think I look young. But what has helped me stay forever 21 in this confused world of stress?
So basically, this is the thing: though a teacher, I have taken sport seriously. I have always started aerobics and tennis in schools I have been attached to. I have also always been involved in athletics with the teenagers I teach just to lead by example so to me exercise must be doing some wonders!
I would rather work out than diet🥺
When in my personal space without these teenagers I see every day, I still take long walks mostly around my neighborhood, which brings me to this beach hike I did in Zanzibar from Nungwi to Kendwa and back to Nungwi and you have got to see the beautiful things I saw!
I boasted an 8km in a day dedicated to beachside hike because the first 4km was done in the morning and I spent the afternoon going back to point A. This walk was not about the speed but the soothing effect of everything I saw in between. Naturally, for experienced walkers, this was supposed to take a total of 2 hours.
I started off with my pink Nike backpack loaded with nothing much but some swimwear cos I knew I would need cooling off somewhere ahead. I packed myself some ‘chewies’ to go. I didn’t carry a water bottle, I knew I would find H2O ahead.
Point 1 : Starting points
Starting point 1
I wanted my starting point to be so clear this was some serious walk and I meant business! The two places that marked my start were Makofi Guest House (Where I took a deep breath knowing I would be back in the evenings) and another place with a poster you can only find in Nungwi. The beauty of this walk is that I had company. I was more motivated than if I had done this solo.
As I mentioned before about not aging, staying young has got to do with attitude as well as “loving what we do and doing what we love” just like the relaxing words I found at the start point of my hike. You will stay young when you do what you love and learn to love what you do. This happens because it keeps you smiling and a smile makes you look younger.
Starting point 2: Makofi Guest House
We walked for about twenty more minutes for the other signature start point I wanted which was the “Hakuna Matata welcome again “signpost. This signpost spoke the truth to me as this was my second visit to Nungwi, Zanzibar. Again, I fell in love with this signpost because it spoke the truth. Many would know this phrase from the legendary cartoon Lion King and this phrase means “no worries” in the Swahili language. The reason people think am forever 21 is because I always stay away from worries. I look it in the eye but I get rid of it. I also almost all the time avoid toxic people unless there is nothing I can do to avoid them.
Point 2: Aren’t horses the cutest?!
We continued walking for a good two hours. Not rushing much caused us to appreciate the turquoise waters of Nungwi! This was a long stretch of beauty only to bump into more of what nature can offer. Horses! I even remembered that the day before this hike, I went to the stables at Zanzibar Horse Club in Nungwi and met a cutie called Oreo.
Maybe one of these horses we saw was Oreo at work but it was kinda nice to see horses on water! The two hours paid off obviously. It was time to take pics. The horses looked at peace on duty and cooling off. This reminded me how we should stay calm even in adversity if we want to avoid those wrinkles. Focus on the positives.
Oreo
Point 3: The cave lady
After a good time horse viewing, we enjoyed a stretch of nothingness except Her Majesty, the Indian Ocean.
After about an hour or so, we found a rocky, cave-like area. These caves must be formed by water from the ocean and its force. We paused.
When I saw these caves, I was reminded how caves are home to several animals and if this was the northern parts of the globe, I was gonna be talking bear stories. We don’t have them on this side of the globe. Nonetheless, caves are a refuge for some creatures, and going back to keeping fit and staying young, we all need a refuge when down. The other reason I have also been mistaken to belong to the younger generation is because I have mastered where to go for refuge. When I feel down, I know what to do to snap out of it or go through it but feel safe and rested. I have surrounded myself with people with the right energy and sometimes like an eagle, I have shut some toxic people out so I energize.
Point 4: No place like home
No matter how much fun you are having away from home, the thought of your home country will cross your mind. After leaving the caves, we were at it again. This next spot felt lonely. We were in the middle of nowhere except for the ocean. I thought of back home.
I missed home but I had something on me reminding me of who I am, Zambian. I have had my flag for a long time now and always find a reason to carry it. You will stay younger when you know who you are and quit being like someone else.
Point 5:Pirate lady
I was exhausted and decided to take a dip in the shallow end of the ocean. The swimwear came in handy. Getting to Kendwa is all I could think of. I heard this was also a cool place where full moon parties are held every month! I shook off the feelings of missing home and decided why not pretend to be a pirate girl on this dhow that I saw. I needed to feel powerful to finish this exhausting walk. Sometimes pretending to be okay is okay and may cause you to be okay because your focus is on the positives.
Ahoy!
Point 6: Unfinished buildings
At this point, it was too late to give up on getting to Kendwa. We knew we were close but no sign of it was showing except for the unfinished building on the water that was coming up which reminded me that keeping our hopes and faith high can sometimes drive out some negativity which you know will make you experience ageing. A stone’s throw away from this building was some art I found being sold and just looking at this art was quite refreshing. Always look at the big picture and the brighter side to stay young.
Point 7: Kendwa, we are here!!
Because of the faith we had, we finally made it 4 km to Kendwa! I wished those much-talked-about full-moon beach parties were happening that night because I was gonna stay at the beach overnight, lol! I saw the signposts showing us we were in Kendwa and this is where I went into the ocean to cool off a second time. I have learned that finishing small tasks that you can handle is quite fulfilling. The feeling of accomplishment can be found even in the least challenging things like this hike but they do keep you in high moods and looking young.
I enjoyed the journey of painting not the final look
I am ashamed of this painting even though it is part of my collection and this is for two reasons. Firstly, it’s because I didn’t use much inspiration to paint it. I just thought of it and painted it. I am not quite sure this kind of flower exists. Secondly, I am extremely far from what you call an artist but I really love, love, love art! I must admit that though the result of this painting is something I am ashamed of, the actual process was really so soothing that it is the reason I have treasured this piece.
Every time I look at it, I always remember a quote by Greg Anderson that goes like, “Focus on the journey not the destination, joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” Very wise words from Greg that I wanna use to air out my views on why we travel to countries as opposed to what our motives are in how many counties we should travel to for the sake of keeping count.
In this day and age, travellers want to be known for so many countries they have been to but as a traveller who has done few countries many times, my question has been why one would pride in number of countries even if they just spent a night in that country.
Where am I going with this? The thing is this one time my week at work was so hectic and life of a teacher can be that way at times.I felt my mind protest that it just ground to a halt and I set off to a place I usually called my chill spot. This place is called Glamville and offers a variety of services ranging from spa to scrumptious food.
A plant would look good here
This one time I decided to do the ‘Paint and Sip’ treat from the same place. I was given a blank canvas and then remembered I had a mini obsession for black and white paintings.
Some of my old paintings
Since my mind was tired, I looked at the canvas and figured what could be more refreshing than a plant.
Coming back to travel lovers, this idea of a plant could just be your passion to travel 9 countries in 9 years so you could pick the ones you fancy and go there often. That’s my desire. But what is out there about travel can dilute what the purpose for travel should really be. I do understand I have met travellers who are moving from one country to another ( let’s say a month, a country) simply because they saved up and no competition here. But there are those that probably want this for the record. How annoying.
It would be nice to appreciate the journey like the phrase used earlier that was coined by Greg. I continued with my painting and I liked how the process felt…. soothing.
It all started with the flowerpot
It was so relaxing to do this with some soothing music in the background while sipping on some cocktail and enjoying some bites. I am not even an amateur painter, I am just not one in the first place but because of the feeling I got from the process, I focused more on the journey and how the mounting stress of that week was slowly fading away as I was finishing off my piece.
Travel should do that to us. Those that are actually diluting it to be a ‘sport’ in which they are crowned for the 99 countries they did in 9 months are ruining the fact that travel is sometimes therapy and can be seen as a way to appreciate where we go. You may sometimes not even like the country you visit but see a reason to enjoy that flight, get lost in the nature you see as you are many feet away from the ground level! Enjoy connection with the locals (of course with caution). How can you do all this when you have to do 99 countries in 9 months? (Unless of course with a whole different reason)
I must say I had company when I was coming up with this painting and these two ladies were such awesome painters like seriously I have never seen someone paint the Taj Mahal and another a very beautiful sunset like pros! If you ask me, I stuck out like a sore thumb! Clearly I was way outside their league! But guess what? I really didn’t bother about it because to me this treat was slowly diluting the stress that was piling up from work that week.
Thumbs up to that traveller that is genuinely doing it to enjoy the journey and not for trophies. It should not be a sport. Maybe if I am filthy rich my sentiments may change because I may do 99 countries in 9 months but I highly doubt I am interested in trophies. I am pretty sure the travellers that brag about numbers even include layovers lol! if your motives are different, this is not for you. I will gladly return to that place that I loved more than 5 times like I did in Zimbabwe, Southern Zambia, Tanzania, Zanzibar and South Africa just because I loved them.
I mentioned earlier that I love making black and white painting collections. I am just that way. I should have ended my painting at just this point until I heard someone suggest I add color to it if I liked.
I liked it up to this point
I listened to them and it’s at this point that I disliked the painting! The moment you start comparing yourself to other travellers and their trophies, you will miss the point travel was intended for. I was once inspired so much by this British traveller I met that has been traveling almost the whole post COVID period and are still at it. They saved up and decided to do the Cape to Cairo (Africa) travel and they have spent at least a month in a country and as I speak they are heading north! This traveller was not living in luxury though they could afford to. They chose to do hostels and use road transport and crossed land borders. They were not picky with meals and ate local affordable meals. My confession is I can’t do that, but I saw the real purpose for travel through them. When I asked whether they are writing about their experience, they said it wasn’t even their thing to write! That part, I did not like! I even offered to write their story, lol! I learnt that not all travellers are out there to get a badge of honor.
I am not out here to get anyone but the real purpose of travel has changed so much because some have even been rated expert because of numbers and it is inspiring to some extent but it is not the main reason for travel. Just like Greg advised to enjoy the journey, do enjoy yourself and for the 99 countries in 9 months, if you can actually enjoy the journey at that speed, then by all means enjoy the journey and quit reducing travel to be a sport.
When you think of visiting Africa to get the feel of it, one of the first countries that will cross your mind is Kenya.It is the epitome of Africa. Maybe at this moment, you are planning on doing Kenya or perhaps you even recently got here. You will surely love the Africa it really is. We all wanna visit Kenya for different reasons be it for work, projects, sport, politics whatever…., the fact is, there is that one day you will be up to planning what to do there.
Though this is a thought that could come from a local person as well, the tourist would have to get more knowledge on what this place has to offer. What activities can you do that may involve money (but not always) and still make your stay in Mombasa worth while, well spent and enough reason to wanna tell a story to someone like am doing?
About Mombasa
Mombasa is a coastal city in Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It has been said to be the second largest city in Kenya. This town is one of the coastal touristic spots in Kenya and I discovered it is super rich in history!!
Now that you are here or still thinking to be, not all your days can or should be planned. Sometimes we leave room for spontaneity. The day you choose to just go by a plan, do remember to jot down some of the activities you could do whilst in Mombasa and these are based on what I personally did. Some activities are totally free but some would cost just a few bucks.
1. Take a free ferry
Yes you heard me!! Free! This is a ferry you would enjoy free of charge for a good 10 to 15 minutes and there are a number of trips made in a day. Mombasa being on an island is the reason to enjoy Likoni Ferry which serves Mombasa and Likoni. You will find ferries carrying both road and foot traffic. These ferries are operated by Kenya Ferry Services. It is completely free as a passenger but there is a cost for vehicles, motorcycles, trucks etc. I used this ferry for a necessary move but I must confess because we don’t have a beach in Zambia (what I hate about landlocked countries), I sometimes used this ferry for the fun of it.
2. Enjoy some tennis at Mbaraki Sports Club
Sorry to be specific here but you could actually play other kinds of sport here by making either prior arrangements or just popping up and joining in. This gives you the opportunity to mingle with and get closer to the real Kenya through associating with the locals. I had so much fun having tennis tournaments with the local kids I met at Mbaraki Sports Club.
3. Spend time with camels at Diani Beach
I chose to spend some time at Diani Beach just because a camel is one animal I saw last when I was little…at a zoo and I really did not like the reaction I got from it because I tried getting it’s attention by calling out but it didn’t even bother to look or even move. My impression was camels are not that friendly and my opinions of camels changed when I visited Diani Beach.
To enjoy these camel rides just have about 5 to 10 bucks on you and I guess you could pay more if you keep increasing your hours on its back. I was happy to have met a camel that reciprocated my love unlike the one in my childhood. Laban was his name and my regret is not packing some apples or bananas before this trip. I really don’t know what sort of menu Laban has but I should have shown him a bit of appreciation for taking advantage of him.
4. Hike and hydrate on the beaches while picking shells
I know that heat levels in my country Zambia can be quite high and unbearable but not to the extent I found the heat in Kenya! As you enjoy this overdose of Vitamin D, cool off with some coconut water sold almost everywhere at the beaches and in town.Take a hike on the beach enjoying all the lovely views and you could even make them longer!My favourite of them all is to add to my shell collection!
5. Spend time with locals on the Shelly Beaches
Beaches do differ in vibe and while others are touristic, others aren’t. I must say Shelly beach is a beach you will find locals. I did spend time surveying it but I must say I met many wonderful locals there and ate lots of good local food. Try this place out!
6. Do shopping malls
I don’t know about you but I do like me some shopping! Don’t you? You could shop hop and enjoy some treats. Next to street food, the cheaper places to get your meals from are supermarkets and I recommend Naivas which came in handy when I didn’t have to do restaurant food.
7. See some of the cool landmarks of Mombasa (Pembe Za Ndovu)
Some of the other activities I involved myself in were to get to know my immediate environment and appreciate cool landmarks like the Pembe Za Ndovu or Pembe Mbili monument which is so highly valued and is a story for another day………This monument is a set of elephant tusks you should never leave Mombasa without showing some love to. If it means a lot to the Kenyans, it should be appreciated by tourists. A good 10 minutes was enough love for them.
8. Grace Fort Jesus with a visit
I was here for a tour that I feel in my heart did not really end probably because of time. This fort is the pride of Mombasa and is so rich in history which explains my need to go back because I did not finish reading articles displayed in the museum but if it so happens that I don’t go back, I must say it was amazing to still see this fort. I learnt quite a lot here.
9. Admire the Old Town
Old Town is on the South of Mombasa and I was amazed by the historical buildings that date way back in time and history says it was the main centre for trade between Africa and the Arab world. It was amazing to see in this place the first hotel in Kenya and just walking around In this town made me feel I used a time machine to go back in time
When you arrive in a touristic town, your first thought is what you will see there. Is it museums, old buildings, or cool restaurants? Those thoughts crossed my mind but because beaches always win for me, you all know where I headed.
When in Mombasa, locals and even tourists will recommend that you visit Malindi. It didn’t take so long before I pursued this place, well…..due to hearsay. Will I find other tourists? Will I see what a good beach side offers like restaurants with seafood? I really don’t know and to be honest, I wanted to take the thrill pill of discovering on my own and not entirely depending on what I read and heard. All I needed was direction to get there using public transport. I wasn’t gonna go missing or anything besides whoever has a mouth can never really lose their way right?
I was already at the bus station. Am thinking the experience was okay in terms of me feeling safe and not attracting too much attention because of being different in terms of the language. Fitting in was pretty easy so long my mouth was closed. As an African female solo traveller, travelling in African countries, I really never like to ” blow my cover” because anyone could take advantage of you like that. So minding your own business is somehow golden. But if I don’t open my mouth, how on earth am I gonna get to Malindi?
My mouth finally opened. Kenya, just like Tanzania unlike Zambia, where I am from, have swahili as the official language. Zambia’s official language is English, so of course I used English. It’s like with these words, ” Sir, how much is it to Malindi?” Everyone standing next to me gave me the , ” You-don’t-know-Swahili?!-look.” I just gave a really wide grin and said, ”Am not from here.”
Fast forward, I was quickly assisted to get on a bus (matatu) heading to Malindi.Phew!!
The road trip to Malindi
Touring Mombasa and wanna try this place out? Getting there is about 10 to 15 dollars and total trip time is like 2 hours 45 minutes. The ugly thing here is I should have spent a night in Malindi…really, instead of doing a day trip as I didn’t fully explore. So anyways, the road trip was a smooth ride but some places had lots of traffic. I heard that it was not gonna naturally take that long if it wasn’t for the diversion we found ahead. There was constructions or repairs going on.
After those few hours, I got there. I then got on a motorcycle (bodaboda) to get me to the closest beach in Malindi.
The good
The part of the beach I requested to be dropped off at was where the sand glittered like gold. I have never seen this before. I really don’t even know the scientific explanation behind it because I ain’t that smart but the place glittered! I took a long walk alone trying to register the good impression in my mind about this. I could see some people who appeared like locals around but didn’t care. I was in my ‘wow’ zone until I heard someone call out.
The badand the ugly
“Madam!” and because they were female, I felt comfortable to talk back thinking they just wanted some info on something. Now, here is the thing…. what I have noticed in East Africa is that as long as a beach is touristic, you will find boat men marketing their boats for cruises. It works cheaper when a group of tourists agree to use one boat. Been there, done that. But because little me decided to do this solo, the lady that interrupted me said she was a local tourist. I wasn’t judging or anything but I know a tourist when I see one.
This lady claimed to be looking for a boat to share cruise expenses with another tourist. I fell for it and said I only had 8 dollars for this cruise. It was actually 12 dollars to do this ride but if I had company, we were gonna divide costs. She ended up convincing me she only had 4 dollars to add on. I agreed and felt comfortable because after all she was female like me…..what more safety did I need, right?
She actually came with the boat man already and I did the cruise with her. Towards the end, it turned out she had no 4 dollars and that the 8 dollars I paid was close to the normal price for a ride. When it clicked that she was actually friends with the boatman and not a tourist, I kind of spoke my mind and told them it wasn’t about the money but it’s upsetting to be taken for a ride .They admitted they were a local couple from Malindi area masquerading as tourists because that’s the only way to get to tourists like me…..but they didn’t have to put up that show, I still wanted a ride.
The ugly is that I didn’t really like the color of the ocean on this part of the area. it looked muddy brown and this isn’t anyone’s problem but some turquoise waters would have made my day after being taken advantage of.
The other thing that I could do was to monochrome my memories of this spot.
WanderwithFaith 