Flying from Tanzania to Kenya

After looking at the options of how to get to Mombasa, we gave in and bought a flight.  It would have taken us 2 days and almost the same amount of money to go back to the mainland and cross by bus.  So the smartest decision was to take the hour-long flight.

We watched one last sunrise from the island and then had breakfast overlooking the water.  Kenya had recently banned plastic bags and we weren’t sure how strict they would be so as we packed we tried to hide the obvious ones.  Margaret would be leaving later that afternoon so we all shared a taxi.  Oddly enough, it happened to be the same man who took us in our attempt to see the dolphins.  We said our goodbyes to Margaret at the airport as she continued on to Stone Town. 

We had time to spare before our flight so we shared another plate for breakfast before going inside.  It appeared most flights left around the same time as a large line had formed to go through security.  Someone checked our tickets and told us to skip the line and go to the front.  We went through the checkpoint and checked in for our flight.  The last task was to clear immigrations and then we waited.  An announcement came on to say that our flight had a 1 hour delay.  But it didn’t matter as we’d still arrive much faster than we would have with a bus.  

 

We landed in Mombasa and even received a small snack on the plane.  After grabbing our packs, we went to immigrations to buy the East Africa Visa.  Even though it wasn’t publicized we knew the necessary details to get it.  There was a Safaricom store as we exited the terminal and we immediately got a SIM card.  With that, we were able to order an Uber to get us to our Couchsurfer’s home.  The first couple drivers didn’t actually show up and when the 3rd came we found out why.  Many only want cash and the account was associated with a credit card.  

The driver left us at Winnie’s apartment and we let her know we’d arrived.  She was still at work so we waited in the shade until she made it home.  We mentioned that we hadn’t had lunch yet so we walked to a nearby restaurant to get food.  Everyone got to know each other over the meal and we discussed our rough plan for the country.  

She took us on a walk around the town and gave us a little tour.  We went past Fort Jesus and then around to the ferry.  The city of Mombasa is actually an island so the only way off if heading towards the south is to take a boat across.  As it was nearing the end of the day, we watched as people flooded the area and boarded.  The sun had set by this point and we walked along the promenade seeing the numerous vendors selling different types of chips, maize and other food items.  We got cassava chips that we sprinkled with chili and lime and snacked as we moved.  

After watching a large ship maneuver its way between the buoys and into the port, we were nearing the end of our walk.  Two police officers came up to us and asked for our passports.  We handed over a copy as we didn’t have the originals with us and answered their questions.  They were satisfied enough even though we were unable to show our visa and left us alone.  Within 10 minutes, 2 different police officers approached us asking for our passports again.  They spoke mostly in Swahili and Winnie stood up for us.  When we said we’d just gone through the same routine a few minutes early, they grumbled and walked away.  Our guess is they were looking for us to pay them off, but we stood strong, with the help of Winnie, and didn’t give in.

We walked back to her place and had some time to adjust to being in a new country.  Winnie took care of some things while we did the same.  And before long she came to tell us that she’d warmed up dinner for us so we wouldn’t have to go out.  We sat around the table sharing more stories and before we knew it the time had flown and it almost the next day.  

 

After a late night (for our standards), we had a slow morning.  Winnie taught a class and then came back for us.  She drove us to Fort Jesus and had already arranged us a guide.  Normally, we opt out of guides for tours that we can do on our own, but we had 3 different people tell us that we shouldn’t walk in this area of the city alone.  He informed us of the price to enter the fort and we decided that we would only stay on the outside.  So we stood in the courtyard and he explained the history to us.  We walked down to the water to see where the slaves were sold from and then back up to the road.

 

 

 

He led us over to Old Town, which is the known for its poverty and high drug use.  We wandered through the streets looking at the old buildings and noticed a few anti-drug signs as we went.  It didn’t look as rough as we had imagined and most people were carrying on with their daily lives as we passed.  We reached the infamous spice market and walked around looking at the colorful displays of ground seeds.  One vendor had me try the pepper and spices in an attempt to have us buy them, but he finally understood that we weren’t cooking or going home any time soon.  

 

 

From the spice market, we worked our way down the small alley that led into the fabric section.  We passed vendor after vendor selling their goods and then found a small shop with more pieces of fabric than we could imagine.  After much indecision, I decided on one and we headed back to the main road. Our guide left us at Forodhani, where we had our lunch overlooking the water, and was very adamant about which direction to walk when we left.

 

 

Once we had finished eating, we met back up with Winnie at her office. We hopped back in her limousine and headed to her friend’s place. She had recently had a baby and needed help installing the car seat. Tico read the instructions before we headed out to the car and had a go at it. Using the manual and my input from watching my sister, we managed to get the car seat in place. And after seeing our abilities, she enlisted Tico to put together an infant rocking chair as well. Back at Winnie’s, we had a calm evening and dinner at home.

 

We thought we would only spend a couple nights in Mombasa, but decided to stay an extra day in good company.  Most of the day was spent working on the blog although we did escape to have lunch down the road.  As we walked, Tico suddenly screamed as he had stepped on something.  When we picked up his foot, there was a piece of a broken glass bottle stuck in his flip flop and his heel was bleeding.  We did a little first aid on the street and then continued on to the restaurant.  Yet we were much more cautious about where we stepped after that.

 

 

That evening we escaped the apartment once again to capture the postcard of Mombasa at sunset.  The large tusks weren’t far from Winnie’s place and we watched as the streets were bustling as everyone was ready to get home after a day of work.  By the time we got back, Winnie had also returned from work so we caught up a bit before having dinner.  She also helped us map out a plan for Kenya.

 

 

Having flown into another county after walking across so many borders, we realized how much easier it is when you fly.  There’s always an ATM and usually a place to buy a SIM card.  We’d enjoyed the time with Margaret and it was even better since we got to share the time together on a gorgeous island.  Tanzania gave us many wonderful memories, but so far Kenya had a lot potential.

Helpful tips:

• Kenya has several low-cost airlines that make traveling easier, especially considering the long distances between some.
• Even if not offered, you can buy the East Africa Visa upon entry in Kenya.  You do not need to apply for the e-visa prior (at this time).
• While we didn’t experience any problems in Old Town, we were encouraged by several people to have a guide.