Getting the train from Nairobi to Mombasa was such a good idea, despite taking 17 hours. We got settled into our compartments, someone came in and made the beds, we had a lovely dinner, had a bottle of red wine, had another one, had another one, then decided to have another one... things escalated, and there were only three of us, myself, my hilarious new Irish friend, and a bewildered German backpacker. Drinks, we were told, were on the old man. The evening started with the train swerving to the right and Irish sloshing his glass of red wine right in my face, all down my white shirt, in my hair... everywhere, and things slowly went downhill from there. We ended up going to bed at 4.30am and were up at 7am for breakfast. I'm not entirely sure but I think I spent the entire night laughing my head off, listening to the most incredible stories and browsing through some of the coolest photographs I've ever seen; this man had a picture of and eagle, an enormous eagle, carrying a flamingo, I'm not even kidding. Eagle flying, flamingo in claws. Yeah I know.
The train arrived almost three hours late, which was okay, because the scenery was beautiful, and if you haven't seen my pictures of the train, then have a look through my instagram album on the right, it's absolutely classic: ceiling fans, floral wallpaper, red leather seats, completely crumbly and worn, it had so much character. We got into Mombasa and I was invited for lunch with my new friend, I ordered a goat curry, coconut spinach, chapati, and a ginger beer: absolute winning combination, THAT is what you want to be eating. We wandered around the old town by the fort, taking photographs, and in it's own bizarre way it was absolutely beautiful with it's narrow streets, beautiful old doors, murals, people dressed in bright coloured clothing. I said a rather sad goodbye to my new friend but was invited to stay with him and his family when I get back to Nairobi. I eventually arrived in Diani and made my way to Stilts backpackers... in the torrential rain. I won't even go into what the weather forecast for the next week because it's too depressing, but this place is awesome, I'm sleeping in a little tree house with a balcony and an outside bed, I had a bushbaby sitting ON my lap last night and I was stroking it on the head and I almost died of happiness, went across the road to Forty Thieves and dinner with the hungriest Australian I've ever seen.
Not entirely sure what one does when one plans 10 days at the beach and it's forecast to RAIN the entire time... maybe it's time to go somewhere else? Would it be outrageous if I went to Ethiopia? I hear it's beautiful. Meh. But, BUSHBABIES
