Mombasa

I blogged about a trip to Mombasa a little over a year ago, the last time we visited. In it I devoted a few sentences to the city and its history. I won’t repeat it here. The only thing I’ll say about it is that it has so much potential. It’s quite dirty and tired. I’m told corruption is rampant and crime is bad. But is has the raw material to be an amazing place. It’s located on an island sitting in a bay extending into the mainland via bridges. Its interesting location and tropical climate make it what could be one of the most beautiful cities on the East Coast of Africa. But not yet.

arriving in Mombasa

We flew to Mombasa on a relatively small plane. Given that it is Kenya’s second city, it wasn’t necessary full of tourists. It felt more like a commuter flight.

the beautiful Indian Ocean

We arrived and promptly caught an Uber to where we were staying, about 45 minutes away. Interestingly we were a little over halfway there and we happened to see a friend of ours in a van, going to the same hotel. He wasn’t even on the same flight. We even chatted between the vehicles. It’s probably not coming across as much of a coincidence as it was…

one of the three pools

We’d been to the coast as recently as last September but we hadn’t been to this particular hotel since a year ago March. We’re still obviously at the point in our lives where we are seeking child friendly lodging. It’s unlikely that we would have chosen this place otherwise. The food is good. It’s a beautiful location. Has three swimming pools. The beach is nice but not fantastic. It’s a bit rocky and teeming with hawkers. I understand people need to make a living but it’s exhausting hanging out on the beach with the constant barrage of people trying to sell you things. Some other places have guards that keep the sellers at bay. I always think that if they set up a stand and didn’t stalk the tourists they’d probably sell more. Who knows.

Kinaya & Priya

Officially it’s rainy season and the weather report looked grim – at least grim for those wanting sun. I’ve spent many a rainy day at the beach and really enjoyed it. But it’s not for everyone. Also, the country is in much need of rain and getting soaked would have been better received knowing that it would be making up for a precipitation deficit. In the end, we had almost no rain. Good for our weekend but bad news for the country.

very cool looking residents of the hotel

We settled into our room, very close to where we were the last time. Wonder if they strategically put people with kids in the same wing of the hotel.

Kiran and Priya heading out to go snorkeling

Within minutes we were in our suits and swimming in the warm pool. The sun was setting and we wouldn’t have much time before dinner but it was definitely worth the quick dip. We have a pool in our apartment complex in Nairobi but the water is chilly and, of course, there’s no water slide.

girls taking in the entertainment

Food at this place is buffet style. It’s basically all you can eat. Drinks, including alcohol, is included in the price. It’s the sort of thing that prompts people to overindulge. I swear there were some people who drank their weight in beer over the course of the weekend. There were a few conferences/team building things going on (including our friend’s company). They were the rowdiest of the guests and, other than making some noise and occasionally taking over the “fun pool” (at the expense of kids who were relegated to the deep end or not swimming at all), they didn’t really spoil the weekend.

The primary kid-friendly amenity of the hotel is the kids’ club. During designated hours parents can drop off their kids and have a small team who assist them in doing art projects and various other activities. It gives the parents a nice break and it introduces children to other children staying in the hotel.

We stayed three nights and then caught an Uber back to the airport. All in all it was a nice break. Now back to the grind.