Bye bye Kenya

It is never easy to say goodbye to a place in which you have lived for half a year. And even more when it is a place you have enjoyed so much of. And even more if you know you are not going to return probably in a very very long time...
So yes, now is the time to announce it. I am leaving GVI, as a consequence of a new job offer I've got in Belize (Central America, and yes, it exists!) last week. I will move there in January, so I will return to my blogging activities then. So please, excuse me if I don't write during the following days, but I have to farewell to many things and people. I would like to meet for the last time with colleagues and friends in Mombasa, have a last dinner in Road Runners... and tomorrow, heading up to Nairobi, to explore the capital and, hopefully, the Rift Valley.
So, I only can say... see you soon! To some of you, next week in Spain. For the rest, when I will return to writting in January.
And to all the people that made this experience unbelievable: Asante sana!
Baadai! (see you soon, in kiswahili)

One of the last sunsets in Mkwiro Island.

Last diving days

OK, expo is over, people are already out or running away from Shimoni... so what better than meeting my good friend Yatin, the diving instructor, and going with him for some last nice dives? The plans: Nyuly, Secret Place and the Marine Reserve, two days diving... I'm going to miss diving with him...

And also, before I myself leave, it's time for having a last dinner in Smugglers, a last lunch in Abduls, saying goodbye to everybody... Next stop: Mombasa!

End of Expo

Today, the Expedition comes to an end. Probably I have already explained it, but we call Expedition to the 10 week blocks in which we organize our time, in order to planify the arrivals and activities of our volunteers. So, it's the end of 10 weeks of rush, stress, hard work and activities, but also of meeting amazing people, having fun, learning loads, travelling and having some unbelievable experiences!
Tomorrow, it's time to say goodbye again to all those people! It's surprising the regularity with which this is starting to happen in my life... but, hakuna matata, tonight is the end of Expo party, and I intend to enjoy of it. Let's leave farewells for tomorrow!

Fikirini caves

Well, lack of time, so today will be a short entry... but worth to remark our activity today. We brought the volunteers to see the Fikirine caves, the biggest caves in Eastern Africa (or that's what the guide affirms). What there is not doubt about, is the enormous number of bats, of five different species, that inhabit these big holes. The smell of their poop in the ground (which feed myriads of bugs and, later, otehr animals that come from the outer world to hunt them) is, sincerely, the worst smell I have ever experienced. But the experience was amazing! I have never seen so many bats together, so many that they couldn't avoid crashing against you!
14000 bats send you their regards fro Fikirini, on the road to Shimoni!

In the only space without bats...

Local hints: Abdul's

Today, I am gong to concentrate in telling you about one of the places in this town that plays a key role in our free time and, for some of us, also on our nutrition. This place is the restaurant Four Tables or, more commonly, Abdul's, named after his owner (obviously, Abdul) and the sonly four tables in the interior. We come here to have dinner all together every Wednesday, and generally everyday after we come back from the forest we stop by to grab some of the famous passion fruit juices (yes, here is the place!). And, yes, we end up here way more often than that.
In this restaurant you can enjoy of the simple but extremely tasty swahili food: chapatis, rice, beans, fried fish, coconut sauce, ugali, cabbage, salad and spinach are the general option, apart from passion, mango, avocado and tamarind juices (all of them delicious). And also, talking with the regular clients, Abdul and his son. Its and open walled house, whe you also eat the traditiona swahili style, c'est à dire, with your hands. A little tricky in the beginning, butmost people get used to it
So, if you drop by Shimoni one day, don't hesitate to have lunch there. It's easy to find, in the main street. Bon profit!

Abdul, Krystal, Abdul's son and me in his restaurant (picture: Martina Bach)