Climate-wise, for a Pacific Northwest gal, it doesn’t feel much like Christmas here because it is 91degrees with 56% humidity. This morning I had to tie a bandana around my forehead to keep the sweat from running into my eyes while I washed the dishes.
On Friday (23rd) I went to visit Freda at Kilulu, which is a retirement estate on the north coast. As the crow flies it is only about 30 miles away but it involves a ferry ride, horrendous traffic and dirt roads so I hire a taxi for the day. We usually leave my house at 7:30 in the morning and reach Kilulu at about 10:30. I visit with her for an hour and then make the return trip getting home about 4p, provided I don’t make additional stops…like for grocery shopping, haircut, etc.; which I always do because there are better stores on North Coast and the taxi is $40 so I might as well get my money's worth. :)
Then on Christmas day I spent the day with a woman named Wendy. I have known her for several years but I we are not close and I don’t know her very well. She is a year older than me and is British but has lived in Kenya most of her adult life. She lives in town and works in the accounts department of one of the big hospitals. I don’t think she has any other western friends here in Mombasa and, like me gets lonely so when she phoned and invited me to join her for the day I said yes.
She hired a taxi for the day so I met her at a café in town at 8:30 in the morning where we had chai and then we went to church and after that the taxi took us to the Serena, a big hotel complex on the north coast, for their Christmas Brunch. The buffet brunch opened about 45 minutes late but we had a nice table under a canopy near the ocean and the food was good. The taxi driver was with us and at first that was a bit awkward but he was a nice young guy so it turned out OK. Wendy spent a good share of the time talking with him so I was free to relax and enjoy the view. I got home at about 5p.m. and was totally exhausted. I fed the dog & cats and went to bed.
Today I made a big pot of vegetable beef soup, so you know what will be eating for the next week :)
