We bless the rains down in Africa, gunna take some time...

[bPeteb]

Sentrim Castle Royal Hotel isa very cool old building that has lived through a number of incarnations before being bought by Sentrim. We chose this place so we could walk to Fort Jesus and the Old Twon before heading for the beach. Sentrim has carried out a fairly sympathetic renovation.

A bit of confusion when we checked in as they presumed we were all on the same booking and couldn't work out why bStut's booking was just for one. Yeh, nah


straight up to rooms before heading down for a very late lunch. Ours room 211


our huge wrap around balcony


pool on level two as well


view from our balcony into town

beer and lunch


I'm pretty sure the pizzas and burger took an hour to come out. The burger was nothing like it's description but it didn't kill me so that's a conceded pass

later we sat on our balcony and watched with great interest as this sign had the electricity connected to the box on the power pole

it was Saturday so not as much traffic us usual

we had a very late dinner. The late lunch burger was chosen by both of my travel companions and this time it matched the decription. Actually it even had egg. My half spicy chicken was ok

Day 20, and first night on our own, done

 

[RooFlyer]

A close up encounter with a giraffe

That pic is worthy of a competition. All great stuff.

 

[VPS]

That pic is worthy of a competition. All great stuff.

I think there are several worthy of competition and would look great on a wall somewhere

 

[Major]

I think there are several worthy of competition and would look great on a wall somewhere

Totally agree

 

[Daver6]

Hahahaha. Many, many years ago I was one of the doormen at the Hyatt at Sanctuary Cove. We wore a ridiculous outfit of jacket and jodphurs with pith helmet. We're the dags in shorts and things most of the time.

Umm...without pics posted on the internet, it didn't happen

 

[bPeteb]

Decent nights sleep and a late breakfast. I'm not sure why I didn't book breakfast as it was KES5000 for the two of us, $30 each


a different view of the pool, this time from the roof top terrace


We checked out right on 10 and stored our bags at reception. It was only about 15 minutes walk to Fort Jesus and as it was Sunday the city in general was very quiet

Just across from the fort we were approached by a guy who claimed to be a guide. Now we knew it was recommended to engage one but this guy just did it the wrong way. bAlt was immediately wary as we've been stung a couple fo times previously. We let him go through his speil and when he said it would be USD10 for the three of us bAlt relaxed and in we went. Kennedy was actually and excellent guide. He just needs to sort out that initial approach.

The fort is pretty mind blowing. To think that it was carved into a coral headland is wild. Portuguese, Omani Arabs and then the British. It was still a British Prison until not long before independence.



this window depicts the hypocracy of colonisation, and the christian church - we bring you christ but we enslave you

 

[bPeteb]

Kennedy then offered us a tour of the Old Town for another USD10/KES1200 and we're all glad we said yes. It was super interesting and he showed us places we would not have seen. Although there are three well marked walking trails through the area, local insight is invaluable


original door, sadly graffitied


northen end of a very old mosque


philanthrapists are buying and restoring some of the old buildings


this one looking for a new owner


old post office


yellow paint represents gold


and old dhow that has been updated with a diesel engine, and a bit more


fish market


fresh swordfish anyone


walking trail routes


check out the size of the giant avo!


the old slave market is now a bustling spice market. Kennedy was very proud of how something terrible had been made into something quite beautiful. If only the coffee beans had been in properly sealed bags we would have bought some. It smelled amazing


With the market done our tour was also complete. It had been a great way to spend the morning. It was now time to head to the beach for a couple fo nights

 

[Seat0B]

Loving this TR but do sing the song every time it comes up in my unread threads

Me too! It must be our vintage. I can remember buying this album and also loving Rosanna.

 

[Seat0B]

spot the puff adder

Wow, great camouflage. It would be easy to walk on them.

 

[drron]

Me too! It must be our vintage. I can remember buying this album and also loving Rosanna.

I’m a bit older but am singing the same song as well.

 

[bPeteb]

I forgot to say that when we got dropped off at the Amboseli gate after the balloon adventure, Jackson was waitinf for us in our original vehicle. He had driven a three hour round trip at some stage overnight to get it back after repair. Great gey, great safari company.


Back to Mombasa

Sammy arrived right on time. It was about a 30 minute drive off the island to Nyali and Voyager Beach Resort. Our original booking was at Muthu Nyali Beach Hotel & Spa. Booked with a Qantas $50 voucher. Received an email telling us that our booking had been cancelled and two other hotels offered. I'd picked this place as it was on a lovely stretch of beach, had restaurants, bar and pool, and was very reasonably priced. The alternatives were apartments, blocks back from the beach, no pools, no restaurants.

Called and said I didn't like the alternatives so I wanted to cancel. No problem. What about the credit voucher? It will be re-issued, and it was, soon after.

I've just looked and when I search it has been rebranded as the Cocoa Luxury Resort. The rest looks the same. They've added the word luxury to it's name so prices have most likely gone up.

Voyager Beach Resort was/is associated to the Kenyatta Family. What aren't they associated with? When you enter the gates the guy at the gate plays a bugle to welcome you. The rain had held off as for our whole trip but a tropical downpour greeted us as we pulled up at entrance.


We had the dhow dinner tonight so I confirmed the time with Sammy and he was surprised it was tonight. He thought it was Monday. If he had plans he didn't say anything and said he'd be back at the hotel at 5.30 for pick-up

Checkin was 3 and it was just after 1.30 when we arrived. I'd booked what I thought was full board and it looked like what had been booked for bStut was the same. My hope was we could swap the lunch on Wednesday for one today as we'd be at the airport at lunchtime of Wednesday.

One of the staff came over with pink/mauve wrist bands and explained she was going to run through everything. We were actually all on all inclusive packages! Selected beer, wine and coughtails all day from 11am. All meals including the Italian (more on that later) just not seafood. Gym access (nah), pool towels, icecream and afternoon snacks. Wow!! "Go get lunch and come back for you keys" then someone walked over and bAlt and my room was already ready.

We decided to have lunch then go to our room. This is a big resort and it's busy. Such a shock after staying in so many small places. A large American group clearly on missionary work walked trhough the lobby just after we arrived. Excuse the language but why don't these people just f off and keep their religion to themselves. Talking loudly about their missions and the lord and arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. You are the reason Africa wants to imprison and even kill LGBTQ people in some countries.

Humungous buffet. Twice, three times as big as anythng we'd encountered so far. And lots of super interesting vegetarian options due to the large numbers of Indians also staying.

To our oom, 1321. I'd booked a garden view and I suppose that's technically what it was but we could also see the pool and beach bar and best of all the ocean from our balcony. It was terrific


Voyager Resort map


one of the pools


ocean not exactly inviting


coughtail o'clock
sorry kanga, didn't take a picture of the list and no idea what these were. The urine sample one was gin and pineapple something and quite nice, the other coconut and maybe rum and also quite good. Definitely strong enough


as were these that followed straight after


looking further north along the beach. Our hotel was up on a coral headland with not much beach north


but a wide beach south of us. The original hotel wasn't too far away. Voyager at the top of this image


Our building to the left, from the Lookout Bar

 

[bPeteb]

All of us a little concerned about how we'd go on the dhow if it rained but as I had said throughout the whole holiday, what will be will be.

We'd tried to book for our night in Old Town as we mistakenly thought the dhow, and Tamarind Restaurant, were on the island. Lucky for us only Sunday was available and Taramind was 15 minutes away looking back to the island from the mainland!

Tamarind Dhow Restaurant – Tamarind

mombasa.tamarind.co.ke

Beautiful space where we had a drink before we were invited to board the boat



we fllowed a large group down to the boat. They were all dressed in white


Tamarind Village apartments of which the restaurant and dhow are part of Home Page 6 – Tamarind


delicious wlecome drink



dinner menu - choice of main. Me Seafood Swahili, the others lobster


the food was very good. Hilda booked this for us for KES6800 each USD52. The price direct was USD80 each.

The wind was howling so we didn't first sail towards the ocean/Fort Jesus. We sailed upstream instead. The boat has two decks and both were under cover and had plastic roll down blinds. We were on the smaller upper deck with another gourp of three and a large group of Britsh, tourists and expats. It was a great place with views all around us


tiny peanuts and ships


I'm sure that this was KES4000 but when the bill came it was 5800, and we bought two. I just couldn't be bothered to argue


lots of other boats out on he river with grups celebrating things. I overheard the people beside us say this was a wedding parrty


to the food

this butternut soup was truly delicious. When we get home we're going to try to replicate, using lots of lemon grass


one and a half lobsters each! I sampled and it was cooked perfectly


my seafood was also delicious


as was the desert sampler


the amazing chef


it was fantastic value, apart from ripping me off with the wine. A duo kept us entertained with recorded music during their break. We boarded at 6.30 and debarked at 10. If you go to Mombasa, book Tamarind Dhow, if even just for lunch

I forgot to mention this resort pretends to be a ship, with the staff dressed in various uniforms you'd see on a ship. Hanging across the lobby is the day's destination. We were in Ankara the day we arrived and Mumbai on day 2. It's a VERY fast ship

When we got back the 'cruise director' was leading a large group of local women (one guy I think) in a weird but wonderful group dance. They danced in a constantly moving circle. Different song, different movements, often siinging along. It was joyous to watch. We really didn't need the couple more beers that bAlt decided that we needed. Lucky they were poured as half beer, half head

 

[bPeteb]

Sammy was surprised, and I bet a relieved, that we had no plans to leave the hotel on Monday. Being on call was part of the exhorbitant charge I guess.

Late breakfast, late lunch, coughtails and Italian for dinner. The latter had to be booked in advance.

Tide out


sports pool? This one supper deep - 2.8m!! We didn't get into any of the pools and they were even all a nice temperature. Just didn't want to try and get stuff dry


late breakfast meant low supplies. Two really nice smoothies available each day. I have no idea if the pastries were good or bad. Omelette good.



the beach to the south that ran for miles


the beach to the north that ran only when the tide was out




crows all over the place


did we want fresh coconuts? Sure but of course he then wanted a tip so bAlt raced back to the room to get some cash


yes, that is a coughtail on the table as well


then the rain hit again. We stayed at the bar until the keyboard of my notebook started getting wet

tide coming in, beach nearly gone


the resort also had a couple fo sling shot guys to try to keep the vervet monkies away from the rooms, bars and restaurants

this guy just chilling below our room

 

[bPeteb]

Monday's coughtail list of which we tried one, two, four and maybe three as well



so to the Italian dinner. the 'restaurant' was set up in the Swahili Lounge that overlooks the ocean and the adults only pool.

Arrived just after 7.30. There were five tables. A group of two, us a three, a four, a group of six US missionary people (they talk mission stuff loudly so easy to tell) and a very odd 'family' of one guy and what appeared to be his four wives plus their three children. They spoke Hindi. Is polygamy legal in India? In Kenya I thought it was only legal for Masai? I forgot to take a picture of the menu. It was three starters, four mains and two deserts.

Bread came out after I reckon 20 minutes. Our starters I think took close to 40 minutes. By this stage the missionaries had waited long enough and I guess gone back to the buffet.

my flattened arancini balls


Our glasses of wine finally arrived at maybe the 55 minute mark and mains at maybe 90 minutes. Everything comes out with a steel cover over it, the lasagne witha a full dome cloche. They lift together and clang two together. It was, unusual. Took us both back to dining on Infinity in the SS United States restaurant one million years ago

bStut's lasagne looked good.

bAlt's fish was nice


and my pork filet beuatifully cooked.



dessert was presented at about 9.15. It was a tiny panacotta


It all just took too long. Sure it's nice to relax between courses, and if we could have easily gotten more drinks maybe that would have made the evening better. As it was, at least for me, I would give it a miss. bAl and bStu maybe feel differently.

 

[bPeteb]

Time to begine our long journeys home. bAlt super concerned for bStut as he's flying to a potential warzone but no news from Emirates is good news.

We were all on the same flight to Kenya Airways flight to Nairobi. 9.30 departure with final bag drop by 8.30. Sammy had originally said an 8am pickup but changed it to 7.30 in case of traffic.

Breakfast didn't start until 7 so we got our bags down and checked out before then so we could grab a bowl of cereal. bAlt and me didn't even bother with coffee.

I was getting a little worried about how long this was going to take. Sammy drove in right on 7.30.


in no traffic it could take about 20 minutes. In morning traffic it was worryingly slow. We sat at one intersection fo six minutes, another for nearly five. At 8.10 I asked how much longer and Sammy said by 8.30. I said bag drop off finishes at 8.30. He said 8.20. We pulled up at 8.18 and were checked in and bags gone at 8.28!

Kenya Airways just has one gate at Mombasa. Open air. It reminded me of the Rarotonga terminal.


apparently it was dress in green day


our 737-800


bye Mombasa. I think we might very well come back one day, choosing our beachfront accommodation more wisely


very surprised to fly past Kili!


I posted a picture of this eagle earlier, We'd decided it was a hawk eagle. Kenya's inflight mag has corrected me


in over Nairobi National Park. There is discussion about closing it and turning the land over to housing to cater for the growth of the city. It's sad, but Nairobi is booming and running our of space. It already has the largest, or second largest, slum in Africa

Our bags had been tagged through to Johannesburg when we checked in but these things always concern me. We were bussed from our arrival gate at the international terminal right around to domestic arrivals and bag collection. bStut had to collect his but we headed straight across to the international terminnl building. As we went in I checked again about the bags and was assured they would be transferred.

We'd been successful with the upgarde bid and went through security and immigration using the premium paths. Super quick. Kenya has a couple of lounges at the airport. We chose the Simba lounge and it was small and noisy due to some uncontrolled children running riot. Why are parents so pathetic? It was closest to our gate though.

I asked again about our bags as I could see our airtages had shown no movement. Just as they called us to board I could see them at the plane. Phew.



1A and C. It might be old but it was super comfortable


champagne offered (real champagne) and we accepted the thimble sized glasses

 

[bPeteb]

The menu. Mine had less wines than bAlt's. Told the full wine list was correct and gthat was good beacuse bAlt wanted the chardy


then Kili, again. Twice in a day. Just amazing


drinks service. Gin for me, chardy for bAlt


then the meal soon after. I really liked my biriyani but bAlt's lamb was dry


I think Lake Malawi but most likley completely wrong


and soon we were decending into Joburg. We were able to use the premium immigration line. It was much shorter than the 'other passports' line. Premium bag tagging meant nothing and our bags came out maybe midway, but what is more important is that they did come out!

 

[bPeteb]

We stayed in Stanton last year and this year decided to try the Radisson Red at Rosebank. The Gautrain is easy to get to and easy to use - just tap a paywave enabled card.

Missed a train by seconds but they run frequently and were on the next 10 minutes later.

Rosebank is on the red commuter line so we transferred at Stanton to the commuter platform via escalators in the multi-level station. Rosebank wis the next station. Having been to Rosebank before we knew to turn right out of the station and walk about 400m up the road to the hotel.

Easy checkin. Mentioned that we had access to the exec lounge where drinks and nibbles had just started..

I don't think we got the upgrade that is the usual Radisson thing. Maybe we did. Room 345 is pretty cool


welcome amenity


We had a look but it was just a room with a few tables and chairs so we went up to the rooftop bar and had drinks and dinner. Not used to sitting in a space with smokers

started with Jack Blacks and then moved to Heiny Silvers


the food was taking a very ling time. Eventually the server came over and apologised. When the first meal was about to be served they realised that the fish was still frozen. Happy to wait and both burger and fish very nice. That burger bun has come out of me very red!! Too much information?


Here I sit in our room, about to go down to breakfast, on our last day in Africa. TripIt has notified us that our flight tonight has been delayed but nothing from Qantas as yet!

No plans for today. We have the room until 2 and flight is now just after 7pm. Gorgeous day outside. Maybe hop on hop off again. Maybe nothing.

Wrap up when we get home.

 

[SYD]

Last time I was in Jo’burg, the #1 Tripadvisor thing to do was the Gautrain to the airport!

True story.

We also did the twin Hop-On/Hop-Off loops. We didn’t “hop off” other than to change buses. We learnt a new euphemism for dodgy areas as “marginal”…

Meanwhile, I’ll be pouring over this TR again to plan our 3rd African safari! Whenever that is.

 

[JohnM]

Interesting and impressive that KQ serves Gobillard Champagne. Their retail outlet is just over the road from Dom Perignon's Abbey at Hautvillers.

I recall buying a bottle or two there to cart home after a visit to the Abbey back in the day.

You have certainly had a great trip!

It's given me ideas for expanding what I had already booked for Africa next year.

 

[bPeteb]

Last time I was in Jo’burg, the #1 Tripadvisor thing to do was the Gautrain to the airport!

True story.

We also did the twin Hop-On/Hop-Off loops. We didn’t “hop off” other than to change buses. We learnt a new euphemism for dodgy areas as “marginal”…

Meanwhile, I’ll be pouring over this TR again to plan our 3rd African safari! Whenever that is.

We nearly got up to do a hop on and stay on this morning, and then thought, nah