simple intrigue: August 2009

Aug 17, 2009

Aug 13, 2009

sharp like broken glass

I really want is to stand in a field,
smell the sun,
feel the green,
and touch the earth.

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~Kahlil Gibran

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard. ~Standing Bear

my strangled see-tree

washed up

wrapped in apathy

dying quietly

on a pristine beach

Portrait 1

Portrait 2

Portrait 3

The dancing sand hold up

carefully

grinding down

flying away

to carry on

elsewhere

Lamu is way up north on the border with Somalia - it will take approximately 9 hours by bus from Mombasa to the little ferry port and then the dhow taxi's take about 45 minutes to Lamu town main jetty. Alternatively fly to Nairobi and then fly up to Lamu - safarilink or Fly540 (both can be booked online) - have regular flights.

There is a little 4 roomed backpackers type of Lodge in Shela Village (just behind Peponi's) called Bongo House where ensuite rooms start at around K1500 per room per night. Good base for hanging out and exploring Lamu town (30 minutes walk) and Shela Village itself. Shela is a lot more low key than Lamu town and has a population of expats who all hang out at Peponi's bar... its a fun place.

There is a great little lodge on Manda Island (just across the channel from Lamu island) called Diamond Beach Lodge. The beach on Manda facing Shela now has a number of private villas built along it as well the cool little Diamond Lodge which is 3 plots from the channel meets the open sea. I have just spent 3 nights there - www.diamondbeachvillage.com - this is where you will find the nicest beach where you can swim at low and high tide - you can just walk along the coast for hours and only see the odd fisherman. Definately stay for a few nights here. It's quirky and built with lots of love - only 7 cottages and a treehouse. Good food and a bar. The best though is their location right on the beach and its owner run and managed...

October to March is a good time for Lamu as the waters have cleared and the sea's are calm so you can go snorkelling (from a dhow) as well as sailing and scuba diving. Hire a dhow and captain for a day (or even longer to explore the islands further north - speak to Rachel at Diamond beach) to explorer the Lamu Archipelago.

Most places close for April through to June and then reopen at the beginning of July - the waters are still quite silty then from the various rivers and only start to clear in October.If you are a group there are loads of private villa's and apratments to rent in Shela Village.... check out Banana House http://www.lamuretreats.com/banana-house-lamu.htmlShela House (rather posh but Garden House is really affordable and lovely) www.shelahouse.comAsk around when you get there and you are bound to find more!

One word of warning... when you walk round the point and down the long beach away from Shela Village there are some oppurtunistic theives who sit in the dunes... if you are approached run into the sea - they can't swim - and don't take anything of value with you.