Mombasa -- experiencing the real African summer

There's no doubt about it. Jim and I are mountain or high plains people. Give us high altitudes and low humidity. Still we had a bit of savings, fine companions, and we'd never again have the opportunity to experience this part of Kenya -- the coast near Mombasa. It was the experience of a lifetime and it took us on a
300 mile, fourteen hour journey by overnight train to the highest humidity and heat we've ever "enjoyed."

Sometime in the long, hot,

sleepless night, Jim photographed this

tiny rural station. He later painted a
water color of it.

We woke and found we had left Nairobi slums for savannahs
and farmland. Breakfast was at 5:30 in the dining car.

This woman carries a heavy

load of firewood in traditional way.

All along the journey, children met us,
waiting for the daily novelty of the train

and for passengers to throw candy or shillings.

We won't talk about the heat, humidity, and the hard lives people lead in Mombasa and the worst poverty we've seen --ever. We won't talk about the annoying, pushy vendors. You don't want to go there. We will, instead, share the beauty. Reflecting on God's creation always takes us a lot farther.

First, flora

Flame tree

Bougainvillea in the setting sun.

Baobab and flame trees

Fauna

Gecko

A millipede -- a bigun 'un-- 6-7 inches long

and about 3 inches around.

Next...Diani Beach