An Apocolypse of the Mind

In our attempts to keep away from the protests currently rocking Kenya, we had ended up right in the middle of them

Surrounded by fire, protestors and the military, we were seriously shaken

The young men who had surrounded Henry appeared to be genuinely trying to help us but with tensions high it wouldn´t take much for everything to change without warning. We had no intention of following anyone into the back streets as they were suggesting so instead we turned Henry around and made our way slowly back the way we had come, through the thick smoke and burning tyres.

My heart was in my mouth. We had no idea where we were going to go, the only plan right now was to get out of the town and back on the open road.

As we crossed the bridge and left the smoke behind us we breathed a sigh of relief. But we had no idea how far the trouble might reach and were anything but calm. We were also exhausted having started this day in the Tsavo, climbing a volcanic crater at 6:30am. We urgently needed to find somewhere to stay for the night where we could regroup and make plans for tomorrow.

There was little around here but I eventually found a campsite on IOverlander that was just up the road. The reviews said it was necessary to call ahead but there was no answer. We drove towards the location anyway but found nothing so had no choice but to turn around and get back onto the main road.

We were short on ideas.

I found another place on IOverlander that was a lodge where people said they sometimes allowed camping in the low season. It wasn´t really low season but I hoped they might be sympathetic towards us under the circumstances.

Trying to find contact details was near impossible and in the end I found a place with a similar name in a similar location on Google and called them just in case.

A well-spoken man answered but it was the wrong place. When I enquired about camping he firmly said no, they did not offer that. I asked whether he knew anywhere nearby that did and explained what had happened to us. In relaying the story, I happened to use the phrase ´a group of young men surrounded the Landrover´.

His ears pricked up – ´Landrover, huh? Well then maybe you ought to come over here after all and we will see what we can do, maybe we can let you camp on our driveway´.

The power of Landrovers – travelling the world in anything else just doesn´t have the same effect! So many people love Landrovers, we are part of an exclusive club and it opens so many doors.

We gratefully accepted his offer and drove straight there. It was only about 20 minutes away but in an area so peaceful and calm we could have been in a different world to the burning town.

As we drove through the gates and up the driveway we saw our saviour coming out to greet us. His name was Philip and he was an upper class Kenyan in his seventies. He and his wife had lived in this beach-front property for fifty years, initially running a tourism business but now, in retirement, simply letting some of the property out as very high-end holiday lets.

The place was absolutely stunning

And Philip and his wife were two of the world´s genuinely amazing people.

We stood and chatted on the driveway for a while and Philip told us that the people in the town are good people and would not have had any intention of harming us – he said they would certainly have been trying to help us out of trouble. That was reassuring to hear.

He then took us completely by surprise by offering to let us stay in one of their chalets rather than camping on the drive. We went to go and have a look and couldn´t believe their generosity. The room was absolutely fabulous

I tentatively asked what they would charge for the room but he smiled and said there would be no charge, we were their guests for the night. We couldn´t believe how quickly our day had turned around – only an hour ago we were driving through fire and smoke trying to escape potentially dangerous protests and now we were guests of two lovely people in a luxurious beach-front chalet with a swimming pool.

It was the perfect place to regain some composure

By the time we had showered and relaxed a little, a member of staff brought us tea and home-made flapjacks and we were feeling a great deal better

We were also offered dinner later on and we gratefully accepted whilst not quite knowing how to show proper appreciation for all this kindness.

We sat outside looking at the view, drinking a glass of wine until dinner was served. We then went into the dining room and ate a delicious fish pie…

Before curling up in a luxurious bed under a mosquito net for some much needed sleep

We had some decisions to make the next day. We had been in Kenya for only two weeks and had planned to stay for another two but was that really a sensible choice? With the country in turmoil, many people feared increasing violence and military involvement. Both my sisters ordered us over Whatsapp to leave for Tanzania straight away.

But when you´re actually in a situation it always seems very different to how it is perceived from outside. The people genuinely protesting were peaceful and the ones we had run into had tried to help us get out. We did not feel at all threatened…for now. The problem was the violent infiltrators trying to discredit the real protests along with the government potentially responding with disproportionate military force.

The protests were only being held on specific days so perhaps there would be no more trouble for a while. Or maybe things would escalate out of control overnight.

We just didn´t know.

That morning, after I had finished my training, I was chatting again to Philip and discussing options. We were really disappointed at the thought of missing out on Mombasa altogether and I wondered whether a day trip to Old Town and the Jesus Fort on a day when the protests were not planned might be viable. Philip, who had been very calm and unphased by the protests up to now, frowned at me. Definitely not he said, stay away, don´t even contemplate it.

His view was that the pleasure in visiting Mombasa´s Old Town was in ambling about, soaking up the atmosphere, sitting with a glass of wine in a café in the evening and sampling the delights of one or two little restaurants. Right now, he said, there will be crowds of protestors milling around and the threat of trouble on every corner. Just don´t, he said, rather use it as an excuse to come back another time.

In the face of such robust advice from someone who was about as far from melodramatic as it was possible to get, we dropped any plans for Mombasa straight away.

There was no way of going north through Kalifi again so Watamu Beach was out. That just left Diani Beach, south of Mombasa, and the Wasini Island Marine Reserve. There was nothing else left on our Kenyan itinerary.

It was all a bit disappointing but should we even try and do those things? Should we rather not just head straight for the Tanzanian border now and cut our losses but ensure our safety – and Henry´s?

In the end, after taking reassurance from Philip that Diani was most likely to be peaceful – and knowing that it was only an hour and a half from the Tanzanian border with no large towns in between – we proposed staying in Kenya for a few more days and enjoying what time we had left.

We took a vote between me, James and my two sisters. It was a tie. Henry had the casting vote and, being fearless, he said we stay!

So after a wonderful breakfast, some sad goodbyes and heart-felt thank you´s, we set off for Diani.

The drive was very long and very bumpy – in both cases because we took the back roads circumventing Mombasa rather than risk driving through the city. Instead of two and a half hours it took us five – but we kept out of trouble and for that it was worth every extra minute and every bump.

The campsite that came the most highly recommended was about 15km north of Diani itself and when we arrived we knew we had made a good decision

We pitched up on the sandy beach and made ourselves at home. The view was spectacular

The manager told us that there had been no trouble here at all, everything was peaceful and quiet.

There were local people on the beach who offered us everything from fresh fruit to fresh crab, prawns, lobster and fish to fire wood, cashew nuts, engraved key rings and massages. They were all friendly and easy-going, there was no hassle or pressure to buy anything. We could stay here as long as we wanted and lack for nothing

We were also very close to the Tanzanian border, well away from any large towns, cities or universities.

We settled in and put our feet up. We were near the end of our Kenyan adventure and what an adventure it had been! But this also meant that we were near the end of our African adventure and we were going to make the most of every minute.

We spent four wonderful days on our beach

We had fresh prawns, cashew nuts and fish brought to us every day

We had fire wood collected for us and ate fresh coconuts

We even had a massage. In fact we booked the lady for an hour and planned to do half each but within five minutes of starting it was so good that I changed the plan and had the whole hour to myself, booking the lady for the next hour as well for James – neither she nor he complained!

We swam in the warm sea, basked in the heat of the sun and enjoyed the cool breeze each evening by a roaring fire

I even bought a new sarong and James bought two engraved key rings, all of which were very African in style and decoration. We hoped they would be something to keep with us to remind us of the place we had come to consider home as we travelled to distant lands.

On one of our days we thought we would try going to Diani itself as the beach there is supposed to be a 25km stretch of pristine white sand and crystal clear blue waters.

The helpful campsite manager called her regular tuk tuk driver and asked him how things were in Diani town. He said it was all quiet but he was ill so couldn´t take us. She tried someone else who was happy to go and arrived within 20 minutes.

The drive to Diani was fun but long in a little tuk tuk. The driver dropped us off at the Ali Barber Cave restaurant for lunch and agreed to collect us at the Nomad restaurant on the other side of the town in four hours´ time. The plan was to walk from one to the other along the beach.

Ali Barber´s is famous for its quirky, underground design. Sadly it was closed for renovation but they kindly allowed us in to look around

We then headed for the beach with empty stomachs and walked for an hour or more along the beautiful sands

The sand, the water and the boats were all lovely

Sadly, Diani is a top tourist destination but the protests had been keeping tourists away so there were few visitors but still plenty of traders. We were approached by dozens and dozens of people all trying to sell us boat rides, trinkets, snorkelling, you name it. Many of them tried to drag us into their stalls or usher us into their restaurants. We couldn´t blame them for trying to make a living but it all got a bit much when all we wanted to do was to paddle in the sea and squish our toes into the warm sand.

One man followed us all the way until we reached Nomads, waited for us to have lunch then carried on following us. We asked him to leave us alone time and again but he took no notice until I finally lost my cool and raised my voice telling him he was ruining our day. I felt terrible about it afterwards, especially when he looked so confused at my anger and said he was just waiting for us to visit his shop. As he walked sadly away looking at the ground I felt ashamed of myself and vowed to be more thoughtful of local culture in the future.

Lunch at Nomads was a real treat – samosas, lamb, fish skewers and ice cream, all cooked to perfection. It was expensive but worth every penny

Although the site of camels appearing on the beach sent us into fits of giggles

To walk off all the food we carried on up the beach for a short way until both the beach and our time ran out. Our tuk tuk driver arrived at Nomads to collect us just as we got back. We were relieved to be returning to our friendly, out of the way beach 15km away from the tourist resort where we could relax again

By day five we had had a fabulous time doing very little, making new friends on our beach and eating so much fresh and healthy food we were at risk of growing halos! But we were ready to go, there is only so long we can sit around in one place, no matter how close to paradise it is.

We passed through Diani town on our way and tried to fill up on data but it was Sunday and all the phone shops were closed. The supermarket was open though and we managed to stock up on everything else that we needed.

We even found a car wash so Henry was shining again

Whilst we waited for him to be cleaned I asked about using a toilet. One of the staff walked me to the church next door and pointed the way to a toilet behind the building. As I walked across the church yard it was filled with people coming out of the morning service. They were dressed up in their Sunday best, chatting away with friends and neighbours. Not one of them even glanced my way despite me being a stranger, a European and rather shabbily dressed – it was a strange but refreshing experience for Africa where we get so used to being the subject of intense curiosity.

We decided to make the most of being in town and did a bit of shopping

Then went to Asha´s Bistro for lunch. It was very smart

With lovely views over the sea

The food was fantastic and the whole place very relaxing.

Our final destination here in Kenya was to be Wasini Island and the marine reserve around it. We hoped to do a boat trip with some snorkelling and swimming. We had chosen an eco resort and campsite to stay for two nights but when we arrived it was a bit run down, the restaurant was closed and we were the only people staying.

After our fabulous stay at Diani we felt a bit deflated. But the manager was very helpful and gave us contact details for a tour guide who organised our boat trip to the marine reserve the next day.

Initially we had intended to treat ourselves to a posh night in an ensuite tent with double bed but when we went to look at it we couldn´t bring ourselves to pay the rather expensive price – it was fine but a bit dark and very hot inside. We decided we would be happier sleeping in Henry. The Manager kindly offered to let us use the hot showers in the tent whilst staying in the campsite but in the end we found that the campsite showers were just fine – I even managed to dye my hair in my hopeless attempts to stop it going too blonde in the sun.

We were up and out by 8am the next morning and ready at the marine park headquarters in plenty of time for our trip to start. We had to wait over an hour whilst tickets were bought and the rest of our group slowly arrived. Whilst we waited James fed a lovely little cat some cat food that we had bought a few days earlier.

Finally we were ushered to our boat and boarded. There were yet more hiccups as tickets were wrong and the marine park officials had to be called but finally we were on our way

The waves were choppy and at first I started to feel a bit sea sick but things quickly settled down as we approach the reserve. It was beautiful

Crystal clear, blue waters with little islands scattered around

After an hour or so we anchored and were invited to jump in and start snorkelling. I made use of the on-board changing room to get my bikini on – although it was actually just a small area under the deck full of junk but it did the job.

We were each given a snorkel and mask and in we jumped. The water was so warm and calm it was perfect. But sadly, whilst James is a Master Diver, I am far from it and find using a snorkel rather claustrophobic.

I tried but failed to enjoy it so quickly decided to hand the snorkel back and just enjoy swimming around the boat

James, too, decided against it as the equipment was not the best and he felt a bit ´been there, done that´. So he went back onto the boat and sun bathed for a while whilst keeping a close eye on me to ensure I didn´t get pulled away by the surprisingly strong current.

The boat moved on a little to a nearby sand bar and one of the guides gave me a better snorkel and offered to take me to the reefs. It was much better than before but I still preferred simply swimming around so very soon my mask was off again and I was swimming out to the sand bar

It was all so warm and soft and wonderful. I lazed around, floated on my back, wandered about on the warm sand, sinking my toes in and simply admiring the stunning view

After about an hour or so we all piled back on to the boat and went to another island for lunch. The restaurant served us fish, chicken, crab and lobster and we sat and chatted to some of our fellow guests. One couple in particular were from Hull and thought we were true adventurers!

On the way back to the mainland we were entertained by the guides playing some music. It started off with traditional songs

But quickly deteriorated into ´She´ll Be Coming Down the Mountain´ and others, apparently intended to make the guests feel at home!

Back at our campsite we binged on chocolate and peanut brittle and watched a movie on the laptop outside. We were quiet and subdued, hardly able to take in what was happening to us. We had finished our Kenyan itinerary and had flights booked to the UK very soon. This was it, life as we had come to know it over the last three years was over. The enormity of it all had been on our minds for weeks and yet had hardly sunk in.

We had had to make some difficult decisions, there is a third member of the Sidetracked team who cannot get on an aeroplane and so needed special arrangements to be made – Henry.

Our darling Henry who had been through so much with us here in Africa. He had taken us safely through some of the worst roads in West Africa, been stuck in a shipping container on the open seas for three months from Cote DÍvoire to Cape Town, attacked in South Africa, scratched in almost every national park we had visited and visited Landrover hospitals throughout the continent. He had looked after us, kept us safe, been our home, our security, our everything for three years and had even survived falling down a mountain and being smashed to pieces – keeping us alive against all the odds in the process.

Henry and Africa went together in perfect harmony, Landrovers are the iconic African vehicle and perfectly suited to the climate and the terrain. Between living in Henry and travelling in Africa we had been happier than we had ever been in our lives before – the last three years having been extraordinary and as close to perfect as it is possible to get.

But now all that was about to change. We were about to leave the place we loved so much and what about Henry? How would we get him out of Africa without risking him in yet another shipping container – something we had vowed never to do again?

Our lives were about to change in more ways than one and my heart was breaking in all directions. I lay in bed, safely curled up inside Henry on our last night in Kenya staring into space with tears in my eyes. Were we really about to do this? Could I leave Africa behind, the place that has drawn me to it for as long as I could remember? Could we be making so many changes all at once? It felt as though a darkness more consuming than any Kenyan night sky was engulfing me….