It’s twelve midnight, we are in the middle of the ocean somewhere in Lamu, high as kites.
This was supposed to be a solo trip that turned better than I would have ever imagined when I found old friends at the airport who happened to also be staying at Manda homes.
We are all ready to go home but first, we call our “Uber.” Uber is Lamu is a small speeding boat that will race you across the ocean at 40kph. This may sound slow, but on water in the middle of the night it’s absolutely fear inducing. And I loved every second of it.
Our little guy takes you wherever you want to go at whatever hour.
I don’t think I have ever had a more adrenaline rush filled experience. First of all, you have to manoeuvre through the “parking” (other boats surrounding the bar) to get to yours. This is where I emphasize that it’s pitch dark outside. One little mishap and you are in the water.
Then once all of you are seated and the journey starts it hits your mind that you are many, many kilometres away from your actual home and that you guys do not know how to swim (actually out of the six of us, only one person knows how to.)
Another terrifying thought that crosses your mind is that at the speed at which the boat is flying across the waters- at one point it does feel as if it’s flying- if you happen to go overboard, pitch darkness everywhere, engine roaring the night away, by the time they realise you are gone and slow down the boat to come back for you, you will probably have hit the bottom of the ocean.
I’ve never felt more alive than yesterday night with all those terrifying thoughts crossing my mind while the rest sing on top of their voices and scream happily anytime a huge splash of water hit our faces.
The floating bar is a highlight that you cannot afford to miss when you visit Lamu. We went there abit early as we were the first patrons but by 6pm the place was packed to the brim. This is the only place in this island where you are guaranteed to bump into your Nairobi neighbor and be like, unafanya nini huku? It’s so full of Nairobians and Kenyans at large (plus other nationalities of course.)
I am so proud of the fact that Kenyans are traveling their country more. The floating bar is crawling with Kenyans and unlike other touristic places that I have been to like Kilifi or Diani, where discrimination based on your skin tone was right on your face; Lamu doesn’t discriminate (my experience so far)
The DJ at this place takes requests from everyone, unlike say clubs in Diani where the music will be a certain genre since the moment you get to the club to the moment you leave. End of rant hehe. At one point he played house music, then played reggae, then rhumba and even wakadinali. It’s just a happy go lucky place welcoming to everyone.
On top of everything else, I need to point out that their waiters are super friendly. Especially one David that kept checking to see if we were okay.
You see the good thing about the local Kenyan tourism market is that there are no low seasons or high seasons – it’s a year long cycle.
The sunset view at the floating boat is something to die for. Honestly I just stood there mesmerized while watching it go down. I’ve never felt more at peace with myself, my thoughts more clearer as the bar swayed side to side due to the constant waves.
beautiful sundowner view from the floating bar
from a distance you can see another singular structure in the middle of the ocean. It’s called the floating restaurant.
I can’t wait to see what Lamu has in store for me today, writing this in bed where I have a clear view of the ocean as I wait for the sun to rise.
