I cannot remember the last time I solo traveled. Actually, I think I can remember, but it’s such a long time ago it’s beginning to feel like a time from a different era. The last trip I went to was Nanyuki and that was before my daughter was born. Nanyuki was amazing. Amazing because nothing beats vacationing alone, reading a book in the wee hours of the morning, seeing a new town and meeting new people. Not to say I haven’t travelled after Nanyuki; I have been severally to Watamu and Diani, but with friends.
The years have moved so fast since my daughter came. The first couple of years I was in a daze…I can’t tell you how they moved by; It was so fast. I think every new mom experiences some sort of shock, how you handle it determines if you’ll “survive” the next couple of months. I lost myself, I lost my interest in writing and experienced an almost permanent writer’s block. Some people experience a new burst in energy and motivation – I definitely was not some people. I kept on working, bills had to be paid and an extra mouth had to be fed, but that was about it.
However, It’s not all doom and gloom. You do start to recover, piece by piece. When it starts to eventually happen it’s such a beautiful journey. You look at everything from a new angle. Personally it gave me a different kind of life where nothing bothers me, I learnt to laugh at myself and generally began to view life differently.
Getting into unnecessary arguments no longer interested me, politics and religion were not something I wanted to waste my energy arguing about. Those ones I would miss with a wide berth. I learnt to forgive those who wronged me, understood how short life is and would occasionally stop to smell the flowers. Every little milestone became worth celebrating.
With time I begun to understand how important it is to pick up the phone and tell the people that I love how much I love them. I do not shy of telling my girls how much I love and appreciate them being in my life. I don’t have many of those, some we drifted apart and some we outright fell out because of whatever reasons.
I do have a few real ones, the ones that would come through for me at whatever hour of the night – or day for that matter – without any questions whatsoever. For these I am ever so grateful because with them all I have to do is tell them that there is a fight somewhere and the only question they’ll ask is “gun or knife?” Other questions like what’s the fight about will come later.
At this point you are wondering what’s all this got to do with Lamu, hehe. I drift alot in my thoughts you see and I have to apologise for that.
I want to fully reconnect with myself. I miss vacationing alone and what better place to start this than Lamu. I’ve always wanted to visit Lamu. It’s a bit odd that I’ve never been there (odd because I lived in Mombasa for so many years) but I would truly love to visit. Plus, It’s been a couple of years since I had seafood direct from the sea and I hear Lamu is king when it comes to seafood. I crave the octopus so bad. Shrimp too, but octopus has a special place in my heart.
Lamu, the oldest documented Swahili settlement in the world! A UNESCO World heritage site. I want to ride a donkey (don’t let your mind take you to the gutter) I want to view all those ancient sailing dhows, and pass through the narrow alleyways going through the village.
I don’t know if Lamu has beach boys, I am almost sure there are but it can’t be worse than Mombasa. I would have wished to walk these alleyways that people walked through all those hundreds of years ago, all alone, reminiscing a different time and a different people but I know it’s not possible. I will take what I can, noting the cultures and all.
I want to walk by the sea shore as the salty air hits my nose. I love the smell of sea by day and the sound of its waves by night. Ohh how I miss the ocean! Help! Please! Nairobi is taking its toll on me! It is sucking the life out me! I hope I am not being overly dramatic hehe, but the situation is dire. That is why I am *drumroll* Manifesting Lamu.
Old town with no cars to pollute the environment. Just the breathtaking old buildings with beautiful architecture to carry you through the lens of history. And ofcourse the good old sea. You can always rely on the sea to help you clear your thoughts. Exactly what I need to relax and reflect. So ladies and gentlemen, here is to me manifesting Lamu.
flickr/Nina R
