Up the Creek

After lunch and a little rest, Jacob took me to David’s (about 200m away). It was the first time I’d seen David with his baby daughter.

They have a neat little tent to keep flies and mosquitoes away from the baby.

David took me for a walk down to the creek, where there are many fishponds amongst the mangroves, though some tell you to keep out.

Fishing canoes (dug outs)

A new canoe being made, they are cut from a tree with very low density

A mother and child wait for the boat to return

Here they come – bringing supplies from across the creek rather than fish (fishing is done at night)

Carrying the shopping home – charcoal

and firewood

A baobab by the low evening sun

 

Riding the Lunatic Line

Well, I slept though Meld didn’t! When I awoke, about 05:45, we were coming into Voi station and it was starting to get light. Past Voi we saw the Sagala Hills.

The sun rising

We passed along the edge of Tsavo East National Park

The only animals I saw were these cattle with their Maasai minders

We had to stop frequently to let freight trains pass (using passing loops, it’s mostly single track). This train was carrying Magadi Soda.

Our train rounding one of many curves. Children waving at the train and asking for money was a common sight.

The signal box at Miritini

Another signal box, handing over the token for the next section of track.

Water containers piled up on the outskirts of Mombasa – there’s no running water here, but at least the houses are reasonable.

The track does downhill, and so does the accommodation

And these “dwellings” are on a rubbish dump, just before the causeway onto Mombasa Island

Fishermen on the edge of the island

Coming into Mombasa station – wreckage of old sleepers (we’d seen buckled rails alongside the track at many locations)

We’re here, at last, after 16 hours (only 2 hours late!)

The smoky loco that hauled us here

We stopped at Tuskys for supplies, opposite this temple.

Then a taxi home to Majaoni.