Six Places

Happy Friday Tuesday Wednesday, Everyone!

We (you and I) are making good progress on the list here and this here post brings me to one of my favourite pastimes in the world!  Travel, as indicated in the first post that ever earned me a side look.

My friend Winter’s post on Mombasa has made me a tad nostalgic.  Another blogger I love to stalk has had her fair share of travel this month, but her hilarious post on Mexico has made me waaaaant to travel to Mexico.  Maybe I should put Mexico on my list.  Or maybe I should just put Brazil … World Cup agenda.

Ok.  Back to the business at hand.  Since travel is one of my most favouritest pastimes in the whole wide world (so much so that grammar flies outta the window), I have done my list in regions.  Here goes my list:

1. Nairobi – Kilimani.  (I love shopping in Yaya, but the state of the roads by the x-junction is DEPLORABLE!  Those potholes not only require deliberate maneuvering, but also create unnecessary traffic, especially because road courtesy is still a very foreign concept in Kenya).  Plus, if there’s no electricity in Kilimani, you need to be sure that there’s electricity in Karen before your situation can be sorted out.
2. Nairobi – House of Waine
   Except for the heart wrenching fact that this boutique luxury hotel charges in DOLLARS, when we have a currency in Kenya, I’ve heard only good things about the place and would love love looove to visit.  Pricing is out of my range, though – so it’s officially on my wish list.
3. Coast – Watamu and Sarova Salt Lick Lodge in Tsavo.  The latter has been on my list for ages and I’m hoping that one of these fine days I will be able to kasirika (literally translated, that means get annoyed and should not make any sense in this context) and cross it off my list.  Lamu is also on this list.
   

   http://www.telegraph.co.uk

4. East Africa – Zanzibar
   History – Check; Food – Check; Beauty – Check; Hospitality – Check; Nostalgia – Check!  Total score: 5 out of 5.
   

   http://www.zanzibarquest.com

5. Africa – Egypt.  I’ve heard a lot of good things about Egypt, and I’m partly driven by that.  I’m also driven by curiosity after reading The Yacoubian Building.  It was a great read, and I particularly enjoyed the author’s descriptive style.
   

   http://www.bedahayatours.com

6. Europe – St. Petersburg during white nights
   

   http://www.thecompulsivetraveler.wordpress.com

7. South America – Brazil 2014.  I cannot imagine what the energy levels will feel like!
   

   http://www.fifabitz.com

   Those are six places, because Kilimani doesn’t count. 🙂

Book of the Month

When I made a commitment to read 13 books between now and November 2012, what I was really trying to do was make myself to someone Mrs. Babes the followers of my blog.  You see, I have been a member of Nairobi Book Club since its inception in 2008 and I only remember completing 5 of the 40 or so books that we have read.  This, if I may say so myself, is despicable, and the reason why reading 13 books is a goal for my last year as a youngin. 🙂

This month’s book was Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza.  I’m not a fan of autobiographies, but I enjoyed this one.  It didn’t have too much suspense, but whenever she threw it into her story, she did it well.  It is a gruelling tale, and for me, a stark reality check about the power of words.

Our discussion was held in Westlands on Friday and I was lost for a good 40 minutes.  At one point, I called the hostess almost in tears about the fact that I couldn’t figure out maps, instructions or directions!  However, I did make it to her house and I enjoyed the meal, the camaraderie and the discussion.

I thank God for:

1. My Sports Car, My Vitz, Steph
2. Fuel
3. Getting lost on a rainy night and celebrating God’s faithfulness thereafter.

I had this CD in my car, but this song was not playing.  If it had been, I know I would have been less frustrated.  Love the video, love the drums, and luuuuurv the lyrics:

 

Happy Monday, Everybody!