After a 5-hour SGR voyage from Nairobi to Mombasa, I booked a ride and headed to Dodoma Serene Hotel. I had been to Mombasa a dozen times before, but this was the first time I spent a night on the island. Scheduled to board a Tanzania-bound bus early in the morning, I chose to sleep in a hotel named after the capital of Mama Samia's country. Dodoma Serene Hotel's proximity to the bus that would take me to Tanzania made it a convenient place to stay.
Mombasa Island lies between the northern and southern mainlands. As we crossed the Makupa Bridge, I rolled down the windows and felt the invigorating effect of the cool breeze from the Indian Ocean.
After a rejuvenating shower, I walked out of the aforementioned hotel and flagged down a three-wheeler taxi, popularly known as a tuk-tuk in this part of East Africa. I had dinner at Creek View Café before boarding another tuk-tuk. What followed was an unscripted nightlife experience in Kenya's second-largest city.
Around the city, roundabouts and other landmarks were embellished with eye-catching Christmas decorations. As I hopped from one club to another, I bumped into familiar revelers from Nairobi and beyond. These domestic tourists have taken a break from their monotonous work routines and got down to their usual end-of-the-year drinking sprees. Their brothers and sisters from the diaspora have joined them, and the party is on. According to my informers, the other side of the Nyali bridge has attracted even more holidaymakers.
It's that time of the year again. I wish it lasts forever. In the words of Richelle E. Goodrich, "the holiday season is like candy. It melts in your mouth slowly and sweetens every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever."
I am writing this piece from a nameless restaurant in northeastern Tanzania. A lot has happened since I partied ways with Mombasa party animals in the wee hours of the morning. For starters, I couldn't find a bus to Tanzania. The Festive Season travel frenzy is in full swing. Which means every bus is fully booked. I am currently on my way to Tanga. Since I left Mombasa, I have used a tuk-tuk, a ferry, a matatu, and a bodaboda (motorcycle taxi). The Mombasa - Tanga leg is adventure-filled, but that's a story for another day.