North Reef

I have been back in Nairobi for three weeks now! But let me revisit my holidays in Kilifi for memories sake. It took me a while to get to this for many reasons, one of them being sheer laziness, the other being I felt conflicted about the message such photos would convey. Warning: the photos are instagram-worthy, no filter necessary!

Kilifi is a coastal town in Kenya, along the Indian ocean, about an hour and ½ from Mombassa. It is hot, water and sky are vibrant blue, with miles-long white sandy beaches, right out of a digital nomad’s picture book... I had the immense privilege of staying at a childhood friend’s home, along with her family. For a whole week, I got pampered, treated to the best eats, and lived a worry-free life in a jaw-dropping landscape, the epitome of vacation vibes. It felt like I was taking holidays within my actual holidays, putting my life on hold and enjoying.

 I spent most of the days, lounging on daybeds in a kitesurf camp, indulging in their gourmet food offerings, taking a dip in the Indian ocean, and relishing life! Evenings were spent catching up with my friend and her lovely children and dog, reminiscing about our high school days, taking a trip down memory lane.

What’s wrong with this picture, you may be asking? Well, the social contrast!

Kilifi County is indeed one of the poorest counties in Kenya. And at the time, even still now, it has been affected by one of the most severe droughts that Kenya has experienced in recent history. This meant that a few kilometers away from the daybeds I was lounging on, most locals were literally in survival mode!  How to reconcile this within one’s mind? I wish I knew…. So yes the pictures do not tell the full story… and I do not have a solution or a redeeming thought to offer… I am left with the observation, just acknowledging the shadow that accompanied me during my stay. I am back in Nairobi now, these same thoughts still racing in my mind, whenever I go about my “comparatively” privileged life in the city. Of course, we try to adopt fair “practices”: tipping the Uber driver, going to socially conscious cafés, participating to the local economy, smiling and showing appreciation to each and everyone… but how much of it is truly effective, and not just to give oneself a good conscience? Something I am not sure about but I am definitely still meditating on…. Read more