Kenyan Schoolkids

We ran into several groups of school kids at Haller Nature Park in Mombasa. Most of them were grade-school aged (6 to 9, probably) but the last group we encountered were teenaged girls.
Oh, my!Leggi altro
Masai Dance

At Bombolulu, we were treated to a lively dance presentation.
We saw several dances, and even joined in for a special welcome dance, but the lighting wasn’t the best for photography.
The photosLeggi altro
Bombolulu

Mombasa’s Bombolulu Cultural Center gives mentally and/or physically challenged people jobs making traditional crafts, as well as mobility aids.
We enjoyed chatting with the crafts people andLeggi altro
Mombasa Drive

Our bus drive through Mombasa was fascinating. Not only did many locals wave to us as we passed, but in some cases, they even blew kisses!
Tuk tuks are a thing here, but they also have privatelyLeggi altro
Kenyan Tribe Exhibit

When we travel, I like to keep an eye on posters and graffiti. They often let me in on cultural aspects that tour guide’s gloss over.
In Mombasa, I noticed posters on telephone poles with the wordLeggi altro
Haller Nature Park

If you ever feed giraffes, don’t be afraid; they don’t have any upper teeth so they can’t bite you like other animals. Instead, giraffes use their upper lips, lower teeth, and long purple tongueLeggi altro
Welcome to Kenya!

A local dance group met us at the pier in Mombasa, Kenya. They even handed out fresh coconuts for us to enjoy. How I love those!
I only managed to take a few photos, however, before the KenyansLeggi altro
Seychelles Snorkelling

We took a catamaran ride to Anse Royale, a gorgeous bay in the Seychelles. Along the way, we saw a super yacht called “Nord.”
Once there, we spent an hour snorkeling along the reef where we sawLeggi altro
Peter Pepper’s Spice Garden

On Mahe Island in the Seychelles, we visited a historic spice garden. A French guy named Pierre Poivre (aka Peter Pepper) started the original garden back in the 1771.
The lush gardens offeredLeggi altro
Maldives sunset

The sun set as we sat down to dinner and our ship pulled away from the Maldives. That night, the show was an ABBA singalong. I don’t usually snap pics during the shows, but here you go!
Maldives Submarine

Even though I’m claustrophobic, after enjoying a semi submersible in Curacao, it emboldened me enough to try an actual submarine in the Maldives.
That said, I skipped my morning dose of coffee toLeggi altro
Male Muslim Cemetery

Smack dab in the middle of a busy downtown Male lies a historic burial ground dating back to 1656!
The Muslim cemetery at Old Friday Mosque is so old, in fact, that the graves here follow an oldLeggi altro
Maldives Market

I didn’t have a banana with me for scale, but as you can see, the market in Male, Maldives had no shortage of bananas for sale.
The market booth vendors were friendly and happy to explain whatLeggi altro
Sri Lanka Dancers

Another wonderful local act; this time a Sri Lankan dance group treated us to an amazing show. Loved the gorgeous outfits, music, and choreography that was both graceful and, at times, acrobatic.Leggi altro
Haircut & Cathedral

When Larry told our tuk tuk driver he wanted a haircut, Indika said he knew just the place. Not only that, he knew the name of a “special Sri Lanka man style hair for you.”
Indika took us to aLeggi altro
Colombo’s Red Mosque

I don’t know the story behind Colombo’s Red Mosque, but it’s rather striking as you can see.
One thing that surprised me was how it as crammed-jammed in between a bunch of rather blandLeggi altro
Arthur C Clarke Grave

It’s probably a good thing that I didn’t read about the venomous snakes of Sri Lanka before our visit to Borella Kanatte cemetery in Colombo!
Sticking to the paved paths is the safest bet, butLeggi altro
We took a tuk tuk!

I downloaded a special rideshare app called PickMe for our visit to Sri Lanka. It’s like Uber, except you can also book tuk tuks and motor scooters.
Thus prepared, we stepped off the ship.Leggi altro
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Our dinner companions, Thelma and Clive, joined us for a trip to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary.
As we drove to the sanctuary’s grounds, we passed a latex farm, where we could see little cupsLeggi altro
Ladyboys of Phuket

For our stop in Phuket the Simon Cabaret Ladyboys came aboard, and boy did they ever deliver an energetic show!
What is a ladyboy? Basically, Ladyboys are transgender men who dress and live asLeggi altro
Dragon Full Moon Party

In Penang, the ship had a “Dragon Full Moon Party.” Oddly enough, the lunar phase that evening was a waxing crescent, which you can see if you look closely at my photos.
We enjoyed a livelyLeggi altro
Graves in a Frangipani Grove

We took the free CAT Bus in Penang to the nearest stop to the Old Protestant Cemetery.
The grounds are well-kept, but since the first gate we found was padlocked, we wound up entering through a partLeggi altro
Exploring Penang

Despite the sweltering heat, we enjoyed exploring Penang’s Georgetown neighborhood, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I really wanted to free one of the caged birds we saw along the way,Leggi altro
Phuket Scenery

Here are a few things we saw while driving to and from the Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket.
The sign for “Tourist Attraction” cracked me up. So generic!
I was surprised at all the placesLeggi altro
Penang Cat Cafe

Years ago, I toyed with the idea of opening a coffeehouse that also had a small bookstore and petting zoo out back. Most folks I shared this idea with told me I was an idiot. (But back then, I did notLeggi altro
Viaggiatore
The kids look so happy and pleased to see you