So I had a week-long conference in Mombasa, Kenya, which was simultaneously wonderful (It’s warm! even at night!) and tortuous (We were inside all day.  I felt like I was back in 5th grade, staring out of the classroom window, praying for the teacher to call recess).  Suspecting that I would regret it if I didn’t take some “me” time at the end of the trip, I gave myself Saturday to frolick.

Now, it may be tempting to do nothing but vegetate on the beach with a Tusker while in paradise.  Frankly, some fellow conference goers did just that, and part of me certainly understood the desire.  That said, for those of us who like to be able to differentiate one beach town from the next, here are some must-dos if you only have a day in Mombasa:

1. Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Center –  This compound is a rehabilitation center that provides employment, education, housing, etc. for adults who are blind or physically disabled and who would otherwise have virtually no chance of employment in Kenya.  It looks a bit dilapidated, and you certainly feel pressure to buy at least one artisanal product, but luckily, it will be easy to give in as the crafts are quite good.  There are also a few cheesy aspects of it, but if you make it clear that you’d really just rather hang out and chat with the artisans rather than go through the official tour, which includes a  ”cultural show” – a very awkward dance lesson where you are forced to watch elderly European men try to keep up with the 20-something Kenyan counterparts dressed as Masaai warriors – then it can be an educational and moving time.  As my friend Jorge says, you walk away feeling like you’ve participated in “ethical tourism.”

2. Old Town - I love markets.  Even touristy ones.  The colors, the noises, the crowds.  As long as I have a zipper on my purse, I’m as happy as a clam.  Old Town market is much less rowdy than your average scene, as it’s mixed in with a residential area.  It is quite a labyrinth of dusty, winding streets lined with meticulously carved wooden doors that open into homes and shops.  This, of course, makes for great photos if you’re discreet about it.  An added bonus for Americans visiting Kenya is the “Obama Price” being offered by every vendor that learns of your citizenship.  Instead of the terse and occasional combatitive responses I got for claiming the US of A as my own for the past 8 years, I was greeted with an outpouring of excitement and congratulations.  For once, my Canadian co-workers were jealous! Ha!  Even more exciting, you can get kangas and other wares with Obama plastered all over it.  I am optimistic that this will be a fun keepsake to display when I’m old and recounting all of my travel stories to anyone who will listen.

3.  Fort Jesus - If you like history, then you should go to Fort Jesus.   If you like specatcular views of water and nature, you should go to Fort Jesus.  If you like lots of attention from men, you should go to Fort Jesus (sorry guys, the above statement does apply to you…as far as I can tell).  For just a small upkeep fee, you can go see this Portuguese built fort that was captured by the Turks, turned into a slave fort, then a prison, then eventually a museum.  If history is the reason for your story, investing in a guide isn’t a bad idea, but you should make sure to get an official one.  That said, remember, official does not mean you can’t bargain on the tour price.  You’ll just get more bang for your buck.  If you’re there for the ambience, save the cash and just roam around.  Once you’ve actually gotten into the fort, no one really bothers you so it is quite easy to linger, soak in the views, and snap photos like a paparazzo.

4. Juma Tea Shop - This shop is actually in Old Town, but it deserved its own comment.  We stumbled upon the tea shop when walking from Fort Jesus to the market.  It specializes in Somali and Kenyan tea and coffee.  They also make a mean potato puff and samosa.  The environment is extremely relaxed (maybe too relaxed for this admittedly impatient American).  The best part, however, is hands down the homemade tea concoctions.  The spices are added to tea leaves and coffee on the spot, which adds a freshness to the flavor in a way I’ve never tasted before.  I bought enough tea to brew for a year.  It takes time for them to prepare it, but it is well worth the wait. 

Of course, as my beach bumming colleagues would recommend, don’t forget to get some time in for lounging oceanside with that Tusker.  If you really want the sea experience, you can even go scuba diving with sharks.  As for me, I’ll take the Tusker.

One of the many uses of the duct tape: Holding together the windshield.

I’ve made no secret about my joy in roadtrips. What are the essential ingredients of every awesome roadtrip? Well, I’m glad you asked. Here are my top ten.

Honorable Mention: The Hookah – Okay, yes, I have to include this since I earlier dubbed the hookah as the secret weapon of the roadtrip. I’m not going to re-hash the many roadtrip virtues of the hookah here, but let’s just say that I’m holding to my previous claims.

10. Cheap Non-Perishable Food – Snack cravings are even more satisfying to fill when you are on the road. And, in the very likely case of mechanical problems, you are going to want at least some spare food. Make it a mix of some snack food and some more hearty alternatives.

9. Good Pair of Sunglasses – Some people are sunglasses people. Some aren’t. Well, the sunglasses for a roadtrip are not one of the accessories you want to gloss over. I’m not much of a sunglasses person myself, but I soon learned the error of my ways on the roadtrip. That sun can play some nasty tricks on your mental stability as it slowly ticks across the sky if you are driving into it all day long. But there is no need for that. We conquered the sun already.

8. Quality Road Reading – Spending those long hours on the road, you are going to want some to have soom good reading with you. Roll the windows down and let the air play through the edges of the pages (because, yes Kindle, I still do believe in books).

7. Tunes Tunes Tunes – Nothing beats a roadtrip playlist. A great song can really cause some car cohesion (think Wayne’s World, “Bohemain Rhapsody”). And a set of steady chill tunes as everyone is hitting their afternoon slump can add some real rhythm and soul to the wheels hitting the road. Sometimes you will desire just the relative silence of the passing road, but for the rest of the time, do yourself a favor and figure out what kind of audio system your vehicle has and plan accordingly.

6. Pocketknife and/or Set of Tools – Useful for daily tasks and life-savers in emergencies, don’t be an idiot – bring along some sort of tools with you. Even if you are not going to be out on the type of trip where you will be camping every night, you will still be out on the road and therefore to some degree out on your own. A roadtrip isn’t much of a roadtrip if there isn’t even the potential of anything ever going wrong.

5. Duct Tape – No brainer.

4. Working Mobile Phone – I have learned the hard way that just because one is traveling in the developing world and mobile providers change as quickly as the days on the calendar, that excuse will not be much of a consolance to you when your group runs into problems in the middle of nowhere and has no means of contacting the outside world. When your friend gets taken into custody by Zambian police or when your vehicle breaks down at 3 in the morning in an African game park, trust me, you will regret not having a working phone.

3. Vehicle with Character – It is a roadtrip. The type and overall character of the vehicle itself matters greatly. Personally, I prefer a vehicle that has some miles on it already. I prefer it to be dependable but to have its own ideosyncracies. Ideally, it will have offroading capabilities and will not be something on which a few scratches would be a big deal.

2. Chill Travel Buddies – In an adventure in which the journey matters more than the destination, the who you are traveling with matters as much or more than the whats or wheres of the trip. And when the trip is all done, the people and those memories are what will remain.

1. Open Plans – The roadtrip is more of an actionable traveling philosophy than a description of the chosen travel method. Don’t overplan your trip. Leave with a basic idea of dates and a detailed map with your planned route. However, the beauty of the roadtrip is its freedom. Stay somewhere a couple days longer than you planned. Take daytrip local excursions. Meet new people and jump into their lives for a bit. Be spontaneous.

In my short stay in Geneva, I decided that despite the incessant rain and grey skies, I could live there.  I began believing this pretty much from the get-go as my flight into Switzerland overlooked the Alps.  The idea became more and more solidified for these top 5 reasons (amongst others):

1.  French!  I can speak the beloved language of French as much I want, and people are nice about it! They actually want to talk to me in French.  This is just glorious news.

2. Instead of a bible in the drawer of my (very swanky and upscale) hotel room is a book on the teachings of Buddha.  This must be an intriguing city.

3. On Thursday, I went to an Irish pub with a Canadian, an Indian, un Francais, a German, a Dane, and an Italian to listen to a Texan woman sing the blues.  Enough said.

4.  It looks like a mini-Paris in which you can literally walk everywhere.  This is good because I am a Washingtonian after all, so the only modes of transportation I know are the public kind and my own 2 feet.  Bonus: whilst walking, you get to stare at the pretty mountains surrounding the city.

5 (and most important).  There are chocolate shops everywhere.  This is every woman’s fantasy.

National Geographic is running a sweepstakes for free trips to Ecuador. All you’ve got to do is sign up for their mailing list, and, unfortunately, live in the US. So all you Americans, have at it.

Sarah, Alan, and I have all written little bios on ourselves and a little blurb about Questing for Adventure for our brand new about page. The mission of the blog is also paraphrased in a new section of the side bar. Basically, “We share stories and travel ideas that keep us dreaming about the road yet untraveled.” Glad to have all of you along with us as we scheme and dream away the wanderlust.