Lamu, Kenya

We were stranded on a deserted island. We could see civilization but it was just too far to swim... so...we sank back on our wooden lounge chairs and ordered another Diet Coke.

Yep - our deserted island came complete with a waiter and a chef. Not bad for a weekend getaway! Julie and I spent a quick weekend on the tiny island of Lamu - located just off the coast of Kenya. This island is totally different than where we live in Nairobi. It is 99.9 percent Muslim, there are no cars, women wear the complete boui-boui (Muslim outfit and headcovering), fresh seafood, old-fashioned dhow boats, fishing, etc.

Lamu has no cars. Most people walk everywhere or ride a donkey. Boats get people from tiny island to tiny island. Since, there's not much to do in Lamu, Julie and I took a boat everyday to a private beach on a small island. We had the beach to ourselves everyday!

Then, we'd walk the streets of stonetown for shopping or to find an ice cream shop (it was extremely hot and humid). Back in stonetown, the roads were cobblestone. I wondered how many shoes crossed this path to make the stones so smooth. The streets were very narrow - just large enough for a donkey and rider.

The interesting thing about Lamu is the carved doors. These are Swahili carvings. Each door tells a story and has a significance in the Swahili coastal history.

Most people on this island make their living on the boat fishing. These boats are called dhows. Most do not have motors but use sails. The fishermen know which direction the wind blows during the day. Julie and I went on a sunset dhow ride. Not only did we see the sunset from the boat, but we got the chance to "drive" the boat. When the wind whipped the sail hard and the boat tilted, we almost fell out of the boat.

After eating fresh seafood (at the same restaurant every night), Julie and I drank Lamu Coffee. This coffee has less than a teaspoon of actual coffee per pot. The main ingredients are cinnamon, cardamon and cloves. It's a really cinnamony sweet drink. The fun part was buying it from a vendor on the road. Then, we'd sit down and drink it -- with everyone surprised that the Americans liked their coffee.