EXPLORING NDERE ISLAND NATIONAL PARK

The sailor said to her " Be careful girl" . In defiance, she raised her legs up and rested them on the edge of the boat.
What a sight! He exclaimed 

Yes,  she asserted, "The horizon is beautiful "
There are some experiences you never forget. Like watching an eagle perched on a water depth mark for two hours or even more,  unbothered, not a single care in the world, or getting stuck on an island with no hope of ever getting out, but also blessed with the privilege of basking in the beauty of a large water body,  the horizon or a sunset if you're lucky enough .

  The wildlife  are not caged and a couple of times you'll catch a zebra swinging it's hips home or an eagle perched on the hump of a warthog all pimped up and looking  like a million dollars. 
The best part? The park has a nature trail that goes through the undulating landscapes and hiking through it could be the icing on the cake for the Ndere Island experience. Your safety is almost always guaranteed as most of the animals that inhabit the island are not harmful, well I spotted one or two bee hives.Lol

Standing at the peak of the island,  one is able to get a 360 degree view of the place. ( Check my instagram for the video) . At this position , you'll be treated to a panoramic view of Homa hills in the South; its sister island Magere Island, Lake Victoria and Kampala majestically lying in the south western horizon. Lawd,  I thought I'd seen beautiful things. Sigh. 

Costs

Park fees cost Ksh. 300 for Kenyan citizens and 25 USD for non citizens, but the boat ride from the mainland to the island is a little costly,ranging between Ksh 3000 and Ksh 5000 depending on the package you choose,  which again depends on the kinda experience you'd love to have. Oh,  interestingly there's the option of just going round the Island in a boat. I am a very curious human, hence my choice for a hike through the island, which lasted about 2 hours.I did not keep tabs of the distance of the trail but it could be estimated to about 5km or something. I ain't sure and I forgot to ask.
Also,  the Kenya Wildlife Service has put up two camping sites just in case you'd love some of that.
I'd love to share some tips just in case you decide to do this.
1.In case you decide to drive from kisumu an SUV would be ideal. You don't want to get stuck in mud in the middle of nowhere when it rains. I think it's important to note that you can get to Ndere from Kisumu by boat. 

2.Carry with you a pair of binoculars. Guys, the view of the surrounding from the peak of the island is breathtaking. You'll be luckier if you visit on a day when the weather is perfect.
3. Water is life. Carry some to quench your thirst when the climb gets tough.
I think it's pretty disappointing that there's no form of accommodation on the island but then again it could be due to the need to maintain an equilibrium in it's ecosystem.Maybe. Nevertheless, this is one of the most beautiful destinations I've found myself at.
So that's it guys. Catch you soon. 

The side of Rwanda you haven't seen : Lake Kivu

I'm divided between saying a thousand and one words about the land  of a thousand hills,  and just letting you guys enjoy these pictures. Well I'll share some quick facts about lake Kivu. 
The 2400 sq km lake lies on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda housed by two towns,  Rubavu/Gisenyi on the Rwandan side and Goma on the DRC side. Kivu contains high concentrations of naturally occurring methane gas that both Rwanda and the DRC are prospecting to tap and utilize for methane to power projects and other uses like fertilizer production. Take a closer look at some of the pictures below,  there is a drilling rig in the middle of the lake doing it's thing. Also, the resources above and beneath lake Kivu are shared equally between the two hosting countries. 
Now,  onto more interesting things( I'm no geologist) 😂😂😂, what to do at Lake Kivu? 
1. Take a boat ride to Goma, have lunch and ride back. 
2. Water-sport fun
3. Savor the flavors (second best grilled fish I've ever had
4. Get some tan. Too bad it's the rainy season in Rwanda. I didn't get to try this
5. Sit back and enjoy the view. There is some sort of calm that comes from nature irrespective of where you are.Visualize doing that with this view. 
6. Of course swim. ( I prefer getting a floater and being safe) 😂😂😂😂
Of importance to note is the  experience of a breathtaking  ride from Kigali to Gisenyi between the hills. The perfect road trip!
Also, one fact that makes Kivu an awesome holiday destination is that it has a thousand and one accommodation options to choose from, depending on your budget.

Kivu Serena 

Mathree 

Your typical ride

What I ate

We're not alone in this.. Lol

The Kigali convention center by night 

What I wore

Goma from a distance 

TAKING STOCK: HELLO MARCH!

It's such a beautiful blessing to have a strong support system. To have people who believe in you, the few who are the wind in your wings,  those who clap when you win, the people in our lives who put smiles on our faces on the days when our hearts are too small to feel the big things, those who hold your hand when you're too weak to walk and those who hold you up when you fall. 
February has been short. Waay too short.A lot has happened and I feel like I have already lived through the whole of 2018.From losing my nephew...Rest in peace lil  man ,till we meet again. You are a true son of your mother, you fought like a warrior... You'll forever be in our hearts.Till we meet again. 
....To the February heat. I thank God for the rains, but then sometimes I feel like taking back my words about the hot sun especially when I'm not able to leave the house because it won't stop raining. What a life. 
I've been through a lot these past weeks and more than ever I am grateful to God for the gift of friendship and love.Despite everything, I have had overwhelming support from my "support system". You know yourselves. I love you. 
So I took a few days off work to spend some time with my family (majorly my sister)  and to just give my body some rest and pampering. A treat if you may. I needed it, my body needed it,  my mind longed for it. 
I had the opportunity of vacaying in Malindi and in Watamu. If someone woke me up at 1 am in the morning and asked me to choose a holiday destination then I would effortlessly choose a destination with sandy beaches. It's my default place to go. 
Watamu has a variety of accommodation options some with a beach front and others without. So whether or not you would love to wake up to a beautiful sunrise by the ocean will depend on your pocket. 
Also, I think Watamu is a favorite of many because it has a lot of interesting sea sporting activities like snorkeling, deep sea diving,  lunch in the mangroves, you name it. 
Finally ,being the foodie that I am, a holiday experience is never complete if one, there is no variety in food and two if the food is not delicious. I had both at Watamu and Malindi. From sea food to coastal dishes. People, If flights to Malindi were free, I'd fly there each and everyday just to have pilau for lunch.
Having said that,  I'd love to share some frozen moments from my little escape. Till next time,  have a beautiful March!