TIWI

This was many years back, for the longest time I wasn’t certain of the beach but I knew it was at the Southern Coast of Kenya. I had the choice of asking my parents all these years where that was but I chose not to. I was eventually going to visit this beach at some point in my life, I was pretty sure of that.

Fast forward and it’s the last weekend of November in the year 2013, my friends and I decided to enjoy a weekend of camping away from civilization and just feel the wild and maybe just get to know each other better. The list of the attendants wasn’t certain but the more the merrier I thought and hoped to meet so many people at Tiwi. My friends from as far as Nakuru arrived in style. The big city wasn’t left out where we had guys from Nairobi and yes peeps from the coast also did not disappoint. One of my friends had already spiced us up on all the activities to expect at camp. He had been there before to find himself, find himself with a girl(of which we got to grill him about later), find himself with friends and he had great company from the environment. I’m talking of the several harmless dogs that often just walk around the beach. This I gathered from a blog post he had shared before.

There were no rules and once you arrived, all you did was grab a spot which was going to be your home for the weekend. Well, with no rules, a change of location or a “tent move-in” wasn’t discouraged in fact, with all the alcohol and fun, I was looking forward to that 🙂 !Exactly the opposite of my camping experience when I was little. Hitch a tent -take a walk, hitch a tent- sleep, hitch a tent -swim,hitch a tent- change clothes whatever you wanted the choice was yours. I chose to change clothes then take a long walk and I got a lesson in astronomy, romance and biking from my new mate for the weekend. The walk on the beach was endless, trust me you can walk and walk and not realize that you had walked for so long because the feeling was awesome.

After sunset, the party began,we lit the fire took some shots, snacked a bit and then enjoyed the water. Hmm… this is where I go like…what happens in Tiwi stays in Tiwi. Between the swim and sunrise, I have scanty memory although the most important thing was that I was up early enough to catch the sunrise. I was already taken by Tiwi at this point, the sunrise was insanely beautiful! Temperatures being just perfect and the view wow! how ,the sun and the sea have such intimacy, it only pains you thinking that it’s going to be several hours later until the sun and sea kiss again and disappear to a place only the two lovers know.

The changes in tides mean that the water has to have a high and low; because of this amazing natural phenomenon; you can literally walk into the sea and see what its bed is made of. The changes in geography, the several sea creatures that appear harmless until you nag them are all so bear for you to see then. How amazing the creator of all this magic was!

The day now moving on and with the scorching sun at its peak, all your body desires is a dip in water. Relaxing! Refreshing, rejuvenating therapeutic…. I mean all the great feelings you can think of, that’s how great the water felt. However, from the dip at night, trust me it felt best at night! 😉 Water games like catching the ball, some swimming play offs or just floating on the water bring back the child in you. Made me realize you never real get out of the little girl or boy you once were. Time for lunch and hey! we had some crazy fish types to pick from. Well, they looked nice and we collectively picked the best we could find.

There is a restaurant by the beach so if you need some fries or rice to go with the fish, the choice was yours.

A few hours later the fish was ready, we ate like a family, felt like a family reunion. We sat on a mat and all just dug in until the fish was gone. All filled up and everyone had a plan- go snorkeling at a nearby pond, just chill out or take another long walk then maybe you can find the girl or boy of your dreams. I was too filled up and from the night before, I just slept….just kidding I took another walk and more lessons we picked up this time. Some of the beach boys offer to take you at a fee down to a natural pond that was shaped like the map of Africa with Madagascar on the side. People get to do some snorkeling at this pond and true to the words of the beach boy, I saw the map.

They spoke of a romantic cave hmmm…..maybe next time 😉 Walking back the sun gets reunited to its love the sea and we are out to dance! Having had more arrivals on the second day… the fire had to be bigger and the games had to be better. The alcohol was more the people were cooler and more exciting. The party got better wilder and people opened up more after all it was our last night at Tiwi.

Another sunrise, I did not purposely jump to the rising of the sun. I really have to keep to the code what happens in Tiwi stays in Tiwi

My last sunrise and its Sunday, I saw more people walk around the beach, children who perhaps had a Sunday school lesson by the beach (how cool), the locals picking cowry shells and I just got envious of the people who live in Tiwi. There is so much to enjoy, imagine waking up to a beautiful sea making a living from it spending days in such breathe taking serenity until it all feels normal. Bliss total bliss! Such feelings came because my mind and body knew that that was the last day. None of us wanted to leave making the goodbyes more awkward. I kept thinking should I just go and not look back, should I hug and kiss everyone, shake hands or just leave and promise to come back? I decided to just go and promise to be back.

Tiwi will always be the perfect getaway, I will one day bring someone here sit under a palm tree ,take some wine, and make promises that both of us hope never to break.