lusungu + jason :: married! lamu island, kenya.

kipungani is a secluded, remote area of lamu island located on the southwest side, and separated from the mainland by a peaceful, mangrove lined bay. the beach is an endless stretch of white sand, speckled with palm trees and strewn with delicate sand dollars, facing out onto the indian ocean. traversing the 15 miles from either of the two main settlements on the island, lamu town or shela village, takes approximately 3 hours on foot, 1.5 hours by dhow (sail boat) or 25 minutes by speedboat.

for lu + jason’s wedding, guests flew in from nairobi and landed on the manda airstrip, just across the channel from lamu island, and traveled by speedboat to kizingoni beach. kipungani is a very small village, and kizingoni beach is a collection of privately owned, stunning swahili houses, with a full staff to accomodate guests and arrange meals, activities and excursions, as well as plan events + weddings.

guests flew in from all over the world to spend the week exploring the island with lusungu + jason — sailing, snorkeling, and soaking up swahili traditions. there were sumptuous swahili style meals, trips to lamu town, manda toto and the takwa ruins, a sunset dhow cruise, and even a henna ceremony for the ladies! lamu is simply a fantastic destination and an incredible setting for a wedding celebration! lu + jason absolutely love lamu, and it’s easy to see why…

having been in shela for the three preceding weeks, i jumped on a speedboat and joined the wedding party on the tuesday before the wedding. i loved being part of the week’s festivites and spending time getting to know lu + jason’s family + friends. i’m not sure i’ve ever encountered such a diverse, talented and truly brilliant group of people in one place before! it was a fascinating mix of international journalists, teachers, artists, UN workers, and authors…in fact, jason *just* published his book Dancing with Monsters — which details the political, social, and moral issues of the Congo, and is being hailed as an “impressively controlled account of the devastating Congo war.” incredible!

the wedding ceremony took place on the afternoon of november 27th at the mary mother of jesus catholic church in lamu town — followed by a brief stop in shela village for portraits, and back to kipungani by speedboat for a beach ceremony at sunset. following a series of wonderful speeches, poems, an even a song written by one of their good friends, guests reveled in a bonfire on the beach, dinner by candlelight, and dancing under the stars.

lusungu + jason :: CONGRATS! or more appropriately, in swahili, HONGERA! i adore you both and will cherish the memories of your wedding celebration always.

enjoy!

i am *so* excited to share my new travel blog BLONDEVOYAGE – which will chronicle my adventures for the next few months, while i’m based off the coast of kenya, in the village of shela, on lamu island!

i leave in just a few hours (woo!) and won’t arrive on the island until tuesday afternoon (!!), where i will be greeted with sunshine, white sails, and the gorgeous smiling faces of the people who live there! for the next three months i will have the privilege of calling this beautiful island my home…i am so looking forward to relishing in the simplicity of village life. along with photographing an amazing wedding on the island at the end of the month, im looking forward to spending the next few weeks focusing on writing (my first love) and photography (my passion) in this incredible environment. in all my travels around the world this is the *first* time i have ever returned to a place i have traveled previously! my plan is to update BLONDEVOYAGE often with news, stories, and photos — so stay tuned!

also, i *just* posted FIVE blogs from my travels to this very place earlier this year, so if you are curious as to where i’ll be, what i’ll be doing, and why i absolutely love this island so much, check it out!

enjoy!

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lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * *

the lamu archipelago lies two degrees south of the equator, just off the coast of kenya, surrounded by the indian ocean, yet protected by coral reefs and mangrove forests. lamu is the main island in the chain, and is both a UNESCO world heritage site and the oldest living town in kenya. lamu town was one of east africa’s original swahili settlements, and a bustling port city on the arab trading routes. there is a well-preserved swahili culture and a strong religious community. shela village, just a few miles from lamu town, is the second largest settlement on the island, and in stark contrast to lamu town — with stretches of sandy beach, white-washed houses, and relaxed atmosphere. dhows and fishing boats rest along the shore line and donkeys meander through the narrow streets. there are no cars on the island, and a generator supplies power (most of the time) and it’s pretty much always hot and sunny, and the water is always clear and cool. for me, and for many who visit this beautiful island, shela is a perfect, and unexpected paradise.

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

maulidi is a religious festival and annual celebration held in lamu during the third month of the muslim calendar to commemorate the birth of the prophet mohammed. this year marked the 121st celebration on the island, which attracts faithful celebrants from all over east africa and the middle east, as well as tourists from around the world.

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

ive said it before, and ill say it again — i love polaroid cameras!

i absolutely love working with children, and while they are always very excited to learn about photography and love to have their photo taken, nothing beats the added joy of instant gratification with polaroid film! they loved posing, helping set up shots, and then handling and shaking the prints while they exposed right before their eyes. after every child had a photograph, they went back to the classroom and placed the photos in their notebooks, writing sentances in english describing where they were and what they were doing in the photograph  – love! i spent most of my time with the first graders who were so energetic and eager to learn and talk with me. at times they were totally giddy, but their teacher — the amazing miss grace — handled them perfectly, firm but kind, and with breaks for recess :) it was a wonderful experience, and i cant wait to see them again next week! enjoy!

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

8 hours northeast of lamu by sail, and situated within the kiunga marine national reserve, kiwayu is a mere wisp of an island — just 12 miles long and half a mile wide. i spent a few days camping, snorkeling, and fishing with friends along the deserted white sand beaches and fell in love with this idyllic island. the main village is very small, with no electricity, one school, and one well for fresh water. everyone i met was wonderful, especially the children who were anxious to have their photographs taken with their siblings + friends. my favorite was one woman who acted camera shy until i showed her the image i had taken on the back of the camera’s LCD screen — she was thrilled! she blushed and smiled in approval, which encouraged her daughter to take a turn in front of the lens. i love being able to show people how beautiful they are, and i was thrilled to hear they loved the prints i sent back to the island when i returned to the states :)

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

lamu island is renowned for its annual dhow races which occur during major festivals and celebrations throughout the year. earlier this year, during maulidi – the multi-day celebration of the prophet’s birthday – i was fortunate to be on the island during the races and aboard the magnificent dhow felice chasing the racing dhows! it was exhilarating to watch the dhows tack back and forth through the channel, and crazy when one capsized — there are so many men on the boats, it’s amazingly controlled chaos!

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

punch buggy blue! nairobi national park :: nairobi, kenya.

in march i traveled to kenya where i celebrated my 30th birthday in nairobi! i only spent a few quick days exploring the capital – a whirlwind tour of the city! with a population of more than 3 million people, nairobi is brimming with diversity and full of wild contrast. sprawling out from a bustling downtown, the city center is surrounded by lush villa suburbs with colonial architecture, british names, and modern shopping centers. yet, nairobi is also home to one of the largest urban slums in africa: kibera is about the size of new york’s central park and has over 1 million residents who live in roughly constructed shanty dwellings without electricity or running water.

nairobi’s national park is less than 5 miles from the city center – a safari crazy close to a metropolis – with skyscrapers providing a surprising backdrop for the roaming wildlife.

i was anxious to get to the coast, but absolutely enjoyed the days i spent roaming nairobi – crisscrossing downtown on foot, dining by candlelight when the power went (a frequent occurrence in the city), skirting the wild rains, taxi-safari-ing through the national park (chasing zebras off road!) and of course fearing for my life on (possibly one too many) wild matatu rides through infamous nairobi traffic at breakneck speeds.

enjoy!

*  *  *

the nairobi railway station:

the edge of kibera:

nairobi national park:

spring valley, upper parklands estate: