Race Day & Leaving Mombasa

So, the 500m races are today. At this point, some of the kids on the teams from yesterday have not returned, and all 3 teams are combining to make 2 teams to compete - still lots of fun as the kids are learning alot from us "seasoned paddlers" and are actually listening to the tidbits of advice we have been giving them . . .

Paddling ended about noon today. After the last race, both boats continued on at a leisurely pace down Tudor Creek to the Indian Ocean to visit Fort Jesus - an ancient stronghold. Closing ceremonies followed. Shirts and certificates were awarded to all the kids, Team USA "treated" them to a lunch of hamburger, fries and soda. The Kenyans were very generous and gave each of the Team USA paddlers and Mrs. Chen souvenir wooden canoes/paddles, shirts - we were given a beautiful hand-carved wooden dragon as an award for "Best Mixed Team" (the only mixed team) and an extra special gift - a carving of the African version of the "dragon" - a wood-carved rhinoceros.

No time to rest . . . we had to pack and be on our way to the station to catch the 7:00PM train. This train has to be at least 100 years old - narrow gauge - reminded me "Murder on the Orient Express". We all had first-class cabins - dinner was set with china, silverware, glassware and food was not bad!

It was a nice way to fall asleep to the clickety clack of the railroad tracks and feeling the rolling of the train as we moved north to Nairobi . . .