Diani Beach...

When the trip was planned, the group was supposed to travel from Nairobi to Mombasa by bus, which would have taken 9 to 11 hours. Luckily for them the new Nairobi-Mombasa Madaraka Express Railway, funded by China, opened 18 months ahead of schedule and made the 290-mile (470-kilometer) trip in just 4.5 hours. Ashlynn really enjoyed the train ride’s journey through the savannah where they spotted several elephants.

This part of the trip was all about relaxation. They only had two nights with one full day at Diani Beach, south of Mombasa, but they made the most of the beautiful location.

They stayed just five minutes from the beach in groups of six in little houses with flush toilets, which was a luxury for the first time during the trip. Ashlynn said the stargazing was really great.