You have to go to Rusinga Island. I know, I keep saying this. But you can't keep circling Mombasa and Nanyuki like they're the only places with a pulse. Fly to Kisumu. Drive to Rusinga. If you have time — and you should make time — go to Rusinga Island. Visit Whitestone Hotel for a drink. Or fish.
I've been going to Mbita and Rusinga for years, but I'd never been to Whitestone Hotel (heard about it) until recently when I stopped by for an afternoon drink.
I was surprised at how it stood apart in personality. We settled in one of the little thatch-roofed bandas facing the lake and sat looking out at small islands I'd never noticed before. That's the thing with Rusinga — each point offers a completely different view, like the island is showing off its different sides.
The afternoon was hot. The hotel's jet ski went up and down, pumping on the water, roaring, a passenger clinging to the driver. [Is that what they are called?] It was the weekend, so families were eating and children were playing in the garden. A pool party was ongoing, a different genre of music booming from the speakers.
Outside the main banda, Luo music played. A group of women in blue jeans, shorts, and matching white tops — a chama of sorts — had taken over a different banda. They drank, laughed, and took photos. There was a carnival atmosphere. Tomorrow didn't matter. We were merely atoms. We could live forever.
We carried our drinks to a different part of the grounds (yes, you can do that) with a different view. This seemed like the main arena — seats and tables right in front of the accommodation facing the lake.
If you're looking for complete quiet and serenity, this doesn't look like your ideal spot, especially over the loud weekends – rooms close to the public areas, too much going on. But the view? Worth it, it seems.
I wondered what it feels like in the morning before it gets very busy— having coffee under one of those small bandas by the lake, watching the water wake up. There was also a jetty, which means boats come to pick up and drop off passengers.
