Trip to Kenya's South Coast and Ukunda, Part One: traveling by way of the Madaraka Express train

It's always fun to watch the scenery passing by from a train

In early 2019 the British Telegraph newspaper ranked Kenya's newly built Madaraka Express line among the most remarkable rails to tour in the world. The multi-billion-shilling Kenyan line, which was opened in mid-2017, was ranked seventh globally. Two trains make the round-trip every day along the 250-mile route. It provides a link between the coastal city of Mombasa and Nairobi, Kenya's capital city.

Above paragraph and photo are from Mwakilishi.com

This was my 3rd and 4th time, to ride this new train. Previously I had also ridden the old relic of a train twice.
This was Linet's first time, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it! 

Baobob trees grow in a sisal plantation

The train and the tracks were built by Chinese contractors.
Linet enjoyed a fun conversation with this friendly Chinese engineer, when he stepped out to greet us.

We enjoyed the scenery from our comfortable seats

“I like trains. I like their rhythm, and I like the freedom of being suspended between two places,

all anxieties of purpose taken care of: for this moment I know where I am going.”

~ Anna Funder (1966- ), Australian author

When I rode the train in January 2019, I saw many elephants and other wild animals.
But this time a drought had forced all of them to look elsewhere for water.