Given that the land area on the planet we live is 148.9 million km², the African continent is 30.3 million km² and Kenya is 580,367 km², I'm obviously aware that Nairobi, which is only 696 km² in size, cannot represent the entire continent of Africa.
I made my first trip to Nairobi in January 2019. The purpose of this journey was to test whether I could live in this city, since I wanted to continue living in the same city as my boyfriend. I am pleased to share with you the information I have gained from this adventure that started in January and is still ongoing!
Being a tourist in Nairobi:
Climate
Let me start telling about the climate of this beautiful city. Since Nairobi is located on the Ecuadorian line, the days are the same length throughout the year - sunrise at around 6 in the morning and sunset at 6 in the evening. So it is possible to benefit from 12 hours of daylight each day. But I for sure miss miss long summer days. The altitude is almost 1800 meters therefore it is never humid here! I am quite pleased with that. During the year the temperature is around 30°C, the lowest 15°C. Since there is no humidity, the temperature change is more noticeable from day to night. The air is quite clean, unless you are trying to breathe on the main Street where there is always traffic and old cars’ exhaust^^
Malaria? What is that?
On my first trip to Nairobi, I was concerned about Malaria. However, according to a WHO study, the rate of Malaria in Nairobi is less than 1%. If you want to read in detail, here is the link. Still, I have to admit I was on medication for the first few days I came. Then I quit because taking Malaria pills means taking antibiotics. When you get sick, they apply the same treatment to cure the diseas.
Nairobi streets
Nairobi city center consists of quite crowded and dusty streets. I cannot say that I recommend you to go alone as a tourist. I made my first city tour with the association Nai Nami. Nai Nami lets you see the city from the eyes of Nairobi's street children, to meet the ultra-sweet Kenyans and to be safe on the streets.
It's okay to walk around in some neighborhoods such as Westland, Kilimani or Lavington. However, as all streets are not asphalted, be prepared for dust! Colorful buses will pass by at high volüme music, playing Jambo FM, you will see interesting small street restaurants, and you be surprised to see how creative the people of Kenya are with the limited facilities provided. Recycling and reusing have a different meaning.
Places to visit
The “Nairobi 101” package includes places like The Giraffe Center, The Elephant Orphanage and The Karen Blixon Museum. I think that The Giraffe Center is the place where physically you can be the closest to a giraffe. It also offers a chance to feed them! The Elephant Orphanage is a nursing house / organization for elephants which lost their mother in wild life. This place is open only for an hour during the day. Here you can get to know the baby elephants, listen to their stories and watch them feeding. Karen Blixon Museum is home of Karen Blixon during her lifetime in Kenya and is the location of the movie “Out of Africa”. In fact, for people who have not read the book or watched the movie “Out of Africa”, it will mean no more than an ordinary colonial-style English house.
Social life
Nairobi is a city full of surprises. The streets, which seem empty at first, offer beautiful cafes, restaurants, bars and shops hidden behind the walls. Different organizations take place in many locations, but they are never visible unless you search for. For this reason, Facebook is very helpful to follow the events that are happening in the city. There are some cliché places. For example, Thursday nights are J’s nights – it is a place where you can find all your friends together and some good live music, fresh pizza and delicious cocktails! In addition, there are many restaurants that are in great demand, such as About Thyme, Talisman, Lord Erol and Nyama Mama. Nyama Mama is a Kenyan fusion restaurant with a great ambiance. If you wish to dine at local restaurants, you can go to many restaurants in the city center without reservation. If you want to experience a more casual Kenyan bar, Dagoz is highly recommended! This place offers live music and jam sessions!
It is possible to find different film screenings, concerts and fairs every weekend. There are also beautiful exhibitions at Alliance Français and Goethe Institute. In order to be aware of all these, it is useful to follow the digital platforms.
Karura Forest, Arboretum, Ngong Forest and Ngon Heights are among the most beautiful activities in Nairobi. If you are fond of nature and enjoy sports, bike tours and hiking trails can keep you busy every weekend!
Shopping
You will find all the products you will need in daily life in shopping centers. In addition, it is possible to buy fresh products such as fruit and vegetables from the stalls on the streets every day. Fruits veggies are incredibly delicious here. On the other hand, textile products are quite expensive to their quaility. As souvenir, best thing to buy here are wooden carved animals, kitchen utensils, souvenirs made of colorful Masaii fabrics. During your visit you can spend an hour or two at the Masaii market, don't forget to negotiate.
People
If we're talking about Nairobi, I don't think it's right not to mention its people. I can say that everyone in this city with an approximate 5 million population, is very quite calm. Very slow, helpful, and smiling. Llife flows "pole pole" in Kenya.
Language - Communication is easy!
The official language are English and Kiswahili. The educational language is English, therefore most of the population speaks well. You may encounter Kenyans who do not speak English in settlements far away from cities, but it turns out that one knows. Hakuna Matata!
Kenyan cuisine
Kenyan food is quite amazing. At the end of our trip with the Nai Nami group, we sat in a street restaurant and eat together. This was my first experience of Kenyan cuisine. There were green beans, beef stew and ugali. To cook vegetables, they use tomatoes, onions and potatoes as in Turkish cuisine. They also consume spinach and spinach-like “scuma” as side dishes. Ugali - a side dish they mix with water and flour and is served on side with main course. Ugali is very affordable and an ideal solution to keep stomach full for a good time. Chicken and meat cooked in different sauces are also common in Kenyan cuisine. Just like in Turkish cuisine, “juicy, spoon food” is consumed and loved a lot. There is also a ama nyama choma ”grill - the barbecue culture. Goat meat as well as the calf is quite common, I think the meat is a bit hard. But I suggest you try and see yourself.
I wanted to introduce Nairobi and its beauties. I could have written more pages! But I’d better stop here.
Thank you for reading me. If you have any questions about Kenya, I would be happy to share my knowledge and experience.
See you on my next post!
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