Nairobi Part I

We arrived in Nairobi on the heals of a bomb blast in City Center. Though no one was seriously hurt, many were still aware that empty backpacks and public places were still at risk for another incidence. Aside from the blast though, everything has gone extremely smoothly, despite the hustle and bustle, the speeding cars and spewing matatus that consist of Nairobi.

Out with fellow expats in Nairobi, Kenya

Spencer and I spent much of the morning getting over jet lag in our hotel as our 20-minute nap soon turned into 1.5 hours. But, when 12:30pm rolled around, we were ready to explore the mega-city, buy cell phones, book a safari and get in a few meals and drinks along the way. 

For lunch, we stopped at my favorite breakfast place Java House and spent much of the afternoon chatting with a Kenyan man who studied in Texas for the last five years. After exchanging contact information and promising to meet up again later in the evening (along with his friend from Minnesota) we decided to head out a book a ticket to a 3-day safari in Maasai Mara for later in June. Though I have already been on three safaris previously, I am still looking forward to seeing the Mara and the wildebeest migration again as well as sleeping under African skies. We did briefly think about heading to Mombasa Coast instead for a relaxing 3 days, but decided that when in Kenya, you must do a safari. 

The afternoon soon passed by and we decided that a decent drink was in order. Amos, my friend from Nairobi, suggested that we all meet up - along with a group of expats - at a small patio-type restaurant outside the city. Happy to get off our feet, we gladly joined the group for a bit of storytelling and travel advising (Bungoma, Kenya - where we are living - was on nobody's list of travel destinations by the way). 

And on our way home, we stopped at Panda, a local Chinese restaurant, to take in local cuisine and process the day. 

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous coming back to Kenya after being gone for two years. But I'm beginning to find my legs in this city and in the country in general again. And yes, I am looking forward to getting to Bungoma City where the air is clearer, the people are friendly and where my family resides. 

As an FYI we will be traveling most of the day tomorrow and may not have internet access until Thursday. I do have a Kenyan cell phone and will release the number when I'm not sitting in the dark trying to look for the card with my contact information on it. 

I would love any emails (kathryngrace86@gmail.com), phone calls or texts from the U.S. especially in July and August when I will be living alone in Kenya. Until then, I will try to update this as frequently as possible. 

Cheers,

Katie (and Spencer)