Nairobi Favorites

Favorite thing: KAREN BLIXEN'S MUSEUM
This wonderfully pleasant Museum was the home of Karen Blixen (1914 to 1931) when she lived in Kenya. Yes, the one of the book/movie 'Out of Africa'. But even if you know nothing about Karen Blixen the museums surroundings, with a splendorous garden, deserve a visit by themselves.
For the ones who have seen the movie, note that there is a replica of the RCA Victor gramophone on which Streep/Blixen and Redford/Finch-Hatton played Mozart concertos, library shelves hold copies of Denys' books (each marked with a small brass plaque, DFH) and the lantern that she hung outside to let him know she was home.
The present museum site is at the heart of the larger coffee plantation run by Blixen between 1914 and 1931, in Karen Rd., (next to Karen College), in the Karen area. You can go there in bus n°24 from Moi Ave. Telephone: +254 (2) 88-27-79. P.O. Box 40658, Nairobi. Tel: 254-2-882779. Admission Charges: Non-Resident Adult: Kshs. 200
http://www.karenblixen.com/

Favorite thing: NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK
The closest Park to the capital, you can spend a morning watching all kind of animals (except elephants; mainly rhinos) with the backdrop of planes landing in nearby airport. Basically savanna or plains, it also includes areas of highland forest, acacia, and riverine environments. Animals can usually be seen near the Mbagathi River and near artificial dams. Take a look at the animal orphanage for good photo chances.
You can take an organized half day tour (there are thousands) or take the bus n°24 from Moi Ave. But if you do the second option, will have to join a car or tour at the entrance, because it is forbidden to enter walking.
Telephone: +254 (2) 33-10-30 (Tourism and Wildlife Ministry).

Favorite thing: Walk around the city. It is not a dangerous city, though many tourists say so. You just have to be careful, and not look like a dumb tourist with a super camera and a golden Rolex. If you don't go to 'dangerous' outskirts, Nairobi is a lovely place for a walk, mostly in its marvellous parks.

Favorite thing: Get aware that the architecture of the buildings in the city centre represents a wide variety of historical and ethnic origins. Just look around and you will find details that remind you of places somewhere else in the world.

Fondest memory: My fondest memory was of a town called Machakos. It is about 1 hour southeast of Nairobi. It is a much, much, friendlier atmosphere and the people there were very friendly to me. They have nice little shops for souveniers also. The hotels are very tourist friendly. It will always be a part of me!

Favorite thing: The Nairobi Market was a great place to visit. Although the main building is not very large, the section selling flowers and handicrafts was magnificent. Full of good bargains with a wide selection to chose from.

Fondest memory: One of the biggest things that struck me while visiting Nairobi were the handicrafts. I suppose a city dude like me will probably not come across things that are hand-crafted often. That's why when I saw all these shops and little stalls selling pots and statutes and other fantastic useful things I just decided I had to fill up my backpack. Too bad they didn't take VISA.

Another wonderful thing I learnt (in connection with buying stuff) is bargaining and barter trading. Bargaining was an absolute thrill, a potent mix of excitement, fear and joy. Don't go overboard though. Barter Trading was also the in-thing. You could trade 2 pairs of socks for a wooden fruit bowl or just swop a T-Shirt for something else. In the true nature of a traveller (and a decent human being), be generous and swop something useful and with value instead of trying to get the best value at all times.

Favorite thing: For the tourist there can be only one good reason to visit Nairobi, and that is as a jump off spot for a Safari (Journey). For wildlife photography that is unparelled, a Safari in Kenya will run you through 7 or 8 rolls of 36 exposure film per day.

Fondest memory: Sitting outside in the chilly evening air at the Ark, a hotel built into a hillside in the Aberdenes mountains. We had been viewing elephants, gazelles, water buffalo and other assorted wildlife coming to the water hole below us.
Then, a female elephant went berserk. She ran into two squabbling young elephants and chased them off into the brush. When she came back, she trumpeted and charged at a couple of old males, who ran off with her in pursuit.
The meanest of all African animals, a water buffalo, showed up while she was gone, and soon, he too had to turn tail and was chased away. Likewise a rhino and an impala fell victim to her anger. About an hour and a half after she started, she returned to the clearing and found no animals there, so she grabbed a tree branch and ripped it off, flinging it over her shoulder. That didn't satisfy her, so she grabbed a tree by the approximate 3 to 4 inch diameter trunk, and pulled, pushed and yanked on it until it was uprooted. She tossed it over her head and then turned and POUNCED on it, stamping it into oblivion. A hare that had been hiding nearby took this as an opportunity to escape and it ran a zig zag course towards us, above in the Ark, with the elephant hot on its heels. The rabbit hid behind a rock as the elephant stomped on the grass behind it, and waiting until the elephant's back was turned, it bounded away unseen.

Fondest memory: Mosquito bodyspray or repellant is necessary in Kenya. There are mosquitos even in high areas like Nairobi.