My family was able to come visit me in Nairobi for almost 2 weeks. We did some common tourist activities, but I also got to show them a side of Kenya that most visitors will never see. I loved showing them what I’ve been up to since leaving home 7 months ago.
Days 1-2 (Nairobi):
I met my family at the airport at around 11PM and got us a cab back to the monastery. On the drive I was explaining what we were seeing and also thinking back to my own drive from the airport in September. It can feel like you’ve stepped off the plane onto a different planet on your first trip here. After getting everyone moved in for the night we made plans to meet at breakfast late the next morning.
The first thing we did the next morning was go to Hotel Utalii. This is where all the volunteers have been lifting since we got here and Andrew was happy to show us all how it’s done. The rest of the family was content to sit out by the pool and relax. This was where Megan ended up doing lots of watercolor painting for a class art project. I’ll get pictures of some of them up on the photo gallery; they’re really good. After Utalii we went into downtown Nairobi to walk around and explore the city. We got back to the monastery and rested up before going to a rugby match across the street with Trenton and Matt. Then all 7 of us took an uber to Garden City Mall and ate at Pizza Mojo. This has been the restaurant we’ve eaten at the most and we’ve broken the process down into an exact science. The waitresses all know exactly what we want (milkshakes and meatlover’s pizza) and we can be in and out in less than 30 minutes. The full details on how to break the slices apart for maximum cooling and crafting the perfect mixture of side sauces would make this article longer than it needs to be; just know that there is a very precise procedure in place for every step of the Pizza Mojo experience.
The next day was Palm Sunday, so we joined James Kimeu and his kids for the morning church service. Then we drove to Karura forest for a walk. My family got a little taste of James’ driving capabilities on our exit from the church parking lot. After a long walk through the forest we stopped at the cafe inside for lunch. Since we had too many passengers to ride with James from Karura forest to the monastery, Andrew and I hopped on the back of a boda (motorcycle) to get there. That evening we took an uber to Log Inn Lounge. I picked Log Inn as our supper destination for two reasons. They serve the best fish and ugali I’ve had in Nairobi and the drive takes you through some areas bordering the slums. Small streets lined on both sides with food stands and other vendors made the car ride slow, but full of sights. At Log Inn, we each got our own fish and I showed everyone how to ball up ugali and eat it with the fish. Megan, Andrew, and I washed down the fish and ugali with one fish eye each.
Days 3-5 (Amboseli):
Next up was a trip to Amboseli National Park. We left early and arrived at our lodging just in time for lunch. Then we had time for a short rest before going out on an evening game drive. The next day was a morning game drive and an evening game drive. For our last day in Amboseli, Megan, Mom, and Dad all went out on a morning drive while Andrew and I stayed back. We were suffering from food poisoning. It turned out that many of the other guests staying at our lodge were affected. Not great timing for us, as we had a long drive to the coast in front of us. Partway through the drive, Dad realized he had also eaten whatever dish was causing problems. Somehow, both girls dodged the bullet.
While in Amboseli, we saw a ton of animals and got some great views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Elephants, wildebeest, zebras, flamingoes, gazelle, buffalo, and much more. Stephen, our driver, even raced across the park in order for us to catch a glimpse of two lions. Besides animals and views, my family also got to witness some of my newfound negotiation skills. Now that I’ve been in Kenya for 7 months, I know what mzungu prices look like and have gotten much more proficient at getting prices to a reasonable level.
Days 6-8 (Diani Beach):
After a very hot and uncomfortable ride to the coast we arrived at our hotel. We had air conditioning, which was greatly appreciated by all. We ended up spending 3 very relaxing days on the beach. Unfortunately, Andrew, Dad, and I were still recovering for most of our time there, but if you’ve got to deal with food poisoning there aren’t many places better to do it at than Diani Beach. The other downside of this part of the trip was the fake shade. My mom and I were both sitting in some of this fake shade for a couple hours and got the worst sunburns I’ve ever seen. One item I had on my list for the family was to get them into tuk-tuks. We decided to go to a restaurant about 1.5 miles away for lunch; the perfect opportunity. The only special mode of transportation left to try was the matatu.
Our plan was to take the train from Mombasa to Nairobi at the end of our time on the beach. Pretty early on at the hotel I realized I hadn’t brought my passport with. The website for the train stated that you must have your physical passport with you to board. I had been on the train before, and knew that security was legit (similar to airport security). I decided to book a 12 hour bus ride back to Nairobi for myself while the rest of my family took the train and got picked up by Matt and Trenton. Before getting on the bus, I would try and plead my case to security. I got the manager and told him about my predicament, making sure to note that I’d be happy to pay some sort of “inconvenience fee” since I didn’t have a physical passport with me. A $13 bribe got me waived through all the security and onto the train with the rest of the family. We arrived in Nairobi together late that night.
Days 9-10 (Nunguni):
We all got up early on Easter Sunday and took a cab to Nunguni to spend some time with the Kimeu family. First we went to the Easter Mass. Normally I would’ve expected a 2-3 hour service, but because the priest drove his car into the ditch on the way to church we ended up spending more like 4 hours there. Then we walked the mile from the church to the Kimeu’s house. Because of all the rain, the road was mostly washed out and not able to driven on. After a delicious lunch and spending some time talking to James’ parents, Peter and Anne, we went on a walk to Mt. Carmel. Peter led the way, greeting everyone we passed on our journey. As we neared the turnaround point, we saw some very dark clouds rolling in. We turned back early and ran to the closest house we could find. We were soaked by the rain, but avoided the worst of it. I think sitting inside a mud hut with a Kenyan family was even more surprising for the Kenyans than it was for us. We talked a little bit over the sound of the rain hitting the sheet metal roof, and then gave our thanks and continued our walk home.
After another great meal, it was time to go to bed. We got up and saw Peter getting his van ready to drive. His plan was to try and drive us up the road and show us the office for his non-profit, Decent Living. Decent Living works with women, finding ways for them to increase their income in a sustainable way. Typically they help set up chicken coops and different growing practices, but have also been instrumental in saving the local forest and supplying water for the area. We didn’t quite make it all the way up the road, and had to get out and walk as Peter gunned the van up the last hill alone. After seeing the office and thanking him one last time for a wonderful Easter, we took a cab back into Nairobi.
Days 11-12 (Worksites):
On our first day back in Nairobi, I took my family into Mathare slum to work at the Mother Theresa’s Sisters of Charity Convent. They run a primary school, special-needs orphanage, and maternity ward. When you walk through the front gate it feels like you’ve stepped through a portal. Everything is very clean and orderly and the background noise of the slum seems drowned out. We received a tour of the convent and then got to work. First we played with some of the special-needs children and then we helped feed them lunch. After lunch, we got everyone ready for naptime and went to Alfajiri to eat lunch with the staff there. My family got to see where I spend time with the street boys and hear some of their stories from our conversations over the meal. After Alfajiri, we were back at Utalii and ended the night ordering in Chinese food and playing cribbage.
For our last day together, we did a walkthrough of Mlango Kubwa (the big gate). This is a section of the slum with a high number of the the street kids that we work with. They showed us where they spend their time. They told us about why they are homeless and why they huff jet fuel. It’s always tough to see the way that the kids live here, but it’s also a great reminder for why we’re here. After our walkthrough, we grabbed another lunch with the Alfajiri staff. This time shawarmas and milkshakes from Hash Grill. Then we visited Mododo, a school in Mathare slum that we work at once a week. Our boss there, Vincent, gave my family an overview of the program and sent us away with fresh avocados from the school’s avocado tree. After one last evening at Utalii, it was time for everyone to get back and pack up before another long journey home.
I can’t speak for them, but I know that this is one of the most memorable family trips I’ve been on. A combination of being the tour guide, seeing everyone after months apart, and the chaos and energy of Kenya all helped make it a trip I won’t ever forget. A big thank you to them for rolling with all the punches along the way.
Thanks for reading!