Ngong Hills

Went to the Ngong Hills this weekend overlooking the Great Rift Valley.  It is such a pleasure to get the hell out of Nairobi.  I want to love Nairobi, but just can't get into it.  I have been itching literally and figuratively to get out.  Our group was solid, a nice mix of expats and natives.  There were no incidents that I could see, which is not often the case when confining individuals to a house setting.  Just think shitty MTV shows like "The Real World" or "The Jersey Shore".   It's refreshing to be reminded that there are decent people in the world that can act like adults.  Not that we did of course, consuming copious amounts of of alcohol.  Party party!!!!  We stayed at an amazing house with wonderful views.  

http://holidayhomeskenya.com/index.php/properties/index.php?option=com_resman&task=moreinfo&id=122&Itemid=74

We went for a hike that afternoon, my first hike in Africa.    The Rift Valley is a spectacular place with grand vistas.  The terrain was somewhat dry and sparse this time of year.  The vegetation consisted of the occasional trees with scrub brush everywhere.  The ground itself was volcanic in nature with high concentrations of iron making it reddish in color.  

The soil was alluvial, indicating signs of water runoff, making for an interesting hike.   More like a controlled slide down the mountain, than a hike.  At the bottom was a creek bed, which we walked along for a fair bit before beginning our ascent.  The hike back up was somewhat arduous in the hot Kenyan sun.  My crew consisting of Floh and Carol was the first to get back.  We hopped in the pool and drank some well deserved beer.  This is the view we were afforded from the house:

Eventually, the rest of the crew showed up, which kicked off a wild night of food, libations and grand stories of the days events.  Me and Kourtnie got a chance to take one of our first shots together in Africa.  "People let me tell you about my best friend, she's a warm hearted person who'll love me to the end."  - Harry Nilsson

*** Nairobi Travel Tips ***

This is a collection of everything I wish I knew about Nairobi before traveling here.

Getting Around

Nairobi is a large city, not very conducive to pedestrians.  The roads and apparent laws are structured to favor motorists.  Sidewalks hardly exist and drivers have little to no respect for pedestrians, let alone other drivers.  It's like the wild west with minimal traffic enforcement.  Furthermore,  you cannot walk at night.  Thefts and kidnappings happen mostly at night.  Never walk alone ever at night.  In fact, don't walk ever at night, take a car.

Taxis are not really taxis in the traditional sense of having a meter.  Everything is negotiated.  Of course if you are new, the driver will try to get one over on you.  Best way to tell what you should pay is ask another local foreigner/white person or local how much to pay for a particular route.  Locals always get charged less, but it will give you a general idea.  it's best to find a driver you like who is fair.  However, every driver I ever had eventually tried to rip me off even after we established a good relationship.  I found taxi drivers to be extremely frustrating and eventually gave up on them.

Matatus in my opinion are the best way to get around Nairobi.  It's a bit tricky and there is a steep learning curve.  Most people are helpful, so just ask if you do not know.  This is the most preferred mode of transport for locals.  My rule of thumb is to always take local transportation.  It's an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in the local community.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matatu
http://www.jambonairobi.co.ke

Places to Eat - (I'm a Vegetarian, so my choices lean in that direction)

Java House (popular chain), great meeting place, good coffee and good food
http://www.nairobijavahouse.com
Art Caffe - good coffee and baked goods and cocktails.  This another local meeting place.
http://www.artcaffe.co.ke
Chowpaty - one of my favorite places to eat.  If you like Indian food it is not to be missed.  It's a bit pricey for India, but the food is worth it.
http://www.chowpatyrestaurants.com

Things to Do In and Around Nairobi

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g294207-Activities-Nairobi.html

Nairobi At Last...

Finally made it after a short stopover at Schiphol.  Kourtnie sent a driver to get me at the airport.  It took about a half hour to get to get place.  First impressions, lots of security.  Great to see Ko and catch up.  

It begins today

Farewell Apple, I thank you.  For some reason I am thinking of the Apollo 13 mission when the crew said goodbye to Aquarius.  It was a crazy time getting this trip together.  Lots of stress in the final weeks and I still didn't get everything done that I needed to.  Looking forward to a few days in NYC before I am off.  I am full of wonderment and intrepidation.  Adventures abound!!!!  :)

Farewell drinks at IL7