Nairobi was a spur of the moment trip with one of my best friends, a classic example of two people that went on the same trip and had a two very different experiences. I felt like I had gone home to Harare and he felt a little uneasy and like we were being watched constantly. I agree that the military presence all over town and the hotel were a little unnerving, but I brushed it off and attributed it to the city being extra cautious after the recent terrorist attack at the mall.
I know that Nairobi has always been famous for the safari excursions, this wasn’t on my list of things to do because I could always do that back home, but when my friend suggested the Giraffe Centre, I was intrigued. I immediately fell in love with these magnificent creatures when I got a chance to feed them and stroke their noses. Such gentle creatures with long wet furry tongues! Such a random fact but another chance to just go with the flow and not to overthink:) I also had the chance to spend some time at that Maasai Market. The curios and artefacts were similar to the ones that you can find anywhere in Africa but the real experience for me lay with talking to the traders and of course ending up with beautiful artifacts to take home. My biggest regret on this blink of an eye trip, was not learning more about the Maasai people, a random photo opportunity isn’t the same as learning about their way of life. All I knew about the Maasaai was that they are known for how high they can jump and their distinctive customs, attire and language. I would have loved to have learnt about their nomadic way of life and their day to day. For them to still adopt this lifestyle amidst a busy modern world is worth hearing about. Maybe this blend of modern life and a hint of a well preserved traditional existence is what felt so familiar and comforting for me about Nairobi, either way, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
