Two days in Nairobi and
I’m already loving it. It’s a city, and I can’t wait to be out in ‘the mara’
but it’s a lush tropical area and mostly we are in the ‘suburbs’. It reminds me
so much of India, sights and smells and donkey carts. Lots of trash of course
and open drainages but the trash blends into the background it’s almost so
normal you almost don’t notice it. Of course Wes is quite sick of the city and
the traffic and the smells, but then again I don’t have to drive- yet. Wes is
very happy that I already know stick, apparently this will save him a lot of
time. Who knew that be able to drive stick would be such a huge asset to my CV?
I’m already learning a lot of Swahili, and most importantly horse: farasi. Ha ha. Got some money out of my checkings and changed all my cash- I’m rich! Though Kenya is not all that much cheaper than the US, sunglasses are as expensive as 20,000 ksh which is roughly 160 USD. Only luke-warm water in the shower which has upset Wes who has been looking forward to hot showers for weeks. Only cold showers in the Mara. Drinking drostdy hof wine from the cape region of South Africa (where I DIDN’T go wine tasting).
Parts of Nairobi, especially Karen the richer white area, are very Americanized. There is a KFC and a yogurt place in the Galleria, a mall that is close to the cottage. Slept horrible last night, went to bed early at 9:30 but was awoken at 3:30 by a persistent need to pee and perhaps also jet lag. The jet lag certainly kept me awake from 3:30 until at least 5 I’m sure until I was jarred awake by my alarm at 7:30. Had to drag myself out of bed and was quite woozy all morning until we finally got breakfast. Wes is late breakfast eater, I think we didn't eat until almost 11. Had to stop by the mechanic’s place and he had to talk for an hour and also do a last minute check on the door. He’s a white Kenyan with a nice cottage a few streets over from the hyena project cottage (hyena is fisi). He has four very friendly black labs.
Benson is the coolest guy ever, he is a maasai, tall and lean with beautiful cheekbones and eyes. A very calm, quiet and laid back kind of guy. He currently has his bronze safari guiding license and is working towards a silver. Came onto the project as a cook and is now an assistant on the fisi research project. We stopped by his friend Maria’s place this morning and she gave me a shoulder blanket (traditional maasai clothing) and I ordered a traditional dress from her. The shoulder wrap is red with little beads and things sewn on to it. Wasn’t thinking of spending money on souvenirs so early but Maria was really nice and I am very shy and awkward and I didn't feel bad giving her money, and it never hurts to have cool traditional African clothing, I can hang them on the wall. Though I do really like the shoulder wrap. I would wear that, but I might not because I would feel ostentatious?
I got a sim card and it works! Successful hacking of my phone, super easy to get airtime and internet. 100 ksh for 100 minutes/80mg. It all just automatically subtracts for whatever I use. Already down to 63 ksh though because I’ve been looking online to try and figure out how to use my phone as a modem, which Dave says I can do. If I don’t figure it out no big deal, I can use Safari on the phone.
Benson is trilingual, English, Swahili, and Ma (his native tongue). He is teaching me lots of Swahili and so far it is fairly easy to pick up but I’m still awkward about using it right away when I meet someone. Wes seems very comfortable with the regular familiarities and does not come off as a tourist where as I feel like I stand out a bit. Haven’t taken any photos yet because we’ve been running around doing errands all day, but next time I’m on a Nairobi trip I plan to.
I’m already learning a lot of Swahili, and most importantly horse: farasi. Ha ha. Got some money out of my checkings and changed all my cash- I’m rich! Though Kenya is not all that much cheaper than the US, sunglasses are as expensive as 20,000 ksh which is roughly 160 USD. Only luke-warm water in the shower which has upset Wes who has been looking forward to hot showers for weeks. Only cold showers in the Mara. Drinking drostdy hof wine from the cape region of South Africa (where I DIDN’T go wine tasting).
Parts of Nairobi, especially Karen the richer white area, are very Americanized. There is a KFC and a yogurt place in the Galleria, a mall that is close to the cottage. Slept horrible last night, went to bed early at 9:30 but was awoken at 3:30 by a persistent need to pee and perhaps also jet lag. The jet lag certainly kept me awake from 3:30 until at least 5 I’m sure until I was jarred awake by my alarm at 7:30. Had to drag myself out of bed and was quite woozy all morning until we finally got breakfast. Wes is late breakfast eater, I think we didn't eat until almost 11. Had to stop by the mechanic’s place and he had to talk for an hour and also do a last minute check on the door. He’s a white Kenyan with a nice cottage a few streets over from the hyena project cottage (hyena is fisi). He has four very friendly black labs.
Benson is the coolest guy ever, he is a maasai, tall and lean with beautiful cheekbones and eyes. A very calm, quiet and laid back kind of guy. He currently has his bronze safari guiding license and is working towards a silver. Came onto the project as a cook and is now an assistant on the fisi research project. We stopped by his friend Maria’s place this morning and she gave me a shoulder blanket (traditional maasai clothing) and I ordered a traditional dress from her. The shoulder wrap is red with little beads and things sewn on to it. Wasn’t thinking of spending money on souvenirs so early but Maria was really nice and I am very shy and awkward and I didn't feel bad giving her money, and it never hurts to have cool traditional African clothing, I can hang them on the wall. Though I do really like the shoulder wrap. I would wear that, but I might not because I would feel ostentatious?
I got a sim card and it works! Successful hacking of my phone, super easy to get airtime and internet. 100 ksh for 100 minutes/80mg. It all just automatically subtracts for whatever I use. Already down to 63 ksh though because I’ve been looking online to try and figure out how to use my phone as a modem, which Dave says I can do. If I don’t figure it out no big deal, I can use Safari on the phone.
Benson is trilingual, English, Swahili, and Ma (his native tongue). He is teaching me lots of Swahili and so far it is fairly easy to pick up but I’m still awkward about using it right away when I meet someone. Wes seems very comfortable with the regular familiarities and does not come off as a tourist where as I feel like I stand out a bit. Haven’t taken any photos yet because we’ve been running around doing errands all day, but next time I’m on a Nairobi trip I plan to.
So what is typically Kenyan? Are there certain foods, or clothes? Speech idioms or phrases?
ReplyDeleteHmm.. definitely certain foods and swahili slang. The dress essentially american/european in the city anyway. Out here all I see are field guides and tourists with the occasional traditional maasai guide in red (with lots of beads).
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