DAY 5: Arriving in Nairobi

Customs in Nairobi was very easy. We had filled out some papers on the airplane and you just hand them and $25 dollars to a man who takes a picture of you, stamps your passport, and sends you on your way. I headed down the stairs with my bags to see hundreds of people waiting for the passengers to come out of the airport. Somehow, even though I had neglected to give Dave my flight number or anything, he was right there and I spotted him waving in the crowd. Felt so nice to see a familiar face. Sort of strange to see it so far away from home.

Dave called a taxi cab driver recommended to him by his sister. In Nairobi you usually have a driver who you program into your phone and call him when you need someone to pick you up. If they are not free they have a friend they will recommend to you. We headed through the streets of Nairobi driving on the opposite side of the road than in the states and went straight to the Norfolk hotel and checked in.

The Norfolk is a beautiful old colonial hotel. I think it was built at the end of the 1800's and has since been updated. It looks like some sort of fancy estate. Dave and I dropped our stuff in the room, explored the grounds, then went to the bar for a few drinks sitting outside on the patio. At this point I think I was running purely on adrenaline. So excited to be in Africa that I couldn't be tired even after staying up for 2 days in a row. I woke up a bunch that night.

Fortunately, it is just the beginning of the rainy season here so the weather is a bit cooler than normal. I still think it is hot and never sleep with anything more than a sheet.