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I spent the last few months backpacking on my own around East and Southern Africa. While I’ve taken a few other trips this past year, this is a summary of the last two and a half months.
I visited the following countries: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa.
Top 5 of my backpacking trip:
- Mt. Kilimanjaro and safari, Tanzania (Kili posts)
- Tofo and whalesharks, Mozambique
- Purim with the Abayudaya Jews, Uganda
- Rafting at the source of the nile in Jinja, Uganda
- The Ilala down Lake Malawi, Malawi
Approximate number of hours I spent on buses: 178 hours or 7.4 days or 10680 minutes. I have a feeling this is largely underestimated because I only added up the long bus rides from one destination to the next but not when I just moved around a place.
Favorite countries: Rwanda and Mozambique
Place I stayed the longest: Tofo, Mozambique
Longest bus ride: Nairobi to Kampala (~14 hours)
Most expensive activity: gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Worst hostel I stayed at: Doogles in Blantyre, Malawi
Best hostel I stayed at: Chimp-trekking lodge in Budongo, Uganda
Best beer: Kilimanjaro (500 ml) made in Tanzania
Only country with no international ATMs: Rwanda
Biggest avocados: Malawi
Country with least infrastructure: Mozambique
Best climate: Rwanda
Longest stretch I went without showering: 3 days
Most vicious mosquitos: Mozambique
Most unreliable guidebook: Lonely Planet
Safest capitol: Kigali, Rwanda
Most memorable meal: Macaroni and cheese (that I made)
I was a little scared to be heading to Nairobi. While I was interested to see the “most developed” city in East Africa, it is also known to be the most dangerous. I took an early bus out of Arusha so I could arrive by early afternoon. I made my way to a guest house my friend recommended, and was pleasantly surprised. The guest house was only about 3km outside of the city center, but with its lush gardens and peaceful atmosphere, you could mistake it for a B&B in upstate New York.
The next morning, I set out for the city center to have a look around and to purchase a bus ticket to Uganda. During my walk into town, a young man struck up a conversation with me. Depending on my mood, I can be friendly or curt. But in this case, I needed some directions to the bus ticket office. He said he would show me where it was, and we started talking as we walked. We actually ended up spending the whole day together. He basically took me on a grand tour of Nairobi – including gardens, museums, the University and other landmarks.
He was a foreigner himself. He had come from Zimbabwe three months ago with his 5 sisters and 1 brother. They were escaping the oppressive regime of Robert Mugabe. They are orphans, and although he is only 25, he is caring for his 5 younger sisters. And a 3-month-old baby his 17-year-old sister had from being raped by a Zimbabwean armed official. He doesn’t have a job, because finding work in Nairobi often means paying someone off. Backwards, huh? They live in Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa. When I asked if his sisters ever come into the city, he said they are too embarrassed because they don’t have shoes. He was only in the city that day because he went to the library in the morning. When he was in Zimbabwe he was studying veterinary medicine, but he didn’t get the chance to finish. He is now hoping to find a scholarship so he can finish his studies, but he realizes it is unlikely to happen in the near future. The Kenyan police took all their remaining Zimbabwean money, and he needs to earn some money to support him and his family on a day-to-day basis.
There is so much more to say, but I’m going to stop here. Meeting people like him reminds me of how fortunate I am. It is also a reminder of why I am in Africa. And also why I love it – how often do you meet someone who is happy to spend the day showing a stranger around?
My conclusion – Nairobi isn’t that bad. But I was still too scared to pull my camera out to take some pictures. In truth, I thought the city was beautiful. I was also blown away by the infrastructure and availability of Western goods. It may just be my perspective coming from Tanzania, but I was highly impressed.
