Areas to explore
I couldn’t afford to go to the Masai Mara, so instead I decided to glamp it up at an ungated elephant camp in Tsavo, Mombasa. A couple of weeks before my holiday, the first FIFA World Cup had been held on the African continent and the guy who scored the first goal was South African, Simphiwe Tshabalala, who incidentally has dreadlocks like me. People at the camp thought we were related and they upgraded my room to a bigger one with a better view. Let’s just say, I didn’t go out of my way to correct them!
Best Shopping
Markets in any African city – like Asia – are the best places to find great buys at excellent prices. Of course you can go to a mall if you don’t like haggling but accessories and Masai fabric is hella expensive in a shop.
Greatest memory
My solo trip to Mombasa when I turned 31. I read A New Earth and started – without knowing – on a spiritual journey for the next decade that would change the course of my life forever.
Where to stay
Any of the beaches in Malindi, if you’re in Mombasa. There are plenty of fabulous hotels in Nairobi, just make sure not to get trapped in a place that’s at the heart of Nairobi’s gridlocked traffic
What/where to eat
One of my favourite dining experiences was in a restaurant situated inside a cave in Mombasa. Ali Barbour’s cave restaurant is a restaurant like no other. At night, the cave is opened and you get to enjoy the stars from inside the cave.
In Nairobi, I loved Urban Eatery, where my African American friend, Evelyn Sallah (who currently lives there), took me. They make some kick ass margaritas!
Any tips for new travellers
Learn how to greet in Swahili. Kenyans are the friendliest people I’ve ever met. Extend yourself by saying Jumbo on the way to breakfast. You’ll be glad you did it. Like Madiba said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart”.