I knew it was going to be an adventure the minute I perused through the day’s itinerary on my handset. When we got to the top of one of the tallest buildings in Nairobi before the crack of dawn, I was startled by how much zest the photographers had, as almost everyone had arrived on time despite the morning cold. We all put our gears ready and waited in anticipation for the morning sun to light up the City of Nairobi.
The view was spectacular and as the sun rose and the city woke up, we clicked as we watched to Nairobians starting their busy day, vehicles that had their lights lit as they speed down the city highways and we were enchanted as birds come out of their nests. I witnessed the sky take up the yellow shade which fell on the city. At first everything was luminous though not quite clear. This is because of the bright light from the sun which was concentrated at one point of the horizon. Which was later evenly spread and objects were more clear and detailed.We were lucky to enjoy every bit of warmth from the rising sun. As we came down the floors to leave for the next stop, we realized we could take pictures of the city at a better and more detailed angle to which we all stopped shortly since we did not want to be behind the schedule. When everyone was satisfied that they had taken their best shots, it was now time for the next stop which was a restaurant in Westlands. We all assembled at the ground floor and when everyone was present we drove off to Nyama Mama where we were to take breakfast.
Breakfast at Nyama Mama restaurant, Westlands
Being the photographers that we are, we started taking pictures of the restaurant décor which had integrated ancient, traditional and modern finishing. The service at Nyama Mama was spectacular. Almost all sorts of food and drinks were on menu. I fell in love with the kind of utensils used and how they brought out the traditional feel, blended with a scrumptious urban taste of the well prepared food. We were served with a lot of food or should I say all kinds of food. Everyone enjoyed their food as they continued to exercise their photography skills on almost every item that came they came along. We had a great time there as we also interacted with each other.
Interior decor at Nyama Mama Restaurant, Westlands
The Nairobi national museum was our next haven. It felt like the whole of Kenya was confined to one building, it was a great experience. We got to learn about Kenya and how far we have come as a country. We saw the ancient, the traditional, the evolution of Kenya to the modern world, the cultural diversification and origin of the different Kenyan communities, different kinds of animal’s statutes, birds and insects, memorable events in the history of Kenya like building of the Kenya Uganda railway which gives one the feeling of being involved, among a wealth of other things. We also had a privilege of watching some footage of different epic events in the history of Kenya. I admired a lot of work from different artists and artisans especially crafted work. What fascinated me was the way life is explained in different stages on the corridors of the museum, from birth, naming, initiation rites, marriage, death to ancestors.
From the museum premises we were glad to get access to the snake park where we could view some species of this venomous and non-venomous creatures. I was thrilled and chilled at the same time. I was lucky most of the snakes were immobile and this made my chills disappear. To add to the fun there were several crocodiles and turtles nearby. Who gets closer to a crocodile on a normal day? Trust me this couldn’t have been more fun. I was glad to see that such a fierce set of predators can be rendered harmless at times.
We rested a bit at one of the cafeterias in the museum before we proceeded to the Jevanjee gardens so as to relax a bit more and be given the way forward. Up until now, the day had turned out to be just as wonderful as I had imagined. We were the center of attraction in the Nairobi city as passersbys stole glances of us as we walked down various streets in town. We had guides who narrated the history of Nairobi city most of which we were not aware of. We kept capturing pictures of our beautiful city all the way to the central park, it was a very fun experience and it kept dawning on us how culturally magnificent our city really is.We took a lot of pictures as we inculcated a bit of city life in them.
Participants having fun at Uhuru Park
It was now past midday which was time for the delicious snack and of course a bit of more rest. The fun never ceased and immediately after lunch we all walked over to the neighboring park. We couldn’t afford to miss the vibrancy and fun at Uhuru Park, some us opted for the swings and the merry go round while others opted for the boat ride. Everything was so fun and the park was full of life.
When I thought we had reached the climax, what about the sundowner? We once again assembled and all roads led to four points by Sheraton. Here we had more bites, refreshments and we had an opportunity to refresh from the whole days tiring.It was a day full of fun activities I cant fathom how much better how one could have spent their day.
