Many people who are planning to move to Nairobi know Kenya as a great tourist destination. However, Kenya is more than that. With a population of around 3 million people, Nairobi is among the largest cities in Africa and one of the most important cities in Africa financially and economically. Unfortunately Nairobi also still has a dark side of poverty, crime and insecurity. Unsatisfactory law enforcement and high levels of corruption crippling Kenya’s institutions make it difficult to fight crime.
Still, Nairobi is host to numerous international organizations and businesses. Recent enormous road construction programmes have given the country and especially Nairobi another significant boost. Thankfully the elections in March 2013 were peaceful, and the future looks brighter than ever. In other words, Nairobi is booming.

Mid-term is around the corner!
Below is a list of activities and short trips, enough ideas to consider for a morning or afternoon of fun. Feel free to leave suggestions using the comment field below.

FUN and PLAY

• Jolly Roger Theme Park
  Playground, bouncing castles, small restaurant/ bar - relax with a drink while your children play. Location: Next to Mamba Village Langata North Road, Karen Estate
• Amani ya Juu (website)
  Playground for the youngest, small restaurant/ bar - relax with a drink, snack or light lunch in the quiet garden while your children play. Nice souvenirs/ small presents for sale in the Amani ya juu shop. Location: Junction Riverside Drive/ Kileleshwa ring road, next to Prime Bank, Kileleshwa Estate
• Splash Water World
  Swimming pool. Location: Langata Road, next to Carnivore Restaurant

Moving to Kenya has its share of challenges (even being a returning Kenyan!) when looking at locating a house, school for children and a car, among others. Normally new residents plan before hand depending on the nature of posting but acquiring some network or contacts to people for orientation purposes could come in handy.
We were looking to buy a car within a week’s time of arrival and happened to hear that Mr. Joep was the right person to contact. A week later we got a car to our liking and even managed to have most of the documentation done, including insurance. It was a relief to get the car so fast bearing in mind how long and cumbersome the procedure normally takes, not to mention a likely event of being conned.  Mr. Joep’s commitment is one of utter honesty and modesty, meeting him made our start much easier and we felt welcomed.
There are many agents and brokers out there that cannot be trusted which is why we decided to deal with Mr. Joep. The time he dedicates to his clients is well managed considering he’s also a father of three children.  He is very professional in his work, knowledgeable and at the same time has a pleasant personality.
At this juncture, we would like to thank Joep for helping us and we further wish him the best as he continues to make new residents feel at home. We can recommend using his car-broker and relocation services to the fullest to any newcomer.

Regards,
Hanneke and Victor (September 29 2011)

Posted by Expat-to-Expat on behalf of Hanneke and Victor

When trying to get an idea of your new environment and to select a residential area you would wish to live, a great number of questions will arise. We will help you answer these questions during our area orientation tour through Nairobi, and will give you as much information as you need to get an idea of your new home town. Expat-to-Expat will arrange a meeting in an informal setting with an expat in the residential area you are likely to live to share experiences.