Barely a week into my job in Uganda I attended a team workshop in Nairobi. It was a great introduction to the regional team, many of whom are new within the last year and even 6 months. I did not see much of Nairobi as we only left the convent grounds once, when we went out for dinner on Friday evening. We arrived two days after a bomb attack in the city so venturing out didn’t feel wise.
I want to give an appreciative shout out to Kenya Immigration. I filled out the e-visa application less than 24 hours before arriving in country. Obviously it was not yet approved. After my tedious relationship with Zimbabwe Immigration *do I dare post what I wrote about that* I was certain I would have to pay again at the Nairobi airport in order to get into the country. NOPE! The Immigration officer at the immigration desk simply directed me to the immigration office when I told her I had applied and paid online. In the office, the fellow pulled up my application, took a quick look and said I was all good. He wrote approved on the printout I had of my application and I was good to go. I filled out the declaration and was through immigration in no time. Kudos Kenya!
As I say in the title, our event was held at a convent. The Dimesse Sisters Kenya to be exact. You can find them here: Dimesse Sisters
The only real downside to the venue was the 7pm curfew, which seriously hindered our ability to socialize outside of the formal team events. The food was very good, the rooms were clean and sufficiently comfortable and the building and grounds quite lovely. The mosquitos rivalled what I am used to in Northern Canada in quantity, if not size, so I was grateful for the mosquito netting.
There are 4 small tortoises living in the inner garden of the compound which were an ongoing source of amusement for me and my colleagues. I also encountered a little chameleon on two different mornings. Since I help a couple of them at Snake World in Zimbabwe I was brave enough to pick up the little creature and interact with it.
I took a ton of pictures of the convent grounds and my creature friends. I will definitely be returning to Kenya for a true visit to see more of Nairobi and more of the country.
A Travelling Accountant 