Lions, tigers, and beers...

Wow.

It's started.

Seems like I've been getting ready for my big trip forever...I was so busy prepping, getting shots, visas, etc., that at times I felt like a kid watching the mind-numbingly slow countdown to Christmas.

'course - these first few days in Africa, I had to substitute the classic images of lions and elephants ranging over the Serengetti for the somewhat different wildlife of Nairobi, fast-growing capital of Kenya.

My flight got in around 7am, and I got settled in at Milimani Backpackers - a cool, funky semi-jungle enclave tucked a kilometer away from the city center. A nap and a shower later, and I was ready to check out the city...

...with more than a little nervousness.

I mean, normally, I've no worries about wandering around wherever, but both Lonely Planet, and my taxi driver and hotel person were quite clear... do NOT stay out in Nairobi after dark.


So that put a damper on things to say the least.

It's not really fair to the city - it's a combination of many truly friendly folks, from folks who taught me some key words in Swahili (Hujambo... how are you?) to the local security guard who went so far out of his way to help me find an ATM that accepted my UK card. Big smiles all around - it's a shame that the criminal element can give Nairobi such a bad rep.

But I was able to wander around a fair amount - true, the city isn't high on the tourist list for 'must see attractions, but I checked out their famous National Museum, which had a display of literally hundreds of native East African bird species plus a great overview of the human fossil finds from the area.

It was a bit eerie - thinking that humans got their start so nearby - from near-chimps to tool users and finally tribal groupings of people wandering the Serengetti.

Annnnd, in a classic case of the world becoming ever-smaller... Ed (Alice) from my London ultimate team was in Nairobi at the same time! Never thought I'd be able to say 'hey, let's meet up in Nairobi' - but that was taken care of with several local Tusker beers, then surprisingly some of the best Indian food I've had at a place called Haandi's. Then, uh, purely to experience the local ex-pat scene, we felt obliged a few more beers at Gypsy's - two Yanks, drinking Ethiopan beer, watching Brazilian footie on the tele.

Next - off to Arusha in Tanzania, to join the safari!