How the pangs of the pandemic are forging a new era of cashless payments for Kenya and Africa, as the world returns to a new normalcy. A few weeks ago, I was positively surprised to…
Colombo (Sri Lanka Part 5)
We had a fast car this time, so the ride to from Galle to Colombo was a breeze. We arrived in the early afternoon, at the Mandarina Colombo Hotel. Mandarina Colombo Hotel This centrally located,…
Galle (Sri Lanka Part 4)
A 3-day culinary journey in Galle The journey from Kandy to Galle started late, and took the better part of the day. Most of the time was spent on the congested, winding road between Kandy…
Kandy (Sri Lanka Part 3)
The beautiful town of Kandy is famous for its lake, and for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic – a holy site where one of the Buddha’s teeth is kept. Kandy is also the…
Sigiriya (Sri Lanka Part 2)
Sigiriya, eponymous to the rock which has become the hallmark of Sri Lanka, is also known for its elephants, and for the nearby Dambulla Cave Temple. Aliya Resort and Spa Aliya Resort and Spa features…
Sri Lanka Vacation Part 1 – Nairobi-Colombo in 11 hours
Sri Lanka means the Resplendent Island. A fitting name for this paradise on Earth. This vibrant cultural melting pot is as friendly and welcoming as it is lush and beautiful. The cultural and historic wealth…
Nairobi, a city of endless roadworks
Kenya is bustling with roadworks at the moment. Nairobi is leading from the front. With the promise of great highways in the the near future, however, comes utter chaos now. Every other major road seems…
Restaurants in Diani
Restaurants worth exploring: How to make your days in South Coast a culinary delight After some lovely days of relaxing and culinary exploration in Malindi, we were heading southwards, to Diani. Until the upcoming Southern…
St. Thomas Royal Palm – not there yet!
I like describing places as hidden gems. Probably because that is what we look for. St. Thomas Royal Palm might soon be one. For now, in gem analogies, it is an uncut one. Well, hidden…
Two hidden restaurant gems on the beach in Mayungu
Day 4 and 5 of our Christmas road trip: taking it easy, but still on a mission to explore. Mayungu, between Malindi and Watamu, features two beach restaurants. Such places can be real hidden gems,…
Tsavo East and Aruba Lodge
When our 2019 Christmas plans suddenly changed for reasons beyond our control, we had the option of spending the festive season in Nairobi, or improvise something. Spontaneity it was! The Kenya Coast is generally fully…
Monsoons – one of the best beach restaurants in Africa!
Sublime beach restaurant off the beaten track Getting to Monsoons is a journey, through the busy town of Mtwapa, and some good 20 minutes down a rough and bumpy dirt road. It is worth the…
Road trip to Mombasa
The 490 kms of road between Nairobi and Mombasa can take 6-7 hours with good driving conditions. While there are no major stopover attractions along the road, it is a scenic drive. About 100 kms…
21st Century Capitalism
Why terms like “impact business” or “social entrepreneurship” are outdated Henry T. Ford once said “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business”. The attitude behind his statement remains emblematic for some…
Nyege Nyege Festival: Jinja on fire!
The quiet town of Jinja, commonly known as the source of the Nile, has become home to new attraction which keeps increasing in popularity. Launched in 2015, the Nyege Nyege festival has become a buzzword…
Tiwi Beach – off the beaten track in Kenya
If you are a seasoned traveler in Kenya, you may feel that Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu are “been there done that“, and that Diani has become too touristic too. In that case, Tiwi Beach is…
Kaleidoscope Africa Launched in Nairobi
On January 17th, 2019, we kicked off the inaugural event for Kaleidoscope Africa, at Nailab in Nairobi with a catchy topic: Launch to Scale: How Successful Startups Scale into Global Enterprises. Only two days after…
Al Ain – a Green Haven in the Desert
Al Ain is an oasis city, quite off the beaten track in the Emirates. The Al Ain Oasis and Jebel Hafeet are among the best-known landmarks
El Acebuchal
El Acebuchal, a hidden little village in a narrow valley, with a unqiue Andalucian fusion restaurant as its main attraction
Cedars – A Legend in Kilimani
Cedars is one of very few restaurants in Nairobi that has managed to stay relevant for decades. Back in the Moi era, this Lebanese restaurant was a hangout place for regime bigwigs. It mainly catered…
Kilimani – From a leafy suburb, to a concrete jungle
When I first moved to Kenya, in 2002, Kilimani was was an idyllic, leafy suburb, dotted with tall, green trees. The area mainly consisted of colonial-era bungalows with lush spacious 1-acre gardens. It was the…
Nairobi – The post-election silence
Election lauded by the international community Friday August 11th. Kenya voted on Tuesday. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is expected to announce the winner of the Presidential tally anytime soon, but keeps postponing…
2017 – Election fever as Kenya votes
Throughout most of 2017, Kenya has been in an election fever mode. Being here while it happens, is a peculiar experience, as all activity grinds to a standstill, while all eyes are on the campaigning….
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) – future hub for Africa?
JKIA in an advantageous position When Kenya (or the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, to be precise) finally gained the coveted Category One status in February, it was a game-changer. With Kenya Airways recently obtaining air…