Unless you live in a cave, you have probably heard about the rising influence of China on the African continent. Over the past decade, Kenya has attracted significant attention, and substantial investments from the world’s…
Konza Technology City
Konza Technology City – Africa’s “Silicon Savannah” Konza Technology City, dubbed “Africa’s Silicon Savannah”, some 60km from Nairobi, is one of the most publicized elements of Kenya’s Vision 2030. The US $10bn project aims to…
Kenya strikes oil in Turkana!
Oil in Turkana: A Curse or a Blessing for Kenya? On March 26th, 2012, President Mwai Kibaki made an historic announcement: Kenya has struck oil in Turkana County! The announcement had barely been made before…
African Heritage
Alan Donovan’s African Heritage House at the edge of the National Park Alan Donovan’s African Heritage House is a hidden gem in the outskirts of Nairobi. The eye-catching building stands out on the small hill…
Libreville – Gabon
Libreville, unknown capital city of equally unknown Gabon “Where the h*** is that?” was the first comment I got on Facebook when I mentioned my upcoming trip to Libreville and Gabon. “It’s in West Africa,…
The Mind of a Madman!
Breivik’s Manifesto: The Mind of a Madman! Just hours before the attack, Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the Oslo attack, posted his 1492-page political manifesto online. At some point in the late evening hours…
Oslo – the day after Breivik attacked
A siege-like situation The day after Anders Behring Breivik’s attacks, Oslo was like a city under siege, with armed soldiers patrolling the city centre. Yesterday was a day of national shock and paralysis in Norway….
Oslo attacked!
Terrorist attack in Oslo! Yesterday, on July 22nd, my home city Oslo was attacked! At 15:22 CET, a bomb went off in the government HQ area in central Oslo, killing at least 7 people, and…
Jon Bøhmer sees his solar project, Kyoto Energy, go bankrupt!
Jon Bøhmer saw his company, Kyoto Energy go down on April 6th, 2011, as the court in Norway ordered liquidation
The Jams of Nairobi
Nairobi is notorious for its jams. Unless you have your own helicopter, prepare for endless hours on the roads when visiting the city!
Utamanduni and the Veranda Restaurant
Lovely garden restaurant in the outskirts of the Karen suburb of Nairobi
Rolf’s Place
There is no shortage of awesome places to eat in and around Nairobi, with new additions to the culinary scene popping up almost daily. I have written quite a bit about this in previous blog…
DHL = Delivery Happens Leisurely!
Less than 3 weeks to clear another zero-rated consignment. That must be a new record for DHL! After the Kyoto Flash solar torchlights, which DHL took a month to get through Customs, we received the…
Mashujaa Day
Mashujaa Day – Heroes Day: Kenya’s New National Day Today’s Mashujaa Day (Heroes Day) was a first-ever in Kenya. It used to be Kenyatta Day, dedicated to the admiration of former president Jomo Kenyatta. In…
Mobile warfare in Kenya
Breakneck competition between Kenya’s mobile operators Whenever a text message pops in these days, I pray it is not more spam from the operator. Too often, it is. Safaricom and Zain seem to have gone…
DHL + Customs = a lethal mix!
DHL + Customs: A Recipe for Delays While I was successfully bullying the dreaded container of Kyoto Box solar cookers through Customs in Mombasa, people from the same useless government institution were doing their best…
Container nightmare – a 21st century Kafka tale!
Attempting to bring a container into Kenya can give you several heart attacks, and is by no means a recommendable exercise for any sound-minded person who cares about his mental well-being. Had Franz Kafka been alive today, he would doubtlessly have agreed that Kenyan bureaucracy by far eclipses his nightmarish descriptions of their counterparts in the pre-WW1 Austro-Hungarian empire. Here’s a step-by-step guide to experiencing a true Kafka process in the 21st century.
Back from Mombasa
My race against time in Mombasa was crowned with success! Having finished the most insane race against time ever, I am now back from Mombasa. The dreadful container that had overstayed at the port, is…
The accident
The Accident On Langata Road My new Toyota Kluger got less than 2 weeks on the road before some jackass rammed into it from behind. On the way down Langata Road, between two meetings, the…
The Kluger!
My sweet, new Kluger is here! So it finally got here, my Toyota Kluger! After 3 months of patience, I am now cruising the roads of Nairobi in my new beast, straight from Japan! I…
Restaurants in Nairobi – A Guide to Wining and Dining
New, classy restaurants are popping up in Nairobi every day. It has been a while since I wrote my most popular blog post ever, City Guide to Nairobi – the Green City in the Sun,…
Kenya prepares for the big celebration
Getting ready for the promulgation Kenya is gearing up for a massive celebration, with the promulgation of the new constitution. Approved in a referendum earlier this month, it will be signed into the supreme law…