A bustling City. Land of the Jacaranda & Acacia. Land of the Wilderness.
Sunrise from my balcony never ceases to fill me with wonder and awe. Starting as a light pink streak over the eastern sky, transitioning into a promising gold, then spreading the gold across the horizon with the brush stroke of the Artist Ultimate. As my son quietly said one morning, as we both stared at this cosmic brilliance, “Mamma, this is the real God”. So true!
With the blessings of a clear cloudless sky, the North-Eastern horizon gives a rare view of Mount Kenya, standing tall and lone against the green endless expanse. On an even luckier day, the distinct “head and shoulders” of Mt. Kenya gives the scenery a surreal majestic aura. And I pinch myself on such mornings. Tucked away in the greens in the far distance are the big five, the splendid herbivores and the absolutely amazing birds.
Step away to the west-facing rooms and the Ngong Hills seem like quite a neighbourly affair. Ahh yes, Nairobi is beyond splendid. Amidst the hills and the greens and against the clear blue sky are the tall buildings scraping the skyline, big brands giving the picture of large businesses and a thriving city. Showrooms and commonplace buildings dot the landscape, with intermittent bursts of cottages with their pretty lawns. Turn a corner and the bright hoardings screaming their brands stare at you from the micro skyline of a big supermarket. Take a drive of no more than 5 minutes and you enter another area where just as suddenly, the landscape changes from corporates, big apartments, shopping malls to rows of green enclosed bungalows, gardens and abundant quiet. There you have it. The complete picture of a city dwelling in modern times, with the silence of the greens and peace bursting through the cacophony of mankind. This is Nairobi. In all her charm.
Description of Nairobi is incomplete without mention of the purple haze of Jacaranda bloom dotting every lane and place. From early October, Nairobi gets blanketed in this amazing hue of purple. Instagram worthy images apart, an azure blue clear sky, surrounded by greens covered in a purple blanket, give city-living a new definition altogether.
And Kenyans? A clan of cheerful fun loving people looking for a peephole to celebrate life. And for expats who come to make this our home…we fall in love with Kenya, its perfect weather all round the year and its amazing wilderness. On a carpet of green, you see foliage of all kinds, cactus as tall as tall trees, herds of giraffes, zebras, antelopes, warthogs. And beyond, you see hills and more of Acacia tress. And when the roads narrows, the Acacia grows in plenty and the landscape becomes drier, you know beyond a doubt you are in magical Africa! A bit of patience and the Big Five are waiting for you round the next bend! Kenya is amazing. Come to Nairobi if Africa happens to be in your bucket list. Start your adventure with a cheery Jambo and Karibu Sana right after you land. The rest would simply follow.
Yes, Nairobi is a land of colours, golden sunshine, quaint settings, pretty flowers and a lovely weather.
And after you are back home, exhausted but mentally geared at a higher level, as you recall the moments of the day…gazing into the eyes of the wild, observing the zebras and giraffes stare as your car passes by, as the Acacia trees light up the grasslands like a painting in gold…you tell yourself you are living in an enchanted dream, now a reality.
Welcome to Nairobi…make a home here. Jambo Kenya☺
