Travelling During The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic - Arrival in Kenya
March 18, 2020 | Tagged: Kenya
Travel Update:
I thought I take some time to give you all the low down on my experience here in Africa during the pandemic.
I am in Naivasha, 100km north-north-west of Nairobi, Kenya.
Countries around the world are going into lockdown. Borders are closing. Press releases are being issued by ministers of health. Thanks to Chloe at the Elephants Nest in Grand Bassam who has her fingers in many pies, she is one well-connected lady, I am keeping abreast of all the developments.
I was in Nairobi for 3 days. I met a father and son who flew in from France, which is one of the many countries in Europe with a high number of cases. They were not checked in any way on leaving but were checked with the temperature gun upon arrival. I am not sure how accurate this method of testing is but it is one step ahead of 'wash your hands'.
But it is arse about face! Passengers should be screened before being allowed to get on the plane.
I read a press release from Zambia. It states that people from countries with more than 200 cases would be blocked or quarantined. But the one from Ghana states that all citizens coming in from countries with a high number of cases will be refused entry. Which is not the same thing as the way Zambia word it, though I suspect they mean the same thing.
I am from the UK. I don't know the figures and I left the UK and travelled down through France, before there were any reported cases, to Tunisia, then Senegal, Mali and Cote d'Ivoire. When I was there, there were no reported cases though they probably hadn't been picked up but that's another story.
I then flew to Nairobi via Addis.
There has been one case in Kenya. 1 Kenyan national coming in from the USA via London. Though she is saying that she is virus-free and the consensus here is that Kenya wants to be in with a shot of claiming 1,000,000$ to help with the controlling the spread of the virus.
Kenya is said to implementing measures to block all people unless Kenyan citizens and those with residency visas coming in. A good move.
And what does it mean for me directly?
What exactly does self-quarantine mean? Staying in one place for a set period or shutting myself in a room for a month? Though it says in the same sentence that if I display symptoms I need to go and get checked. You can read between the lines. I am mingling with a few people here, bumping elbows.
I have a 30-day visa for Kenya. I can, theoretically, get a 3-month extension, without much ado in most cities throughout Kenya.
This suits me just fine. I am here. I have to be somewhere and here is just as good a place as any. I have never been to Uganda or Rwanda but my heart tells me that I am better off being stuck here than there.
I bailed out of West Africa for a second time though this time was not due to any threat from being in lockdown. I left for the same reasons I left back in 2013. West Africa is tough. And for me, it just too tough. There is only so much I can tolerate.
Life is hard when it's 40deg C plus. Life is hard when after most meals I am running to the toilet in five minutes. The waft of open sewers makes one gag. The prices charged for the most basic of rooms make me wanna cry. The journey across Senegal was tough. I crossed the south-west corner Mali on better roads but with an increased threat of terrorism. Cote d'Ivoire was more civilised. Hotels were slightly better value. Transportation was easier and people were a touch friendlier. But communication was difficult. Their French is not the best and even French travellers had a hard time understanding so with my inability to 'hear' French, made it a bit frustrating.
So compare Kenya with West Africa. Nairobi is 1500m asl. Naivasha is 2000m asl. The sun is strong but mornings are deliciously cool. The level of education is very high in Kenya with the 3rd highest literacy rate in Africa. Everyone speaks English. The police are known for hassling foreigners and locals alike for bribes but I have not had any problems.
On a more private matter, my poop is now semi-solid. Exactly as I would like it. Everything comes with beans here. Lots of fibre. I love the Kenya staple of Ugali.
Yes, there are mosquitoes but with a much-reduced threat of malaria.
The roads are better, the transport is better. None of this, 'there's always room for one more'. Here it's 1 seat 1 passenger.
I am staying in a 5-bed dorm treehouse. Naivasha Treehouse. I am alone. An awesome breakfast buffet is included in the price. I booked 2 nights online and am paying about 19USD. That's for 2 nights. In West Africa, I was paying that per night and then some and no breakfast included. I am going to extend and practice self-quarantine.
I found a cool place in town for lunch, buzzing with locals. I am purifying water and limiting myself to 1 beer a day. Here is a good place to hunker down.
I thought I take some time to give you all the low down on my experience here in Africa during the pandemic.
I am in Naivasha, 100km north-north-west of Nairobi, Kenya.
Countries around the world are going into lockdown. Borders are closing. Press releases are being issued by ministers of health. Thanks to Chloe at the Elephants Nest in Grand Bassam who has her fingers in many pies, she is one well-connected lady, I am keeping abreast of all the developments.
I was in Nairobi for 3 days. I met a father and son who flew in from France, which is one of the many countries in Europe with a high number of cases. They were not checked in any way on leaving but were checked with the temperature gun upon arrival. I am not sure how accurate this method of testing is but it is one step ahead of 'wash your hands'.
But it is arse about face! Passengers should be screened before being allowed to get on the plane.
I read a press release from Zambia. It states that people from countries with more than 200 cases would be blocked or quarantined. But the one from Ghana states that all citizens coming in from countries with a high number of cases will be refused entry. Which is not the same thing as the way Zambia word it, though I suspect they mean the same thing.
I am from the UK. I don't know the figures and I left the UK and travelled down through France, before there were any reported cases, to Tunisia, then Senegal, Mali and Cote d'Ivoire. When I was there, there were no reported cases though they probably hadn't been picked up but that's another story.
I then flew to Nairobi via Addis.
There has been one case in Kenya. 1 Kenyan national coming in from the USA via London. Though she is saying that she is virus-free and the consensus here is that Kenya wants to be in with a shot of claiming 1,000,000$ to help with the controlling the spread of the virus.
Kenya is said to implementing measures to block all people unless Kenyan citizens and those with residency visas coming in. A good move.
And what does it mean for me directly?
What exactly does self-quarantine mean? Staying in one place for a set period or shutting myself in a room for a month? Though it says in the same sentence that if I display symptoms I need to go and get checked. You can read between the lines. I am mingling with a few people here, bumping elbows.
I have a 30-day visa for Kenya. I can, theoretically, get a 3-month extension, without much ado in most cities throughout Kenya.
This suits me just fine. I am here. I have to be somewhere and here is just as good a place as any. I have never been to Uganda or Rwanda but my heart tells me that I am better off being stuck here than there.
I bailed out of West Africa for a second time though this time was not due to any threat from being in lockdown. I left for the same reasons I left back in 2013. West Africa is tough. And for me, it just too tough. There is only so much I can tolerate.
Life is hard when it's 40deg C plus. Life is hard when after most meals I am running to the toilet in five minutes. The waft of open sewers makes one gag. The prices charged for the most basic of rooms make me wanna cry. The journey across Senegal was tough. I crossed the south-west corner Mali on better roads but with an increased threat of terrorism. Cote d'Ivoire was more civilised. Hotels were slightly better value. Transportation was easier and people were a touch friendlier. But communication was difficult. Their French is not the best and even French travellers had a hard time understanding so with my inability to 'hear' French, made it a bit frustrating.
So compare Kenya with West Africa. Nairobi is 1500m asl. Naivasha is 2000m asl. The sun is strong but mornings are deliciously cool. The level of education is very high in Kenya with the 3rd highest literacy rate in Africa. Everyone speaks English. The police are known for hassling foreigners and locals alike for bribes but I have not had any problems.
On a more private matter, my poop is now semi-solid. Exactly as I would like it. Everything comes with beans here. Lots of fibre. I love the Kenya staple of Ugali.
Yes, there are mosquitoes but with a much-reduced threat of malaria.
The roads are better, the transport is better. None of this, 'there's always room for one more'. Here it's 1 seat 1 passenger.
I am staying in a 5-bed dorm treehouse. Naivasha Treehouse. I am alone. An awesome breakfast buffet is included in the price. I booked 2 nights online and am paying about 19USD. That's for 2 nights. In West Africa, I was paying that per night and then some and no breakfast included. I am going to extend and practice self-quarantine.
I found a cool place in town for lunch, buzzing with locals. I am purifying water and limiting myself to 1 beer a day. Here is a good place to hunker down.
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