2019-04-10 08:43
The Giraffe Centre is one of a handful of must do’s that are top of the tourist list when visiting Kenya. Whether you are here for a day or a week, visiting the Giraffe Centre, alo… Read More
Blog Directory > Travel Blogs > Live Travel Kenya travel Blog >
Live Travel Kenya Blog
livetravelkenya.com
British mum of 3 living in Kenya waxes lyrical about parenting, Kenya and Nairobi and the benefits of gin to make it all make sense. Reviews of countrywide places and restaurants with an emphasis on looking at it from a mums point of view. Plus how parenting abroad presents you with the same set of problems as back home and a whole host of new ones
2019-04-09 08:05
Where to eat breakfast in Karen
Find the best breakfast in Karen, Nairobi. Breakfast is indisputably my favourite meal of the day. Nothing gives me so much pleasure as waking up and deciding… Read More
2019-03-27 11:00
The Great Migration between Tanzania and Kenya is one of the wonders of the world. Every year 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra and antelope migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Maasai… Read More
2019-03-20 07:27
Lake Magadi is a moonscape of soda washed flats, shallow saline puddles and the heat resistant, Lesser Flamingo. In March the temperature at midday hits 49 degrees and the parched country sh… Read More
2019-03-16 04:38
In an unflinching mimicry of the rest of the world, the quality of schooling in Kenya is directly related to the amount of money you have. There is a startling contrast between the schoo… Read More
2019-03-11 11:24
Nairobi is a vast sprawling city with intermingling neighbourhoods and no clear ‘downtown’ destination. Where you stay depends to a large degree on why you are visiting Nairobi… Read More
2019-03-07 09:46
‘Is Kenya safe?’
This is one of the first questions people ask when you tell them you live in Kenya. And it’s a serious consideration for people who are considering co… Read More
2019-03-05 10:09
Alcohol colours my entire life and has done from an early age.
The first time I ever got drunk I was 14. I lived in Saudi Arabia and on a sleepover at a friend’s house we snuck out… Read More
2019-02-25 13:59
§Down in Nairobi, it hasn’t rained in months. Red dust is everywhere. It coats the cactus’s and trees, blowing up in great tangerine clouds as you drive down the street. It… Read More
2019-02-20 11:25
Ah, this world it exhausts me!
This perpetual struggle to ‘live your best life’. To be the best you, that you can be. Isn’t it sometimes to have a mediocre day? Or not… Read More
2019-01-30 11:37
My friend is depressed. It’s not immediately obvious, but I’ve been there before and I know the signs. She’s stopped coming out. She’s stopped finding enjoyment in th… Read More
2019-01-24 08:39
10 books that changed my life
Sometimes, rarely, but every now and again, I read a book that uplifts, inspires and turns my whole world around. There are books that remain with your… Read More
2019-01-17 11:02
I’m sitting in Artcaffe, in a large mall in Nairobi.
The mall is usually full of shoppers, people eating lunch or passing time with a coffee as they watch kids play on the rides in… Read More
2019-01-14 11:50
New Year, New Me. Balls!
I hate New Years Resolutions and never make any.
Until this year.
This year full of Prosecco gumption and drive, I decided… Read More
2019-01-07 15:49
When I was a little girl I heard my mother
talking to my Grandmother.
“ The older I get the less I like people,”
my mother said
“In fact, I prefer animals to people… Read More
2018-12-27 08:40
SGR High speed train from Nairobi to Mombasa
The SGR also known as the Madaraka express is a high speed train from Nairobi down to the coast at Mombasa. It’s fast becoming Nairobian&rs&hell…Read More
2018-12-20 12:22
Bau Cottage is a house in the woods. It is surrounded elephants, lions, cheetahs and hyenas but you are safe to walk outside. Made of brick and wood, it’s a simple, natural home on t… Read More
2018-12-13 11:27
Places for Christmas lunch in Nairobi
Christmas is approaching. I contemplate what to buy for Christmas lunch. Husband insists on Turkey but I can’t stand it. Father inLaw is allerg… Read More
2018-12-07 07:17
Why live in an Expat Community in Nairobi?
“Is it hard to make friends?”
I’m sitting in Artcaffe with a friend of a friend, she is new to Nairobi. Fresh… Read More
2018-12-02 10:38
Christmas in Kenya
This is my 8th Christmas in Africa and even after all this time, it never feels quite like Christmas to me.
In England, Christmas starts in October. Decorations appe… Read More
2018-11-28 15:29
Nairobi Animal Orphanage and other Animal Adventures
“What’s the best thing about Kenya?” I ask my 5-year-old twins “ The frozen yoghurt” they respond in unison… Read More
2018-11-20 10:07
Kenya, what a country. So beautiful, so many places to visit, so vast. So what’s the best way to get around Kenya?
There is a fairly comprehensive travel network within the country.&nb&hell…Read More
2018-11-19 10:55
Who are you?
Naomi Huzovicova
Where are you from?
I’m from a small town in the Rocky Mts of Canada.
Where have you moved to and how long have you been there?
I moved to Slovakia 14 y… Read More
2018-11-14 08:40
About 11 years ago as a newly married couple, my husband turned to me and said:
“I’d like to buy you a cooking course as part of your Christmas present”. I was horrifie… Read More
2018-11-08 07:38
An expat in Lisbon
I’m James, a freelance writer who’s currently living in Lisbon.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from Ireland although I left home when I was 19, and m… Read More
2018-10-31 08:21
The one thing I miss more than friends and family are the British shops. The shopping in Nairobi just can’t compare to London or New York and every visit home results in an extra bag b… Read More
2018-10-29 15:12
The challenges of developing and maintaining friendships as an expat
Friends is a recurring theme in this blog. I’ve talked so many times before about how relationships can be more i… Read More
2018-10-29 09:22
Expat experiences in Spain
Who are you?
My name is Kimberly Shellborn, I am founder/writer of travellingaroundspain.com
Where are you from?
I am originally from Canada, but have lived m… Read More
2018-10-23 08:49
Bush camping at Ol Pejeta
As we crested the brow of the hill, the silhouette of a great bull elephant came into sight. Standing nearly 4 metres tall with tusks the length of tree trunks. Su… Read More
2018-10-16 08:21
What I learned by the time I turned 40
Wisdom that was passed down to me over the years or hard earned lessons. Here are 12 lessons I’ve learned over the years that help to keep me san… Read More
2018-10-12 08:39
Today I realised that I missed Mental Health Awareness Day. As I sit outside having a cup of coffee I can hear babies crying. Despite the fact that my little’uns are at least four year… Read More
2018-10-10 10:16
Turtle Bay Kenya in Watamu
The early morning breeze blows fresh and cool from the Indian Ocean. It ruffles the kitenge cloth on my breakfast table and grazes my salted skin. I lift my face a… Read More
2018-10-02 11:16
Haru Japanese Restaurant in Karen
‘Japanese food in Kenya?’ I thought when I first got here.. but in fact everywhere I’ve eaten has been surprisingly good. Sush… Read More
2018-10-01 09:55
Cocktails and a view
Is there a more perfect way to end the day than with a cocktail and a view? Nairobi has some amazing bars that offer you the chance to have a drink with views across the… Read More
2018-09-27 08:22
Mexican food in Westlands
Mercado, Mercado. I wanted to love you. I wanted to rave about you. At one point last night I was composing eloquent Mexican love poems to you. Then I tasted your f… Read More
2018-09-21 09:06
Last Monday morning I pulled my battered old lady body out of bed. I staggered downstairs make a cup of tea and crawled back to bed for 5 minutes. I picked up my phone to check out what the… Read More
2018-09-19 09:17
The importance of me-time
A note to myself
My eldest child is 7 years old and I’ve only had 3 days away from him in his entire life. It was work related and it was horrible. I cri… Read More
2018-09-18 08:42
Escape the city at Lake Naivasha
The journey down the Rift Valley from Nairobi into the wide open spaces of the rift is to travel from chaos to calm. Stress to serenity. My love… Read More
2018-09-12 07:42
The thrill of getting out of town
Living in Kenya there are so many amazing places to visit that we are spoilt for choice. Almost the whole of Kenya is exotically beautiful, a ho… Read More
2018-09-11 10:01
The stress of visiting home
I’ve written a few times about the unmitigated stress of visiting home with the children. Ignoring suggestions that I could dial up the discipline and stric… Read More
2018-09-11 08:33
When home doesn’t feel like home
This morning as I sat down to write, a Facebook comment popped up. It was from a group of old school friends from my days living in Saudi Arabia . The… Read More
2018-09-10 08:53
Wild adventures at Magadi
Lake Magadi is a shimmering expanse of nothingness. It is a mirage like lake in a kaleidoscope of differently shaded browns, wobbling in a wave of heat. In the dry… Read More
2018-09-04 10:20
How to experience a safari without breaking the bank
East Africa is the birthplace of safari. People travel to Kenya from all over the world to view the incredible wildlife. As locals, the… Read More
2018-08-29 17:26
Good mother / bad mother
Everyone says this don’t they? “Before I had kids I knew everything about parenting”. I had it all sorted in my mind. I had a solution to every con… Read More
2018-08-27 10:21
3 idyllic beaches but which one to choose?
Whether you realise it or not you have probably seen pictures of the Kenyan coast. Those long stretches of white sand beach framed by palm trees ar… Read More
2018-08-23 06:55
A large house on Tiwi Beach
The house at Tiwi Ocean is beachfront luxury with a hippy twist. The beaches at Tiwi make my heart sing with their raw beauty. The house at Tiwi Ocean… Read More
2018-08-20 11:27
Getting out of Nairobi
I’ve been feeling rather glum of late, call it post holiday blues or midwinter blues or grass is always greener blues. My gypsy soul calls for more adventure whi… Read More
2018-08-13 15:03
Visiting family
A while back I wrote a blog about visiting family and friends back home. As wonderful as it was to see those people we care about so much, we found it hard. So when some of m… Read More
2018-07-29 09:30
Hitting the shops in Nairobi
Shopping in Nairobi can at first appear daunting. Our sprawling city lacks a real shopping hub in the manner of some European and American cities. What we have i… Read More
2018-07-23 14:34
Summer holidays in Nairobi
The term summer holidays when spoken in conjunction with Nairobi is an oxymoron. Kenya now sits in the midst of its winter; it’s not the snowy slopes of Can… Read More
2018-07-10 11:58
Holidaying in the bush
To visit Tsavo is to immerse yourself in the quintessential African Safari. Tsavo is red soil, blue skies, Baobab and Acacia trees. It’s ancient scrubland pepper… Read More
2018-07-04 10:19
Grabbing life by the balls
It’s been a hard few weeks; blame the meds, the weather, the moon and the sun and the rise and fall of the wind. It’s impossible to put my finger on… Read More
2018-06-25 08:19
GPS based games to get the kids off their butts
I wrote last week about the challenges of getting my kids off the sofa and out into the great outdoors, so when my friend told me about G… Read More
2018-06-20 09:44
Life beyond Playstation
I’ve got a complaint, I suspect that it’s the parenting equivalent of #firstworldproblems or #middleclassproblems. Meaning it’s one of thos… Read More
2018-06-18 09:48
Some stories deserve a voice
I’ve toyed with writing this blog for a week or so now. It’s one of those ones that is possibly over sharing and on a topic I don’t particularl… Read More
2018-06-14 07:26
Utamaduni – cool crafts and a cafe in Karen
My husband often tells me I have my head in the clouds and usually I scoff at him. What he takes for ditziness is clearly my cerebral sup… Read More
2018-06-12 10:50
Karen’s best pub
In all my blogs so far there have been two glaring omissions, and they are the two places that I visit the most. Well, with the exception of Carrefour and my kid&rsqu&hell…Read More
2018-06-08 07:23
The wonder of Africa
This morning I was driving home from school and Moby came on. As the emotive music from my youth sounded out I looked out the window at the muddy streets. Fleece cl… Read More
2018-06-07 09:49
CBD shopping deals
Biashara Street means business street in Swahili. The street is a hodge podge of fabric stores, and baby wear shops located in the centre of town, in the Central Busine… Read More
2018-06-05 08:40
High speed train from Nairobi to Mombasa
This is the second time I’ve taken the high speed Madaraka train from Nairobi down to the coast at Mombasa. The first time was in first class a… Read More
2018-06-03 09:35
Oversharing: how much is too much?
I went out last night and met some lovely new people. After a while conversation turned to ‘what do you do for a living?” and because I&rs&hell…Read More
2018-05-24 07:06
Solo day tripping
Tomorrow morning at 6am I’ll pick up my backpack and walk out the door of my house alone. I’m going to jump on a train and head down to Mombasa by myself. I&rsq&hell…Read More
2018-05-21 08:22
Restaurant review Karen, Nairobi
Dari Restaurant has been on my radar ever since I moved to Karen. Driving down Ngong Road, the hugely prominent sign for ‘Dari’ is op… Read More
2018-05-18 08:05
Where to eat breakfast in Karen
Breakfast is indisputably my favourite meal of the day. Nothing gives me so much pleasure as waking up and deciding what to eat. In the U.K. breakfast is a bi… Read More
2018-05-15 12:07
Brands who care
I arrived in Nairobi and promptly fell in love with colours, cultures and vibrancy of this amazing city. Whilst we waited for our furniture to arrive from South A… Read More
2018-05-14 08:53
The highs and lows of self esteem
The other night my friends and I were sharing breastfeeding stories. My input was tenuous at first; breastfeeding and babies feels like a million years ago… Read More
2018-05-11 10:56
Expat Trailing Spouses
Earlier today I read an article on Expat Trailing Spouses, the term being a crudely impersonal way of describing the many of us that follow our husbands from country t… Read More
2018-05-10 07:10
Nairobi National Park (in the Rain)
In this rainiest of rainy seasons people keep telling me they can’t go to the park. Nairobi is all about the park particularly if you are tour… Read More
2018-05-08 13:15
From honeymoon to days of doom
The first 6 months of expat life in a new country are often known as the honeymoon period. They are a whirlwind of new adventures, new sights, smells, foods a… Read More
2018-05-08 09:38
Postively negative
Does anyone else ever wrestle with feeling like an absolute ungrateful bitch?
Perhaps it’s the weather, but I’m the grumpiest most pessimistic person in the wo… Read More
2018-05-03 15:40
When Rupert was 3 he nearly drowned.
I don’t believe we were neglectful but it happened all the same. This morning I saw this blog I felt I had to share it. In our ca… Read More
2018-05-02 11:03
Things I’ve learned since being a parent
Recently it occurred to me that I write a lot about what I’m getting wrong in parenting and not much about what I’m doing right… Read More
2018-04-30 06:39
Breakfast of champions at Boho
I went for breakfast today at one of my favourite places to eat in Karen Perhaps in all of Kenya. The observant among you might point out that I’ve… Read More
2018-04-24 11:00
Do or diet
Schools are back. Hurrah. Hurrah. Bloody hurrah. The holiday has been long and tough and fraught with tantrums and tears… not all my own.
I’m celebrating by starting… Read More
2018-04-20 16:06
Expat information on the Karen area of Nairobi
Recces are usually a period of anything from a few days to a week of scurrying around, hopefully sans kids, trying to work out if you really wa… Read More
2018-04-19 13:51
Fresh fish in the forest
The forest and rivers surrounding the Trout Tree Restaurant offer an otherworldly ambience. The day we went, in the middle of the long rains, the restaurant and its… Read More
2018-04-18 10:36
Friends are family
Friends is a recurring theme in this blog. With our transient lifestyles, today more than ever before, friendships are the quintessence of our existence. As families cease… Read More
2018-04-14 08:53
Going home
When you live abroad home is never far from your mind. Our expat lives must offer us something special otherwise we wouldn’t be here but however great and glamorous our time… Read More
2018-04-10 07:24
Discipline or lack of it
My eldest who is 6 has recently morphed into a moody teenager. My darling, sweet, cherubic little baby is now a temptestuous, tormented little demon. Everything I sa… Read More
2018-04-09 07:25
48 hours in Nanyuki and my ongoing struggle with social media
You’d think after 18 odd years in marketing I’d be more clued up with social media. Not so. In fact the advent of m… Read More
2018-04-07 07:13
Safari, baby
We have lived in Kenya for 9 months and never been on Safari. We have been waiting for our resident stamps in our passports. These magical stamps change the entry fee for mos… Read More
2018-03-29 08:17
If love is all you need, why do some parents find it so hard
So it’s the last day of school before a month of kid’s holidays. Anticipating the impending chaos I’ve decide… Read More
2018-03-27 10:32
Crime on your doorstep
I just got back from a fairly harrowing run. A man followed me for 2Km despite me shouting at him to leave me alone. I eventually had to ask some strangers to restr… Read More
2018-03-26 07:34
On Saturday we went to our first ever sports competition. My son isn’t naturally sporty and being an introvert he struggles with team sports. We’ve tried football, rugby, tenni… Read More
2018-03-22 09:33
Zen Gardens – Nairobi
Every now and then we decided to leave the hallowed grounds of Karen and venture out. This time to Zen Gardens in Spring Valley. I’m so glad we did.
Karen i… Read More
2018-03-20 09:43
Life in your 40’s
It’s my birthday in a couple of weeks and I’m going to be 42. This has caused me some consternation, because I have a clear image in my head of what… Read More
2018-03-20 08:00
Boy girl twins room
A couple of months ago I decorated my kids bedrooms. The boys were sharing a room and my little girl was on her own, so I did lovely individual rooms. Perfection.&nb&hell…Read More
2018-03-16 10:34
How much does living in Nairobi cost?
When my family and I were moving to Nairobi one of the main concerns was how much will everything cost. In all honesty making the move from South A… Read More
2018-03-15 15:22
thekenyancamper.com/2018/03/15/lake-bogoria-maji-moto-baringo-tourism-kenya/
The post Great place to head with the kids. I love adventures to ‘undiscovered’ spots appeared first… Read More
2018-03-14 10:04
Feel the love – Take the quiz
Despite spending my entire teenage years wearing dungarees, falling love with John Lennons, and climbing over the walls at Glastonbury Festival, my promis… Read More
2018-03-13 15:50
Today was a big day for my 6 year old. It was his first showcase at his new school. He had to stand and do a presentation on Kenyan facts and sing a couple of songs. Following that there was… Read More
2018-03-12 15:46
When home feels far away
I’m struggling with homesickness right now. Double homesickness. It’s the Argus Cycle race in Cape Town and Facebook is flooded with pictures of my frien… Read More
2018-03-09 08:43
Africa
Kenya is part of Africa. Africa is the second-largest continent in the world both in size and population.
It represents a 5th of the world’s landmass, meaning… Read More
2018-03-08 10:49
Supportive Daddy
This morning was my sons school swimming gala. I sat on the bleachers surrounded by men. All of whom were working Fathers. Daddy’s who’d moved meetings to wat… Read More
2018-03-07 08:33
Reminiscing on repatriation
This morning as I sat down to write, a Facebook comment popped up. It was from a group of old school friends from my days living in Saudi Arabia . The group had… Read More
2018-03-06 06:44
My expat children
My eldest son was 3 months old when he became an expat. My other children were born into a country and culture that was different from their own, and their British paren… Read More
2018-03-05 05:56
At Kitengela glass the first sign that you you’ve stepped into Oz is the sight of a car plunged headfirst into the ground. The roof ripped apart as though Thor’s very ham… Read More
2018-02-28 16:07
It’s burger time in Nairobi
Burgers, burgers of all shapes and sizes, all consistently meaty and moreish. Sometimes the best places arefound in the most unassuming of place… Read More
2018-02-28 07:42
Laugh and the world laughs with you, or more possibly at you.
I can’t resist sharing this Mumsnet thread, hope it makes you laugh like I did
Things I only realised late into adulthood:… Read More
2018-02-26 11:37
This morning I lost it with my children. It’s been a long hard weekend. Tantrum no. 45 hit as I tried to get them out the door for school was the one that tipped me over the edge. I&r&helli…Read More
Subscribe to Live Travel Kenya
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!