Once in my life I had a very smooth trip to Africa on a joint ticket American Airlines (Chicago - London) – British Airlines (London – Nairobi.) Total flight time: 15 hours. I simply love traveling with British Airlines because they always have the nicest staff and the best food on a plane. We all know how crappy food normally is when you fly transcontinental. However, I have always been very surprised to see that British Airlines tries to be different in that regard. BA also gets me insofar as their offer is concerned. They always give you a small toothpaste and a toothbrush and a cheap pair of socks, in addition to what any other flight company gives their customers.
I arrived in Nairobi at around 9 o’clock in the evening. At the airport, an old friend is already waiting for me. Due to his actual job, the immigration process goes smoother than ever. And I mean it goes reallllly smooth. It was the fastest time in my life I left any airport I’ve been to. My plane lands at 8.55. At 9.08 we’re outside the Homo Kenyatta airport and I am enjoying my first cigarette after 20 hours that passed since I left my house in Chicago. The taxi takes me straight to my hostel. I’ve decided to try something else this time in terms of accommodation. The most obvious place international travelers on a budget choose is the International Youth Hostel in Nairobi. I tried it once. It’s a nice place a little far away from the city center though. And that means you have to take the matatu (the local mini-buses) downtown every time you want to visit something. The problem with that is that you get packed in a small car in which you feel like sardines in a can and where it really stinks. Also, it is pretty hard to learn the matatatu numbers and routes by heart and you never know where to stop since drivers are pretty clumsy, not to mention rather careless at most times. That means you can end up a mile away from where you initially panned to get. So I went with a different option: Ngara Youth Hostel, 5147 – 00506, Nairobi, a youth hostel situated less than half a mile from the city center. It is located right next to the Maasai market or the big Meridian hotel, but on the other side of the Nairobi River. The hostel is not listed on any of the major booking sites so if you don’t know about it, it is really hard to find it. It has amazing rates and it is often used exclusively by Kenyan students, especially those who study in the city center. I paid 10 dollars a night (600 Kenyan Shillings). They also offer a monthly rate of Kshs. 6500 per month, that is a little over 100 dollars for a single room per month. This is a very good rate and the fact that the hostel is so close to the city center makes it even better. Now, the inside of the hostel doesn’t necessarily look promising. You actually get two rooms, a small living room with two tables, followed by a shower room and your actual room. The only pieces of furniture inside the room are a queen size bed and a chair. Very modest but in many ways it gives you all you need. Especially for the price you pay! If you want something better you might want to check the Down Town hotel, a neat cheap hotel not far away from the Maasai market. It’s a little pricier than Ngara Hostel, about 20 dollars but I also think it’s worth it.
Ngara Youth Hostel serves breakfast. It is often made out of an omelet, two slices on bread with butter on it, coffee and milk, oranges/bananas and cereals. They bring it to your small living room by the way so it’s really nice if you want some privacy. It is religiously being served at 7.30 in the morning so you have to wake up earlier than usual if you want your breakfast to be hot. Or make special accommodations but I didn’t really need it since I am always up by that time.
People are very nice and since most of them are Kenyan, you can practice your Swahili with them.
You can smoke inside the room.
The area where the hostel is located is not extremely safe at night but you need to know that no place in Nairobi is really safe after 8 o’clock, especially if you are a white girl. Or a white person unless you speak some Swahili. Just mentioning!
If you want to book a night at Ngara Hostel call 3746217.
I’ve visited so many things I want to tell you about but I’m running out of time. It’s 8 in the morning and I love doing sightseeing from 8.30 to about 4 o’clock in the afternoon.
See you soon!
Codrin
PS: Smoking is forbidded in Nairobi anywhere but in the designated areas. If you’re a smoker, you should refrain from smoking anywhere else not because of the actual fine but because policemen will ask for bribes from you if they catch you. And good luck with convincing them that it is immoral to ask for bribes 
August 13th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Amazing story. I really like the way you write. Give us more news from Africa!