The Nairobi National Museum

If you love a story behind everything you come across like me, the Nairobi National Museum is your place to go. I have gone to this place severally and I always look forward to visiting. It is not what I see but more of the experience I get and the people I meet every time I visit that makes each visit a unique one. Nairobi National Museum is located near Nairobi CBD, I would say the only one within the city of Nairobi. It is not very big so you do not have to worry about spending too much time exploring , but it sure is interesting, if you want to learn more about the culture and history of the Kenyan people, this is one place that should be on your list when visiting Kenya. It is easily accessible by public transport, you can also hire a taxi if you prefer.

What to expect at the museum:

Preserved animals and birds

The museum has a collection of preserved animals and birds of Kenya some of them extinct or endangered species. You can easily go through the history accompanying the displays or you can make use of the guides who are readily available, I prefer having a guide, they make each display come alive in their explanation plus you get to learn more on the sides. There is also more information on what the government is doing to preserve the endangered species, all you have to do is ask .

An elaborate history of Kenya and its people.
This is my best part, yes I am Kenyan by birth I have lived in Kenya as long as I can remember, but I never tire of hearing about the history of my people, it is always interesting. Kenya is a nation of over 42 indigenous groups (tribes) each very distinct in their own cultures but closely related with each other in one way or another. I am proud to be associated with this diversity in culture that is so united in harmony. The arts and crafts from these cultures portray the ancient talent passed over from one generation to the other occasionally marked with a spark of modernization here and there. You will find some of these displayed in the shops nearby, a good souvenir not to miss. I always find something to carry home as the artists surprise me with their creativity every time I visit. 

A snake park

The snake park is an extension of the museum. It does have a few variety of snakes,you will also find a display of different kind of fish, tortoise, snails and crocodiles. I find this quite amazing considering it is within a big city like Nairobi. I am not a fan of snakes so you will understand why I skip this part of excitement, if you love snakes and reptiles them I would recommend that you do not miss out on this one, you will love it.

Artwork
The artwork here is amazing.You will find most of it displayed outside the Nairobi National Museum, some of it for sale so grap one if you love it, the rest is within the museum for display only. Occasionally the museum is used as a expo center to show case various artists and their artwork, you may be lucky to visit on one of these rare exciting occasions. The artwork ranges from functional to aesthetic, you may find a nice piece of cloth or  a perfect shoe mostly sandals which are lovingly handmade. You never go back home without one of these, the Maasai Shukas are also available, they range in prices according to density. I have like four or five of them myself and I find them very useful on long haul flights to keep away the cold. They are easily portable and warm, they also come in a variety of colors, you will be spoiled for color.

Guides

What I like best about the Nairobi National Museum is the presence of museum guides who are very friendly, informative and eager to answer all the questions that you may have. If you get to visit the museum,take advantage of the guides and learn as much as you can. Do not be afraid to ask for any information you need to know about the city of Nairobi, how to get around, the convenient mode of transport and where you can get nice relatively cheap food in town. These guides seem to know almost every corner of the city on top of their work at the museum, it is expected, after all they live here.

Archaeological exhibits

Nairobi National Museum has some archaeological exhibits from around the area that you may find very interesting, each of the exhibits has a history behind it. Take your time to learn more about them, they will give you an insight to the history of Kenya and what the Kenyan people treasure and hold close to their hearts. You will also get to learn the history of mankind, remember the evidence of history of mankind and evolution was discovered in Kenya dating back to 7 million years ago.  The museum guides will be more than ready to answer any of your questions about the cradle of mankind 

which provides a great wealth of information regarding early human physiology than anywhere in the world.

School children

It is expected, the Nairobi National Museum being a custodian of the Kenyan History, many schools bring students here to learn about their culture, history as well as the animal and bird species of Kenya. They are numerous in their numbers during weekdays, I highly recommend weekends for visits, the students are minimal and of course you will have the full attention of the guides and you can take all the time you want in each station without feeling hurried along.

If you are in Nairobi, do not feel bored out, get yourself around the Nairobi National Museum and have the best that this place can offer.Works  for those on transit for long hours at Jomo Kenyatta International airport too, all you need to do is organize for your transit visa if you need one. You have no excuse to miss out on this one, get exploring!

How to Budget for Your Trip

I can call myself a frequent traveler, yes I am considering I travel 2 times in a month on the minimum and the most challenging part of my travel- you got it, the budget. It does not matter how many times I travel, making a budget is a challenge, sticking to it is even more challenging. Initially I made a rough budget on my travel, all I would do was ask a friend who has been there on the cost of transport and accommodation, I would do a rough estimate and off I go for my trip. The results were quite stressful, most of the time I ended up busting my budget and to avoid more inconveniences I would cut short my trips or on do away with some of the places I would have loved to visit. My vacations ended in a low tone with wishes of I should have known better, I should have carried more money, I should have done more research on the sites and places to visit, the list was endless. There were just too many ifs. With time and experience I learnt to budget for my trips effectively to make them more enjoyable and comfortable, am going to share with you some of my travel tips on how to come up with an effective budget for your trip.

Do your research
This is a must do for all travelers, it does not matter whether you are paying for your trip or someone else is paying for it. You have to research on your travel destination, know the most interesting sites you would like to visit, how to get there and if you will be required to pay for entrance fees. Find out the safest and convenient mode of transport and how much it will cost to avoid inconveniences as well as extortion from some greedy locals. This will guide you to come up with an effective budget.

Plan
Plan way ahead for your vacation financially. I have made it a rule to set aside some savings every month for my vacations, it saves me the stress of raising money at the last minute or eating into my budget to offset the cost of my trips.The best way to save for your trip is to open a separate account and save for your trip in advance, I call mine “The Entertainment Account”. The good thing about having an account for your travel plans, is that you can comfortably plan a trip within a short notice if need be with little strain to your finances. Make a habit of making monthly saving, I know this is going to be hard at first because you would not know how much is adequate for monthly savings, do not worry about this, with time you will learn from your experiences your average budget and this can guide you on how much you can put away for your trips.

Transport
It always comes first on my budget. Find out the mode of transportation to your destination and how much it will cost. Plan and budget within convenience of your finances and the time duration you would like to spend en route. Do not forget to include the budget for getting around during your vacation, airport or train transfers, and car rentals. I always include travel documents like visas, travel insurance cover policy, medical certificates and passports related costs under this category. Passport related costs may range from getting a new passport to renewal or extensions.

Accommodation
Your budget should include accommodation, research and establish the best mode of accommodation available at your destination and budget accordingly. If possible book well in advance to get the best rates. I highly recommend you to confirm in advance if your accommodation includes or excludes services like laundry, food, transfer to and from the airport or train stations. Establish whether you have full board, half board and if you can make choices between the two for your budget convenience. You will notice that in most cases eating out is cheaper than having your food as part of your accommodation, you will also have a wide variety of meals to choose from unlike the standard buffets offered in most hotels.

Food
The fact that your hotel accommodation is full board does not mean you do not have to budget for food, many of us fall victim of this oversight. Budget for food including water that you may need during your trip i.e before your arrival at your hotel or home on your return. Remember that your full board only covers you within the hotel premises, hence you will have to budget for food expenses you may incur while visiting sites or away from the hotel. Many hotels if not all will specify what full board includes in regard to food, you may be required to carry extra money for drinks or special recipes not inclusive in your full board accommodation

Weather
Oh yes, I budget for the weather, I know you are wondering how on earth do you budget for the weather. This is how, it is going to affect the choice of your travel gear, from your travel bag, clothes, shoes and of course umbrellas. In some destinations, transport cost may change as the weather changes, crazy isn’t it. For instance, in some towns in Kenya, public transport may increase by 5% to 20% due to poor road network that causes traffic Jam and of course more fuel and time consumption. It is a minor detail but worthy noting.

Gifts and Souvenirs

Always budget for gifts and souvenirs, they maybe for friends, family or for your self. There is always something new and nice that you would want to carry back home. It may have a functional value, aesthetic or simply sentimental.

Communication

Have a budget set aside for your communication needs. You may want to keep in touch with your family more often, knowing how much this is going to cost you and having a budget for it will keep your mind at ease away from home. Occasionally you may need to call the hotel where you are staying or the people you are staying with to let them know if you need any help or your expected late arrival. In case you decide to extend your travel plans you may want to communicate with your agent or airline to make the necessary changes. Keeping my self up to date with current news is important, I budget newspapers and browsing expenses under this category.

Clothes and toiletries

Last but not least remember to budget for your clothes and toiletries. Most clothes you may not require to buy but the weather may dictate whether you are going to buy some stuff or not. You can choose to carry your toiletries or buy them at your destination whichever is cheaper and convenient. As usual check out with your airline to confirm what you can carry and the amount  in case these include liquid stuff. 

Useful Tips

• Plan your budget with international currency convertion in mind.
• Give yourself an allowance for miscellaneous expenses of about 5%- 25% (this is personal and will vary from one traveler to another and destination
• Do you ever budget for tipping, well you should, in some destinations tipping is a norm :-) 

Good Reasons Why You Should Have a Travel Insurance.

Travel insurance is a policy offered by insurance companies,these policies offer assistance in case of any inconveniences when travelling by air. 

Many of us shun the idea of having a travel insurance, I have done it before and gotten away with it in the past until my flight was once delayed for over 48 hours and I had to spend extra cash of which was not budgeted for and of course you can imagine what happened next. I returned  home half broke and I had to re-budget my next three months to get back on track financially. Of course we got some kind of compensation from the airline but this was not enough. I was envious of my colleagues who had taken a travel insurance cover, they always did, they were able to offset some of the expenses from their cover. I learnt though through the hard way that a travel insurance is important, more so if you are travelling abroad.

A Travel insurance policy should be among your must haves when travelling. Such a policy gives you peace of mind in case of any inconveniences. A good travel insurance is a friend and a helping hand you need when the unexpected barges into your travel schedule and plans.Areas that a travel insurance policy covers include but not limited to;

Flight cancellations or delays

Flight delays and cancellations do occur due diverse factors. Such factors may be within the control of the airline like some technical issues, schedules changes to operational constrains. Other factors like civil unrest, weather changes among others and beyond airlines control and in such cases the liability of airlines is limited as well. If you are a frequent traveler you understand some of this issues, even the best airlines have flight disruptions. Some airlines do compensate for flight delays and cancellations, others do not. The compensation may be able to cover the extra expenses you may under go in such situations but in most cases it does not more especially if you have to cancel hotel bookings and pre-booked transport, these expenses are normally considered to be outside the conditions of carriage by some airlines, a travel insurance policy comes in handy when such inconveniences are not catered for, it may not cover all the cost but it sure lifts some of the burden off your shoulders.

Luggage delay, damage or loss
Luggage delays, sometimes it gets damaged or it can get lost. This is more likey to happen if you do not have direct flight. The risks are higher if your connections are many and with different airlines. Airlines have a guideline in regard to baggage irregularities that may occur during your travel, however they have limitations on how much the compensation can cover, other items if lost or damaged, like jewelry, electronics and other valuables may not be covered under the compensation program, in such cases a travel insurance comes in handy. It is also a common practice in some airlines not to compensate if your delayed luggage is delivered to you within 12-24 hours. Some activities like attending meeting and taking a shower if you are on vacation may not wait for your bag, you will end up spending extra cash to buy some clothes and toiletries

Medical cost, evacuation and treatment
Some times you may have a need for medical attention when travelling. A travel insurance policy is a good companion during such times. You may not be able to access reliable medical help depending on your destination. Some destinations are very remote with limited medical facilities and equipment. In some cases you may need to be airlifted to another country for medical care depending on the nature of your medical requirement, in such cases transportation may be very expensive as well as medical bills. Some travel policies include medical airlift a good plus that I always look for when getting a travel insurance cover.

A partner to call in case of an emergency in a foreign country
Travel emergencies not limited too medical can occur while travelling. This may include civil and political unrest or disease outbreaks.Travel emergencies can be stressful in a foreign county where no one speaks or understands your language. Most travel insurance policies have a hour hotline to help one cope with such kind of emergencies like medical care, evacuation and can act as a translator between you and the care givers. I highly recommend that you check and confirm that your insurance giver is reachable 24/7 in case you need them.

Tips

• When buying your travel insurance indicate the days you intend to have for your vacation. This will make your policy less costly.
• Find out what your travel insurance policy covers and what it does not cover.
• Check with your airline on what kind of compensation is given in case of flight disruptions, this will guide you in getting the best cover for your trip.

Traveling With Children? Here are Some Useful Recommended Travel Tips.

Traveling alone is enough hassle, traveling with children is something else, worse still if you have a long journey ahead of you. I am going to share with you a few travel tips to make your journey more comfortable and enjoyable when travelling with children. No I am no a child expert, but I know a few travel tips that can help.

Laws and regulations
First and foremost before you embark on a trip with your children, find out laws and regulations in regard to traveling with children within your locality and your destination.Different governments have laws that protect and govern children movement within a locality or out of a region. These regulations vary from country to country as well as per age restriction. You may be required to have a letter of consent from your spouse if he or she is not traveling with you, or if you have a dispute in court in regards to your children custody. If you are travelling by air check with the airline the maximum number of children that can accompany an adult to avoid any inconvenience at the airport. Airlines always have these regulations in place to ensure the comfort of their customers on board.

Consult your Doctor
Consult your doctor or health caregiver on how best you can protect your child’s health when travelling. Children are highly susceptible to infectious diseases and knowing how to protect them in advance is highly recommend. You may want to organize for immunization six weeks before travel, it is also wise to research on health related issues in regard to your destination or transit points. The last thing you want is a sick child in your hands while travelling or on a vacation. No one wants to cut short their vacation because of a sick child.

Entertainment.
Children are not known to sit in one place for long, they easily get bored and can become irritable and restless. If you are travelling for long hours, it is your duty to keep your children occupied for your comfort and the comfort of other travelers. Here are a few item you may carry to keep your children entertained, if you are travelling by air, be sure to check with the airline if you can carry such items on board before packing.

• car seat (check with your airline for related policies) 
• stroller (check with your airline for related policies) 
• diapers (enough for the flight and a few extra) 
• wipes 
• changing pad 
• change of clothes 
• Feeding bottles (enough for flight plus 2-3 extra) 
• powdered formula (in pre measured container)
• snacks 
• bib 
• fork/spoon 
• medications 
• favorite soft toy 
• Reading books 
• movie player and movies 
• child-friendly headphones 

Pack smart.
It is highly recommended to avoid over packing when travelling with children. Travelling with a lot of bags with your children can make you a target for thieves or criminals in general; take only the essentials and if possible have someone travel with you to take care of your bags while you look after the children.

Consult with the airline while packing baby liquid stuff like food and aerosols, what you can carry and the quantity. Different airlines and airports have restriction on what you can carry and can make exceptions on some baby products.
Remember to pack well for appropriate weather to avoid heat rash and cold. Children are more happy outdoors because they like playing in open spaces, restraining them indoors because of weather may make them edgy and spoil your vacation.

Cultural norms and beliefs

Do your research when travelling with your children on the laws, regulations and cultural beliefs of your destination. In some countries corporal punishment is punishable by law this includes spanking , public breastfeeding can be normal in one society and shunned in another. To be on the safe side do your research well to avoid any confrontations or inconveniences. The last thing you want on your trip is to find yourself in court or on the wrong side of the locals, this can ruin your trip.

Travel insurance
Many of us avoid taking a travel insurance while travelling, it may not be a big issue if you are travelling alone within short destinations. However I highly recommend that you have a good, all inclusive travel insurance for yourself and your children if you are travelling abroad. The travel insurance should cover all medical care related issues, airlift if necessary, theft, flight disruption, baggage irregularities like damage, loss or delay. Your travel insurance should be able to cover any extra expenses related to the above among others. Ensure that your insurer is reachable 24/7 in case of emergencies. 

Accommodation
Book in advance for your accommodation to avoid the trouble of moving around trying to find a room for your family. Children get upset and tire very quickly. You would want to reduce the time of your arrival to the time you get them settled in for bathing, feeding and putting them to bed.

Safety
Keep your children safe while travelling. It will be wise to invest in a child locator if you can. You never know when this can come in handy. Children have a habit to wander aimlessly and can easily get lost in busy and crowded airports or train stations.
Ensure you have carried antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizers. Kids like to play and come in contact with a lot of unhealthy surfaces while travelling. The wipes and sanitizers can also come in handy if you have to use toilet facilities where cleaning facilities are limited or when you have to change the baby.

Travel documents
Children’s travel documents expire more frequently as compared to adult documents. Remember to check well in advance before you embark on your trip to ensure you have all the travel documents in good time and that they are up to date. To be on the safe side keep your travel documents together in a safe place. Do not entrust travel documents with your children, children can be forgetful and the last thing you want is to arrive at the airport or train station without your documents or missing some of them.

Happy children travel