We came to Nairobi planning to stay for just a few days... but the welcome we felt kept us here longer.

Through our humanitarian work, we were introduced to new friends who opened their home to us. We tasted omena - tiny sardines from Lake Victoria - and learned how to eat ugali properly, the way Kenyans do.

One afternoon, we walked through the neighborhood where our friend grew up. We could feel the strong sense of community as we wandered down the streets.

On the busier streets, the matatus grabbed our attention. These brightly painted buses drive by blasting music and contribute to the vibe of the city.

We visited a school where the students welcomed us with cool songs and fantastic energy. Their joy was contagious, and their songs stayed in our head long after we left.

Almost every street held mitumba stalls - the thriving second-hand clothing markets that are part of Nairobi's daily life.

Of course, safety is always a consideration in Nairobi. Major malls have guards and metal detectors, and security is visible in many public spaces.

The Central Business District (CBD) is bustling and easy to walk through during the day, though it's best avoided at night.

Nairobi wasn-t just a stopover - it became a place of connection and learning. What began as a short visit turned into a deeper experience of community, culture, and daily life.

We traded Nairobi's bustle for Kenya's largest beach city, Mombasa, by way of the train. The six-hour ride was smooth, and spacious-first class tickets gave us plenty of leg room. Booking online was simple but very Kenyan: you must use M-Pesa, no other payment option exists. At 4,500 KES (about $35 USD) per ticket for the first class seat, it felt like a fair price for comfort and efficiency.

Our Unexpected Trip to Mombasa Originally, we planned to spend all our time in Nairobi. But when we tried to extend our apartment booking, things got complicated. The apartment we wanted wasn't available for the full stretch, so we booked another unit in the same building through Booking.com. The day before moving, we learned-thanks to a negligent host-that the apartment wasn't actually available. We were frustrated, though Booking.com did give us $300 in credits for the trouble. In the end, we took it as a sign. We'd been debating a trip to Mombasa anyway, so we decided to go for it. We bought our train tickets and headed west to the coast.

Settling in by Nyali Beach Our base was a quiet apartment on the north side of Nyali Beach. The ocean was about 600 meters away, but we could still catch glimpses of it from the balcony. We especially loved ending our days there with evening drinks, watching the light fade and feeling the breeze drift in from the water.

Nyali and Mombasa Beach One afternoon we set out to walk along the beach, starting near Mombasa and continuing to Nyali Beach. The sand was soft and white, and the stretch of shoreline felt quieter than we expected. A few vendors approached us, offering water excursions like kite surfing and snorkeling, or souvenirs, but overall it was a relaxed walk. Eventually we came across a handful of informal huts where we could sit down for drinks. The setup was simple - the guy running the place dashed off to buy the water and sugar-free Coke we asked for from a place off the beach, then returned with exactly what we wanted.

Poco Loco Restaurant One discovery that quickly became a highlight was Poco Loco, a restaurant specializing in choma (grilled meat). Our first visit was unforgettable: grilled goat and beef, paired with coconut beans, ugali, and chapati. The flavors were bold and the price was very reasonable -about $12 USD for the whole spread. We loved it so much we went back twice.

Jumba La Mtwana A 45-minute Uber ride north brought us to Jumba La Mtwana, the ruins of a Swahili Islamic settlement dating back around 700 years. The site sits right on the Indian Ocean, and the combination of history and natural beauty was stunning. Wandering through the ruins with the ocean as a backdrop felt incredible.

Mombasa Island Back in the city, we toured Mombasa Island, home to the CBD and Old Town. The Spice Market was lively, though the vendors were persistent. Luckily, we met Omar-someone we had just crossed paths with-and decided to take a chance by trusting him. With his guidance, we sampled dried mango and baobab seeds, and explored the Somali and Indian markets. Omar led us through narrow alleyways we wouldn't have ventured into alone, and eventually down to the Indian Ocean and Fort Jesus.