#best car hire services in nairobi | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

orbemnews · 4 years ago

Link

The Pan Am flight attendant and the CIA man who fell in love on an airplane (CNN) — In September 1970 Jocelyne Nowaski was working as chief flight attendant on a Pan American World Airways flight from Paris to New York when her life changed forever. In her two years at Pan Am the 23-year-old had made friends across the globe, served celebrities including Beatle Ringo Starr and featured with her coworkers in the pages of Paris Match magazine. Pan Am layovers were spent exploring Morocco, on safaris in Nairobi, galloping on horseback on the beaches of Barbados, swimming in Liberia, and browsing the jewelry stalls of Beirut. As she recalls it, her career happened almost by accident. Jocelyne had majored in biology at New York City’s College of Mount St. Vincent, intending to become a doctor. But right before graduation, a friend knocked on her dorm room and told her the luxury airline was interviewing for flight crew at its famous Manhattan skyscraper. Her friend insisted they should both try out, for a laugh. “Why not?” agreed Jocelyne. She found herself recalling the glossy commercials: “Your Pan Am stewardess knows her way around the world like you know your way around the block.” To become a Pan Am flight attendant, candidates needed a college degree, and to speak a second language. Jocelyne’s mother was French-Canadian, so she ticked both boxes. She was hired — her friend wasn’t — and within weeks of graduating, followed by rigorous training, Jocelyne was working her first trip aboard a Boeing 727 to Nassau, in the Bahamas. Jocelyne never became a doctor and never looked back. “It was the best job,” she tells CNN Travel today. “It wasn’t a job; it was a labor of love.” In September 1970, love was the last thing on Jocelyne’s mind. She’d ended a relationship with a pilot six months previously, and she was having a blast exploring the world with her girlfriends. Her focus was on her career. In the interim, fire-arm qualified individuals from organizations like the CIA and FBI were seconded and assigned onto flights. Traveling back to JFK from Paris in mid-September, Jocelyne recalls she and her crew were told that two security officers would be joining them: one in economy and one in first class. Jocelyne in her uniform, including her gold wings. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding Jocelyne was heading up the economy cabin as purser, and they were readying for takeoff. All the passengers had boarded the Boeing 707, a narrow-body airliner used by Pan Am from 1958. But the security officers were late, much to Jocelyne’s annoyance. She rolled her eyes even harder when she learned it was because they’d been buying Parisian scarves to impress girls back home. Finally arriving on board, the economy cabin security officer introduced himself. His name was Tyler Harding, smartly dressed in a suit and tie, a tan overcoat over one arm. Right away, Jocelyne recalls, she was struck by his charm and good looks, but she wasn’t interested in a relationship and didn’t think he was seriously interested in her. “I was working with some Swedish girls and the Swedish girls were absolutely stunning,” she laughs. “I wouldn’t even think of competing against them.” Tyler took his seat on the second to back row and the aircraft took off, bidding the Paris lights goodbye and setting off across the Atlantic Ocean. Air marshals are supposed to blend in, so Jocelyne served Tyler as she would any other passenger, but unlike every other passenger he tried to strike up a conversation every time she came over. “He was very flirty,” Jocelyne recalls. “I was not, because I thought: ‘Oh, he’s just doing this because he wants to talk to my colleagues.'” This suspicion — plus the scarves — made her wary. She kept her tone terse, even teasing him about his drink choice. “He was very pleasant, in spite of my being snarky,” she says. As the aircraft started cruising over the ocean, Jocelyne and her coworkers began their dinner service. Tyler continued to engage her in conversation whenever she walked by. Jocelyne and her Pan Am coworkers enjoyed their layovers in destinations across the world. Here they are on a safari in Nairobi. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding After she’d served the food, Jocelyne did her usual overview of the cabin. While walking down the aisles she glanced at Tyler. He wasn’t looking at her at that moment. But she felt herself stop in her tracks, struck suddenly with a thought: “I wonder what it’ll be like to be married to him?” She recalls quickly shaking herself out of it. “What are you thinking? You don’t even know this man.” But Jocelyne couldn’t explain it, even to herself. In that moment she’d been struck by this strange certainty that a future with Tyler was not only likely, but inevitable. Sometime later, she was sitting up top of the plane on the jump seat, when Tyler sat down next to her. At which point he asked her out. “I don’t date passengers,” she said. “And you’re probably married anyway.” Tyler pointed out he wasn’t exactly a passenger, and when Jocelyne still looked unimpressed, he fished out his passport, which back then listed dependents — or in his case, absence of them. He was 29, the black print said, and a resident of Alexandria, Virginia. Jocelyne was relieved, but still wary about dating someone she barely knew. Apparently sensing this, Tyler relented and returned to his seat. As the airplane approached Long Island, edging closer to New York City, it was time for Jocelyne to do the last drinks service, carrying a teapot in one hand and a coffee pot in the other. She got to Tyler, who requested coffee. “And as I’m pouring the coffee in his cup, he looked up at me with those amazing blue eyes,” recalls Jocelyne. “Naturally, I poured the coffee into his cup. Unfortunately, at the same time I poured tea into his lap.” Mortified, Jocelyne grabbed cloth napkins from the back of the plane and handed them to him. Tyler told her not to worry, but was laughing. “Now you have to go out with me,” he said. Blushing, Jocelyne dodged the question and went to confide in her friend Mala, who was the purser in first class. “As I’m pouring the coffee in his cup, he looked up at me with those amazing blue eyes. Naturally, I poured the coffee into his cup. Unfortunately, at the same time I poured tea into his lap” Jocelyne Harding Mala suggested they invite both the flight’s security officers to a crew party she was planning at her Queens apartment after they landed. Jocelyne agreed and returned to economy to tell Tyler and hurriedly pass on the address before making preparations for final descent. After landing, she couldn’t spot him amid the crowd, and felt disappointed as she traveled from JFK to Mala’s home. He was nowhere to be seen as the party got into full swing. Then the doorbell rang. It was Tyler, with his fellow security officer in tow. “It took my breath away. It really did,” says Jocelyne. Right away, the pair went to the kitchen and started chatting over cocktails. “I was leaning against Mala’s range with my back to the ring. He was standing in front of me and we must have talked for about three hours.” The pair discussed their childhoods — hers in New York and his in California — their families, dreams, travels, careers. The only thing off the table was the true nature of his job — Tyler couldn’t reveal he worked for the CIA. She found that out later. Tyler and Jocelyne ignored the hubbub of the party around them, chatting incessantly. “At the end of the evening, he looked at me, and he said: ‘Will you marry me?'” Her answer, she says, slipped out instinctively, in a moment of clarity and assurance. “I said, ‘Yes.'” Globe spanning romance Jocelyne and Tyler in December 1970, a few months after they met. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding After the party, Tyler and his colleague gave Jocelyne a ride back to her parents’ home in New York, where she couldn’t help but blurt out her fateful news. “I just met the man I’m going to marry,” she told her mother, who laughed. “Oh, you’re crazy. It doesn’t work that way,” she said. But the very next day Tyler called round to see Jocelyne and meet her parents, hitting it off with them too. Neither Tyler or Jocelyne had much time in New York City before they were heading on their next work trip — he to Tehran and she to Rome. “I can’t actually marry you yet,” Jocelyne told him, before he departed. “That would be ridiculous.” Tyler just smiled and left his 1968 Mustang parked in her parents’ driveway. In Rome, Jocelyne had plans lined up with a man she’d been casually dating during her Italian layovers. “He had a whole weekend plan to take me in his sports car up the Amalfi Coast,” she recalls. Upon landing in Italy, she called him up and, despite his protestations, told him she wouldn’t be able to come after all. Jocelyne in Rome, 1970. This photo was taken on the first leg of her trip, right before she met Tyler. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding Instead, she spent the weekend in Rome with Mala and her other Pan Am colleagues, walking around the city, throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain, and enjoying pasta dinners. When Jocelyne got back to New York, Tyler contacted her right away. Ostensibly, it was under the excuse he needed to collect his car, but they both knew that wasn’t the real reason. The two started dating, spending all their time together when they weren’t traveling for work. That October, just a few weeks after they met, Tyler asked Jocelyne to marry him — again. This time, she said yes with certainty. They told their parents on Thanksgiving, and on Christmas Eve 1970, Tyler met her at JFK with an engagement ring. Jocelyne with her friend Mala (left) who was on board the airplane when Tyler and Jocelyne met. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding Jocelyne and Tyler got married March 1971, at the chapel of the College of Mount St. Vincent. For their honeymoon they flew to Fiji, taking advantage of Jocelyne’s Pan Am discount to travel first class and spend eight days relaxing. Back in the US, she moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where Tyler was based, but still flew out of New York. “We both travelled a lot,” says Jocelyne. “He went on assignment often for the CIA, and that first Christmas, I remember he was gone for three months on an assignment to Laos, and that was tough.” When she could, Jocelyne tried to work round-the-world flights out of New York, so she’d be gone for weeks at a time too, traveling from New York to Tokyo and back. Jocelyne and Tyler on their wedding day on March 28, 1971. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding And towards the end of Tyler’s stint in Laos, she decided to surprise him with an unscheduled visit. “I thought, ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this,’ because there was a war going on there then. But I did, and I met him, and we came home together after his assignment. And from then on, it’s just been a whirlwind.” In March 2021, Jocelyne, now 74, and Tyler, 80, will have been married for five decades. “I can’t believe it’s 50 years already,” she says. “I can’t believe it.” The glamor of Pan Am Jocelyne fondly recalls working on the first Boeing 747 flight between Paris and New York. Here, a Boeing 747 is seen just after landing at London’s Heathrow airport, on January 22, 1970. AFP via Getty Images Jocelyne continued flying with Pan Am for a year after her marriage. Regulations had just recently changed to allow married women to continue working as flight crew. But she left the company in 1972, when Tyler’s job transferred to Thailand. Jocelyne said farewell to her wings with great sadness, but soon embraced the new adventure of a life in Southeast Asia, followed by a stint in Hawaii. The couple had their first child, a daughter, while living in Honolulu. Tyler and Jocelyne then settled back in Virginia for a while, having a second daughter there, but before long they were living in Frankfurt, Germany. “The kids loved it because we took them everywhere on weekends. We went to France, we went to all different parts of Germany, Switzerland,” recalls Jocelyne. In the late 1970s, the couple bought some farmland in Maryland from the uncle of one of Jocelyne’s old Pan Am pals and built the home in which they live today. Jocelyne’s still in touch with many of her friends from that time, including Mala. She’s part of World Wings International, the organization of retired Pan Am Flight attendants. “We still entertain like no one entertains,” she laughs. Pan Am’s glamorous reputation has lingered on, long after its last flight. That legacy is deserved, says Jocelyne. “Everything was about making the customer happy and elegance on the plane,” she recalls. “We served the finest wines, the finest of everything. Paris Maxim’s [the famed French restaurant] did our catering. It was elegant, it was special, people dressed up.” Jocelyne memorably worked the inaugural 747 flight between New York and Paris, a press flight where passengers sipped Moët Chandon Champagne and ate caviar from Tehran. That’s when she was featured in Paris Match magazine. “We were interviewed when we got off the plane. It was terribly exciting, it really was. The 747 was amazing. I did love that plane, but I missed the ambiance of the 707.” She recalls her team were given special buttons promoting the 747, which they wore on their lapels. Uniforms were blue or tan, with Pan Am wings made of gold. Alongside their two daughters Jocelyne and Tyler now have five grandchildren. Everybody in the family loves travel, says Jocelyne, with one of their daughters spending two decades living in France, Istanbul and Warsaw, and the other taking a year out to backpack the world after graduation. Jocelyne and Tyler pictured in 2014. Courtesy Jocelyne Harding The pandemic has grounded the family in the US for now, but despite their decades of travel, Jocelyne and Tyler still have spots left on their must-visit list. For Jocelyne, it’s Bhutan. For Tyler, it’s Australia, where the couple have family. Tyler now has some memory issues, but he still fondly recalls that momentous 1970 flight from Paris to New York. “I saw this cute girl and she was kind of snotty to me,” he says. “But we talked after we got off and after that, we never stopped.” “It’s been an amazing journey I wouldn’t trade for anything,” says Jocelyne. She pauses and laughs. “Oh, and I wound up with all those scarves he bought.” Source link Orbem News #Airplane #attendant #CIA #fell #flight #Love #Man #Pan

0 notes

jiajazapay · 4 years ago

Text

What You Need To Know About The Different Types Of Car Of Insurance

The different types of car insurance in Kenya are classified into several groups, each of which is further divided into several sub-groups. This can make the selection of car insurance in Kenya a very difficult one indeed. One would therefore need to be well aware of the various types of coverage, policies, and conditions before approaching a suitable insurance company. Jazapay is one of the best insurance companies in Kenya. This will help you find the perfect policy that fulfills all your needs.

The most common types of car insurance in Kenya are general car insurance. This will cover the general risk factors of car accidents, including such things as car thieves and injuries caused to other motorists and pedestrians on the roads. General car insurance is therefore meant to serve as a safety net in case any unfortunate incident occurs. It will however not cover such things as theft or damage to property. Comprehensive car insurance however will not only provide coverage for accidents, but also for damage due to fire, floods, storms, explosions, and other natural disasters.

The different types of car insurance in Kenya which cater specifically to drivers who rent cars from car-rental companies. The jazapay insurance agency has been operating since 1964, when it was first introduced by the Nairobi based Insurance Agency. Today, it provides specialized insurance coverage for car rentals and has gained a good reputation throughout the country. The coverage provided by jazapay insurance is comprehensive and covers such things as medical bills if the driver of the car is injured or even dies in an accident.

Another type of car insurance in Kenya is vehicle hire insurance, which is designed to protect the customer against the risk of loss or damage to the car rented by him from a particular car rental company. This type of coverage is provided by agencies such as Nairobi-based Kipchoge Insurance. It usually takes the form of a fleet management service that will insure vehicles on behalf of the customer and will only be activated during times when the car is in the driver's control.

There are also different types of coverage available for vehicles being used by diplomatic personnel and those being used by the armed forces in operations. Vehicles used by diplomats are exempt from any mandatory insurance that applies to private cars. Also, while vehicles used by the armed forces are only protected during war times. This makes it important to ensure that one complies with all legal requirements relating to the vehicle.

It is also possible to get cheap car insurance in Kenya through various insurance agents. These agents are known as car dealers and can be found in almost all cities across the country. However, most of them do not provide any type of insurance to vehicles and especially expensive ones. Before getting a car, it is advisable to ensure that it is adequately covered by insurance and that one complies with all the legal requirements pertaining to the vehicle.

#car insurance #car insurance in kenya #best car insurance companies in kenya #best insurance companies in kenya

0 notes

worldhotelvideo · 7 years ago

Video

youtube

Skaritz Hotel & Residence in Bratislava, Slovakia (Europe). The best of Skaritz Hotel & Residence Hotel. Welcome to Skaritz Hotel & Residence in Bratislava, Slovakia (Europe). The best of Skaritz Hotel & Residence. Subscribe in http://goo.gl/VQ4MLN General services available are wifi available in all areas. In the section of bar we will be able to enjoy restaurant, bottle of water, breakfast options, breakfast in the room and wine/champagne. For wellness accommodation includes: foot massage, massage, neck massage, hand massage, full body massage, couples massage, sauna, back massage and head massage. As far as transport is concerned, shuttle service, shuttle service (additional charge) and car hire. For the reception services we can have ticket service, 24-hour front desk, safety deposit box and luggage storage. The cleaning of the facilities will include dry cleaning, shoeshine, laundry and ironing service. If you stay for business reasons in the establishment, you will have fax/photocopying and business centre. We could highlight other benefits like non-smoking rooms, designated smoking area, vip room facilities, lift and air conditioning [https://youtu.be/Q6ZG3eNlUYs] Book now cheaper in https://ift.tt/2HsELpm You can find more info in https://ift.tt/2qYdRdA We hope you have a pleasant stay in Skaritz Hotel & Residence Other hotels in Bratislava Marrol's Boutique Hotel https://youtu.be/8bQAJXP4J3w Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, Bratislava https://youtu.be/6p9a9jxmzpA Arcadia Hotel https://youtu.be/YbJJPTlFARc Tulip House Boutique Hotel Bratislava https://youtu.be/3I556YXEcWg Other hotels in this channel Crans Ambassador https://youtu.be/zbqdXd8h0J0 The Grand Mansion, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Nanjing https://youtu.be/RxvretoWm7Q Hotel Algete https://youtu.be/vwUvpSgkr2s Crowne Plaza Nairobi https://youtu.be/cJ-qbQ_Onyw Posada del Indiano https://youtu.be/rVWiVuRSlTk The Room Hotel https://youtu.be/d3m7UBAtFCM Dome Hotel & Spa - Relais & Châteaux https://youtu.be/v13u7wlcDOs Hôtel Sawa https://youtu.be/1ycEeon5oDI Palazzo Versace https://youtu.be/i1iKID89pQQ Felix Hotel https://youtu.be/1pNvgNt_L2A Hotel Polski Pod Białym Orłem https://youtu.be/0GxBmsVfZ3I Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa https://youtu.be/MQpBIfWP2yA BQ Amfora Beach Adults Only Hotel https://youtu.be/odBSaoR2uf8 G-LUXE Hongqiao Shanghai by Gloria https://youtu.be/pCAob8TT0Vo Holiday Inn Express - Suzhou New District https://youtu.be/aaOt5-IipgU In Bratislava we recommended to visit In the Slovakia you can visit some of the most recommended places such as Castillo de Bratislava, Castillo de Devín, Catedral de San Martín, Most SNP, Teatro nacional Eslovaco, Palacio del primado, Old Town Hall, Puerta de San Miguel and Museo nacional Eslovaco. We also recommend that you do not miss Slovak National Gallery, Palacio Hof, Fuente Maximiliano, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Man at work, Museo de la ciudad de Bratislava, We hope you have a pleasant stay in Skaritz Hotel & Residence and we hope you enjoy our top 10 of the best hotels in Slovakia All images used in this video are or have been provided by Booking. If you are the owner and do not want this video to appear, simply contact us. You can find us at https://ift.tt/2iPJ6Xr by World Hotel Video

#whv #YouTube

1 note · View note

alohaexpeditions · 5 years ago

Text

Aloha Expeditions-Best responsible tours & Travel company in Kenya

Aloha Expeditions - Best Responsible tours & travel company in Kenya Aloha Expeditions, Tour Operator in Kenya, Best responsible travel company in Kenya, Best responsible travel company in Tanzania, Best responsible travel company in Zanzibar, Best responsible travel company in Uganda, Best responsible travel company in Rwanda, Best responsible travel company in East Africa, Best responsible travel company in Africa, Best responsible travel company in the world, Tour Operators in Nairobi, Tours in Kenya, Travel Agency in Nairobi, safari, kenya safari, kenya tours, tours and travel kenya, eco safaris, ecotourism, eco tourism, responsible travel, green tourism, agro tourism, east african safari air, kenya tanzania tours, africa tours, masai mara safari, tanzania safari, kenya travel, africa safari, nairobi safari, kenya safari tours, african safari, kenya safaris from nairobi, kenya wildlife safari, serengeti safari tour, safar tours u0026amp; travels, best tour operators, luxury african safari tours, best african safari for seniors, african safari and beach package holidays, africa safari camp, kenya safari packages, kenya safari holidays, uganda safari packages, best places to go on safari in africa, best african safari itinerary, kenya wildlife safari packages, deal africa, travel operators, tour africa safaris kenya, luxury safari company, east african safari packages, safari travel companies, top safari tour operators, african safari travel agent, africa travel deals, trip safari, best safari experience, african safari photography, kenya holidays 2018, kenya safaris from nairobi, bonfire, kenya safari, kenya holiday packages, bonfire adventures zanzibar, kenya vacation, kenya holidays, weekend getaways in nairobi, holiday destinations in kenya, weekend getaways in kenya, bonfire kenya, bonfire adventures mombasa packages, bonfire adventures contacts, kenya safari holidays, bonfire adventures dubai, tours and travel kenya, bonfire adventures mombasa, domestic holiday packages in kenya, bonfire adventures packages, kenya safari packages, tour operators in kenya, bonfire safaris, kenya destinations, kenya holidays 2017, bonfire adventures, bonfire ventures, kenya travel, kenya tours, tours and travel companies in kenya, kenya safari tours, bonfire adventures naivasha, safari kenya, kenya holidays 2018, kenya safari prices, holidays in kenya, travel agencies in kenya, dubai holiday packages from kenya, cheap holiday packages in kenya, cheap holiday destinations in kenya, getaways in kenya, bonfire adventures kenya, kenya safari all inclusive packages, kenya all inclusive resorts, cheap january holiday deals, dubai holiday packages from dubai, vacation places in kenya, affordable holiday destinations in kenya, holiday getaways in kenya, trip kenya, kenya safari beach holidays, kenya safari vacation packages, travel package holidays, best travel package deals, trip to kenya safari, kenya’s best DMC, Kenya’s best tour operator ‘ Kenya’s best travel agency , Africa’s best DMC , Africa’ best tour operator , best kenya tour companies, luxury tour companies in kenya , why I love kenya , #whyilovekenya , join up safaris kenya , budget safaris in kenya , flying packages kenya , beach safaris in kenya , top rated tour companies in kenya , rooftent camping in kenya, safaribookings , tripadvisor, photography safaris in kenya , , best Tanzania safaris , kenya and Tanzania safaris , Tanzania road safaris , Tanzania flying packages, dubai packages , south Africa holiday packages, Seychelles holiday packages , Mauritius holiday packages , easter holiday packages , Christmas holiday packages , Wildebeest migration, kenya wildebeest migration, wildebeest migration kenya, wildebeest migration in Kenya, masai mara national reserve, travel kenya, traveling to kenya, travelling to kenya, kenya travel advisory, kenya travel advice, travel in kenya, travel agents in kenya, travelling in kenya, traveling in kenya, kenya travel agents, travel to kenya advice, travel advice to kenya, travel agents kenya, travel advisory to kenya, travel agency kenya, travel advisor kenya, travel alerts kenya, travel agencies kenya, kenya travel agencies, travel deals kenya, travel diaries kenya, kenya travel tips, tour operators in kenya, kenya tours and safaris, tours in kenya, tours and travel kenya, tours kenya, tours of kenya, kenya tour companies, tours and travel in kenya, tour to kenya, kenya tours and travel companies, kenya wildlife tours, tours and travels in kenya, trip to kenya, trips to kenya, kenya trip, kenya trips, trip to kenya Africa, trip advisor kenya, kenya trip advisor, visit kenya, visiting kenya, kenya visit, where to visit in kenya, why do people visit kenya, kenya tourism, tourism in kenya, tourism kenya, tourism of kenya, kenya and tourism, kenya safaris, safaris in kenya, safaris kenya, kenya lodge safaris, african safaris kenya lodge safaris kenya, safaris to kenya, kenya camping safaris, kenya african safaris, camping safaris kenya, kenya tourist attraction, tourists in kenya, tourist attraction in kenya tourist spots in kenya, kenya tourists, kenya tourist spots, why do tourists visit kenya, kenya holiday, holidays in kenya, holidays to kenya, kenya holidays, holiday in kenya, holidays kenya, holiday to kenya, holiday kenya, kenya travel guide, travel guide kenya, kenya guide, travel guide to kenya, kenya information guide, kenya tour packages, kenya holiday packages, kenya vacation packages, kenya packages, holiday packages in kenya, kenya travel packages, holiday packages kenya, kenya package, kenya holiday package, kenya tour package, kenya package holidays, travel packages kenya, kenya safaris packages, places to visit in kenya, kenya places to visit, best places to visit in kenya, tourist places in kenya, places to see in kenya, kenya tourist places, places in kenya to visit, places to visit kenya, go kenya tours, go kenya, places to go in kenya, go to kenya, where to go in kenya, going to kenya, why do people go to kenya, why go to kenya, information on kenya, kenya information, kenya travel information, information kenya, information of kenya, holiday destinations in kenya, kenya destinations, tourist destinations in kenya, kenya holiday destinations, kenya tourist destinations, best holiday destinations in kenya, kenya as a tourist destination, holiday destinations kenya, blogs in kenya, travel blog kenya, kenya blogs, blogs travel to kenya, safaris in kenya, kenya safaris, safaris kenya, safaris to kenya, natural world kenya safaris, car hire Nairobi, car hire in Nairobi, nairobi car hire, car hire services in Nairobi, car hire kenya Nairobi, car hire companies in Nairobi, car hire nairobi kenya, cars for hire in Nairobi, car hire in kenya Nairobi, car hire services Nairobi, cheap car hire Nairobi, nairobi car hire services, car hire in nairobi kenya, car hire companies in nairobi kenya, car for hire in Nairobi, car hire companies Nairobi, 4wd car hire Nairobi, cheap car hire in Nairobi, car hires in Nairobi, nairobi airport car hire, 4×4 car hire Nairobi, car hire market, cars for hire nairobi , car hire Mombasa, car for hire Nairobi, car hire uganda , 4×4 hire Nairobi, car hire Tanzania, 4×4 car hire dar es salaam, 4×4 car hire Tanzania, car hire kenya, 4×4 car hire kenya, car hire in kenya , kenya car hire, 4×4 car hire Uganda, 4×4 car hire Arusha, kenya tours and safaris, tours in kenya, tours and travels in kenya, tours kenya, tours of kenya, tours to kenya, go kenya tours, tour to kenya , car hire companies in kenya , 4wd car hire kenya, go kenya tours and safaris, kenya wildlife tours, car hire services in kenya, terminal tours kenya, kenya tanzania tours, tours and travel in kenya , kenya budget tours , tours and travel jobs in kenya, tours and safaris in kenya , kenya adventure tours, tours kenya Tanzania, tour operators, tanzania tour operators, tours and travel kenya, tour operators in Tanzania, top tour operators, african tour operators, tour firms in kenya , car hire kenya rates , car hire in kenya prices, kenya car hire services, mombasa tour operators, cars for hire in kenya, car hire kenya prices, kenya safaris, car hire business in kenya, tour kenya, kenya wildlife safaris, safaris to kenya, kenya camping safaris, wildlife safaris kenya, african safaris kenya, kenya budget safaris, safaris kenya, kenya tanzania safaris, kenya african safaris, tour companies in kenya, kenya car hire companies, car hire services kenya, cheap car hire in kenya, tours and travel companies in kenya, tour and travel companies in kenya, kenya tour companies, executive car hire kenya, tour companies kenya, wildlife kenya safaris, safaris in kenya, travel companies in kenya , tourism companies in kenya, kenya tours and travel companies, tours and safaris companies in kenya, companies in kenya, list of companies dealing with travel tours in kenya, kenya tour, tours companies in kenya, list of tour companies in kenya, best companies in kenya, kenya companies, 4×4 camping, 4×4 holidays, camping 4×4, 4×4 excursion, kenya tours,kenya best hotels,best hotels in kenya,kenya hotels,honeymoon destinations in kenya,Magical Kenya, Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya Wildlife Service #whyilokekenya #magicalkenya #kenyasafaris #tanzaniasafaris #ugandasafaris #rwandasafaris #zanzibarsafaris #southafricasafaris #trend #luxurysafaris #questmeansbusiness #steveharvey #breakingtravelnews #travelsearchonline #ecotourism #sustainabletravel #responsibletravel #travelgood #slowtravel #ecolodge #unesco #wildlifeconservation #naturereserve #naturereserve #accessibletravel #travelauthentic #travellocal #travelbetter #ecotourism #ecotourismkenya #responsibletravel #responsibletourism #impactlocals #ecotourist #agritourism #ecologicaltourism #travelguide #safaribookings #guidebook #carbonneutral #tourism #mecca #highseason #exoticdestinations #backpacker #backpacking #europe #getaway #holidays #igtravel #ilovetravel #instago #instapassport #instatraveling #instatravelling #mytravelgram #roadtrip #tourism #tourist #traveladdict #travelblog #travelblogger #travelbug #traveldiaries #traveler #travelingram #traveller #travellife #travelling #travelphoto #travelpics #travels #traveltheworld #visiting #aroundtheworld #globetrotter #igtravel #ilovetravel #instago #instapassport #instatraveling #instatravelling #mytravelgram #seetheworld #tourism #tourist #traveladdict #travelblog #travelblogger #travelbug #traveldeeper #traveldiaries #traveler #travelingram #traveller #travellife #travelling #travelphoto #travelpics #travels #travelstoke #traveltheworld #wanderer #worldtraveler #all_shots #capture #exposure #ig_shutterbugs #igtravel #moment #photoart #photograph #photographyeveryday #traveladdict #travelblog #travelblogger #traveler #travelingram #traveller #travellife #travelling #travelphoto #travelpics #travels #traveltheworld #amazingplace #bucketlist #bucketlistadventures #bucketlistnow #bucketlistripr #cowanderlust #globelusters #instatravelblog #instatraveler #instatravelgram #instavacations #luxurytraveldaily #luxurytrips #naturelusters #travelabroad #traveladventure #travelalways #travelbucketlist #travelcaptures #travelclub #travelcommunity #travelgoals #travelphotooftheday #travelpost #travelpostdaily #wandergram #wonderfulplaces #wondering #Wonderlusting #wondersoftheworld #fun #getaway #holidayfun #holidaylook #holidaymode #holidaymood #holidays #igtravel #ilovetravel #instapassport #instatraveling #island #ocean #paradise #relax #shopping #summertime #tourism #tourist #tours #travelblogger #traveler #traveller #travelling #travelpics #trip #vacationing #vacationlife #vacationmode #visiting #adventuretime #backpacker #backpacking #camping #discover #explorebc #exploreeverything #exploremore #exploreourearth #explorepage #explorer #explorers #exploretheglobe #exploretheworld #exploretocreate #explorewildly #exploring #getoutside #goplayoutside #letsgosomewhere #optoutside #stayandwander #traveller #traveltheworldploremore #wander #wanderer #wanderful #wandering #wanderlust #wilderness #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #earthbeauty #earthlove #lifeofadventure #livelife #livelifejourney #naturelover #naturelovers #natureporn #perfectview #prettylittletrips #speechlessplaces #travelholic #travelideas #travelinspo #travelogue #wandering #wanderlust #WanderlustContest #wanderluster #wanderlusters #wanderlustgirl #wanderlusting #wanderlustlife #wanderlusttribe #wanderlustvibes #wanderlustwednesday #wonderful_places #wonderfulglobe #airbus #airbuslovers #Boeing #Boeing737 #Boeing737max #aircraft #airplane #airport #avgeek #aviation #aviationgeek #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #avporn #boeing #boeinglovers #flight #flying #ilovetravel #instaaviation #instagramaviation #instaplane #jetset #jetsetter #megaplane #pilot #plane #planeporn #planes #planespotter #planespotting #scenery #spotting #beachday #beachlife #beautifulisland #bikini #cloudporn #crystalwater #escape #holidays #honeymoon #bespokesafaris #bespokegetaways #island #islander #islandholiday #islandhopping #islandlife #ocean #oceanview #paradise #playa #relax #whitesand #seaside #summertime #sun #sunrise #surf #surfing #tropical #water #wave #waves #africa #africanamazing #africanbushcamp #africansafari #africasafaris #africabudgetsafaris #africabudgettours #africatours #africaluxurysafaris #besttoursafrica #animals #Big5 #specialfive #birds #birdsofinstagram #conservation #bornfree #elephant #gamedrive #giraffe #igscwildlife #lion #lioness #lions #lovesafrica #photosafari #safari #safarigram #safarilodge #safaristyle #safaritour #safaritrip #thisisafrica #wildlife #outofafrica #alohawanderwell #wanderwellexpedition #wildlife_seekers #wildlifeaddicts #wildlifeonearth #wildlifephotography #wildlifeplanet #cold #escapetothecountry #ice #instawinter #mountain #outdooradventures #patagonia #powdersnow #ski #skicentrer #skiing #snow #snowangels #snowboard #snowboarding #snowboarding #snowboardtrip #snowfall #snowflakes #snowholiday #snowing #visitdubai #dubaitourism #burjikhalifa #snowlife #snowmakesmehappy #snowman #snowsports #snowvacation #snowyousay #winter #winteriscoming #winterwonderland #boat #camping #climbing #cloud #cloudporn #fishing #forest #hike #hiking #horizon #lake #lakelife #landscapes #mountain #mountaineering #mountainlife #mountainview #nature_seekers #onda #outdoor #outdoors #reflection #ripple #sunset #sunrise #sundowner #ripples #scenery #snow #trees #trekking #water #wilderness #kenya #nairobi #mombasa #maasaimara #wildebeestmigration #wildebeest #serengeti #ngorongoro #ngorongorocrater #manyara #lakemanyara #nature #naturephotography #instagood #picoftheday #adventure #instatravel #igkenya #KOT #southafrica #thailand #adventureseeker #doyoutravel #travelmore #goexplore #wonderfulplaces #openmyworld #lovetotravel #adventurethatislife #roamtheplanet #travelbloggers #travelblogging #bloggersofinstagram #tblogger #thattravelblog #bloggerlife #bloggerslife #bloglife #travellifestyle #travelpreneur #digitalnomads #workandtravel #nomadiclife #locationindependent #workhardanywhere #workfromanywhere #laptoplifestyle #officeoftheday #workabroad #lifestyledesign #roomwithaview #hotellife #hotelroom #luxuryhotels #hoteldesign #besthotels #hotelliving #luxuryholiday #booking.com #travelstart #expedia #hotelstay #hotelfun #responsibletravel #seekmoments #momentsofmine #postcardsfromtheworld #photographyislifee #getoutstayout #optoutside #rei1440project #choosemountains #travelgirl #traveldudes #solotravel #travelcouple #travelquotes #viewfromabove #beachbum #tropicalisland #lovetheocean #foreversummer #ipulledoverforthis #instatravel, #instatrip, #instatravelling, #instaexperience, #instatraveller, #instatraveltips, #instago, #instavacation, #instanature #outdoors, #hiking, #trees, #naturelover, #wildlife, #forest, #instanature, #tree, #flower, #mountain, #lake, #ocean, #skyporn, #cloudporn, #sunrise, #animal, #animals, #autumn, #wild, #mothernature, #hike, #outdoors, #camping, #hikingadventures, #trekking, #wilderness, #backpacking, #getoutside, #climbing, #trail, #scenery, #alps, #thegreatoutdoors, #mountainlife, #waterfall, #summit, #outdoorlife, #hiker, #mountaineering #traveller, #travellersclub, #travellerphoto, #travellersquote, #travelleroflight, #travellersplanet, #travellersdoitbetter, #travellersfacts, #travellerofthemonth, #travellercommunity, #travellergram #travellerlover, #travellermade, #travellerdestinantions, #travelleraddicted, #nomad, #digitalnomad, #nomadlife, #wanderer, #nomads, #vagabond #ellenshow Read the full article

0 notes

pelingstravellogisticsltd-blog · 5 years ago

Photo

Car & Bus Hire

Pelings Travel and Logistics Limited Company is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time, generally ranging from a few hours to weeks and to months at very affordable prices (Unbeatable rates). Our vehicle fleet comprises of saloon cars, 7 seater vans, buses, limousines, shuttles, trucks, 4x4 cars, sedans, double cabin, Off-road Cars, and an amazing fleet of luxury SUVs. Saloon cars from KES 3000, Compact SUVs from KES 6000 and Large SUVs from KES 12,000. Offers are subject to fleet of choice with availability in Nairobi and Limuru. We guarantee 12/24 hours personalized car rental services, reliable and well trained drivers, 24-7 support. We have Limuru and Nairobi car rental pick-up and drop-off locations. Our vehicles are clean, maintained to the highest standards, to meet the Taste, Preference, Style and Budget of each client. With our track record as a reliable car rental company and simple car rental terms, we guarantee the best car rental experience in Kenya.

Stop begging your friends for a car or a ride. You can now hire our cars for 1 hour, 2 hours , 3 hours , one day etc at adjustable rates. This can be with or without our driver.

0 notes

mahat-mabhangi · 7 months ago

Link

#KenyaTravel BestTravelAgency ExploreKenya TravelKenya KenyaAdventure

0 notes

amcbrooks-blog · 5 years ago

Photo

How to travel around (when you don’t have a helicopter)

New expats frequently ask me where the best places are to live in and I always recommend trying to live the same side of town as you work. Scroll down and you’ll understand why. does not have a public transport system as such (it’s all privately owned) but there are many different ways of travelling to and around the city. Here’s the muzungu’s introduction to the different types of transport and a few personal recommendations.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know I’m always up for a new adventure so I’ve tried all the different methods of transport across .

⦁ Walking ⦁ Cycling ⦁ Boda boda motorbikes ⦁ Cars ⦁ Taxis and special hires ⦁ Matatus ⦁ Buses and coaches ⦁ Train ⦁ Helicopter!

Walking in

If you’re within walking distance of where you work, then lucky you! My organisation office was in the spare room of my home for my first few years in Uganda and I was saved the hassle of fighting through ’s traffic. I had no idea how lucky I was!

You wouldn’t think this was in would you? Morning view across the wetlands below Bukasa, Muyenga . A morning walk is the perfect way to start my day

Walking my dogs through the back roads of Bukasa and Muyenga were some of my happiest times in Uganda. Here’s a favourite walk of ours. Once you’re in town however, walking is an altogether different matter.

Pavements along Road are good. Very occasionally the streets are closed to vehicles (this was during the City Festival)

It’s only in the centre of town and around the central business district (CBD) that you will find decent pavements. In other parts of town, pavements may suddenly end without warning (if they exist). Drainage covers may be there today and gone tomorrow so always tread carefully. If you have kids, forget bringing the buggy to . You won’t be able to push it very far.

Cycling in

I know very few expats who dare to cycle on ’s crazy streets. I used to cycle when I lived in London but here we have little awareness of cyclists or their safety. You wouldn’t find me cycling around unless it is down by Lake Victoria or on the quiet hills of Kololo or Nakasero. Save your biking for weekends in Lake Mburo or Fort Portal. (Did you know there is an annual mountain bike tour in Karamoja?)

Boda boda motorbikes

These are undoubtedly the quickest way of getting from A to B and the city couldn’t function without them. Boda boda drivers are our best friends, our Mr Fix It, frequently our saviours – just choose with discretion. They can be a real menace too. Read my blog How to ride a boda boda.

Rush hour boda bodas Jinja Road

If you take a boda boda, do yourself a favour and wear a helmet. Don’t just accept a lift from random guys driving past either. Get to know riders from your local boda boda stage or download one of the ‘ride hailing apps’. I use the Uber app all the time in . Their boda riders are registered and bring you a high quality helmet to wear.

Driving a car in

Lots of people prefer the comfort and privacy of having their own cars. I bought my car from expat friends and enjoyed the independence of it for many years. What I didn’t enjoy were the many hours sweating in traffic jams at Jinja Road. Neither did I appreciate being pulled over by the traffic police for some minor offence they had just cooked up when they spotted a loan muzungu. (They pick on Ugandans too, I know!)

The weirdest occasion was one Christmas Eve when I was driving through the industrial area. The traffic policeman ahead of me motioned me to pull over. “What have I done?” I asked him innocently. He walked around the car.

“I’m pulling you over for having a faulty rear brake light” he said.

“How could you see that when you were standing in front of me?” I asked him.

“For us, we have special powers” came the reply.

Driving in – not for the nervous is a popular post by a former expat.

Taxis and special hires

This is where it gets confusing!

Private cars, like Uber, which we now have in , are called ‘specials’ or special hires.

When a British person like me thinks of a taxi, this is what I see:

Black London taxi cab

Matatus

In however, ask for a taxi (pronounced taxiiiiiii) and someone will point you to a matatu or minibus. The crowded old taxi park in downtown is an experience in itself! It can be pretty intense.

Diary of a Muzungu (plus new mattress!) squeezes into a matatu in the Old Taxi Park

The 12 seater minibus taxis (generally white with turquoise ‘go faster’ stripes) are the cheapest way to get around but the routes can be annoying as you have to go into the centre of town to get out to the other side. People often walk a bit, take a matatu and then take the second one or jump on a boda boda for the last part of their journey.

Matatus are very cheap. There are no price lists, no receipts and no timetable. They have set prices but the conductor (who sits by the sliding door and takes your money) will frequently try and overcharge you if you’re a muzungu. It is inevitable but you will quickly get to know what’s a fair price. Most routes charge 1,000 shillings (equivalent to 20 British pence or 30 US cents). If you’re not sure how much to pay, fellow passengers will usually help you out (and scold the conductor at the same time!) Travel with loose change or small notes if you’re using a taxiiiiiii in .

Matatus are good if you are on a tight budget, have a good book to read and can go to work very early (or arrive home very late). Play with your expensive phone at your peril. Thieves are known to put their hand through taxi windows and snatch phones when you’re stuck in traffic.

British TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear team drove through . Here they were looking for a way to get out of the old taxi park!

youtube

The downside with matatus is that they frequently get stuck in traffic, especially around the taxi park and Clock Tower roundabout. It’s not uncommon to sit for one or two hours without moving. Their drivers are often aggressive. Also, you have to be careful of your belongings on these crowded minibuses as there are lots of cunning pickpockets. One friend was relieved of her laptop in a matatu. She had no idea she was being robbed until she got out of the taxi and opened her bag to see her laptop had been replaced by bricks!

If you are using a taxi upcountry, expect to fit a lot more than 12 people in!

Nairobi’s matatus – famous for their graffiti decor and pumping sound systems – are bigger than Uganda’s vehicle of the same name

Note: Uganda’s matatus are twelve-seater minibuses, slightly different from Nairobi’s matatus which are buses, coaches or ‘coasters’ (slightly smaller than a bus).

Buses and coaches

Within city, Pioneer are the only bus company that I know of. Their buses are new, well-maintained with fixed routes, fixed prices and even tickets! Oh how I wish the city had more of these.

I usually take the Link bus between to Fort Portal

If you want to travel outside , upcountry or across one of Uganda’s borders, buses are safer than matatus, which have a particularly poor safety record. My preferred bus companies – who I use regularly – are Mash, Link and Jaguar Executive Coaches. Other people also recommend Oxygen, Coast and Modern Coaches.

Train

If you are lucky enough to live in Kireka or Namanve, you can even get the train into town! The downside is that the service is infrequent although it does have a daily timetable and it’s very cheap. Click on the image to read more about ’s commuter train service.

Rift Valley Railways passenger train – early morning view from the train window

I simply love trains. Read about my train travels across East Africa:

On the right track – my first Ugandan train ride

More ‘lunatic’ than express – an epic adventure on Kenya’s (in)famous train to Mombasa

Of romance and railways. A guide to booking Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway train and a comparison between the train journey and the bus between Nairobi and Mombasa.

Helicopter

I once crossed Jinja Road by helicopter!

Helicopter pilot David Guy (flying over Murchison Falls in this photo)

When I was a volunteer, I got to know the pilot of the helicopter stationed at International Hospital Muyenga. I begged him for a ride (not thinking there was any likelihood of it).

One morning he called me. “Can you get to the hospital in fifteen minutes? I have to transfer the helicopter to the grounds of the Serena Hotel to pick up a private client. You can hop in if you want to?”

God I was excited – but no sooner had the helicopter lifted off the ground than we were landing again… and that sums up my travel experiences in helicopter!

What’s the muzungu’s preferred way of travelling around ?

These days I’m a big fan of Uber and use them every day I’m in .

I love talking to Uber drivers – everyone has a story

Although Uber isn’t ’s only ride hailing app, it does offer the most flexibility and for tourists and new expats, it’s a recognised brand that you may already have installed on your phone. The system works exactly the same way as it does ‘back home’ but cash is always preferred by drivers. Few of them accept credit cards which is understandable. Very few shops in Uganda accept credit cards – we just aren’t there yet.

View from my mobile office in ! My work day starts once I’m in Uber

What’s great about their service in is that Uber have both cars and boda bodas. When I have time, I’ll take a car. This gives me a chance to schedule my meetings, check my email, do a Facebook update (and do my make-up (!) of course). Uber is my mobile office, regardless of the weather or the heavy traffic. When I’m in a rush, I order an UberBODA from the same app. When I’m in , I won’t get on a boda unless I have my helmet. The great thing with UberBODA is your driver will arrive with a helmet for you to borrow (meaning you don’t have to carry your helmet with you all day long). I love the flexibility this gives me.

What are your tips for travelling around ? If you’re coming to live in Uganda for the first time, read Uganda for beginners – an introduction for new expats.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, feel free to share it and sign up to my occasional newsletter.

The post How to get around (when you don’t have a helicopter) appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu | Uganda & East Africa Travel Blog.

#Kampala

0 notes

newstfionline · 8 years ago

Text

Joyous Africans Take to the Rails, With China’s Help

By Andrew Jacobs, NY Times, Feb. 7, 2017

DJIBOUTI--The 10:24 a.m. train out of Djibouti’s capital drew some of the biggest names in the Horn of Africa last month. Serenaded by a chorus of tribal singers, the crush of African leaders, European diplomats and pop icons climbed the stairs of the newly built train station and merrily jostled their way into the pristine, air-conditioned carriages making their inaugural run.

“It is indeed a historic moment, a pride for our nations and peoples,” said Hailemariam Desalegn, the prime minister of Ethiopia, shortly before the train--the first electric, transnational railway in Africa--headed toward Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. “This line will change the social and economic landscape of our two countries.”

But perhaps the biggest star of the day was China, which designed the system, supplied the trains and imported hundreds of engineers for the six years it took to plan and build the 466-mile line. And the $4 billion cost? Chinese banks provided nearly all the financing.

Having constructed one of the world’s most extensive and modern rail networks at home, China is taking its prodigious resources and expertise global. Chinese-built subway cars will soon appear in Chicago and Boston, Beijing is building a $5 billion high-speed rail line in Indonesia, and the Chinese government recently christened new rail freight service between London and Beijing. Another ambitious system in the works, the 2,400-mile Pan-Asia Railway Network, would link China to Laos, Thailand and Singapore.

But few places are being reshaped by China’s overseas juggernaut like Africa, a continent that has seen relatively little new railroad construction in a century.

Despite years of steady economic growth, sub-Sahara Africa remains hobbled by an infrastructure deficit, according to the Africa Development Bank, with only half of its roads paved and nearly 600 million people lacking access to electricity.

Chinese companies, many of them state-owned and grappling with an economic slowdown at home, have stepped into the breach, spending some $50 billion a year on new ports, highways and airports across the continent, according to the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Many of the projects are part of Beijing’s new Silk Road initiative, a $1 trillion effort intended to deepen ties between China and its trading partners in the developing world.

Much of that spending has been directed at rail projects that planners hope will transform the way Africans travel and do business with one another, and the rest of the world.

Chinese-built and -financed projects include a two-year-old light-rail system in the Ethiopian capital; a $13 billion rail link between the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and the port city of Mombasa that will open later this year; and an ambitious rail modernization project in Nigeria that includes an urban transit system for Lagos.

“For the longest time, railroads across Africa were limping along and in decline, but with the Chinese, that’s definitely changing,” said Andrew Grantham, the news editor at Railway Gazette International, a trade publication.

China’s enthusiasm for constructing railroads, schools and stadiums in Africa stands in marked contrast to the role of the United States, which has largely shied away from financing infrastructure on the continent. One of the few exceptions, Power Africa, a $9.7 billion initiative announced by President Barack Obama in 2013, has fallen far short of its goal of providing electricity to 20 million households within five years.

When it comes to trade, China surpassed the United States in 2009 to become Africa’s biggest trading partner.

It remains unclear how that calculus might change under the Trump administration. President Trump has questioned the benefits of free trade agreements, and a questionnaire from his transition team that was sent to the State Department last month expressed skepticism for foreign aid and development efforts in Africa.

That worries some African officials and longtime experts, who fear the loss of American influence and largess--and the good will that is often produced by desperately needed infrastructure projects.

Amadou Sy, director of the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution, said the United States was also missing opportunities to cultivate loyal customers.

“If you’re looking for new markets, Africa is the place to be,” he said. “But right now, the U.S. is not leveraging Africa’s huge potential. By contrast, the Chinese are there, and they are willing to take risks.”

China is placing more than $14 billion worth of bets here in Djibouti, a geopolitically strategic speck of a country beset by soaring poverty and unemployment. The projects include three ports, two airports and a pipeline that will bring water from Ethiopia, its landlocked neighbor and a regional economic power that depends on Djibouti’s ports for 90 percent of its foreign trade.

Also on the drawing board are a series of Chinese-built, coal-fired power plants that would ease summertime electricity failures and help fuel a new tax-free manufacturing zone that officials hope will turn Djibouti into a Hong Kong-style entrepôt and international shipping hub.

Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority, said he hoped the new railway linking his country to the Ethiopian capital would be just the first leg of a long-dreamed trans-Africa route, from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic.

“The train is already a game-changer,” he said, noting that it will cut to 12 hours what until now had been a grueling three- or four-day trip by truck.

Mr. Hadi praised the Chinese for going all in after Western banks declined to help finance the nation’s glaring infrastructure needs.

“We approached the U.S., and they didn’t have the vision,” he said. “They are not thinking ahead 30 years. They only have a vision of Africa from the past, as a continent of war and famine. The Chinese have vision.”

Not everyone is comfortable with China’s vision. Some worry about the leverage China wields and what happens when countries fall behind on loan payments.

For Djibouti, the debt is especially daunting, amounting to 60 percent of its gross domestic product. But Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, the country’s finance minister, dismissed such concerns, saying Djibouti’s heady 6.7 percent growth rate would allow it to meet its loan payments.

“If we don’t take this risk now and develop our infrastructure, we will remain stuck in poverty,” he said. “Come back in a few years, and you will find that Djibouti has become the logistics hub of the continent.”

Others wonder what will happen to the system after the Chinese leave. European imperialists in Africa built a skein of lines, most of which fell into disrepair in the decades after their colonies achieved independence.

Jamie Monson, the author of “Africa’s Freedom Railway,” a book documenting the legacy of the Chinese-built train linking Tanzania and Zambia, said long-term maintenance could be more challenging than initial construction. Built during the Cold War and hailed as a symbol of Chinese-African friendship, the train, the Tazara Railway, has struggled to maintain regular service, prompting talk of a Chinese takeover.

“Without proper maintenance comes problems, which can have a huge impact on a regional economy and local people’s livelihoods,” she said.

For now, however, much of nation is euphoric over the completion of Djibouti’s first modern railway, which follows the path of a creaky French-built line, completed in 1917, that met its demise several years ago after generations of neglect.

Although workers from China did much of the technical and engineering work, thousands of Djiboutian and Ethiopian laborers were hired to lay tracks and dig tunnels, helping to head off some of the local resentment that has dogged other Chinese projects in Africa. The system will be operated by Chinese conductors for five years and then turned over to local citizens, many of them trained in China.

After a boisterous opening day ceremony in the broiling sun, only the best-connected attendees were allowed to board the train, which filled with applause and song as it glided out of the station.

Daha Ahmed Osman, 34, a tech specialist who works for the Djiboutian government, displayed a wide grin as he watched the arid, harshly beautiful landscape spill across the train’s picture windows.

He predicted that the new train would transform Djibouti and Ethiopia, and eventually all of Africa. “For this, we have the Chinese to thank, because they shared with us their money and their technology,” he said. “More than anything we thank them for showing confidence in us.”

#Djibouti #Ethiopia #Chinese railway in Africa #China

1 note · View note