Shopping in Kenya can be mostly drive-through.
There are vendors set up along Hwy A2, which is the connectoŕ from Nairobi to the Ethiopian border.
In this land of mostly sunshine, we shop in the open air for most of our day-to-day items. Brick and mortar shops are a rare sight as each little village seems to have its own specialty.
For a few miles along the highway you can buy rice, further down bananas and onions. A smokey stretch of the highway has charcoal vendors. Some manufacture wooden chairs and beds. All will come to the car or invite you to take a look.
On my trip in 2019, with my sister and her hubby, my son said, “Let's shop at the supermarket, we can get almost everything we need at a one-stop shop.”
The moment we pulled up and rolled down our car windows we were laughing. Our laps were filled with bags of avocados, onions, potatoes and fruit.
The Kenyan ladies, with their beautiful smiles, were laughing too as we handed back everything but what we needed.
No need to negotiate, it is always easy. Each bag is pre-portioned out to be 100 kes (Kenyan shillings) roughly one Canadian dollar.
On this trip, I needed some flip-flops and bought a beautiful pair from a vendor walking the parking lot, 1,200 kes. Real leather and with beadwork.
ATMs are everywhere in most cities. Restaurants and hotels will take our major credit cards. Gas is about the same price as at home. 172 to 183 kes per litre.
I don't purchase medical insurance for Kenya because BC Medical will reimburse anything that they will cover at home, but I have to get the receipt itemized. The agent for BC Medical said, “i.e., not just lab test but what the test is for.”
I got a small cut on my leg from hiking and perhaps needed an antibiotic.
Our cook had a lasting cold and we paid for her to visit the medical clinic. She got IV antibiotics and while she was there they gave her some meds for me, 900 kes for her procedure and 300 kes for antibiotics for me. Roughly $12.
Western things we pay about as much as at home maybe even a bit more.
If you have items for this column please email sonja.lester.b.c@gmail.com.
