We never felt unsafe in Africa. We used common sense, and we were always aware of our surroundings just as we are here in the United States. Just don't do stupid things.

The city of Nairobi is known as Nai"robbery." We simply never put ourselves into any situations for this to happen. In both countries we were driven everywhere, and our driver took care of everything. It's the only way to go!

We had read up on all the things to be aware of before we left. We learned what areas are unsafe to walk around in. We would never leave our belongings unattended at any time, and we would never leave anything of value in our vehicle unless it was in a guarded parking lot. A backpack is a dead giveaway that you're a tourist, not someone who is working here on a visa. We carried most of our money and all of our valuables in a money belt under our clothes.

We also both bought cheap watches to wear, as it's a popular item to slip off someone's wrist. I also bought a simple silver wedding ring as it's not wise to show wealth by wearing rings with diamonds. One book I read said that if you have nothing of value on you, you'll then feel less threatened. So that's what we did!

As is so often the case in developing countries, the police will usually be of little help in the event of trouble. Most of the police are even corrupt. Just be smart about everything, and you'll be fine!


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