[Post-Edit Note: All pictures and written content in this post was originally created in 2015.]

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With its vast openness of savannahs, wildlife, and tribal traditions, Kenya is the longstanding protagonist of East Africa. You know it because whenever anyone mentions Africa – whether in reference to its wild, its geographical marvels, its culture, its development, or simply just its essence, in general – first thoughts mostly travel to, Kenya.

There is a hint of legend about this nation’s status on the African map. It is after all, the most frequently portrayed country in pop culture whenever references to this continent are made. From The Constant Gardener to Lara Croft to even Christopher Nolan’s Inception, Kenya’s dramatic backdrops and iconic wildlife establishes the all-encompassing ‘African Landscape’ that the world expects to see – especially ever since 1994, when the film industry was bestowed with Elton John and The Lion King.

The Great Rift Valley.

The one most outstanding beauty mark on Earth’s surface that is so epic, it is actually visible from space.

From salt flats to snow-capped mountains, the Great Rift Valley is best summed up as a 6000-mile crack in the Earth’s crust that spans five countries, and which continues to grow apart with every year. This cartographical curiosity may be 25 million years old today, but geographically speaking, it’s still well in its midst of puberty.

In a few million years, it is possible that the whole of East Africa will split off to form a completely new continent altogether.

Looks familiar?

It would if you spent your childhood watching The Lion King at least three to four times a year.

The Great Rift Valley was one of the few significant sources of influence that eventually shaped the various landscapes featured in The Lion King. A group of animators and artists from the production even spent two weeks at Hell’s Gate National Park, which is located in the Rift Valley Province, gathering information and inspiration for their works.

Today, Kenyan tour guides have developed a habit of referring to all lions as Simba. It appears no one remembers that it isn’t real.

Lake Nakuru is one of those places that will put every single one of your local safaris and game reserves to shame.

At 1.2 million flamingoes, Lake Nakuru holds one of the largest population of flamingoes in the world today.

That’s 870,000 more flamingoes in a National Park than there are people in Iceland.

The Park’s wetlands are a constant shifting mass of blossoming pink, and when they all take flight, boy, do you get treated to a mesmerizing spectacle of a show. I mean, I always knew birds to be pretty, but not this pretty. These birds have poise that Grace Kelly can’t match.

No flamingoes were harmed in the process.

Lake Nakuru might be known to the world as a bird lover’s paradise, but its 250-square-metre area is also a fenced-off sanctuary to The Big Five, which consists of the Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, and Rhinocerous. The term, ‘The Big Five’, is often mistaken as a reference to the five most dangerous animals in the African game reserve; but in actuality, is the five most difficult animals to hunt on foot in Africa.

Which, if you think about it, makes good sense to me.

Because if there ever were a list referring to the five most dangerous animals in an African Game Reserve, humans would be right up there before any other species.

There are at present, only 23 Northern White Rhinos left in the world.

Of these 23, only 1 of them is male (and he is now under 24-hour guard watch by Kenyan park rangers).

Unfortunately, at 40 years old, it won’t be too long before he reaches the end of his life span too. Which, with 22 female Northern White Rhinos left thereafter, pretty much spells the end of yet another animal sub-species.

Why are we hunting rhinos, you ask? It’s the same sad story you have undoubtedly heard before. Powdered rhino horns are prized in some markets for their supposed medicinal uses, and these ground-up horns, unfortunately, can be worth up to U.S.$75,000 per kg.

Do you know what is the one thing in this world that people take most granted for?

Hot Showers.

Zebras confound me.

There are 6 subspecies of zebras in the world, generally differentiated by their stripe patterns: Grevy’s Zebras are thought to spot much thinner stripes; Mountain Zebras have vertical stripes on its neck and torso but horizontal stripes on its haunches; Plains Zebras have brownish ‘shadow’ stripes between the black stripes… and Grant’s Zebras, the ones living in Lake Nakuru, are vertically striped in front, horizontally on the back legs, and diagonally on the rump and hind flanks.

First of all, just who took the time to spot these differences?

And secondly, if the signifiers for its species classification is in contrast to the base fact that no two zebras are known to  have the same set of stripes… does this make all 6 subspecies of zebras a fallacy?

People who murder giraffes and crown themselves hunters are akin to monsters who throw babies down 12 storey towers and think themselves martial arts champions.

It’s true. I did wonder in retrospect if I was being overdramatic, but no. Google it. Hot showers is- universally cited- as one of things we take most for granted in our daily lives.

Consider it.

By the end of the first night at Lake Nakuru, I was already asking myself the golden question: “What did you get yourself into?”

But you know what they say. If you’re not asking yourself that at least once somewhere along the way, you’re probably not doing it right.

You probably don’t expect to hear this about Kenya, but certain parts i.e. Eldoret, can get unbelievably cold.

Like, so cold that breaths transpire as mist any time between 7pm and 6am.

There is nothing wrong with 16°C weathers.

There is, however, everything wrong with 16°C weathers when what you really packed for was 30°C weather.

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I don’t know exactly how or what I expected out of Kenya , but from the second I spotted Cold Stone Creamery on my first day in Nairobi, I knew I’d gotten this country very wrong.

Perhaps one of the things that will fascinate you most about Nairobi is that, at present, it is the only city in the world that has an actual National Park located within the city limits itself – and it is quite an impressive one at that too. No longer do you need to brave the wild just to get a taste of the Big Five. In Nairobi, wildlife awaits your gracious patronage – all within an hour’s throw away from the city.

In Nairobi, you get frisked even for going into a fast food joint to get fried chicken.

How dangerous – or safe- is this city?

Nairobi is one of those places that can be anything you want it to be: if you think of it as a third-world country brimming with crimes and thefts and attacks and murders, then it will be every bit as dangerous as you imagine it to be; and if you think that it is culturally rich and vibrant and bursting with exotic tribal charm, then you will see within it, an effervescent spirit and vigour burning from its streets and people.

The truth about Nairobi is, it is, essentially, a diverse mix of smog, grit, and vivacious energy: by day, it is a hectic, cosmopolitan hub of the whole of East Africa; and by night, a malaria-free city with an exciting night life which can be treaded upon – with caution. More often than not, it is used as a gateway to visit other more tourist-y/wildlife-worthy parts of Kenya like Amboseli, Mombasa, or even the Masai Maara which is a good fourteen-hour drive away; and at times, it even serves as a connecting hub to neighbouring countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, or even Ethiopia.

Regardless, there is something inexplicably magical about Nairobi that merits a second glance, and just about every other corner drips with epic adventures, explorations, and photo ops just waiting to happen.

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Enjoy Kenya. I know I did.