Africa Travel Data

AFRICA
TRAVEL DATA

This page includes topics to help prepare yourself for life in Africa.

Table of Contents
Africa Facts	General facts and travel advisories on Kenya and Tanzania.
Around Town	What to expect in the big city as a tourist.
Shopping	What to expect while souvenir shopping on tour.
Bartering	My personal experience and strategy on negotiating a good price.
Links	Summary of all links used on this page.
HOME	Back to my Kilimanjaro Home Page.

FACTS ABOUT AFRICA

	Kenya	Tanzania
Capital City	Nairobi	Dar es Salaam
Official Language	English and Swahili	English and Swahili
Currency	Kenyan Schilling	Tanzanian Schilling
1994 Exchange Rate	$1 USD = $63 KSH	$1 USD = $495 TSH
Travel Advisories	Kenya TA	Tanzania TA

The above table displays some basic facts about Kenya and Tanzania. Detailed facts, information, and maps for each country can be obtained from the World FactBook on Kenya and the World FactBook on Tanzania.

Travel Advisories provide important information on current conditions in each country. The 2 sites above are kept up-to-date and include data on crime and many other subjects which affect tourists.

TOC	Africa Facts	Around Town	Shopping	Bartering	Links	HOME

A photograph or clip art

WALKING AROUND TOWN

If you are Asian, Caucasian, or just look like a tourist, you will be approached by many individuals trying to sell you a tour. This usually occurs in the big cities at crowded street intersections and mostly at popular attractions or at the major hotels. This constant harassment was a problem for me in Nairobi and I could not enjoy a peaceful walk around town. Actually, this harassment occurred during my stay at the New Stanley Hotel (luxury hotel located in the middle of downtown) and not during my stay at the Jacaranda Hotel (budget hotel located away from major city attractions). I never accepted any offers since my travel guides recommended only purchasing tours from reputable companies, usually located within your hotel. The photo shows downtown Nairobi near the New Stanley Hotel.

TOC	Africa Facts	Around Town	Shopping	Bartering	Links	HOME

SHOPPING

Buying souvenirs can be quite an ordeal, but consider it part of your African cultural experience. At most of the gift shops, an employee seems to be assigned to you and will follow you around. The positive side is that customer service is great and you can ask questions or begin bartering whenever you are ready. The negative side is that you are constantly hounded by this salesperson to buy something even if all you want to do is just browse peacefully. If you show the slightest interest in anything they will put pressure on you to buy it.

At many of the gift shops adjacent to popular tourist attractions, the store owners will try to put a guilt trip on you in order to get you to buy something at their shop. They may say something like "I have 6 kids to support" or "if I do not sell something I will lose my shop". Try not to let these words affect you because they say them to every tourist. You are not obligated to buy anything. Besides, you are on vacation to see the sites and to experience the culture.

Sometimes it helps to know what others have paid for their souvenirs. Note that if you are on safari and your tour guide takes you to a gift shop, he/she gets a percentage from the shop for everything that you purchase. Keep this tip in mind whenever you seek advice from your guide on the price of an item.

TOC	Africa Facts	Around Town	Shopping	Bartering	Links	HOME

BARTERING

At almost all major gift shops you must negotiate the price of an item. I was unprepared my first time and I paid a bundle for my mistake. Eventually I developed my own strategy on bartering.

From their original asking price, I calculate 40% to be my maximum spending amount. The initial asking price is usually very high and they hope you are inexperienced and will accept a price very close to this one.
My initial offer is always 20%. Note, they are never insulted by a very low first offer (it is all part of the bartering process), and sometimes they will even tell you this fact.
Never tell them how much money you have. They will use this information against you.
I increase my offer in proportion to the amount the seller reduces his price.
Be prepared to walk away. When I reach my 40% limit, I will tell them that this amount is all I have to spend. If they do not believe me, or refuse to go any lower, I thank them for their time and walk away. If they continue to follow you, you are probably very close to a price they will accept. If I really want the souvenir, I grudgingly increase my offer to the 45-50% level, otherwise I will try my luck at the next gift shop.
Have something to trade available. Believe it or not, a ballpoint pen is a valuable commodity and many times the seller agreed to my final price as long as I included my pen in the deal. Even more valuable is a T-shirt associated with an American Professional Sports team or University. Twice I was approached by sellers who would offer me anything in their shop for my UC Davis T-shirt or for my shoes.

This strategy usually works. However, they can always tell if you really like something and may refuse to reduce the price, knowing you will buy it anyway.

TOC	Africa Facts	Around Town	Shopping	Bartering	Links	HOME

LINKS TO RELATED SITES

Links to detailed information on Kenya and Tanzania:

Links to sites which keep up-to-date travel advisories on Kenya and Tanzania:

A great site to learn about culture and travel in Kenya is at the Bwana Zulia Kenya Travel Guide. This site provides lots of detailed information on shopping, hotels, restaurants, etc and even includes a basic swahili lesson.

TOC	Africa Facts	Around Town	Shopping	Bartering	Links	HOME

Kris Bunya
no street given
Los Altos, CA 94022

kkbunya@accesscom.com

Last updated November 15, 1996

http://www.accesscom.com/~kkbunya/travel/page2.html

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