Vaccinations required for move to Kenya

Hi, we are beginning to plan our move and I am full of questions!

- Can anyone tell me what vaccinations I will need to organise for the adults and the girls (aged 8 and 11) before we come? We are currently in the UK.

- We are going to be living on a compound and will have live-out domestic help. I am wondering how we will cope with our dog if we want to go away for a weekend....? In the UK we organise a house sitter or a home boarding place (where the dog stays at another house with someone, a bit like going to stay with Grandma!) Do these things exist in Nairobi?

- As excited as I am, I am also worried about driving through unknown areas. We will be living in Karen - is it safe to drive to the different shopping centres (Yaya etc)?

- My parents have been looking at flights (they might just let us unpack before they arrive!) and some flights arrive into JKIA during the night - is it safe to drive to collect them? (Am I being ridiculous to worry so much?)

- What is the availability and price like for beds, sofas etc? I read that white goods are very expensive - what about everything else?

Thank you in advance for your help! I am sure I will have lots more questions over the next few months!!

Hi Clarissa,

Exciting to hear about your move! I'll try to answer your questions.

- Re Vaccinations, it's best to ask your doctor for advice on this but I'd recommend you get on with the vaccination program. I would advise you have Hepatitis A and B (a couple of people I know have contracted Hep A from food, it's v nasty and silly, since you can easily vaccinate against this) - from memory you can have A&B combined, there are a couple of injections one month apart, then a booster after 6 months (which you can easily get in Nairobi if necessary - just try not to forget!) - once you have had all 3, then you are covered for life. Also get BCG if you haven't already had it. Then get your tetanus up to date (last 10 years) and have a typhoid jab (lasts 3 years). In Karen you have the Karen Hospital, and the v good Karen Surgery which is open mornings only.

- We have had dogs here for years. When we go away we organise for them to sleep outside the house (ie in a garage or outhouse), then our gardener feeds them during the day. On a compound, it will be easy enough to organise for a gardener or night watchman to care for your dogs in your absence. There are always people around, It's a lot less complicated than in the UK!!

- you will be fine driving to the Yaya centre and all around Nairobi, don't worry. Security is not a problem. I do it and the more driving you do the easier it gets. At times it can be a bit like London traffic with some pushing and shoving but the worst that can happen is that you'll get stuck in a jam. Its' possible to buy a Nairobi A-Z which helps a lot in learning your way around. It's available from book shops and supermarkets (in Karen, try Karen Provision Store)

- No problem to collect your parents from JKIA at night. Again, Mombasa Road can be a little like Wacky Races, especially at night but you will be fine vis a vis safety. If you or your husband are worried, then there are reputable taxi firms based at the airport with desks there, - try Express Travel, Jatco Cabs etc. You can organise a cab in advance, so that they are waiting for your parents, then take the mobile phone number of the driver who can contact you on the way in to Karen.

- Sofas can be surprisingly inexpensive compared to UK - many are made in small stalls on the side of the road in Karen and they are perfectly passable at around $400-600 (you will see them as you drive past - try Wilmer interiors on Ngong Rd, Karen - they will make curtains to measure too). The big supermarket chain Nakumatt also sell sofas (mainly fake leather etc). For a more expensive option with a good selection of imported fabrics, try ordering from Nishit in Westlands who will also make one up for you (the also do tailor made curtains, better finish than somewhere like Wilmer). You will find Palacina Interiors (big shop on Mombasa rd, also at Junction shopping centre, yaya and at Palacina Apartments in Hurlingham) when you get here you'll find they import nice beds and sofas from Dubai, but these are more pricey (more like $1,000). Basic beds are also easily available, on the roadside (Ngong Rd) - smarter ones are available in places like Palacina. We recently ordered a mattress from a specialist in Nairobi, but there is a good enough selection in the supermarkets and again, at Nishit etc. We do have Mr Price homestore chain in Nairobi (found in shopping centres) which is South African and has a good selection of reasonably priced interior goods. There are also posh fabric shops here where you'll pay through the nose but get lovely bits and pieces.

- white goods are expensive, 2 times the price of those in UK (try Nakumatt supermarket or Hotpoint in Sarit Centre). It's up to you whether you think it might be easier to buy here rather than ship.

You can really buy anything you need in Nairobi ...at a price - so don't worry. I would recommend you bring bikes and maybe a lawnmower if you can fit them in your container.

Have a snoop around this forum as many of your questions may be answered here and there.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for your reply. You have put my mind at rest. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Clarissa wrote:Thank you so much for your reply. You have put my mind at rest. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Just to note, if you are looking to move in, you can get quality moving services from Cube movers. I've done some local relocation with them before, and know they offer international moving services as well. Check them out.