A Long Weekend in Nairobi, Kenya!

Dan and I spent a long weekend in Nairobi, Kenya earlier this month en route to a safari in Masai Mara National Park.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I had a bit of difficulty pre-planning, but we ended up having an enjoyable stay (with only one possible attempt to scam us in a taxi). For those planning a visit or layover, you need at least one full day to see the main sights, and two are preferable.  This post details where we stayed, what we saw, and where we ate, plus a few practical tips for visiting Nairobi, Kenya!

Welcome to Nairobi, Kenya!

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Dinner in the Maldives’ First Wine Cellar

The Conrad Rangali Island is home to the Maldives’ first, and largest, wine cellar. Located 2 meters underground, the Conrad’s wine cellar holds 18,000 bottles of wine, including a first vintage Krug Clos d’Ambonnay (1995) and a bottle of 1990 Methuselah Cristal, costing more than $50,000 USD. It also holds a table seating 10 guests, and its absolutely stunning.

The table in the Wine Cellar.

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Airport Lounge Review: Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, Terminal 8, JFK (New York)

On our trip to the Maldives last Thanksgiving, Dan and I flew out of JFK’s Terminal 8 (AKA JFK’s American Airlines terminal). We got to the airport early, as one does, and were looking for a decent spot to waste the time before our flight. Unfortunately for us, while JFK has numerous Priority Pass lounges, as well as a Centurion lounge and a new Chase lounge that we can access, it has zero of these lounges in Terminal 8, and we could not access the few lounges in the terminal (flying Qatar without status). However, lucky for us, the Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in Terminal 8 gives Priority Pass members and 1 guest a credit of $28 (equivalent to “one lounge visit”) per person to be used on food and/or drink at Bobby Van’s (for a total of $56 for two). Dinner at Bobby Van’s it was! *SIDE NOTE – check your specific PP membership to confirm that you can bring a guest*

Bobby Van’s Steakhouse at JFK.

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A Weekend in Doha En Route to the Maldives!

On a recent trip to the Maldives, Dan and I spent a few days in Doha, Qatar en route. We selected Doha because (1) you have to connect when traveling to the Maldives from the New York area and (2) we have already been to Dubai and Abu Dhabi (the other two big connection spots in the Middle East – the other connection option is Europe). We enjoyed our weekend stay, but we are not in a rush to return to Doha, simply because we didn’t find too, too much to do, and it was very reminiscent of a less exciting Dubai. That being said, the people of Doha were lovely, we were treated very well in Doha, and I would have no problem stopping over in Doha again if the time/price was best (its just not the most exciting IMO). This post details what we did in Doha during our weekend getaway!

Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar – one of Doha’s best activities for tourists.

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Thali Restaurant, Cape Town: Excellent Indian Fare!

I first went to Cape Town back in 2015, and I really wanted to eat at Chefs Warehouse, a no-reservation restaurant Anthony Bourdain had raved about on one of his shows. We sadly missed Chefs Warehouse on that trip, and the original is now closed. BUT (!!), the owners have expanded their empire and opened several restaurants since in and around Cape Town. I obviously looked into them and discovered that one is an Indian restaurant, one of my favorite cuisines. Named Thali, which is a complete Indian meal with numerous dishes, I made it a mission to dine there on our extended trip to Cape Town.

Thali menu.

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