May 8 2026 - Flying From Malawi to Nairobi Kenya

Location: MalawiSummary:Today, May 8th, 2026, I traveled from Malawi to Nairobi, Kenya. My flight with Malawi Airlines departed around quarter to 5 Malawi time, and with the one-hour time difference, I landed in Nairobi around 8 in the evening. Before leaving, I ran into the Swiss couple again who had quite the adventure exchanging money on the black market — they were whisked away in the back of a car to count cash, a real dive into African culture. Since my flight was in the late afternoon, I had a relaxed morning exploring the local restaurants and shops one last time. I arranged a taxi through someone at the hotel, and the car that showed up was easily the most rickety vehicle I've encountered in all my time driving across Africa. I was genuinely surprised it made it to the airport, but it did. The Malawi airport was pretty basic with limited food options, but a simple sandwich did the trick. My Kenya visa, which I had obtained a few days earlier, cost about $139. These expenses add up, but in the grand scheme of this trip, they're minor. Upon arriving in Nairobi, I connected with Steve Mogul from Holiday Autos/YouSave to pick up my rental car — a Toyota Corolla. There was no office to visit; Steve called me while I was walking through the airport and eventually met me to take me to the parking garage. I chose to rent from the airport since I'd also be departing from the same airport when leaving Kenya. The car was set up for left-hand traffic, which is correct for Kenya, but I had to adjust since I'd been driving left-hand drive vehicles in right-hand traffic countries. Everything was on the opposite side of the steering wheel. It was dark by then, so I was glad my hotel was only about 6 kilometers away. The Cozy Hotel turned out to be an interesting place — a tall hostel-style building of about 9 or 10 stories with independent units, each with a kitchenette and private bathroom. There's a restaurant on the top floor with views of the surrounding area, which sits on the edge of Nairobi near open fields. Same day, new country — the journey continues!