Travel and life outside work

Geneva hosted my 2022 FIRST Global experience, combining an international competition with my first visit to Switzerland.

• Liked: The precision. Everything runs exactly on time. Trains, events, meals. After Kenya, it felt like stepping into a simulation.
• Did not like: The cost of living is staggering. A basic lunch costs what a full week of meals costs back home.

Cairo and Giza in 2023 put the scale and precision of the pyramids into perspective.

• Liked: The scale of ancient Egyptian architecture in person is humbling. Photos do not capture it. You feel small, and that is the point.
• Did not like: Traffic in Cairo is a full-contact sport. No lanes, no rules, just collective momentum and faith.

Singapore hosted the 2023 FIRST Global Challenge and offered a close look at a dense, carefully planned city.

• Liked: The public transport system is flawless. Clean, on time, and connected. The food courts (hawker centers) serve world-class food at street prices.
• Did not like: The humidity makes stepping outside feel like walking into a sauna. Also, chewing gum is famously banned.

A 2024 trip shaped by long distances, city walks, and time around Canada's many lakes.

• Liked: The diversity is genuine, not performative. You hear five languages walking one city block. Multiculturalism done right.
• Did not like: Distances between cities are deceptive. Canada is the second-largest country on Earth, and you feel every kilometer.

A 2024 visit centred on architecture, public space, and the pace of everyday city life.

• Liked: The food culture is not about restaurants. It is about how ordinary people eat with intention. A random bakery in any arrondissement outperforms most celebrated restaurants elsewhere.
• Did not like: The Parisian attitude toward tourists is earned but still jarring. The city does not care if you are impressed.

Athens in 2024 brought robotics work into a city where ancient sites remain part of daily life.

• Liked: The Acropolis at sunset is worth the hype. The weight of history is palpable. Athens feels like a city that remembers what it was.
• Did not like: August heat is brutal. 40 degrees Celsius with no shade near ancient ruins is a test of character, not tourism.

A 2025 visit marked by cycling infrastructure, compact cities, and careful use of public space.

• Liked: The cycling infrastructure is world-class. Bikes have genuine priority over cars. The whole country is designed around human-scale movement.
• Did not like: The weather is relentlessly gray. Sunshine feels like an event rather than a daily occurrence.

A 2023 visit remembered for Kigali's order, hills, and compact urban rhythm.

• Liked: The cleanliness and order is immediately noticeable. Kigali runs with a discipline and intentionality that most cities in the region aspire to.
• Did not like: The pace of development, while impressive, can feel highly controlled. Innovation happens within tight guardrails.

Panama City hosted the 2025 FIRST Global Challenge and one of Team Kenya's most important competition weeks.

• Liked: The energy of winning Silver at FIRST Global 2025 here. Panama City has a skyline that surprises you and a humidity that humbles you.
• Did not like: The humidity is oppressive. Stepping outside feels like walking into a warm, wet blanket that never dries.