Would you guys like me to keep posting these? I have been to Ethiopia again, Zambia and Malawi since my last post. I’m not sure if you guys enjoy reading about these adventures or not.
Vape Ventures: Chronicles of a Wanderlust Vaper
- Thread starter Old_Goat
- Start date
Hey guys. It has been a while since I last posted here. It is not that I haven't been traveling, I just have not had the time to write it all down. So here is a quick update on my last trip. It is a 3 part series and I am still working on part 3.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Tanzania
A Journey of Delays, Vaping, and Unexpected Wins
Alright, so let me start by saying, I was not exactly stress-free heading into this trip. I was on a work mission, but this time with my manager — a guy who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and thinks vaping is practically a sin. So, here I was, packing for a three-week trip with more juice and coils than anyone could need, all while mentally prepping for the usual vaping lecture. Wanderlust Fogmaster, Target 200, and my trusty Xros 4 mini were loaded and ready.
Flight Delays & Airport Drama
Sunday morning rolled around, and as I’m about to head to the airport, I get hit with the first curveball: my flight’s been delayed. Not by an hour, but until 5 p.m. Turns out, Kenya Airways had other plans for my day. To be honest, I didn’t mind — more time at home with my fiancé and pups. Eventually, I got to the airport, went through all the checks, and found myself in the lounge. By 4:30 p.m., they’d delayed it again to 8:30 p.m. Typical. But hey, what’s a few more hours of lounge snacks and maybe one too many Jack Daniel’s?
Arriving in Dar es Salaam
After what felt like the longest airport layover ever, I finally arrived in Dar. Checked into the hotel, and being familiar with the place, I set myself up to vape in my room without setting off any alarms (travel hack: shower caps aren’t just for the shower). Instead of moving around the city to meet clients like usual, we stayed put at the Sea Cliff Hotel and let them come to us. This setup was perfect. I could vape freely between meetings, and the view of the ocean didn’t hurt either.
Clearing the Air on Vaping
As expected, my manager brought up the “dangers of vaping” conversation. I laid out the facts about vaping being a healthier alternative to smoking, DIY e-liquids and especially on my view of disposables and the whole youth vaping issue. By the end, I think I’d managed to change his mind a bit. The fact that he didn’t bring it up again after our chat? Small victories.
Exploring Dar & A Night at the Yacht Club
We did end up exploring a bit of Dar es Salaam. I got to see parts of the city I hadn’t before, but the real highlight was a night out at the yacht club with some ex-pats. This is where things got a little wild. Let’s just say, there were a few too many rounds, and even my non-drinking manager ended up having a beer or two. If you’re doing business with ex-pats, you keep up with their pace, and if they’re buying, well… let’s just say it was a night to remember — or not remember.
But that’s Tanzania for you. Next up, Kenya and trust me, you don’t want to miss this. To be continued…
A Journey of Delays, Vaping, and Unexpected Wins
Alright, so let me start by saying, I was not exactly stress-free heading into this trip. I was on a work mission, but this time with my manager — a guy who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and thinks vaping is practically a sin. So, here I was, packing for a three-week trip with more juice and coils than anyone could need, all while mentally prepping for the usual vaping lecture. Wanderlust Fogmaster, Target 200, and my trusty Xros 4 mini were loaded and ready.
Flight Delays & Airport Drama
Sunday morning rolled around, and as I’m about to head to the airport, I get hit with the first curveball: my flight’s been delayed. Not by an hour, but until 5 p.m. Turns out, Kenya Airways had other plans for my day. To be honest, I didn’t mind — more time at home with my fiancé and pups. Eventually, I got to the airport, went through all the checks, and found myself in the lounge. By 4:30 p.m., they’d delayed it again to 8:30 p.m. Typical. But hey, what’s a few more hours of lounge snacks and maybe one too many Jack Daniel’s?
Arriving in Dar es Salaam
After what felt like the longest airport layover ever, I finally arrived in Dar. Checked into the hotel, and being familiar with the place, I set myself up to vape in my room without setting off any alarms (travel hack: shower caps aren’t just for the shower). Instead of moving around the city to meet clients like usual, we stayed put at the Sea Cliff Hotel and let them come to us. This setup was perfect. I could vape freely between meetings, and the view of the ocean didn’t hurt either.
Clearing the Air on Vaping
As expected, my manager brought up the “dangers of vaping” conversation. I laid out the facts about vaping being a healthier alternative to smoking, DIY e-liquids and especially on my view of disposables and the whole youth vaping issue. By the end, I think I’d managed to change his mind a bit. The fact that he didn’t bring it up again after our chat? Small victories.
Exploring Dar & A Night at the Yacht Club
We did end up exploring a bit of Dar es Salaam. I got to see parts of the city I hadn’t before, but the real highlight was a night out at the yacht club with some ex-pats. This is where things got a little wild. Let’s just say, there were a few too many rounds, and even my non-drinking manager ended up having a beer or two. If you’re doing business with ex-pats, you keep up with their pace, and if they’re buying, well… let’s just say it was a night to remember — or not remember.
But that’s Tanzania for you. Next up, Kenya and trust me, you don’t want to miss this. To be continued…
Kenya — A Wild Welcome and a Close Call
This Kenya trip? A whole new beast. It started at the airport, where a seemingly helpful cop turned my welcome into something you’d only believe if you’d been there. I’m waiting in a long line to get my passport stamped when this cop suddenly tells me to move over to the UN and ambassador line since no one’s using it. Seemed a little odd, but he looked official, and a few other folks were doing the same. So, I shrugged, headed over, and got through customs way faster.
I picked up my bags, only to find another long line at the scanner. No big deal, right? But then, like magic, the same cop shows up, grabs my bag, and waves me right past the scanner. At this point, it was starting to feel sketchy. And sure enough, once we’re outside, he starts hinting that he’s expecting a little “extra.” Now, since this was a business trip, I knew I couldn’t expense a bribe, so I told him if he wanted a Coke or something, I could swing that. He wasn’t happy with the answer, so he grabs my backpack — the one with my laptop and my vapes in it. Not good.
Thinking fast, I offer him the Coke again, and finally, he hands the bag back. I’m just relieved to get my stuff back, but I’m tense as hell. I’m dying for a quick vape to calm down, but here’s the kicker: vaping near any government building, including the airport, is off-limits in Kenya. So I’m searching my bags, only to look up and see the cop standing outside, smiling and taking a drag on my Xros before slipping back inside. Yup, that just happened. Welcome to Africa, folks. On the bright side, he didn’t get my wallet, and I still had my other vapes.
After a drive to the hotel, I checked in at the Best Western Westlands. Nice place, super clean, but with serious no-smoking rules. Let’s just say, shower caps? Still coming in handy.
Day 1 in Kenya: a bit rough, but done. Nairobi itself was pretty standard as far as business goes, so not much to report there. But let me tell you, Nanyuki was a whole different story — the adventure kicked up a notch, and I’ll save that for the next round.
This Kenya trip? A whole new beast. It started at the airport, where a seemingly helpful cop turned my welcome into something you’d only believe if you’d been there. I’m waiting in a long line to get my passport stamped when this cop suddenly tells me to move over to the UN and ambassador line since no one’s using it. Seemed a little odd, but he looked official, and a few other folks were doing the same. So, I shrugged, headed over, and got through customs way faster.
I picked up my bags, only to find another long line at the scanner. No big deal, right? But then, like magic, the same cop shows up, grabs my bag, and waves me right past the scanner. At this point, it was starting to feel sketchy. And sure enough, once we’re outside, he starts hinting that he’s expecting a little “extra.” Now, since this was a business trip, I knew I couldn’t expense a bribe, so I told him if he wanted a Coke or something, I could swing that. He wasn’t happy with the answer, so he grabs my backpack — the one with my laptop and my vapes in it. Not good.
Thinking fast, I offer him the Coke again, and finally, he hands the bag back. I’m just relieved to get my stuff back, but I’m tense as hell. I’m dying for a quick vape to calm down, but here’s the kicker: vaping near any government building, including the airport, is off-limits in Kenya. So I’m searching my bags, only to look up and see the cop standing outside, smiling and taking a drag on my Xros before slipping back inside. Yup, that just happened. Welcome to Africa, folks. On the bright side, he didn’t get my wallet, and I still had my other vapes.
After a drive to the hotel, I checked in at the Best Western Westlands. Nice place, super clean, but with serious no-smoking rules. Let’s just say, shower caps? Still coming in handy.
Day 1 in Kenya: a bit rough, but done. Nairobi itself was pretty standard as far as business goes, so not much to report there. But let me tell you, Nanyuki was a whole different story — the adventure kicked up a notch, and I’ll save that for the next round.
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