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December, 2007 My Japan Trip - December 2007 I arranged to visit Japan on Holiday and business mission in the month of December, 2007. I had'nt expected the Visa process to be any difficult and so I even booked and paid for my Return air ticket with Emirates Airline. However, I was in for a big surprise ! I was to realise that getting a Japanese Travel Visa was TEN TIMES harder than getting an American or British travel Visas !!
Japanese Embassy is located around Upperhill area, just close to British High Commission in Nairobi. I firstly sent a friend of mine to get me Visa Application forms and after I had filled them and attached all other necessary documents, I personally took the forms to the Embassy hoping to get a Travel Visa within a day or two. As I have already said, getting the Visa was not an easy deal and one can easily be tempted to give up. Am sure many Visa-seekers have had to give up. All the same, I got the Visa on 19th December, 2007 after three visits and several phone calls to the Embassy. Thus, I was due for the BIG visit to Japan the following day.
I left Nairobi on 20th December, 2007 aboard Emirates Flight EK720 for Dubai at 1725hrs. From Dubai I connected on Flight EK316 at 0215hrs on 21st Dec. and flew for 12 hours non-stop upto Kansai Int. Airport, Osaka, Japan where I arrived at around 4.30pm (Japan time) and it was already dark!. I went through the normal Immigration and Customs entry procedures after which I was due for my hotel but not before a cute plainclothed-Japanese Policewoman stopped me for routine checks. I was very comfortable with her questions and by the time she was through with me, we were already exchanging contacts as good friends. She even helped find my way to my hotel ! I had been booked at Hotel Sunrise Inn at Kaizuka, just afew kilometres from Kansai Airport. By 7.00pm, I was in my hotel.
That night I slept late at 3.00am but managed to wake up at 7.30am. Weather was too bad, as there were heavy rains accompanied by storms and it was very chilly. I would have hated Japan if I did'nt visit Namba - the main city centre of Osaka. Here I went by use of speed Electric Trains. These Trains move at a speed of Over 120mph and they form the convinient mode of passanger transport. For the next 3 or 4 days, my stay in Japan became enjoyable. Namba, Kyoto and Kobe had became my frequent destinations. I used to leave my hotel very early in the morning only to return back late in the night. Communication with my relatives & friends in Kenya was minimal due to the difference in Time Zone. Japan is 6hrs ahead of Kenya. This gave me time to concentrate on my Japanese business with little to care about Africa.
My main interests were tourism and business. I also tasted Japanese foods, drinks(like Sake), nice life and their rich culture. I saw all that I had seen in movies, TVs and adverts about Japan.. - a really lovely place !! Japan is very clean and attractive. No dust or mud even with all those rains. My shoes remained clean throughout my stay. Electrical switches operate vertically Right - Left unlike ours which operate Up and Down. I found all Japanese people very busy BUT respectful, humble, cheerful and helpful. They never ignore you incase of any enquiry or needs. Japanese girls are generally short and attractive though some have noses like a pig's. Many have no hips (flat behinds) BUT this is compensated with cute-lovely-smooth sporty legs ; very shapely and attractive legs !! Most of them were dressed in long boots, very short skirts and heavy coats. Their bodies are flexible and can move round...all sides - good for gymnastics and martial arts. Apparently, for all the time I stayed in Osaka, I never saw a single black man or woman ! I was a Lone Ranger in this part of Asia. But all in all, I got the best treatment from the Japanese.
I must say that I was one Lucky chap to celebrate Year 2007 Christmas in TWO WORLDS. I left Japan on the night of 25th December and I was back in Kenya by the evening of Boxing Day, 26th December, 2007, just in time to participate in our country's General Election.
God Willing, I shall Be Back....... Not So Long....!!
Long Live Japan, Love Live Japanese People...!!
(View More of My Japanese Trip Photos in The PHOTO ALBUM)
By: Jimmy Wayuni
Nairobi - KENYA.
April, 2007 How I got My USA Travel Visa. Sometime in January 2007, I got an invitation to attend Workshops on movie acting in Disney-MGM Studios (Orlando), Florida, and Hollywood, (Califonia), USA. The workshops were scheduled to take place in June/July 2007. Thus, in February 2007, I applied for a non-immigrant travel visa as per requirements of the USA Immigration regulations.
This being my first time to apply for an US travel visa and with all the stories I had heard about "numerous" problems my fellow Kenyans faced in obtaining travel visas to America, I was as nervous and restless as anyone could guess. I knew very well that NOBODY whether socially, politically, economically, racial or otherwise connected, is 100% guaranteed a US travel visa However, one thing remained stuck to me.....that is... I was almost very confident that I would get it with or without any external help !!
The interview was scheduled at 9.00am (E.A Time) on 5th April, 2007. So, on the eve of this day, I gathered all the necessary documents, went through them several times one-at-a-go and when I got satisfied that all was in order, I said a pray or two and left everything else to God. That day being a Wednesday popularly baptised in Kenya as "Lady's Nite" I also avoided social joints (bars, restaurants, etc) and headed straight home after work.
On the morning of the D-Day, I woke up at 6.00am (E.A Time), took a shower and dressed in a mid-grey double-cut suit with, a light-coloured shirt, a matching blue dotted tie and black leather shoes. I took some porridge for breakfast and set off for the American Embassy which is situated nearly 20kms from my residence. I drove along Langata Road, then Mbagathi Road, Valley Road, Nyerere Avenue, Uhuru Highway, Forest Road and finally Limuru Road upto UNEP, Gigiri, Nairobi. Traffic was normal and so I was outside American Embassy by 8.20am.
I parked my BMW outside Gigiri Police Station and by 8.40am I was going through the Gate security checks which to my judgement were very normal and professionally conducted. By 8.50am, I handed in my Passport and other relevant documents at one of the Windows designed for that purpose. I was given a "waiting slip" to enable me claim back my passport & other documents. I then joined other people who had also arrived for interviews and other official matters. I judged that there were very many people who had turned up for interviews on that day.
I waited the whole morning but my name was never called. Afternoon session found me thinking that my documents had been misplaced. However, I endured the waiting until around 4.30pm when my name was finally called....!! I was summoned to Window No.9 and a very intelligent-looking lady took me through a 3-minute interview. Within that short time, I was able to demonstrate much of what was required of me and the lady happily told me that I had qualified for the VISA. I gave her a big, loud Thank You and the people who were still waiting to be attended to burst into praise and laughter. They congratulated and praised me for the way I conducted myself and best of all, my CONFIDENCE !! Some even followed me to ask me how I had easily made it while they had tried more than FIVE times without any luck. I told them that there was NO secret - But, to succeed in most things, one has to be confident, organised, sincere (Speak Truth) and courageous.
Thus, as I make the final touches for my much anticipated trip to USA, I advise all those going for US travel visas to have CONFIDENCE, be ORGANISED and be TRUTHFUL. I did not find any complications or strange requirements in the whole process. Despite the long wait, which I suspected was due to the large number of interviewees, everythings else was very normal according to my observation.
........ Much Thanks To The Lady who Interviewed me............
.........Much Thanks To American Embassy.............................
.........Much Thanks To Those Who Cheered me up................
LONG LIVE AMERICA.....!!!!
By: Jimmy Wayuni
Nairobi, KENYA.
October, 2006 My First Trip To Thailand - February, 2005 After the success of my Hongkong trip, life changed tremedously and I started making regular visits to other Far East destinations. One such trips took me to... Thailand...!!!
I left Nairobi's JKIA airport on 3rd February, 2005
 aboard Emirates flight EK 386 to Bangkok via Dubai. The journey from Nairobi to Dubai takes approximately 4 hours. The connecting flight from Dubai to Bangkok takes nearly 5 hours. Thus, I landed at Bangkok Int. Airport (Don Muang) on 4th Feb. 2005 to a rousing welcome by my hosts          .... Allow me not to reveal the identities of my Hosts for security, business and personal reasons....!! My first week's attention was deeply focused on business matters which involved studying scripts and shooting clips for my hosts' movies at various sites and working on new business projects either alone or with my hosts. Some of the locations we used are the same same areas you have seen in great movies by such world stars as Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damne, Roger Moore (James Bond), Jet Li, and many many other celebrities. They are also the locations used in shooting some of " the numerous famous Vietnam war movies..."
I later gave myself sometime to "explore" Thailand and the wonderful Thai culture, Thai People, Thai foods, Thai music, Thai massage, the Muay Thai (Thai Kick Boxing), Thai nights, etc. I visited many lovely places around and outside Bangkok City like the famous Kwai River, The Floating Market, The Platnum Shopping Complex, The Bang-Pa In Palace, The Great Buddha's sites and the marvellous Pattaya Beach Resort
 !! I even rode in Tuk Tuk ( the famous three-wheeled taxis). I also learnt that the money Exchange rate is: 1ThBaht = Ksh.2.00 ( 1 Thai Baht is approx. 2 Kenyan Shilings.) It was indeed a wonderful trip and I left that lovely country "SWEARING TO RETURN AGAIN WHETHER IN BUSINESS OR NOT...." By the time I boarded my plane for return to Kenya, I could comfortably and fluently say; ...Sawadee ka?? & Khob khon kha... Thai words: meaning ...How are you?? & Thank you... respectively !! I flew back to my country on 11th Feb. 2005 aboard Emirates flight EK 348 to Nairobi via Dubai. However, I kept my promise and returned to Thailand around October/November same year!!
Thailand is in no doubt a great country and I would recommend any potential businessman, investor or tourist to consider trying his/her hand (...or leg!) there. Indeed, it's A Land Of 1000 Smiles while the capital city Bangkok is surely The City Of Angels. I'm a Witness to all these....
........Well, how about some PHOTOS for Your Eyes Only....
By: jimmy wayuni
nairobi, kenya.
September, 2006 How I Made It To Far East... I had always wanted to visit Far East Countries ever since I was in school in the early 70' and 80's. I very much liked reading History and Culture of the great countries of Japan, India, Korea, China, Hongkong and Thailand.
I kept wondering if such a chance would ever knock at my door considering the distance between my African Country, Kenya, and Far East.
However, God is great and always answers such prayers no matter how long it takes. Between years 1995 and 1998, I started meeting many people from these Far East countries during my course of duties. I was working as a Senior Customs Officer at City Square Post parcels office, Nairobi, Kenya. These lovely people were coming to clear and collect their postal parcels through Customs. Some were students, tourists, business investors,etc. I used to help many of them get through Customs procedures.
I got used to many of them since I found them very friendly and loving. Similarly, they also liked me very much and they never liked to be cleared by any other Customs official. Our friendship grew bigger and stronger day after day and we learnt alot from each other. It was out of this friendship and strong relationship that I found myself in HongKong for the first time in Year 2002.
I was there on an invitation from these great people. My Return Air Ticket, Accomodation, Meals, Leisure,...etc etc...name it... was all paid for by my hosts. I stayed there for 2 good weeks. I visited such places as Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, New Territories, The Star Ferry, The "Suspended" Bridge on the way to and fro Hongkong International Airport, The Peninsular Hotel, The 007 Bottoms Up Club hotel - where the James Bond Movie (The Man With The Golden Gun) was filmed in 1971.
I also had a taste of some Chinese dishes-using chpsticks,The HongKong Massage, travelled in The Metro Shuttle Train and The Junk and many nice things in addition to meeting such great Movie Stars as Jet Li, Jackie Chang, Wong, Moon Lee and Chow Mei.
All in all, Everything was lovely....
I will NOT reveal everything about that trip since some things are rather CONFIDENTIAL (Business, Contracts, Agreements, Personal, etc, etc). However, I promise to tell those who will ask specific issues PRIVATELY...
Thank you and be blessed. Some photos are available here ..."For Your Eyes Only"...
Jimmy Wayuni - Sept.2006
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