Okay, it wasn’t really that cold. Either that, or I was sufficiently prepared!

I told my colleagues in Nairobi: I am a tropical girl, I need my sunshine, and I don’t like the cold. And so I was quite sure that I packed way too many clothes.

All the blogs and web articles I saw advised layering: camisoles and vests, long-sleeved buttoned shirts, cardigans, leggings and jeans, socks and closed shoes or boots, scarves and shawls. Jackets for wet weather or dry cold weather. So I packed accordingly.

First off, I forgot that the sunshine makes such a big difference. Early in the morning, it would be foggy, the air so cold that it was almost biting. Many of us would come to breakfast in jackets and sweaters and scarves, sleeves pulled over our hands. As the day progressed and the sun rose higher in the sky, people peeled off their layers, stood in the sunshine, enjoyed the warmth. At the end of the day, we went to dinner with our jackets back on.

Above: Day 1 of training! One of my favorite skirts, a soft, full-length cotton skirt from Bangladesh that I got for only 600 taka (about PHP 300), with a Uniqlo camisole and a short-sleeved button down shirt. Depending on how warm or cool I felt, I could easily button up the shirt. I also had a red kimono (Lazy Fare) and a scarf for additional warmth.

It was cold enough that we never needed to turn on the air-conditioning in our room, or in the meeting rooms. During our training sessions, the doors to the patio were wide open to let in the air and the sunshine. During breaks we stepped out to warm ourselves under the sun while enjoying coffee or tea with our snacks. It was cold, but I survived in my jogger pants and my long skirts, taking care to wear long socks, and layering camisoles with loose shirts, with a scarf or a light jacket for added warmth. At night, after our cold showers, we climbed under the covers, my pajamas sufficient to keep me warm but not too hot.

Above: Day 2 of training! Jogger pants and Uniqlo knit bra top, with denim shirt and kimono (Lazy Fare) for warm. By noon I had peeled off the kimono (Lazy Fare) and the denim shirt.

On day 2, we managed to go out for a walk after training, before it got dark. I worried that I would feel cold, so I wore a denim shirt and wrapped my scarf around my neck. But with the pace we kept, I ended up sweating a bit, and taking off my scarf before we even got back to the hotel.

Above: Last day of training! My favorite cargo skirt from Lazy Fare (four pockets!), matched with yet another Uniqlo bra top and a buttoned shirt. It seemed extra cold that morning, so I threw on a Star Wars sweater that I’d never had reason to wear before. I was so grateful for the long sleeves and the thumb holes in the cuffs. And of course, a scarf! I was quite pleased when my colleague from Venezuela told me, “You have such nice outfits!” By afternoon, I’d discarded the sweater and the scarf.

On our last night, I hung out with my colleagues for a drink at the bar. Maybe it was the cider, or the laughter and the company, but I found myself feeling warm despite the steady rain and the late hour. I don’t know if I acclimatized quickly, but I found myself surviving without a jacket or a cardigan, my scarf apparently sufficient. Maybe that cider helped?

Early mornings remained a challenge for everyone, and this was most apparent when we left early for our safari. One of our colleagues had gone on safari the day before training started, and she reminded us that we would be riding in a van with open windows, cold air coming in. Another colleague, who had been in Nairobi for 6 months, advised, “Water, sunglasses, jacket. NBO is unpredictable, it might rain.”

We were so grateful for the warning! I had packed my Uniqlo x JW Anderson souffle yarn jogger pants that I got on sale two years ago, and had never had reason to wear; I finally got to wear them! I wore a short-sleeved t-shirt. I threw on my Star Wars sweater, and those long sleeves with thumbholes were such a lifesaver. I had my Decathlon waterproof jacket, and a scarf.

Above: Can you see how many layers I’m wearing?

I have to say, I was sufficiently warm! The jacket was a great choice, as the vans left dust clouds on the dirt roads, and we were all brown because we were standing in the roof window of the van. My colleagues had cotton or denim jackets which soon turned brown; my waterproof jacket was apparently dust-resistant too!

I was so glad I brought the scarf, because in the early morning it was drizzling, the raindrops like cold needles on my hands and my face.

As the day wore on, as with the previous days, the layers soon peeled off. First the scarf, then the waterproof jacket. It must have been noon when I finally removed the sweater.

It’s good to know I packed enough clothes. Not only that, I packed the right clothes, with my camisoles and my button down shirts and scarves. Some good things to remember:

• Bra camisoles are amazing! They’re versatile, because you can use them in warm weather by themselves, or as a base layer in cold weather. They come in different styles: cropped, racer, wide or thin straps, plain or striped, and all the colors in the world. And I love the built-in bra, because that means I don’t need to worry about packing so many bras.
• Scarves are amazing! Great for covering my head, my face, my shoulders, my chest, my legs. I can use it as a blanket on the plane, or as a pillow.
• Buttoned shirts are amazing! I don’t have many, but I really like how closing or undoing one or two buttons could do so much for warmth. I think I need more white linen shirts.
• Apparently I really like olive green! Obviously black, white and gray are the most versatile colors, but I find myself gravitating to this particular shade too. For this trip I’d packed three pants, one skirt, one camisole and one kimono in that color.

Happy to say I now know how to pack for cold African weather. If I ever have to go to a place with snow though, that’ll be another problem!