Stefani Roma is a young digital influencer, entrepreneur and traveller well known for her Instagram page where she shares about her escapades. She's been everywhere from the beautiful tropical islands of the Philippines to our very own white sandy beaches in Diani. We caught up with the ambitious, bubbly Stefani who goes by the name Pendaroma to chat about travel and Easter plans.
KENYABUZZ: How many countries have you been to?PENDAROMA: I have been to 27 countries so far.
KENYABUZZ: You have a rich heritage. Tell us a bit about it.PENDAROMA: I am 25 years old and I am Kenyan. I'm half Kenyan, a quarter Israeli and a quarter Italian.
KENYABUZZ: What sparked your interest in travelling?PENDAROMA: It came from my late mother, I grew up watching and hearing of her travels for work and she loved discovering different cultures and places. If I was lucky, at the end of the year she would take me with her for one of her trips and I just fell in love with the thrill of discovering and learning about different places.
KENYABUZZ: Where are some of the places in Kenya you have travelled to?PENDAROMA: I love exploring all the wonders that Kenya has to offer. I have been to Mombasa, Diani, Malindi, Nakuru, Naivasha, Maasai Mara, Mt Kenya, and I plan to do a lot more places hopefully this year.
KENYABUZZ: What's the most beautiful place you've been to so far?PENDAROMA: I have fallen in love with Kenya's beaches, especially Diani. I feel like they are some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen in the world, and they need to be visited by more people. I also absolutely love the beauty of the Maasai Mara. You can travel around the world and most places show you old buildings, but here we have natural, picturesque destinations.
KENYABUZZ: What's the most unique place you've visited?PENDAROMA: The Great Rift Valley. It is so diverse in its landscapes and offers amazing views for a beautiful getaway with friends and family.
KENYABUZZ: What's perfect for an Easter weekend getaway?PENDAROMA: There are many good options, we're spoilt. You can drive down to Naivasha for camping or a stay at a luxury resort as you fill your day with activities like touring the Hell's Gate National Park. You could catch the SGR train to Mombasa and chill at a beachside resort from Friday to Sunday and come back to Nairobi refreshed for work. I would advise anything that is practical in terms of time; so normally a quick drive, train ride or flight of 45 minutes to 4 hours is doable.
KENYABUZZ: Where would you recommend a family travel to internationally?PENDAROMA: Phuket, Thailand. It is by the beach and extremely beautiful with plenty of water activities for kids and it is very cheap. A lot of people don't realise that a lot of Asian destinations such as Thailand are cheaper than Kenya. An hour-long massage can cost Ksh 1,000 and cocktails by the beach at $3 each.
KENYABUZZ: Which one is your most memorable destination?PENDAROMA: Positano in Italy is my most memorable trip. I landed in Napoli and there wasn't really much to do or see (if you compare it to Rome or Milan). So, a friend and I decided to book a day tour to the Amalfi coast and it was so unexpected! We found beautiful cliff sides with amazing views and all the houses built into the cliff facing the ocean! I was left speechless!
KENYABUZZ: What is the one place in the world you'd like to travel to?PENDAROMA: I would love to visit Marrakesh, Morocco. Unfortunately, it is still very expensive to travel within Africa. I am saving up to one day have a Morocco Adventure.
KENYABUZZ: If you had to guide a novice traveller on how to plan and budget for a trip, what would you advise?PENDAROMA: I always start by picking a destination then I work through the holiday details e.g. What are flight schedules? How long do I want to be there? What kind of hotel/hostel would I like to stay in? How much would I need for food and shopping? Once I know how much the whole trip will cost, I open a travel savings account and depending on how soon I want to book everything, I start putting money into the account from each pay check. Be tough on yourself. Do not to dip into the account and keep your main goal in mind. You will soon be on your way to your dream destination.
KENYABUZZ: You're also an avid foodie. Which Nairobi restaurants would you suggest for an Easter outing?PENDAROMA: I would recommend the Arbor in Lavington, it has space for kids to play and serves reasonably priced, and very tasty food. Nyama Mama at Delta Towers is always fun and their Ugali fries are to die for. Pan Asian Yao on UN Avenue always has amazing food and it can be fun with the family to make your own food and flavours.
*All images courtesy of Stefani Roma
