Kenya is one of the countries most frequently visited by Italian tourists (the so-called ‘repeaters’). It has been for about forty years, it's nothing new. Nor is it news that some of them, trip after trip, become residents or long-term holidaymakers, acquire property or become attached in other ways to what often becomes a ‘second homeland’.
The consequence is that those who live in Kenya see many familiar faces every year and can cultivate long-distance friendships that become pleasant habits. This applies both to other Italians and to Kenyan citizens.

Every year, however, there are regular visitors who, for one reason or another, decide or find themselves forced to skip their appointment (or even more than one) with Africa.
This happened very clearly, and painfully for some, during the pandemic, with the closure of countries and airports. But without going to the extreme, there are those who give up Kenya for economic reasons (the price of plane tickets, rented houses, hotels or other accommodation increases from season to season, as does the cost of living both in Italy and in Kenya itself), for sentimental reasons or new Italian encounters (a partner who doesn't like Africa), for health reasons or other reasons.

The common denominator for those who temporarily can't return is almost always disappointment, and we can see this in the messages we receive on social media and in the emails our readers send us. With the promise that as soon as they can, they'll set foot again on the land that gave them the so-called ‘Africa sickness’.
This year too, and the high season isn't over yet, we've seen hundreds of comebacks and even a few defections.