I’m now 5 weeks into my digital nomad trip—2 weeks in Kenya, 2 weeks in Abu Dhabi, 1 week in Bangkok (and just landed in Chiang Mai).

Wanted to share how the first 4 weeks went—Africa vs the UAE.

The contrast between the two has been crazy.

You could tell a lot from arrival.

When I landed in Kenya, it was chaos.

The airport was on strike. There was a riot. The roads were manic as people tried to get in and out.

Of course, this isn’t the norm.

But as you drove through Nairobi, it was obvious this is a country living on the wild side (there are no traffic lights in the city, which I found hilarious for massive roundabouts).

The UAE feels the opposite.

The airport was pristine. Everything was well organised. The roads were plastered with billboards showcasing extravagant hotels, beautiful people, and expensive cars.

I thought I wouldn’t enjoy Abu Dhabi so much because I like to ‘rough it’ and dislike materialism.

But I’ve loved it in both places for a few reasons.

So let me give you 3 things I liked about Kenya first. Then finish with some thoughts about the UAE.

1. I prefer the perspective from Kenya

The UAE is a rich country. Kenya is not.

I know many people prefer not to see poverty, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. In the UAE the workers arrive crammed in buses early in the morning and are shipped off in the evening.

In Kenya, you are amongst people in worse conditions all the time.

And whilst this means more crime and danger, it also gives you a better sense of reality.

I felt more grateful for what I had when I saw what many people did not.

But in the UAE, it was the opposite.

You want much more because you see much more.

Which leads me to my next point:

2. The UAE feels more in the rat race

I realised materialism was a trap when I started studying Stoicism. We always adapt to what we own and constantly chase the next big thing.

If you can resist the urge to keep up with the crowd, you can reinvest your money into more substantial areas—like experiences, skills, and compounding financial assets (I focus on index funds).

But when I was in Abu Dhabi, I found myself wanting to ‘kill it’ as an entrepreneur.

That’s a good thing for motivation.

But when I dived into why, it was for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to make more money so I could enjoy more luxury and status—even though I know these won’t make me happier.

I’m not suggesting you can’t live in the UAE and still keep a level head, but environment shapes your desires more than you know.

I’d be cautious about the circle I found myself in if I lived here long term.

3. The scenery sucks

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are beautiful cities.

But that’s all they are: Towering concrete jungles in a sea of sand.

And whilst it is breathtaking to look at the flashing lights of a skyscraper studded-skyline each night, I prefer to gaze at a sky full of stars. Something I enjoyed in Kenya but lacked in the UAE due to light pollution.

Plus, I love walking.

After a couple of weeks walking along the waterfront I found myself bored. The beaches are nice, but I ain’t a beach person (don’t you think sand just gets boring after a while?).

I love mountains, plenty of green, forests and fields.

Kenya’s great for this. You could take an internal flight for an hour and be in an almost different world. It’s also one reason I’m excited to return to South Africa for Christmas, too—it was one of the most beautiful countries I’ve seen.

What I enjoyed about the UAE surprised me

In the UK, people think of the UAE as strict and serious.

But this is more of a fear of a different culture/religion than actual fact.

Sure, there are a few more rules. But maybe the strictness isn’t such a bad thing. I felt people were happier here than back home, where everyone is fed up and pessimistic.

The thing that surprised me was I respected a country in control.

For one, shit gets done. I didn’t see much of Dubai, but in Abu Dhabi, they’re building tonnes of impressive stuff. They’re investing heavily in making it a city worth living.

I even heard someone say ‘budget surplus’—two words an Englishman has never heard together before.

And second, there’s a lot less bullshit here.

I don’t care about crap like wokeness. But it does feel like the Western world has been smoking on the holier-than-thou crack pipe for far too long. Everyone’s fighting someone. Everyone’s outraged about something.

But I didn’t get that vibe in the UAE.

Instead, the people I met were friendly, living good lives, and talking about good things.

Of course, I can’t speak for a whole country from such a short visit.

But when I landed I thought I could never live here. But I left thinking it wasn’t such a bad idea.

At least during the winters (because the summer is far too hot for my pasty Irish-British complexion).

Anyhow…

Bangkok was mental, but I don’t have much to report (except overdosing on incredible food… and liver damage).

In Chiang Mai to get back to normality now.

I’ll write more about the digital nomad experience after the relaunch of Magnetic Emails, which is on the 1st November (customers will be invited to an exclusive live training on email automations, so ​click here​ to hop on the waitlist).

Let me know if you enjoy these style emails—I know they’re not quite writing or business related. But there’s a whole world out there and I’d love to share what I find.

Kieran