3 countries, 6 days, 2000 kilometers, and a whole lot of Bitcoin. Why? To get a group of Bitcoin builders together and raise awareness across three countries: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Our route? Nairobi ➝ Kampala ➝ Moshi ➝ Nairobi
The Cast:
- Kenya: Founder of Bitcoin Mtaani and Bitcoin Matatu.
- Uganda: Founders of Bitcoin Kampala and Gorilla Sats.
- Tanzania: Man Like Kweks.
- Foreigners: Founders of Student of Bitcoin.
Our start in Nairobi included a trip to Giraffe Manor, an informal settlement, and meetings with multiple Bitcoin projects. The cast, however, remained incomplete. We had to pick up two members from Uganda (the Gorillas) and meet the final member in Moshi.
15 hours and a border crossing later, we arrived in Kampala. The city was less developed than Nairobi and had potholes everywhere! Surprisingly, everyone spoke English, more than we’ve encountered in any of the previous countries on this trip. At this stage, we didn’t know we would spend three months building two businesses in Kampala (more on that later).
The first day was very eventful. We got haircuts at a barber that accepted Bitcoin and paid for a Rolex in Bitcoin. No, not the luxury watch, but Uganda’s national street dish, chapati rolled with eggs, called a Rolex. A beauty and fragrance store was onboarded to accept Bitcoin, while a museum guide and restaurant server were tipped in Bitcoin. With most of the cast assembled, Bitcoin spread quickly and freely.
The following day, we stood outside Makerere University, the largest university in East Africa, with Bitcoin signs. A few people stopped to chat, one even received their first sats (satoshi, the smallest unit of Bitcoin).
We then set off to meet the final cast member in Moshi to celebrate Christmas. Along the way, we tipped a motorcycle driver (Uganda), paid a mechanic (Kenya), and sent a backpacker (Tanzania) their first sats. 24 hours, 3 countries, 1 Bitcoin interaction in each – could this be a record!?
Enter the final cast member, Man Like Kweks—an extremely talented artist who makes Bitcoin relatable through music. My favorite track, “DCA to BTC”. He’s got much more, but that’s a good place to start if you’re new to Bitcoin. Need something more recent? Check out “No Paper No Visa“.
Christmas was relaxing. Food, conversation, and drinks flowed naturally. It was a great opportunity to reflect and share our experiences from the past year. The inspiration from this road trip led to countless tracks being dropped and multiple Bitcoin-preferred businesses being launched.
Before we knew it, our time in Moshi was over, and we headed back to Nairobi to end the trip.
Next, the genesis of Juicy B.
https://twitter.com/BitcoinMtaani
https://twitter.com/BitcoinMatatuKE
https://twitter.com/BitcoinKampala
https://twitter.com/GorillaSats
https://twitter.com/manlikekweks