13/05/2012

Hello Kenya!


So, the African spring tour continues...

I arrived in JKIA late yesterday, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, after a very interesting, hard-working and passionate week in Ethiopia. Now I am back in Nairobi for further research on food security and on Somalia.

I have to say even arriving at JKIA is a pleasure. After the chaos in Addis' Bole Airport yesterday, long queues and disorganisations - two hours standing in lines... - my arrival was quick, and free of trouble. No queue at the visa counter, luggage right on time, foreign exchange office open and friendly and efficient. Even the taxi driver, a nice young Kenyan called Kennedy who used to dream of becoming a journalist was smiley and agreeable. We chatted about the excessive rains and Nairobi news roads like we had been working together for years...

Maybe Kenya just seems friendly to me because I lived here and I love it so much, and it is all very subjective. But then, welcome subjectivity and so nice to see you again Nairobi!

I am staying for the first time in the neighbourhood called Gigiri, next to the United Nations compound and the US Embassy thanks to wonderful generous and welcoming friends that I cannot thank enough! It is a tremendous change from the house I used to live in in Brookside, Westlands, with another great friend, and from the City Centre where I used to spend most of my time in and about the BBC office.

I am now working from the Java House Cafe and will later do my grocery shopping in the Village Market Mall. A new life seems to begin. But unfortunately this time it is only for eight days. Let's enjoy to the max.

See you Nairobians. 



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