First stop: Nairobi! Nairobi, Kenya is city I wanted to visit immediately upon graduation from college, but the opportunity to study communication there fell through. I was excited to finally get to this place after so long!
The Nairobi airport has several things in common with the Khartoum airport and the Accra, Ghana airport I have visited: a chaotic sense of order. I follow other passengers from the plane to queue up for my transit visa (I am just passsssin through). The sign above the officer's desk says that the fee is $10 US or 10 Euro. I am opting for the dollars, since at the current exchange rate, that will put me ahead.
I have filled out my form for the mandatory H1N1 survey, and wait my turn. I present my papers and attempt to pay with a $20 bill, but alas -- he has a stack of 20s and no change. (I realized later that I should have just asked for 10 Euro in change, but....), so I pay a 10 Euro note and head down to the checked luggage pickup area. A mechanized belt carries the luggage round in circles -- and after 20 minutes I finally see mine.
I am greeted outside by a crowd of many hundreds, and fortunately one of those is holding an IAS logo placard. Paul, my driver, helps me with my bags while telling me that he was at the airport at 7AM as well -- because someone thought that was when I was arriving.
As we drive along to the guesthouse, I read billboard after billboard promoting various cellular telephone service providers, foods, cars -- just like driving home from O'Hare. We arrive at the guesthouse in short order, and I am reminded once again of the extraordinary graciousness of African hospitality.
It is great to be here!
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