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Published: December 6th 2008
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We were meant to be in Mumbai by now but due to the terrorist attacks on the city we decided to change our plans. Our flight to Mumbai was scheduled to leave Nairobi at 5pm on the 27th, which was just less than 12 hours after several tourist hotspots in India’s biggest city were violently attacked, fortunately Helen had turned on the news before we went to bed on the 26th only to discover the horror unfolding. If she hadn’t we would certainly of heard about in the morning but its still horrible to think that we might have arrived in Mumbai while two major hotels were under siege and a restaurant, that we would have likely visited, had been fired upon. What’s even more scary is the thought that our flight could have been a day earlier. As it is, it wasn’t and for this reason we have been counting our blessings. Our flight has now been postponed until Monday 1st where we have a connecting train to Goa, sadly this means Helen’s hopes of staring as an extra in a Bollywood movie have been dashed but lets face it, right now Goa is undoubtedly preferable to a city that
according to the news is wrought with panic and fear. Subsequently we have been able to spend more time in Nairobi in our rent-free accommodation, (we are staying with family) which I am eternally grateful for, it has also allowed us the opportunity to see more of the city, update our mp3 players and catch up with our blog’s.
I have titled this entry ‘the green city’ as I feel that this is a much preferable description than the often quoted ‘Nai-robbery’. Every city around the world has its bad elements but all aren’t unfortunate enough to have a name that transforms into such an obvious pun. The fact is that Nairobi did have and still does have areas that we (law abiding folk) are advised not to go but outside of these areas I feel it has to be noted that Nairobi is a lush and green modern African city. I was in Kenya’s capital at the beginning of 2002 when I was just a timid twenty year old without the confidence that I have now and even then I managed to walk out of the city safe and without being robbed. I’ll admit that the cities reputation
had made me cautious and rightly so, any unfamiliar place requires it, but I left feeling like Kenya was on a path to modernity that the western world hopes and expects of everyone else and having returned, I still believe this. The city, like all its counterparts has grown, the roads have improved and are congested (clearly a sign of progress), primary education is now free and the infamous Mutatu’s (local busses) are regulated. There also seems to be a lot more shopping centres and casino’s that I am told are catering for Nairobi’s burgeoning middle class. Things are looking good for the city, it appears even greener than I remember and there seems to be even more tree lined avenues as well as an increase in urban bird life; the storks that welcomed us on Mombasa road when we arrived certainly weren’t there before.
However aside from Nairobi’s positives it still has its problems. Kenya’s second most recent mention in the international press (the first being Obama’s election which resulted in a Kenyan national holiday. Obama is BIG here - there are flags everywhere) was at the beginning of the year when violent riots and protests were occurring
throughout the country as a result of disputed elections. Thankfully though, for us and the country, the problems have subsided, although evidence of the crisis still exists; on our trip to Nakuru we passed a burnt out shopping complex and a tented town inhabited by affected people who’s homes had been destroyed in the violence.
Nairobi’s Kibera slum is also very much alive and well, it is said to be the second largest slum in Africa, second only to Soweto in South Africa. Like most of the stories of the countries we have visited on our trip poverty continues to be a problem although I suspect the inhabitants of Kibera do have a slight advantage over some other impoverished people because of the slums locality to the United Nations office which is home to an office of the UN’s habitat program; I have read that Kibera is the most monitored and studied slum in the world, probably because of this reason. Nonetheless on the face of things Nairobi has the impression of a modern developing city and one that I have enjoyed returning to.
Amongst the various activities we have pursued in and around Nairobi including watching the
new James Bond movie and partying till the early hours at club Afrique in the Westlands district we were also privileged enough to visit UNON, the united nations office at Nairobi. Our entrance was permitted because my step father and his wife are UN employees, while we were there MESA (Mainstreaming environment and sustainability in African universities) were holding their first conference. Unfortunately we didn’t take up the opportunity to go to any of the debates or lectures but we did get to go to the closing ceremony of the event that was loads of fun. Throughout the evening various delegates and important people were giving speeches and receiving awards while a local band kept us entertained and the local chefs kept us full. Its not everyday you get to eat so well and then dance around the grounds of a UN office to an African band, it was a very unique experience which we thoroughly enjoyed and are unlikely to forget. We still have a few days left in Nairobi that I think we are planning to spend relaxing before we have to face the chaos of India but before I sign off I just want to thank our
hosts David and Jessica if for nothing else than for welcoming us so warmly and giving us some respite from budget travel, cheers, its been very much appreciated.
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geff
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absolutely very engouraging and nice:congatulations and keep it up i will keep on supporting the ever green city