David's flash back to september 23

Here is my personal journal entry from September 23, when we were in Nairobi.

David September 23, 2009

Woke up at 4 am this morning, worst sleep yet, but the day proved to be a real winner. After not being able to get back to sleep I watched some of the office on my iPod until around 6 am when Dane decided to get up. We headed down for breakfast in the hotel, and spent the morning there, waiting for the girls to get up.

At around 10, we arranged to hire a hotel guy named Amos to walk us into the city to the shops we needed to go to, because we didn’t have a clue as to where to go. And this is where I get to see Nairobi in all its chaotic glory. Thousands of people walking and thousands of people in cars and buses all weaving in and out around each other in systematic chaos. Our guide quickly showed by example that walking in the middle of the roads and crossing busy streets where cars and vans and buses all going way beyond the speed limit and getting each other off, was as natural as it was to us crossing a proper cross walk when the walking man sign is green. Our guide would walk onto a busy 4-lane road and barely bat an eyelash as cars skimmed past and stopped suddenly to let the crowds through. Sometimes he would hold up his hand and stop traffic its self. The difference in driving and traffic control is the biggest difference I have experienced so far. Huge buses would just cut off people within 2 seconds notice, traffic jams in the round about were just insane, and plus there were a lot of matatus (van taxi) with loud hip hop music that had people hanging on the outside, shouting for you too come on. These taxi vans were also very tacky looking and usually had a picture of bob Marley or weird pictures.

I took some videos and pictures, but not very many because it was very likely my camera would draw the wrong attention, so when I felt it was safe I took a few. But the video I wish I could have captured was us weaving in out of the roads dodging crazy Kenyan traffic in a very skilled and calm way.

Despite people rudely cutting each other off, and almost hitting each other, no one appeared to be upset. It was perfectly normal. Mom your heart would have stopped beating. When people cut each other off in Canada, there is a lot of shouting and swearing. But not here. We booked our bus ticket and we got our cell phones and then went for dinner at Micah’s Elisabeth’s and micha’s – place, people Dane and Trudy knew. They had their own car driver to pick us up, and bring us to their home away from the city. Wonderful dinner and great people. Its 10:30 and I’m off to bed. Have to wake up at 6 tomorrow for our bus ride to katali tomorrow.