Personal takeaway from Nairobi, Kenya

When I mention about Africa to my close peers, almost immediately they would reaffirm their knowledge that Africa is a continent, not a country. How defensive. Or maybe I'm just passed off as such an English Nazi to them. Otherwise you'll probably be thinking of tribal people speaking in tongues. Hulu hulu hulu.

Having had the honour to represent Singapore Internet Research Centre on a fully sponsored trip to Internet Governance Forum 2011, being still a student at that time, no doubt the best incentive of the representation is the trip itself over all the academic issues. An avid traveller, I take all my trips seriously, Not only on the context of tourism, but also reflection on the socio-economic status and such.

I was well received by the hospitality of Kenyan custom officers who wanted to treat me to their infamous Tusker beer that very night, in which i graciously declined. Met up with my driver, David, who sent me to my hotel. The trip was USD20, and usually it would had been paid to the hotel directly. However, as mine was a last minute arrangement, I was to pay directly to David. He was so excited to see the 20 Dollar bill. Surprised. I was very surprised. For a driver who pry the airport-hotel route, what was the excitement about really. I asked him. He said he has never seen an US 20 Dollars bill before as he don't deal with payment. He only receives a fraction of it in Kenyan Shillings. Probably not the best start to my stay, but it was practical. A practical warning for me to see what I'm going to encounter in days to come.

I stayed in Jacaranda Hotel, a 4 star hotel with no air-con. Rude shock to an asian traveller like me who swears by air-con. There is a mall right behind, but the hotel security discourages us to go out after 7pm. He tries his best to dissuade us from leaving the hotel compound. He was right. After night fall, security is a major concern. Once, we came back from the mall around 8 plus and had to walk over to the hotel's main gate. A group of Kenyan kids just kept following us closely begging for money. The roads were poorly lit, we were not familiar with the surroundings, it was scary. We later met other delegates at the forum who shared with us how she gave one of the kids money and a whole group swarmed up to her.

On my final day before my flight back to Singapore, I made a visit to the slums. The famous Kibera slum,  largest slum in East Africa.  With local guide William, I was able to go deep into the slum to see for myself the living conditions. There was no proper roads, drainage, sanitation, facilities. Used syringes were seen lying around on the muddy trails. I fell several times during the trip as the trails were more muddy than usual due to the drizzle earlier on.

With their own means, they have come up with biofuel for cooking, set up system for buying water and electricity, a small 'town', ornament factory etc. An exclusive livelihood system of subsistence. A pretty intense experience I would say, I left with great admiration to its occupants.