Ho-tile

A hop to Nairobi and what may be a final overhead view of Juba, at least for a while. Apart from a couple of oases of tranquility, it's not a city to fall deeply for. Time here has benefited our project though, so I'm pleased that I've usually moved around without the very serious issues that have befallen others. I think I've been lucky.

In Nairobi the airport taxi touts are persistent. 'Mister, welcome to the city, I have good price taxi'.

'Is the price better than free? As my hotel is sending one'.

George the hotel taxi driver was a loquacious fellow, with an accent suggesting he'd spent time in either the US or UK. He'd actually just watched a lot of American films. Not much appeals on the highway between Nairobi airport and the city centre but George did point out the cooking oil refinery that supplies Kenyan kitchens.

Kenyan politics has calmed down in recent months since the famously bad-tempered election contest of late 2017. The two main party leaders agreed to move forward with a handshake. George confirmed the general sentiment that people were sick of the infighting and just wanted to see progress whoever would be in charge. 'There is not much politicking now.'

Hotels in Nairobi tend to be odd. Big on tiles and draughts, which amplify both the cold nighttime air and the constant clattering of pots and crockery as the team prepares the breakfast service, even at 3am.