More on Nairobi

This post is much less profound than the last, it's just a few more observations...

More traffic observations:

Nairobi has no functioning sewer or drain water system.  This means that the water has nowhere to go when it rains.  It runs along the roadside in ditches or, often, over and through the roads when it rains.  Ironically, because the soil conditions are so poor (clay and sand) the roads are also dusty.  There were several occasions when we had to deal with dust and water on the road at the same time.  I experienced this in the car yesterday and again as a pedestrian today, dodging puddles while choking on dust.  It was quite bizarre.

Also, because they have no functioning drain system, they have no way of saving the rains when they come.  So, times like now (the "little rains") and in the fall ("big rains") there is nothing to do with all the extra water.  There is no way to capture it and store it for when the dry seasons come.  A drainage system would also help with the drinking (and washing) water situation.  If water could be captured and purified, it could then be redistributed.

How is water distributed now you may be wondering?  Here's one way - a cart like this is operated by a young man.  He collects water where he can find it, then distributes it all over the city to small businesses that use it for laundry or other services.  Each jug of water costs about $1.00.

 Observations about dress:

I was not sure what to expect for outfits.  My childhood images of Kenya included the Masaii tribal cultures and the large blanket-type dress they wear.  But, I also knew that Nairobi was a city, so I expected to see people in more “civilized” clothing.  That second guess was correct.  The majority of people I saw were in the same type of clothes we would see in any city in America (though I did see a few in more traditional, tribal, dress).  I also thought about buying myself a whole new wardrobe while I was there, clothing was very inexpensive.  In fact, at the shopping center I visited today you could get an entire suit for less than $10.00!  And clothing was even less expensive along the roadside.  No wonder all the pastors and other folks I met can afford to dress so well.  Of course, you could also pay a bit more and have a dress or suit tailor-made.  I considered trying to get a dress custom made from Kinte cloth, but decided against it.

Another interesting tid-bit not many Americans know:  When you donate clothing to charity for Africa the clothes do not go directly to people to wear.  In fact, if you bring a bunch of clothes and start handing them out you will make many people very angry.  This is for two reasons.  For one, even the poorest of Africans have pride and try to avoid accepting charity as much as possible, they want to pay for what they need.  More importantly, the donated clothing supports small business.  Business owners take the donated clothing and sell it for a nominal fee.  That way, they earn some money, and the people buying the clothes can keep their dignity.

Food:

You can find many kinds of food in Nairobi.  There are roadside stands with fruits and vegetables and even meat.  Many people eat nuts (boiled) and vegetables for their meals.  Rice is common in some areas, as is maize (corn – boiled or roasted as it is or ground into flour).  There are a variety of restaurants serving everything to traditional Pan-African dishes, to Indian, to fast food burgers, fried chicken, and “chips” (French Fries).  The big fast food chain around here seems to be Steer.  It reminds me of Burger King (they have "king" and "prince" burgers) with a little KFC added in.  KFC is here too, but not as common.  Prices for eating out at a restaurant are comparable to eating out in the US.  Common drinks include juice, Coke products and Fanta, and of course bottled water if you can get it.