First Day in Africa

September 19th, 2016. Wildebeest Eko Camp, Nairobi, Kenya. 18.02

The strange African insects are making tropical sounds in the background as I lay prone on my bed typing this up. I’ve wearing my black Levi 511s cuffed up to the shin, and a smelly San Franpsycho shirt.

I’ve been in transit for a while. I get into Doha around 01.30 and get some awful rest on a ‘sleeper chair’ tucked away by the children’s play area–this big copper modern looking jungle gym. Unfortunately this is a bit of an issue, as children played in it from 02.00 until I left the airport, screaming and banging on the copper structure like it was a fucking drum. At least I had earplugs.

I get up around 06.30 and call up Merlin to wish him a happy birthday. We reminisce about StFX for like 30 minutes but then the call drops. We chat about how we ought to meet up soon. Maya and him want to visit me in San Francisco.

Hunger pangs, so I have this nice little Arabic breakfast that has like seven different items for $10. I finally get onboard the flight to Nairobi at 09.00, but the six hour flight seems like it will take forever. I’m sat beside a guy I find quite irritating–he keeps making disgusting smacking sounds with his lips. During the flight I’m able to watch Butch Cassidy and the Sunshine Kid, which was quite a good classic film.

After landing, I quickly make my way to the queue for immigration, but the line does not move for about 50 minutes due to issues with their computer systems–TIA. Finally I get through, grab my bag, and then leave the airport. I see Faryar wave me over, and then meet her brother Farhad. She tells me he doesn’t speak much English, so I slow it down and make sure to include him.

They have a driver named Charlie waiting for us in the parking lot, so we walk over there and load my stuff in the van. Charlie points out three giraffes out in the distance. It was pretty cool to see that right from the airport parking lot–TIA.

“We go on Safari?” interjects Farhad completely out of context to the conversation. “Yeah…yeah” I respond, speaking slowly and softly. I secretly wonder just how bad his English is going to be.

We cruise down to the travel agency to book the Safari. Faryar shows me two options she’s looking at, and there’s a six day one for just under $1700. Kind of expensive but it seemed pretty dope–fuck it, yolo. We drive down there, and on the way Farhad breaks character. They were putting me on, he actually speaks perfect English. We have a nice laugh about it–and I’m a little relieved we can all communicate. They really had me going though.

Slowly we make it downtown, and I think it’s kind of incredible how many black people there are. I wonder aloud if it’s racist to make such observations, but realize it’s not. We truly were the minority. We find parking easily enough, as there’s a man on the street who offers his services to find us a spot. After a loop around the block he has a place for us–cool. There are crowds of people on the corners ‘doing politics’ according to Charlie. I wondered if we were in some sort of protest but according to Charlie it’s just deal-making on the streets or something I can’t comprehend.

The four of us walk into the office building where “Big Time Safaris” is and ride the elevator up to the 7th floor. The indicator on the button for 7 is burnt out so you can’t tell it was pressed–TIA.

We go in, needing to be buzzed into the office which features a heavy iron door that looks like kind of a fancier prison door–high security. We pay, get our receipts, and plans are made to pick us up at 07.00 tomorrow.

Charlie goes to use the bathroom while we buy some provisions from the grocery store next door. I just get some random African brand of crisps that are tomato flavored, and some sparkling water. Oddly enough they don’t have any flat bottled water, just this Schweppes shit.

We have to track down Charlie, during which time Faryar and I futilely look for some sunglasses. Afterwards we head back to the hostel to sleep before we begin our adventure!