Smile: you're in Kenya

I saw the title for this post on a poster as I collected my bags at Jomo Kenyatta airport, Nairobi. I thought it was a bit more authentic than Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up which was what was playing over the intercom as I passed through passport control.

I was met at the airport by three boys: Peter, Kelvin and Wilbert, who drove us the 30min journey here to Bosco Boys where I was met by the director, Fr Sebastian.

I was taken to the volunteer house. My window backs onto the garden where some vegetables are grown. Behind that in the distance is a forest-covered hill. It looks idyllic. Except, that is, for the construction works going on in between. Apparently the Chinese are digging an oil pipeline through Kenya up to Juba in Sudan and right now it is passing by my room. What better representation of the current Asian wave of influence in Africa could you ask for?

I wasn't best pleased to discover that they work (noisily) through the night. Though I suppose the quicker they get it down, the sooner they'll move on and out of earshot.