27 mai 2006
Away and back
It’s been a month since I haven’t updated « Good morning Africa», for the good reason that I haven’t been in Africa this whole time. I went to France for 3 weeks, on vacation for about 10 days (that were actually and unfortunately packed with clients appointments) and then in Cannes to cover the film festival with CNN.
Quite a change of setting. I had forgotten how life was easy in a developed country: cell phones work, internet is fast, public transportation well organized and practical, having power supply in your home is granted - not an everyday surprise, and supermarkets are filled with the right hair care products.
I didn’t see much of the Cannes festival because of a loaded work schedule based on the American time zone (waking up late and working very, very late). But I did get a taste of the celebrity madness that takes place during and around the festival. And for those who are interested (and I know some of you are), yes, Jamie Foxx is short and, disappointedly, not very smart. Beyonce is polite, patient and beautiful, Tom Hanks funny but please, please, cut your hair now, the movie is over!! (and wash it also, thanks). Audrey Tautou (or Tatoo, as the Americans say), speaks English so bad we couldn’t use her interview, Wilmer Valderrama gained some weight since “That 70’s show”, but he seemed like a very nice guy, Ethan Hawk is very dirty and probably the worst-dressed man on the Croisette, but at least this time he wasn’t drunk (compared to the last time he was in Cannes - according to what he said), and Charlie Sheen is doing well despite his bitter divorce and custody battle with his estranged wife Denise Richards(“I’ve gone through much worse in my life” he said, good for him, we were really worried).
I came back to Nairobi on Thursday, and I have to say that for a return to reality, it was a rough one. After about 20 hours of travel (Paris-Frankfurt-Addis-Nairobi), I was told by the airport’s immigration officer that I needed a re-entry pass to enter the country.
- Er… what is a re-entry pass? Never heard of it. I have a visa, look.
- Yes, miss, the visa entitles you to stay in the country, but to ENTER the country, you need a re-entry stamp. So the only solution now is to buy a new tourist visa. 50 dollars.
- What?? But I went to the Immigration House before I left and they said I wouldn’t have to pay anything! Otherwise I would have gotten that stamp! Besides, I don’t have 50 dollars on me.
- You don’t??
- Well, no, I don’t travel with my pockets full of dollars when I come to Kenya.
I don’t know how I did it but I managed to talk my way out of it and I didn’t pay the 50 dollars. They basically let me through illegally. Of course the first thing I did the next day was to get the freaking stamp.
I was looking forward a warm shower but, once again, I found my apartment without power. Somebody (the power people??) seems to find it very funny to take out my fuse every time I leave. I had to run around the whole afternoon to solve the problem. Next time I’m taking my fuse with me.
I also found that while I was gone my apartment had been taken over by insects, alive and dead. The worst are probably these small black jumping spiders which are so difficult to catch and kill. They only die after you empty half an insecticide bottle on them.
No insects in my fridge, but an unbearable smell of rotten food. This was entirely my fault: I left in a hurry and forgot to empty the fridge. And because the power had been out for god knows how long, the cheese and passion fruits had decomposed at light’s speed.
But all is well. All I need is a short trip to Somalia, Chad or Sudan to see Kenya as an oasis of luxury again.
