…whatever gruntled is, I wasn’t it.
The morning was a little less frantic than usual as we didn’t go to church. I very much missed the church service, but it had been cancelled due to a commitment in another parish. After a leisurely breakfast, we took one final picture and set off for Kisumu. For once we were able to drive at a comfortable speed as we weren’t worried about missing the plane.
I had a very nice lunch at Apollo and Jessica’s apartment, and another quick visit with Patrick. We were chatting about Kenya Airways and how they could be difficult to deal with, and he told me that he always spoke KiSwahili with them, and he thought that made them more friendly.
Eventually we said our good-byes and I checked in at the airport. I greeted the nice young man at the counter in KiSwahili and began the check-in process. Almost inevitably, due to all of the fabric, my bag was overweight. The agent winked at me and said he was sorry but he would have to charge me…I apologized in KiSwahili, and he said that he really needed to charge me several hundred shillings per kg, and then gave me a big smile, put a tag on it and checked it in. I must remember to tell Patrick that his technique probably saved me at least $20 USD.
After an uneventful flight, I was greeted by a driver from the hotel who managed my luggage and whisked me through the throngs of would-be drivers and porters who throng the airport exit. The ride to the hotel was quick as there is less traffic than usual because it is Sunday night. The hotel is in a part of Nairobi that is unfamiliar to me, so it was interesting to look around.
The hotel looked perfectly nice. When I tried to check in, they said they had no record of me, and weren’t expecting me. I pointed out that they had sent a driver for me. They weren’t sure how that could be. I pointed out the signs for tomorrow’s workshop. They asked me to sit down. People were summoned. Apologies were offered. I was tired and grumpy. Phone calls were made. After 45 minutes, the driver arrived. He told them who had booked him. More phone calls. A “boy” was sent off in search of someone. Suddenly all was resolved, and I was given a key and conducted to my room. The explanation: the office had failed to inform the desk of my arrival.
A shower, a sandwich and bed; tomorrow is another day.