Average, everyday, normal-looking people

Not to speak badly of this fantastic nation (which has truly been FANTASTIC) but there are quite a few things that are rather corrupt. My first expeiernce of course was at the airport, as I entered the country.

See, if you're used to traveling the world (as I am.... not.) you know that to step onto another country's soil, you've gotta have a Visa (not the credit card... which was good... my credit sucks...), enter Kenya Customs. We arrived at Jomo Kenyatta Airport right on time, around 7ishpm (local time) and had to go straight the 'Visa Office' which was not an office, actually. It was a room about 2.5 times the size of my living room (including the dining area) filled with tons of people from all around the world.

Behind the desks were VERY well-dressed young men. Evidently suits are the typical daily attire for EVERYTHING. I mean these brothers look sharp just taking out the trash. Normally everyone that you see is in a suit and tie. (even the folks in the slums, as I later found out...)

There's a HUGE sign above the desk that says: "You MUST ask for a reciept stating your FULL NAME and AMOUNT PAID!" Evidently, if you don't ask for a receipt, Kenya will never see the $100 it costs to get your Visa. That's right... if there's no receipt, there's no record. The VERY well-dressed young man just pockets your cash.

We got our Visas, and headed downstairs to baggage claim and customs. What I saw when I got down there, I did not expect.

First, all of the passengers bags were THROWN all over the floor. As they came around on the conveyor, people just grabbed the bags and tossed them, to get them out of their way to get their bags.

As people flooded to get their bags, many people were struck with a small degree of grief as they came to realize that their bags were missing. When the line of 30 people, or so, formed behind the counter, one-by-one they reported their bag missing. They were evidently "left behind in Amsterdam." How does that happen? 30 bags left? Coincedently, these were all bags full of laptops, jewelery, cell phones, cameras, etc... hmmmmm... later I was informed that when the good folks at the Kenyan airport scan the bags, they grab valuables out of them before returning them to the owner the next couple days.

How all of my gear made it is beyond me. Thank God, though!

Next there was customs. Again, more VERY well-dressed older men of GREAT size and stature. These men were very scarred on their hands, faces, and heads. They looked like the African Mofia... a little bit scary, actually.

I watched as they randomly grabbed people to search them. You would think that they would have to search EVERYONE coming into the country. Nope. Actually, average, everyday, normal-looking people litterally WALKED through with ALL of them looking at them... never questioned... never touched.

HOWEVER, rich-looking people and REALLY poor, rundown-looking people were stopped and hassled. I watched them take things out of bags (confiscate, they called it) push people around, and even striking this one man with a baton. As I walked towards customs, I figured I was in for a some hassle. I mean, come on... a white dude of my size, stature, and good looks... it was over!

Well as I walked up, I stopped to put my bags on the counter to be searched, so that the hassling could commence, and they just waved me into their country... never questioned... never touched.

Evidently I'm one of those average, everyday, normal-looking people.