I'm driving through Nairobi with my friend Sammy. Traffic is as bad as ever but the roads are paved quite nicely. Still, Sam says, "If you miss a bump, you're not in Kenya." I noticed we were running on empty so i asked Sam if we need gas. He said no, Kenyans keep the tank close to empty so in case the car is stolen the thieves can't go far.
Sam then related a story of a guy who was carjacked and put in the boot (trunk). He then kicked out his tail lights, not so the police would stop the car, but so he could stick his arm out and get people's attention. He had to go through several roadside checkpoints before the police flattened the tires. The car rolled several times but the man was OK.
"This is why you should fix up your boot," Sam says, laughing, "in case you find yourself there with no water, food or blanket!". This is the Kenyan way: take something serious and joke about it, because what else can you do?
Sent from my iPhone
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