Nairobi Stinks
on It began in Africa (Kenya), 06/May/2011 13:52, 34 days ago
We've told you about the sights andeven the soundsof Nairobi, so to complete the trio here's my top ten smells (by which I mean most common, not necessarily most pleasant) from the average Nairobi day. So, in no particular order, we have:1.Washing powder. We are currently in the "long rains" (more on this another time) and this week it has been cats and dogs. When the sun peeked out this morning all the housewives in the flats downstairs from me rushed out to dry their washing.2.Rain on hot tarmac. This is possibly my favourite smell ever - way better than the over-rated freshly cut grass. There's been plenty of it around lately too.3.Diesel fumes. Nairobi's air quality is dire: even the thought of going for a run makes my lungs contract (admittedly not much change from the UK on that one) and snot is always black here.4.Chicken shit. I walk through a chicken market every morning on my way to work and boy does it stink. Piles of live chickens have to watch as, one by one, their buddies and comrades gradually get the chop and are gutted for waiting customers.5.Dust. I didn't think dust had a smell until I moved here, but Nairobi turns one into something of a dust connoisseur. This dust smells dry and slightly metallic, in addition to turning everything you are wearing red.6.Armpits. Kenyans have a much more relaxed attitude to personal space than us uptight Brits. Add to that cramped matatus, hot weather and people too scared to open the windows in case their stuff gets snatched and you have a real old stinkeroony of a journey going on. Dude, keep that arm by your side...7.Rotting rubbish. Rubbish collections in Kenya are a haphazard affair, and more often than not it is just gathered in a massive pile then burned. Pre-burning you can see cows and goats rooting through it for "tasty" treats and munching on plastic bags.8.Sweetcorn. Barbequed sweetcorn is a popular snack, and has a sweet, slightly sickly smell, a bit like burning honey.9.Mangoes. The smell of hundreds of ripe mangoes sitting in the sun is like nothing you experience back in the UK. It's almost perfumed; strong but delicate and sharp.10.Sewers. Heavy rain quickly overwhelms the drains and the smell of sewage is everywhere - even on smart streets. In the slums you think the smell will never clear from your nostrils again.