Scammed in Nairobi

Mike, Bobbie and I decided to explore downtown Nairobi. I think Mike mostly wanted to see the train station and Bobbie and I didn't mind the walk. We made it to the train station and on the way back we walked by the bombed American embassy. We were about a half a block from the American embassy when a young man dressed in dress slacks, nice shirt and tie came up to us and introduced himself as George. He said he was from Sudan and was studing vetenary medicine and was on his way to Tanzania where he had an uncle. He said his uncle was going to help him get a visa to study at UC Davis. This fellow was very articulate and was actually very enjoyable to talk to. He asked if we had seen the embassy yet and we said no, not really. He walked with us to the covered walkway of the building behind the embassy and the Coop building next door. We stood there and talked for a few minutes and then he asked for a donation to help him get to Tanzania. The two people I was with each gave him 50ksh and said sorry that was all they had(less than 2 dollars). I didn't give him anything. He said no problem and walked away.

We walked off in the opposite direction and had gone about half a block when a man in a sports coat and tie came up to me and said he was with a Kenyan security firm hired by the US government to watch the American Embassy. He wanted to know what we had given George. I told him what had happened. The security guy said that George was a known criminal and was arrested immediately after our talking to him. The security guy said we needed to go with him to his office. While we were talking to him another couple of guys walked up and said they worked for the security firm also. That is when we said we were not going anywhere until we talked to the American Embassy. I guess they decided we were not worth the trouble. We didn't have anything on us. No backpacks or fanny packs and they probably decided we didn't have any money either. The one in the sport coat finally told the others "let them go." No more problem with them.

Later that evening we walked Bobbie back to the Norfolk and then walked back to the Hilton. I was going to catch a Safari Park courtesy bus a 7:00pm about 2 blocks from the Hilton. We walked down to the bus stop at about 6:45 and waited until 7:30 before giving up on the bus. By then it was completely dark and we were starting to get rather nervous about standing around for so long in one place. We walked back to the Hilton and I took a taxi back to Safari Park Hotel.