On the second leg of a tour of Intercontinental Hotels of Africa, I was asked whether there is a problem getting broadband to all citizens in countries other than Kenya. Yes I said, and described the situation by quoting William Gibson: "The future is already here. It's just not evenly distributed." This came blindingly home when being transported for dinner in a Nairobi institution called The Carnivore. Rumour had it that elephant was on the menu this week (untrue as it turned out) so I declared myself vegetarian to avoid the possible ethical dilemma. But the drive over was a slice of bladerunner. We travelled in a heavy duty van through streets so clogged with traffic and exhaust the air was blue. HD screens of considerable size lined the streets showing the glories of mobile phones and new appliances. Meanwhile sad women carrying reaching, skinny children roamed through the traffic, knocking on windows and begging for pretty much anything on offer. Immense birds (called Marabou?) fill the tree tops. Scavengers apparently, and the locals say they are remarkable for their ability to digest entire bones, thanks to pouches of acid in their craws. Not a lot like Kansas.
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