He had switched off his phone as soon as he left the hotel yesterday morning. Then, without a clear plan he grabbed a bunch of leaflets in the lobby before getting a cab to a local city zoo. There he spent the day walking around on his own, eating ice cream and watching the captive monkeys be taunted by the wild monkeys, who climbed all over the outside of the cages.

‘There’s no way I’m letting that school drag you into central London to stare at a bunch of locked-up animals all day.’ Word for word, that’s what Mum said the day he brought home the permission slip for the school trip, right before she ripped it in two and added, ‘We’ll bunk off and stay home instead.’

She never even asked him if he would have liked to. He was so angry then, angry at her for not giving him the chance to take part and angry at himself for wanting to go so badly. He knew it was wrong that animals were locked up in zoos, but how else would he ever get to see them in real life?

‘In Kenya the animals are free,’ she said, ‘it’s the only way to see them.’ And she was right. The first time Kiama saw a giraffe roaming freely in the national park is a moment he’ll never forget.

He’s not sure why he chose to do something so depressing when he was already feeling down. By the afternoon, he considered going back to Purity’s for a final trip to the orphanage, but then thought of Zipporah’s dirty dress and the sound of Simeon’s hand against Jenga’s thin legs. He knew he didn’t have the strength for it, especially to go alone, without someone by his side.

So instead, he found a bar, full of tourists, students and expats, and drank.

He dreads switching his phone back on, mainly for the wrath of his dad, so is surprised to see just one text from him asking for a call. Does he know? Did Yvonne tell him what happened? Kiama doesn’t know how often they speak. Maybe she’s been updating him on every little part of this trip all along. It’s jarring to think about.

When he finds reception he books an earlier flight to Mombasa and sends Joe a text explaining that he’ll need to be picked up from Purity’s house in Lari. He can’t leave without saying goodbye to her.