If camera lenses could talk, countless of them in China would tell of how I had to get accustomed to being stopped for a selfie during my four-month stay.
A young man called Yansibo from Gansu province was just walking with his aunt when he spotted me from across the street and insisted on a photo op.
Many of his kind would follow, from the young to the elderly. Their faces showed that they enjoy the few minutes they get with a foreigner.
In every corner of the vast country, which straddles more than 60 per cent of the Asian continent, you are likely to meet people eager to interact with foreigners.
Some go to the extent of touching your skin or — for ladies with braided plaits — hair, just to have a feel.
Those you strike up a conversation with would ask about your origin, mission and experience of China.
Chinese are also cheerful givers and would seize any opportunity to gift a visitor.
When you ask for help, like directions to a place, most of them are likely to stop whatever is keeping them occupied just to attend to you.
One morning, me and my Citizen TV colleague Francis Mtalaki took the wrong bus and were helped by Xu Shiyu.
“I will not leave you by yourself until I am sure you get to your destination safely,” Xu said.
Shiyu, who was also on his way to another errand, stopped his engagements for the day after we asked him for the road to a place called Fangshan.
He was more than willing to teach us Chinese and even opened a WeChat group for the lessons that people pay thousands of Yuan to get.
People from the rural areas rarely see foreigners, unlike those who live in the capital city
WIDESPREAD HOSPITALITY
It was the same story whether in the capital Beijing or in the provinces that the China International Press Communication Centre organised trips to.
From Shandong, Hangzhou, Jiangsu, Xi’an, Shanghai and Zhejiang, to name but just a few, the free mindset permeates.
“People from the rural areas rarely see foreigners, unlike those who live in the capital city,” said Wang Yuxian, Yansibo’s aunt.
At CGTN, where I was on attachment for more than a week, the staffers were more than willing to walk you through their daily operations.
Despite the language barrier, as most don’t speak English, it was easy to gel with the ever-curious locals.
In March, President Xi Jinping called on Chinese nationals to embrace people-to-people exchange as a path to a shared future.
This has been implemented through cultural years, art festivals, expos and exhibitions, Luban workshops and people-to-people exchange programmes, notably the Silk Road Forum.
“All these flourishing activities have composed a symphony of friendship in the new era,” Xi said during the third Belt and Road Forum attended by leaders from more than 140 countries.
Chinese locals are not so much into political banter, and any you ask would display a strong sense of patriotism. They speak highly of their government.
In fact, when President Xi arrived for the launch of the 19th Asian Games, he was greeted with ululations, even though he only ended up making a two-word remark.
As I sat in a row at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre that September 23 evening, I couldn’t help but wonder how these positive vibes materialised.
A local guide would later enlighten me that the people have seen the hand of the government, particularly in the past 10 years, in building a modern country for them.
MEGA STRUCTURES
China’s political and infrastructure prowess speaks for itself on touching down at the Beijing Capital International Airport, or whichever port or railway you arrive through.
In every corner of the country, roads are paved to bitumen standards and every length is covered, including areas with impossible terrain.
A dance story, ‘Railway to Tibet’, was a perfect showcase of the resilience of the Chinese military in putting up mega structures in even the remotest part of the vast country.
The working class has no reason to drive to work, thanks to an efficient metro system that connects to every corner of major cities.
With the train, you can time your trip, and there is never a scramble as is our case during peak hours.
Railway operators said they moved hundreds of millions of passengers during the rush hour of the mid-autumn festival vacation.
There are many cars, though, despite the state-of-the-art railway system. PSVs, which Nairobi calls matatu, are operated by the government.
The government also operates the railways, airports and sea ports as well as most media houses.
SAFETY AND DINING
Better still, China could by far be the safest place in the world as you can walk at any time of the day without any fear of being attacked.
CCTVs dot every corner of the roads and alleys, with the major infrastructure fitted with lights guiding the flow of traffic.
Electricity barely goes off. The taps never run dry either, amid deliberate efforts to conserve every green space.
The digital economy sector is equally thriving. You will need mobile-based pay platforms — Alipay or WeChat Pay — to transact in most shops.
Cash is acceptable, too, but you risk standing out, as most people buy virtually everything online, with delivery fellows just a click of a button away.
For food, forget ugali, the Kenyan staple. Rice would be a main serving in all meals. There are also no roadside kiosks selling chapati ndengu.
Restaurants are also commonplace in most estates, serving cuisines ranging from chicken to pork to noodles and other soups.
In Beijing, you would need at least 20 Yuan (about Sh400) to have a proper meal, like, say, rice and spicy chicken.
Beef is quite pricey, but there is always plenty of rice, including rice porridge (congee). There’s a Chinese wine that is also made from rice.
Tofu, as it is locally known, is the most common form of our tumbukiza. It can be made from shrimp or other seafood.
Ducks, such as the Peking duck, are a delicacy. In Shanghai, varieties of seafood are commonplace.
With about 80 Yuan (Sh1,600), you can have a full pot of chicken, noodles and some potatoes — of course with rice.
Cash is acceptable, too, but you risk standing out, as most people buy virtually everything online, with delivery fellows just a click of a button away
Residents of major cities prefer eating out. They do so in groups of four or more, chatting over frothy substances, which they are very willing to share out.
There is no 'Mututho' law, so it is normal to drown a lunch bite with a pint of beer, mostly served in 600ml bottles. There are vibrant nightclubs, too.
Chinese people love visiting their local tourist attractions, be it Tiananmen Square, the Badaling Greatwall, the Home of Peking Man and more.
They strictly keep time. Lateness for activities is sacrilege, and it is worse if you don’t communicate the delay.
China was declared free of poverty in 2021, with official data showing that only about 19 in every 1,000 people earn below 1.9 US dollars.
If anyone said my four months in China on the invitation of the China Public Diplomacy Association would be thrilling, I would have doubted them, but now I know better.