:: Happy noo year!
02 January 2007

New Years Eve was quite a hoot! I found myself in town as I prepared to usher in a new year with Eddah, Gitau, Nyokabi and Michael. The plan was formulated early. Eat, drink, see fireworks and dance. Simple enough, no?

Eating was at two establishments. One was that Kenchic near that Steers opposite Jevanjee gardens. That is quite interesting Kenchic. They give you chickadee and then tell you to carry your meat to another counter to kausha it. This is the same counter where the cash register is so you can imagine pals paying for their food and the same guy is supposed to be kaushaing your nyama. Weird. At the tap for washing hands, is a sign that reminds you "please do not spit here" or something to that effect, which will gross you out if that kind of thing does. Also had some eats at the Fiesta restaurant at the Chester House, where they have extremely good mixed platter. Y'all should give it a go.

The drinking was so much fun too. We started off at Mwenda’s, at Utalii House, which is a cocktail lounge. The first I have seen in the city for long while. The system we were using was cool if you ask me. The idea was to order different cocktails and then everyone tasted everyone’s cocktail. Now that is what I call a treat. We drank quite a few cocktails. Cocktails with imaginative names like Dark F**k, Sex Appeal and the old favourites Pina Coladas and bloody Mary. Cocktails at Kshs 280 typically and I highly recommend Mudslide (yum yum). Shooters typically at Kshs150 and here I recommend Hezbollah (recipe includes fire!). After this enjoyable treat, we went to a few other establishments... The Verandah (formerly Cameo) and Fiesta.

The best part of the evening was without a doubt the conversation between pals that I don't see often enough. Gitau with a Man Yoo shirt (Grrr!), Eddah who was soon to ship off to Kisumu, Michael and Nyokabi. This was really one of the best nights I have had and this was how I was to start 2007. Interesting.

Then the fireworks. So there we (that’s Gitau, Eddah and myself) headed off, nay rushed off to Impala to check out fireworks. There was an event that turned out to a gospel one (Kkrew = gospel). As we waited for the year to turn and the fireworks, we were treated to some singers like Lam who was doing some poetry before his singing. We went to another stage (there seemed to be several stages and we listen to some seriously cool gospel music. A personal favourite was Kirk Franklin as well as that weird song “Stompu” by some Kenyan nut that we all love so much. The most interesting thing was that everywhere I looked I saw Celtel vans, banners, screens with Celtel adverts. I had to physically stop myself buying credit at this event sneaky you Celtel forko jembes with your subliminal advertising.

Another feature was how old I felt. It was amazing how a large part of the audience was very young pals. We are talking under 18 in a big way. I suddenly felt very very old. I am only 31 and I was feeling old so you can imagine how young the group here. In spite of this, we did the dunga dance (where there are two or three the dance must be done!) and the fireworks were beautiful! Yes. I turned the year at a Christian event. Shall I get saved this year then? Don't hold your breath on that one.

So we had eaten and drunk and enjoyed the fireworks right? All that was left was the dancing. So we headed of with a plan to check into K2 for a dance seeing as it was reopened. As we were on Baricho road some pals of Gitau stopped us, dragged us out of his moti and hugged us and wished us a happy new year. They asked us to head off to camp with them where all the fun was to be had. It was really tempting but we wanted to dance.

At K2 they were charging Kshs250 to enter so we decided to check into Choices instead. Once we went in (kshs200 poorer) we were stamped on the hand to ensure that we could come back incase we left and needed to return. When was the last time I was stamped when I checked into a club? No recently! In Choices I met Tabbz a.k.a Tabitha Makau bullying pals at the pool table. I hadn't seen her since graduation so long ago. It was such a plot. We didn't stay too long at Choices though. We headed off to Club Soundd in town. The place was nice.

The main thing I noted about this night as we moved around the city was the number of walking Kenyans. I don't know whether it had to do with it being a New Years Eve but the number of Kenyans walking wily nilly at odd hours was quite a sight to behold. I mentioned it to one cab guy. He explained to me that Nairobi at night was getting safer as thuggery was now a very risky profession. I was especially interested in seeing jamaas walking up Uhuru highway from Nyayo stadium at an ungodly hour. Three years ago no one in their right mind would pass by this route as they knew that there were robbers and rapists lurking at that stretch. Now dudes and dudettes were strolling there loosely. It’s amazing how much things changed in such a short time.

For all of y'all I'm wishing a great 2007.

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