Nairobi Nights: Drumming Through the Chaos
nairobi… it hits you like a freight train. the moment i stepped off the plane, the air was thick with exhaust, roasting maize, and something sweet i couldn't place. the numbers 184622 and 1404140179? no clue what they mean, but they've been stuck in my head like a bad drum fill. maybe it's the altitude, maybe it's the sleep deprivation, but i'm rolling with it.
anyway, the weather here is doing its own thing. i just checked and it's a mild 15°c with a humidity that feels like someone's constantly breathing on your neck. perfect for wandering around in a hoodie, which is exactly what i did after soundcheck. the locals say it's "cold" but coming from a northern winter, this is practically beach weather.
i'm here drumming for a band that's doing a short east african run, and nairobi is our first stop. the venue was somewhere in westlands, and let me tell you-those potholes could swallow a whole drum kit. but the crowd? electric. they knew every word, even the deep cuts. someone told me that the best nyama choma in the city is at a place called Carnivore, but i ended up at a smaller joint called Mama Oliech's because a drunk sound guy swore it was better. he was right.
"if you're looking for real music, skip the tourist traps. go to the underground scene." - some guy at the bar who claimed he used to play with a famous afrobeat band.
i took his advice and ended up at a tiny club in kilimani. the drummer there had this insane syncopation that made my brain hurt in the best way. we traded fills until 3am. if you get bored, mombasa and nakuru are just a short drive away, but honestly? nairobi's got enough chaos to keep you busy for weeks.
i heard that the traffic here is legendary, but i didn't believe it until i spent two hours going three kilometers. my driver just laughed and said, "this is nairobi massage." fair enough. the streets are alive in a way that's hard to describe-vendors, matatus, people selling everything from phone chargers to roasted cassava. it's messy, it's loud, and it's exactly the kind of place that makes you want to write a song about it.
"don't trust the GPS. ask three people for directions and take the majority vote." - a street vendor who helped me find my way back to the hotel at 2am.
i've got a day off tomorrow and i'm thinking of checking out the giraffe centre. apparently you can feed them? seems like a good way to get kissed by a giraffe, which is either a dream or a nightmare depending on your perspective. also, someone mentioned a hidden coffee spot in karen that's run by a guy who used to be a drummer. of course i'm going.
anyway, that's the update from the ground. nairobi is a city that doesn't ask for your attention-it demands it. and right now, i'm here for it. just don't ask me what 184622 means. maybe it's the code to unlock the secret rhythm of this place. or maybe i just need more sleep.
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