Kenyan Idol

It's been 17 days, and I'm exhausted.  Living in Nairobi feels like the first month of dorm-living in Freshman year of college.  It's like summer camp for young adults, without the counselors and without the curfew, where campfire songs have graduated into AM clubbing in a "treehouse" and the ropes-course is either safari or rock-climbing at Hell's Gate.

The social options here are relentless (not to sound threatening).  Every night of the week has standing appointments:

Mondays: Nairobi Hash House Harriers run & dinner
Tuesdays: Karaoke at Black Diamond
Wednesdays: Live band and salsa at Brew Bistro
Thursdays: Hip Hop classes

Last week's karaoke night happened to also be the annual "Kenyan Idol" contest, complete with 3 critical judges, a grand prize recording contract, a Michael Jackson impersonator, and live broadcast on a dozen tv screens throughout the bar.  

Michael.

Moonwalking.

But overlaid on top of that weekly schedule is a manifold of other options.  Within a 2 week window, I have been presented with all of the following options: Blankets and Wine event, lunch and tour of organic farms, group Mexican dinner, Go-cart racing, Wine and Cheese Festival, Rift Valley Music Festival, ravine hike in the Aberderes, weekend trip to Lamu island, and safari.

The newest plan seems to be a flash dance mob somewhere in Nairobi.

Lights, fire, flashmob!