Naija Week 30 - An Abuja Special‏!

Hiya,

Hope you've had a good week. Here's my 7th month blog, crowned with a visit to Abuja!

Thanks as usual for all your emails and comments!

Happy Reading!

1. At the weekend, I decided to warm up a bit of food and forgot all about it. As I wanted to leave the house, an instinct prompted me to just check the kitchen. I did and realised that I had left the pot on the cooker for over half an hour. Strangely, the gas had gone out so the pot wasn't burnt neither was the food warmed. The whole kitchen however smelled of gas by now. Seeing that the food hadn't warmed up because of the gas going out, I still wanted to do this before stepping out. I reached for the lighter, as I was about to ignite it, I just had this unction not to - then I came to my senses that the kitchen was already filled with gas. What would have happened? Or imagine if I hadn't gone to check the kitchen before going out, what could / would have happened. I so thank God for his mercies!

2. Read some news in the dailies that Naija ministers and legislators are the highest paid in the world! How amazing! Dem dey earn more than una jand PM! Habi make I change job?

3. Went past the Chinese embassy the other day and the amount of people in the queue was unbelievable! Naija people dey go anywhere go-able in this world o!

4. Oh, before I forget - My weekend gone was almost like a simulation of living in jand! I practically had un-interrupted power supply over the weekend up until when I left the house on Monday morning! Such was this wonder that I watched TV / DVD from 7.30pm Friday evening until Saturday 2.30am! What a wonder! It just has never occurred in my entire 7months!

5. Picture this - Day 151 to 155: An Abuja Special!

I made a cab reservation to the local airport for a 5.45am Monday morning pick up. At the scheduled pick up time, I called up the cab driver to enquire of his whereabouts. He told me he was still home, meanwhile my flight was at 6.50am! I was instantly annoyed wondering what he was playing at. I asked what time he intended to reach me and he couldn't answer, instead he told me that he wasn't going to come pick me up anymore. He went off on one that he was not my mate so I had no reason to query him blah, blah! For someone who wanted to collect premium rate for the service, I couldn't understand his actions. Anyway, I got off the phone completely disoriented! How was I to reach the airport? As I left the house contemplating how to make the 20minute walk to the nearest point of civilisation from my abode, I saw my neighbour leaving for work and got a ride to the nearest plausible place to get a cab. I got off but it was all still pitch black. My God, I was a bit scared as the danfos came and went; people hopped on and off; conductors stopped / shouted in my face hoping that I would get on! Flagging a cab down was difficult as I couldn't see much coupled with the fact that I had my laptop and a luggage to hang onto. My ordeal finally ended about fifteen minutes later when I boarded a cab. I managed to make it to the airport at the nick of time and even had some few minutes to dig into my nicely packed yam and egg brekkie! I sent the cab driver a text message before deleting his number!

The flight and service was good - I was very impressed! It was my 2nd time of ever flying anywhere within Naija!

On landing, my colleagues and I headed out to get a hotel. One of the hotels taken to was a 'christian' hotel and the first criteria on their list was that you had to be 'born again'! Meanwhile the hotel was crap! After they checked out a couple of hotels, they decided to settle for the xtian one. My search continued. After checking out the 4th one or so, I decided to just take it so that we could proceed to the program we'd come for.

At the end of a long and tiring day, I went back to my hotel and the horror of my choice began to unravel before my very eyes! The room stank of this terrible incense / odour or something. I felt nauseous and disgusted immediately; developed a sore throat too. Then I noticed that the towel had been placed on top of this brown sticky substance on the table. Then I noticed how grubby the room was, with filthy and misplaced blinds; rusty and unclean windows! Then I noticed the torn pillow case! Then I noticed the black grouts! Then I noticed the unclean walls! Then the light went and was told the generator usage was timed and wouldn't come on until much later!

As I found it in myself to sit on the bed, a couple of tears dropped from my eyes as I tried to envisage how I was going to survive in this place for the next 4 nights! I thought and almost decided on heading for the airport back to Lagos! Then I began to miss my days of being on the field and living it up in all those posh-nosh hotels around the UK!

In trying to engage myself, I decided to prepare for the next day and asked for an iron. I was told I had to pay for the service / pay to use the iron even if I wanted to DIY - I ditched the idea when I saw the state of the other places around the hotel and the calibre of people about the place! It was BAD!

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore, so I went to check out and asked for a refund - thankfully I got my money back. I checked out but still had to spend the night there since there wasn't anywhere just yet to stay et al. Luckily, after sending out some SMS (Save My Sanity) messages and calls, my colleagues and some people came to my rescue to search for another place. After the 8th hotel or so, I found a really lovely place - damned the company's hotel allowance and paid the excess myself!

Anyway, I still had to go back to my horror room for a 1-night sleep! There was no water in the toilet and even if there was, you could only attempt flushing via a string that had been attached to the flusher. The rug had gone beyond colour-reasoning and I couldn't even place my feet on it directly!

I couldn't use the blanket placed on the bed, neither could I place my head directly on the pillow! I had to place my shirt on the pillow before I could put my head on it! I had to use my skirt to cover the bit of my legs that my nightshirt didn't cover!

As I lay there, a car came round about 11.30pm blasting music. When that died down about 30minutes later, I started hearing people chatting and parambulating along the corridor near my room at around 12.15am! Parambulating and hearing them flip-flopping!

You can guess that I didnt't get much sleep! Just when I was about to start dozing off, na so, I com dey hear call for morning prayers from the tannoys before 5am! I gave up on the idea of sleep! Then I saw a small roach in the bathroom tub! Though I had already given up on the idea of a bath in this place, my decision was further buttressed by this scene! The shower head was missing and all that was left for usage was a dirty looking bucket and bowl! Strangely however, there was hot water, even though there was no boiler in sight!

About 6.30am, after enduring the smell all night, I suddenly had a stomach churn with an urgent need to use the bathroom! I com dey pray say make the thing go away. This was my worst fear! I didn't have any time to deliberate as my tummy was seriously on a sudden brink of disruption! I humbly and quickly had to perch on the toilet bowl o in order to use it!

I dressed up in the previous days clothing and checked out without a thought to have a bath. I headed to the newly booked hotel and cleaned up there!

At this point I wasn't loving Abuja for a second!

The exhibition was great for the entire duration and we got fed well - very well indeed; only I went through an entire pack of Loperamide (for Diarrhoea)! Food and drinks were in excess - well na petrol money sha! The event organisers even hosted a dinner on Day 152!

Day 153 - Ooh lala! I saw LONDON BLACK CABS in Abuja! It was surreal!

Day 154 - weather was forecasted to be a very sunny day instead it turned out to be a completely wet day! Well what can I say? Even that famous British forecaster (no be Michael Fish)got it very wrong a few years ago!

We wanted to buy some 'Kilishi' (not sure of the spelling), little did we realise that parking near the sellers will invite all of them round the car literally sticking their meat in our faces! As the windscreen on my side was down, I suddenly had different hands sticking their meat in my face. I didn't and couldn't buy any from the scenario presented before me!

My best bet and outing during this trip was a visit to the market where they sell jewellery! The flight back was equally smooth but it took forever to get our luggage out. It didn't take a second for us to know that we were back in Las Giddy!

My take and highlights of Abuja - its clean, well planned, no pollution, has good road networks, good drainage system, no crazy Las Giddy traffic replicated here, no crazy Las Giddy flooding (at least I didn't see any), the place is expensive, lovely environment to raise up kids, et al.

Somehow, I found myself missing Las Giddy! I was counting down to going back home! What is it about this place called Lagos? Any ideas?

So there goes details of my week!

Y'All have yourself a restful week!

Always & Always,

Moi (Always Keeping It Real!)

Naija Week 29

Hi Everyone,

I trust you are all doing great. Amazing how this year seems to be rapidly moving towards December! May God continue to keep us safe and sound!

Here's my piece for Week 29!

Enjoy!

1. Well, what can I say? I came to jand, left and the whole time seemed to have ran by! My trip and prep to the airport was stressful. I almost missed my flight and in fact my luggage was tagged the last bag - can you believe that; had excesses too and I'm sure my hand luggage would have easily weighed about 25kg - still God's mercy prevailed! Anyway, the flight was quite smooth but unfortunately I couldn't get much sleep due to cramps in one leg, even though I had a row of 3 seats all to myself! I'm not rested and sure could do with another holiday - yeah right! But I honestly mean that!

Thanks to all that had an impact in making my stay pleasurable, enjoyable and memorable!

Did I enjoy Jand thoroughly: Yes; Do I / Did I miss Jand: No! If for nothing else but for the unpredictable weather and the credit system!

2. I was met with electricity supply on getting home, almost for the entire day. I was utterly shocked! 'Twas an amazing welcome home gift!

3. Day 146 - I was in traffic (nothing new here) and saw a man who looked quite engrossed in what he was saying to his female passenger, only his female passenger seemed fast asleep and unattentive to him! Maybe na man / woman palava!

4. Currently wearing a pink and burgundy hairdo, so been in pinkies all week. Its been met with utter astonishment, gazes, glances, stares and nice comments!

5. Did I mention that some of my colleagues had been a bit apprehensive that I might not come back from Jand? In fact, some of them thought I had left purely because its unheard of to take time off within the first 6months of employment in Naija. Surely, this policy has to be revisited!

6. Picture this: had a hairdo, eye brow shaping, manicure and pedicure for well less than 10 pounds!

7. Day 148 - Went for a meeting and I had to walk up to the 8th floor because their lift was acting psychotic! I was besides myself for the rest of the day! Well, I'd rather be besides myself than the alternative!

8. Saw a chinko driving a danfo-type vehicle with passengers fast asleep in it. Habi, im get driver job? In the same vain, I saw an Oyinbo woman on an Okada as a passenger! She don acclamatise be that o!

9. Day 149 - My 1st real taste of customer service in Las Giddy! I went to return an item that I'd purchased from a store about 2months ago, which was faulty and got my money back in full! I am and was so impressed! Bravo!

10. Saw a number plate reading DH666GGE!

11. Picture this: you buy a brand new car in Naija and then you have to spend so much etching the registration number all over anything etchable on the car! Do people really go about stealing windows, mirrors et al and even if thats the case, where do you begin to search if they go missing!

12. One of my colleagues told me that there is a hotel in Abuja where if a man and woman are to share a room, they ask them to present their marriage certificate! Dat one be abolition of fornication and adultery o!

But hem, my people, if na two men nko? Dey for ask them for marriage certificate too o because of the kin thing wey dey happen in dis our generation.

Thats all! Have a rested weekend!

Always & Always,

Still Keeping It Real!

Naija Week 28 - Jand Edition!

Hello Everyone,

Here's another special edition reporting live from Jand!

Enjoy!

1. I saw a Ford Ka in pretty pink colour - how shocking and absurd! I can't believe I used to dream about having a pink or lime green coloured car once upon a time!

2. So, there's been severe flooding leaving effects such as no water, no light, people having to use rain water to flush the loo, people stranded at home. Hmm! Now if this were in Las Giddy, life will go on, in fact we don't need the rain to create these effects on living and we have learnt to be very resilient! Brits, learn to be resilient! Its the fine line between survival or otherwise!

3. Ha, was opportuned to dine at a new discovery - Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK), it was perfecto!

4. Went to one of my girlfriend's place and discovered that the Ribena she'd just purchased had an expiry date of 'March 2006'! Can you believe that? Now I can understand such an occurrence in Las Giddy, but not in jand! And here she was wondering why it had a funny taste!

Still on this expiration theme, in jand eggs have expiry dates and once its gone past the expiration, some people still eat them while some people don't (like moi) mostly because you can't see any visible sign that its off! Trust me however, you will know when an egg is off in Naija and thats true expiration to the core from the stench that will emanate from the egg!

5. Sad to hear about the Nigerian boxer and bouncer that was shot in the head and leg for telling some people to stop smoking. Senseless killings happen everywhere, not just in 3rd world countries! Whats the difference between living in jand and Las Giddy if I have to watch over my shoulders everywhere I go? And believe me I really did have to watch out when I was out and about in jand! Another life was wasted all within one week - a 16 year old was shot dead by a gang!

6. Day 144 - I saw some girls scantily dressed as I was cladded in boots, scarf and a jacket! I couldn't help wondering if we were all under the same weather conditions. I was freezing! Surely, they couldn't have been hot, could they?

7. Went to another eatery with some of my sisters. One of the meals ordered came with a 'shibi' (spoon) that I would term an 'omorogun' (ladle) to eat with! Na wa ya o! Omorogun just to eat 'Yakamoto food'!

8. Went on the tube a few times and for the life of me I could not understand how I endured years of travelling on it with the smells from MO, BO; the louts; the puke; the stuffiness; the filthiness; the grease from peoples hair on the side panes at the end of every row of seats; the stares, the gazes; the suspicions from your neighbour wondering if you were the next 'Taliban' et al! How did I, how do you?

9. As you know in Las Giddy, its 'soh kin soh' when commuting but in jand its 'dide kin joko'! When people are stood on the bus or on the train, everyone targets any seat coming up spare.

I was on the tube on Day 146 and this woman spoke directly and indirectly to her hearts content for someone to give up their seat for her children. No one budged; funny though she wasn't willing to give up her seat for them. When a seat went spare, someone just snapped it up without an ounce of guilt, all this whilst she was still cajoling her rigid children to go have the seat!

10. Went to my old workplace and nicely put - I made the right decision! Thank God!

Thats it for Week 28! Take care and have a fab week as you lookout for the next Las Giddy edition!

Always & Always,

Lola

Naija Week 27 - Reporting from Jand!‏

Hello All,

This is a special edition reporting live from Jand! Enjoy my views!

Firstly is 'A Naija Experience' - my perspective on Las Giddy airport!

1. Picture this - Day 135 (Week 26). I got to the airport in perfect time with no excess or any such. The first set of custom chaps were quite friendly and even thought I couldn't speak anything other than the queens English - na soso foney I dey blow. Anyway, as I was leaving, I made a statement in 'conc' Yoruba that rocked their world! I got to the next set of custom officials for PP checking only to be told by the guy that he was not satisfied with my britico PP. He told me point blank I will have to go to the embassy and that I was an off-load. I didn't have a clue what that meant then I came up angry. I asked what the problem was and didn't get a response. I was told that I will be put on a flight free of charge on Monday but that I was not travelling on this flight. By now I was fuming, I told them I was getting on the flight and nothing was going to stop me! I asked the custom man how he could detect any wrong on my PP using a torchlight - the statement got to him and he bluntly retorted that it wasn't a torchlight! Anyway, eventually their 'Oga' came took a look at me and my PP and told me that I could proceed!

Then, I got to another set of custom checking were you had to open up your suitcase - only God knows why we have to do this! The guy just scattered all my stuff around - by now fuming couldn't even describe my emotions! By the time, I got to the checking-in counter, I had lost it and vowed not to fly with that airline again, so the attendant began to pacify me.

As I queued up to go through the detector checking, I saw a 'foreigner' jump a queue. The people around were so mad and as they complained and moaned, he just snubbed them and went through the checking barrier; as he did this I commented that he had become a 'Nigerian'! I went through only to be told I had to ditch my bottles of water even though I had specifically asked at the counter prior if it was OK to take water on board and was categorically told it was fine! Then I was told that I had the wrong custom form - been given an arrival form instead of a departure form from an earlier desk. When I asked to be given the right form, I was told to cross out the word 'arrival' and write 'departure' there! Whose report am I to believe?

Just as well I got to the airport early, the departure time for my flight at the airport was an hour later than the time stipulated on my itinerary at the point of booking - na wa o!

The whole experience was so traumatic that my head pounded like never before!

Then I finally board the plane to discover that we were going to be travelling in an antiquated Boeing 767 plane with 'gbogbo ero' movie screen showing some thirty-something year old movies! Thankfully the flight was smooth but I had stomach spasms all through the duration!

On landing, I was the only black person on the UK PP side in a long stretch of holiday makers at PP control!

At one point the baggage reclaim area was so flooded with people from other flights that landed after us and believe it or not, everyone had their baggage reclaimed, left the airport and forgot they'd just flown in whilst we on the Las Giddy reclaim belt waited forever for our stuffs to come out! And when they finally started coming out, those that circled the belt belonged to those still trying to get past PP control! Why does this always happen?

Oh what a trip!

I stepped out of the airport and the first person my gaze landed on was a 'traffic warden' about to start dishing out parking fines, then I knew I was truly in jand!

2. I discovered just before I left for my trip that my little TV actually worked and could pick up local channels! Thanks to my friend who came and fiddled with the tuning! I just can't believe that I'd suffered in ignorance for this long! At the end I was told I needed a man in my life! Hmm, what more can I say?

3. Whoever said traffic was peculiar to just Las Giddy? I witnessed stagnant traffic on the famous M25; at least it still moves at a snail's pace in Las Giddy even though there's never a cause of traffic!

4. Day 138 - Saw with my korokoro eyes a woman with the name 'Gregory Smith' tattooed on her back. So I com dey wonder say if GS com leave am if na so she go tattoo all the men's name that she encounters on all her body! I no say I dey see craze for Lagos but I never see dis kind one o!

5. Jand traffic warden vs Las Giddy Lastma - pick your choice!

6. Fuel is almost a pound to the litre; thats almost N250 to 1 litre! Ha, I prefer Lagos o!

7. Barely have I seen company cars on the roads here unlike in Las Giddy, where almost 1 in 3 cars is a company car; neither does the amount of posh cars on jand roads compare to that on a typical Naija road. Naija tops the amount any day, any time!

8. I've been at the steering for a few days now and I was forced to 'wa ti eko fun won' once when I was stuck in traffic. One lane had a long queue, whilst the other remained practically empty because of those turning off! You can guess what I did next! Na Lagos fault o! The Brits are so lovingly traffic abiding! Just wait till you go to Naija!

Oh, and by the way, I've been opportuned to use my horn!

9. Day 139 - Had to pop into the bank. And its amazing how customer-centric the English have become. Even when you are cursing them, they are still smiling at you et al yet they are the biggest silent killers as far as I'm concerned. They give you the biggest smiles yet kill you softly whilst you are being mesmerised by their smiles. Meanwhile, we know customer service doesn't even exist in our lingua yet 'what you see is what you get'. What an irony of life!

10. Whilst at a family friend's place, the music being played suddenly stopped and the first thing that sprang to my mind and mouth was that 'Nepa' had struck. Now, thats the Naija effect! Nepa in jand? Yet, it was nothing like that, the music had only finished playing!

11. Partly watched a TV program the other day - 'How clean is your house'! The amount of filth and grime in this man's house was unprecedented and unbelievable. I was so horrified that I had goosebumps and had to run out of the lounge. Yet, we get reports that Naija is this and that. At least, over there its only a mad man you will see living in filth not sane human beings! No comment!

12. Didn't realise good ol' Eastenders was still on until I heard the famous tune as they were about to start one of the midweek episodes. After years of abstinence, I quickly discovered within a couple of minutes that it was still the same old story lines, the bullies still remained bullies, the geezer still remained the felon et al. Oh what a bore!

13. The weather has been terrible - seems like Autumn has bypassed Summer. I've been feeling the cold and having to wearing socks. In fact, I landed a cold and sore throat within a couple of hours of landing!

Conclusion: I miss my Las Giddy! Oh my God, did I just say that?

Thanks all and have a wonderful weekend!

Always & Always,

Lola - Reporting Live from the Land of the Bore!

Naija Week 26 - 6 months on‏

Howdy Everyone,

Just can't believe I'm counting 6 months of being in Las Giddy! Thank God for his mercies and strength to have endured thus far!

Many thanks for all your prayers (and continued prayers), love and support to make this move bearable! No regrets sha!

Happy Reading!

1. Picture this - Day 131 - Monday morning at 7.30am! Na so I com dey day-dream as I dey go work. I dey day dream say I dey for beach having a lazy day - you know, getting a tan, got my designer sunglasses on, wearing a sombrero and generally appreciating the breeze and natures beauty. Na im I com see dis man comot im 'shokoto' for bar-beach and begin to sxxx. The speed wey I stop my day-dreaming pass the speed of light o! Before my very eyes, the man was passing out some spiral-looking, continuos defaecation. 'Twas such an ugly and disgusting sight!

Oh what a way to start up the week!

2. Has anyone see the new Audi Jeep? Its nice, isn't it?

3. Day 132 - I got jumped by an 'Opolo' - frog! It wasn't funny! I screamed off my head and was hysterical for a few seconds before I realised it a was a frog! No worries - it was still a worthy good scream!

4. For the first time, I had electricity supply from 8.30pm until 5.45am the next morning. I didn't visit much of lala land that night as I kept waking up at intervals shocked to see and know that there was light! We've however been paying the price since, as there hasn't been any electricity supply since then, hence no aqua too!

5. I went to a book store and saw on display for sale a 'Nigeria Road Atlas'. I hope it helps the traveller; thats all I can say! That means there's hope for Satellite Navigation in Naija! Habi e don happen wey I never know?

6. Day 134 - I saw with my own bare, korokoro eyes - an 'ebo' (pronounced 'ehboh') by a junction on the wayside. I didn't know that alot of those things depicted in the home movies had an element of reality to them. It had feathers and all sorts in the calabash. I was just so shocked to see this and to know that people were still about this sort of thing. I quickly covered myself in the blood of Jesus!

7. A Sony Ericsson billboard Ad in Lagos reads ' I Love Gbedu' well the 'love' is represented by the Sony Ericsson logo! How wonderful to know that foreign companies are recognising the peculiarity of Nigerians and therefore localising their offerings! Proudly Nigerian!

8. My neighbour has had three of his colleagues encounter armed robbers within the last week. One was robbed a few yards to his house, lost his car, valuables and his passenger was injured when he was flung out of his car from his sleep, the car was later recovered; the other lost all valuables and almost his life - was rescued at the point of imminent death by the other robbers when one of them was about to blow off his head and the last a lady, fled the highway with other motorists when a band of armed bandits suddenly pounced on the unsuspecting people around 9pm in traffic. Everyone fled leaving their cars and valuables at the mercy of these miscreants to have a field day.

These victims turned up to work as usual the next day, being grateful to be alive to tell their stories! Life just goes on!

I tell you, Las Giddy seems to be getting crazier by the day, and its purely by the utmost grace of God that one is still in one piece.

Meanwhile the topmost item on the new Governor's to-do list for Lagos is 'security'!

9. Guess who often directs traffic at some of the Island's hot spots in the morning? Kids barely 9/10 years old! Whatever happened to the people whose responsibility it is to do this? And why are these kids not in school?

And thats all from me for this week!

Have a fab weekend!

Always & Always,

Lola (Keeping It Real)

Naija Week 25

Howdy Y'All,

Many thanks for all the encouraging calls, chats and emails - much appreciated. Not much to report on this week; wonder why! Here's the little details for Week 25!

Enjoy!

1. Hmm, went to a bukka restaurant over the weekend called 'Yakoyo' - posh bukka! Didn't run my tummy and you even have to pay a service charge! Food was cool!

2. Day 124 - Saw a trailer that had tilted on its side with the crane head go through the wall of one of the rooms at Eko Hotel. I can't even begin to imagine what the occupier may have thought at the point of impact if he or she was in the room then.

3. Day 125 - Discovered a plant growing on my room's window seal! Thats what the rain has done!

4. One of my friends lost his brother-in-law and his friend to robbers over the weekend. Their car was sprayed with bullets and 2 out of 3 of the vehicle occupants died. So sad! I tell you Las Giddy can be very scary at most times. It is well.

5. My company won the Cisco Premier Partner Award for Y06 for Emerging Africa! Hurray!

6. And lastly, I never thought I will be drinking anything hot in Naija, but I've been onto hot chocy every morning now for the last few days to warm up!

Thats it for now. Enjoy and have a great, splendid and blessed weekend.

Always & Always,

Lola (RLC)

Naija Week 24

Howdy Y'All!

Another late entry - many apologies! Been a bit depressed actually and still battling that. I guess I'm human after all and covet your prayers for strength!

Enjoy the entries for Week 24!

1. Believe it or not, I was in knee-length boots in a whole ('odindin') Las Giddy for 3 days last week! The weather was very mild and accommodating; and I sure felt like a trend-setter! No, no, it was more like trying to save myself from the cold spells I'd been experiencing of late! Been wearing vests too! Crazy isn't it?

I went for one of my meetings and my clients joked that I'd come to fight them hence why I was cladded in my 3/4 shorts and boots!

2. Confession time! I com ask the Landlord say where I go throway my 'idoti'. E come tell me say make I dey throway am for the empty land wey dey near us. So, na so so throway I don dey do for dis empty land since o. Now, thats the price you pay in Lagos if your land remains undeveloped - it becomes a refuse dump. O, how I miss unfailing refuse collection every Friday in jand!

3. Picture this: Na so, I go buy frozen chicken for supermarket. I come boil am for 10minutes and comot for fire. Something just tell me say make I try the chicken to check whether e don cook. Hey, na so the chicken be like rubber for mouth. Here was me thinking I was cooking chicken in jand that only took 10minutes - forgot I was dealing with the real thing here. It took another 45minutes or so to get the chicken parts to a soft spot.

4. I went to the supermarket to ask for 'frozen spinach'! The look on the attendants faces told it all. They were looks of what on earth is she talking about; wetin be spinach?; why would she want something frozen when the real mccoy could be gotten fresh and more like 'we think she's forgotten where she is'!

5. For the first time since I arrived here, I went through the whole week without spending money on take-out food! Bravo! Really, somehow it happened that I got free brekkies and lunches both in and out of the office! Generous naija people! Now thats something that will not happen in jand!

6. Day 119 - Severe rain and flooding brought the Island to a standstill. I broke the traffic record since I came to town - it took me 5hours and 20minutes to get home. Almost 5 of those hours where in trying to get off the Island - em, equivalent to travelling about 2/3miles fro 5hours!

And thats it. Enjoy your week!

Always and Always,

Lola (Real Life Content)