STAY PUT!
NOBODY is allowed to venture out on the road this morning between 7am till 10am. If one is caught, they will be fine N10,000 (about S$78 or US$62) or face a 6-month jail term. Considering the fact that most of the Nigerians only make about US$2 (S$2.50) a day, you would think they would follow the rule. No! Of course, some will take the risk and get caught! Now, what am I talking about??? Well, today is Saturday, January 28th 2012.
Sometime in mid April 2010, the Lagos State Government declared that last Saturday of every month be observed as environmental sanitation across the State making sure that filth generated across the state are properly cleared up and disposed properly. Thus, any movements within the state is restricted between that period of time in the morning. This is when residents come out to clean up their surroundings. Of course, under the watchful eyes of the officials of the state government ensuring that they do their part in cleaning up.
Environmental Day means no cars, buses or motorbikes on the streets to cut down on vehicular emission, cleaning up the streets, drains and any kinds of sanitation. I totally applaud Nigerians in their effort to make their country a better, cleaner one but just don't give me a pair of gloves. I will not put my hands in those drains! :)
Saturday 28 January 2012
Friday 27 January 2012
Life's A Beach
For me to do this blog since I just recently set my blog up and happen to look at my picture albums in here :) There are nice places to go to in Lagos. Sometime late last year, first week of November 2011, we went out on a boat with three other families to the beach. It is not too far away from where we live at. We had to take a very interesting boat ride to reach this place. Boat ride was quite bumpy and I was so scared that we would bounce off the boat! First time I went there with my husband and our two boys. It was a beautiful day and it's like as if we are in paradise :) Or should I say I feel like as if I'm in Thailand! (Only it's better there! ^_^)
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Too bad we can't swim in the water due to the strong currents. Does not matter, our kids had fun anyway playing by the beach. We got to get out of the apartment to a different scenery away from the chaos of the city. Till next time at the beach, folks!
Back to the chaotic city life :)
Thursday 26 January 2012
Always A First
FOR EVERYTHING!
If not most, right?!?! Today, after being here in Lagos, Nigeria, for almost 6 months, I finally went to watch a movie at the theater. Yes, I did it! Woohoo! I really LOVE watching movies especially when the kids go to school in the morning. I did that A LOT whenever we were in Singapore. Yes, we moved here from there :) So I organised a movie outing with a few ladies to watch "We Bought A Zoo" based on a true story starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson. Today is Tuesday so tickets cost only N500 per person if you watch a movie before 2pm (about US$3 or S$4). It's awesome. I kind of cried a little bit watching some scenes :) Call me a cry baby or loser whatever, I don't care..haha! Another lady that came with me also cried!! I had to pass her a tissue too! :)) If you don't know what the movie is all about, click here http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/weboughtazoo/
Being a movie buff, I was hesitant at first to go and watch a movie here. I always have this fear whether I am going to be safe in the theater being here in Lagos. I also fear at the thought of the seats being dirty, the theater itself being filthy. I must say, I was quite impressed and I will do it again!
If not most, right?!?! Today, after being here in Lagos, Nigeria, for almost 6 months, I finally went to watch a movie at the theater. Yes, I did it! Woohoo! I really LOVE watching movies especially when the kids go to school in the morning. I did that A LOT whenever we were in Singapore. Yes, we moved here from there :) So I organised a movie outing with a few ladies to watch "We Bought A Zoo" based on a true story starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson. Today is Tuesday so tickets cost only N500 per person if you watch a movie before 2pm (about US$3 or S$4). It's awesome. I kind of cried a little bit watching some scenes :) Call me a cry baby or loser whatever, I don't care..haha! Another lady that came with me also cried!! I had to pass her a tissue too! :)) If you don't know what the movie is all about, click here http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/weboughtazoo/
Being a movie buff, I was hesitant at first to go and watch a movie here. I always have this fear whether I am going to be safe in the theater being here in Lagos. I also fear at the thought of the seats being dirty, the theater itself being filthy. I must say, I was quite impressed and I will do it again!
Wednesday 25 January 2012
You Are A Pest!
BUGS!!
I think I will finally surrender. To the pest control people or whoever they may be here in Lagos. After killing one small cockroach while I was surfing the net, I decided to do it. I am going to sit down and email GREFF. Well, GREFF, are the crew that's in charge of every maintenance work that requires attention here at the apartment building we are living in. Anyway, it's not like as if they will come immediately after you send the work request. As they say, it's coming....
What triggers me to really decide on calling the pest control are because of four things:
1) A particular someone in our building just recently woke up to a BIG roach saying "Good Morning, Sunshine!" to her. The same particular someone who also complained about a neighbour "stealing" her bottled gas, the type you used for cooking. Heh!
2) A neighbour upstairs recently (a few nights ago!) found a rat wandering around her apartment, hiding behind the freezer/fridge, eating an apple and of course stealing food from her kitchen. She eventually got rid of it!
3) Bugs have been "pestering" me everytime I go downstairs to the tennis court watching our boys play their scooter/soccer.
4) I have a BIG, BIG hole in my laundry room wall!! God knows what will come through the hole and into our apartment! Everytime I ask GREFF to patch up the wall quick, they always tell me it's coming Madam, it's coming! *Sigh*
I have a headache now. A Lagos headache!
I think I will finally surrender. To the pest control people or whoever they may be here in Lagos. After killing one small cockroach while I was surfing the net, I decided to do it. I am going to sit down and email GREFF. Well, GREFF, are the crew that's in charge of every maintenance work that requires attention here at the apartment building we are living in. Anyway, it's not like as if they will come immediately after you send the work request. As they say, it's coming....
What triggers me to really decide on calling the pest control are because of four things:
1) A particular someone in our building just recently woke up to a BIG roach saying "Good Morning, Sunshine!" to her. The same particular someone who also complained about a neighbour "stealing" her bottled gas, the type you used for cooking. Heh!
2) A neighbour upstairs recently (a few nights ago!) found a rat wandering around her apartment, hiding behind the freezer/fridge, eating an apple and of course stealing food from her kitchen. She eventually got rid of it!
3) Bugs have been "pestering" me everytime I go downstairs to the tennis court watching our boys play their scooter/soccer.
4) I have a BIG, BIG hole in my laundry room wall!! God knows what will come through the hole and into our apartment! Everytime I ask GREFF to patch up the wall quick, they always tell me it's coming Madam, it's coming! *Sigh*
I have a headache now. A Lagos headache!
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This is the rat (dead now!) that my neighbour, Karin Frye, found in apartment |
Wednesday 18 January 2012
It's All Calm Once Again
HOORAY!
A BIG sigh of relief for me because I know that we are no longer "in prison". Eversince the strikes have stopped, everything in Lagos seem to be back to normal. Pretty much. I have not seen it for myself since I haven't been out and about but I will in a bit. Going to meet couple of my girlfriends for lunch today. My husband is already planning for us to actually get out of the compound and go somewhere for lunch this weekend! Boys went back to school today so the house is a little quiet now :)
Heard from a couple of people that prices for groceries have gone up a bit due to the strikes. I imagine! Officially, I have not stepped into a grocery store yet except for last Saturday when we had our company's bus to take us there to stock up on food. As long as we have food in the fridge/pantry and a roof under our head especially here in Nigeria, I am not complaining. What's next? Who knows! Anything can happen. Living in a third world country can be very unpredictable but at the same time very interesting. It's unpredictable anywhere in the world really! One day at a time. One day at a time.
A BIG sigh of relief for me because I know that we are no longer "in prison". Eversince the strikes have stopped, everything in Lagos seem to be back to normal. Pretty much. I have not seen it for myself since I haven't been out and about but I will in a bit. Going to meet couple of my girlfriends for lunch today. My husband is already planning for us to actually get out of the compound and go somewhere for lunch this weekend! Boys went back to school today so the house is a little quiet now :)
Heard from a couple of people that prices for groceries have gone up a bit due to the strikes. I imagine! Officially, I have not stepped into a grocery store yet except for last Saturday when we had our company's bus to take us there to stock up on food. As long as we have food in the fridge/pantry and a roof under our head especially here in Nigeria, I am not complaining. What's next? Who knows! Anything can happen. Living in a third world country can be very unpredictable but at the same time very interesting. It's unpredictable anywhere in the world really! One day at a time. One day at a time.
Sunday 15 January 2012
Reminiscing USA!
Our trip to the US of A that is! Yes, never mind all these wahala about the strike in Nigeria! Oh, by the way, wahala means problem. That's the word for problem(s) here. Anyway, we really had a great trip. Out of Nigeria one month for Christmas and New Year. Went to Indiana for Christmas, stopover in Houston, then to Galveston and rented a beach house there. Lastly, we headed to New Orleans, Lousiana, before heading back to Indiana. It was very refreshing to be able to smell the fresh air! Don't mind the 14+ hours flight to Atlanta and another 1 1/2 hours flight to Indiana at all! It was all worth it. After being "stuck" in Lagos for 7months straight without a break, we were glad to be out of here for a while.
We got to meet up with old friends and kids got to see their grandparents so it's all good! We went to the zoo in Louisiana. It was a very nice zoo. We also did a swamp tour. Boy, that was a very cold morning to be out on the boat! In an air boat that is! We were freezing..brrrr! Totally were not dressed for the occasion. LOL! It was very cool though and we got to see a handful of baby gators. Not the big ones since they are pretty much hibernating right now during winter months. Now, we are back in filthy, noisy, unpredictable country called Nigeria once again. Few more months before our next break. Getting adjusted back to our normal "life" here but it doesn't help with all these strike going on. Oh well! Enjoy the pictures everyone.....till next time!
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| One cold morning in Evansville, Indiana |
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| A start to a beautiful day that morning |
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| Kids IHOP pancake |
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| My American-sized steak omelette breakfast |
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| Georgeous sunset in Galveston beach |
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| From our beach house deck |
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| Our swamp tour guide, Captain Bebop |
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| Beautiful live oak trees |
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| THE famous Bourbon Street in New Orleans |
Nigeria Trouble!
BIG WAHALA!
So......the strike in Nigeria is heading into its second week! School has been closed for 5 days now and there will be no school again tomorrow, Monday, January 16th. It feels like we have been in "prison" here since we couldn't go out and about like per normal. It may seem quiet and all outside but who knows. There have been reports that "thugs" are extorting money and stealing valuables from motorists(?) who travels on the road! Yeah, maybe we should have stayed in USA BUT we don't have our own house there and we sure don't want to stay in a hotel room ETC ETC! Definately do not want to burden relatives either by staying too long with them otherwise wahala will arise there too :)
Anyway, we have enough food and water supply. For now! Yes, for now. For those of you that's not sure what this strike is all about in Nigeria, click here http://www.informationnigeria.org/2012/01/pengassan-threatens-to-shut-down-oil-production-if-fg-does-not-revert-fuel-price.html
Whatever it is, I am hoping this strike will not prolong. Stay safe everyone!
So......the strike in Nigeria is heading into its second week! School has been closed for 5 days now and there will be no school again tomorrow, Monday, January 16th. It feels like we have been in "prison" here since we couldn't go out and about like per normal. It may seem quiet and all outside but who knows. There have been reports that "thugs" are extorting money and stealing valuables from motorists(?) who travels on the road! Yeah, maybe we should have stayed in USA BUT we don't have our own house there and we sure don't want to stay in a hotel room ETC ETC! Definately do not want to burden relatives either by staying too long with them otherwise wahala will arise there too :)
Anyway, we have enough food and water supply. For now! Yes, for now. For those of you that's not sure what this strike is all about in Nigeria, click here http://www.informationnigeria.org/2012/01/pengassan-threatens-to-shut-down-oil-production-if-fg-does-not-revert-fuel-price.html
Whatever it is, I am hoping this strike will not prolong. Stay safe everyone!
Thursday 5 January 2012
I Will Be Back!
OUT OF ACTION. I know! I have been taking a LONG break from my blog, sorry y'all but I will back in action next week. Coming up....our holiday adventures in USA. Pictures to follow too. Me.
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