Howdy cyberdwellers. How are you all today? Its been one heck of a week for me (Terry) but first I want to very briefly celebrate the fact that Jen and I have been blogging for 3 years now. How long you ask?? And why perhaps... well, I can't quite come to terms with it myself, but it was all the way back in October 2007 that we set our sights on African Safari and quite fittingly, here I am, on the anniversary of this occasion also in Africa. This time not on Safari and unfortunately this time minus my gorgeous wife to be. Why have we been blogging? Well I guess the best response is why the heck not. Lol.
So here I am, in my final 24hours of being in most definitely one of the craziest countries I've visited. Having said that, i've been in a bubble. A bubble of affluence basically. Surrounded by gadgets, expensive toys a security perimeter and all the home comforts I could wish for; peppered with a slight feeling of guilt each time I am escorted from the air con compound in the air con range rover, to the air con office...all the while passing people in abject poverty.
Its a strange world isn't it. No matter where we are, we strive for perfection in its various forms. But its interpretive isn't it. Each person holds a different definition of this concept in their mind, and therefore executes a different life plan. Or perhaps they don't. Perhaps there is no plan, or they don't have the ability to formulate one. Worth pondering.
Either way, Nigeria is as crazy as they come. And the poor live side by side with those with money and those in power. Its an odd country and I know this from only being here one week.
I was given an incredible opportunity by an extremely kind man who I have grown to very much respect and like over the last week. This gentleman, who shall remain anonymous, provided me with a chance to completely change the lives of Jen and I. He brought me into his house and showed me great kindness for which I am eternally grateful. He is a very successful business man who has made his money from nothing and built up an empire single handedly from scratch. For this, I fully respect him.
Now onto the country itself. Well, what can I say. All those english folk out there, if you can imagine the M25 on steriods with car size potholes, no traffic lights and cars in a condition akin to those still limping along from the 1950's you'd be close to the roads here in Lagos! They're mental! Oh yeah, and throw in someone walking up and down between the moving traffic selling pretty much anything you can think of. And I mean anything. I've seen bike tyres to shoe racks on offer, phone cards to chocolate bars bartered for and electronics to chewing gum. Its basically like a walking tesco, lol. The funny part is when they have a sniff of deal and have to run to keep up with the still moving car to seal the deal!! Lol.
And then theres security. Boy oh boy this country isn't for the faint hearted. I was fortunate (or not) enough to have an armed escort with me wherever I went. And by armed I mean a guy with a machine gun in the front seat. This is by no means typical though as its all dependent on your connections. The 'normal' situation is to basically live in fear as an ex-pat it would seem. Fear of the kidnappings and harsh violence or fear of simply losing the power in your house which frequently occurs of an evening. Things are very unreliable here and so it feels as though you're living on a knife edge. It would appear that theres lots of money to be made if you have the connections. But you would need to do business in majorly uncertain circumstances. And this creates a dilemma. The age old dilemma of "do I do anything for the money"....as I do need it. There are almost no opportunities in the UK as far as im concerned, and so it'd be amazing. But at what price. This is the dilemma.
Either way I've had a great week. I've met some amazing people and witnessed how harsh life can be in Africa. Its most definitely a far cry from the creature comforts you grow to take for granted. And although I've seen abject poverty in places like India and Cambodia for example, somehow its different here. In my brief introduction to Nigeria, I've seen a country that wants to have high aspirations. A country that has great wealth in its natural resources, but also one with a massive amount of corruption that directs the wealth to the few in power in the Government. As always, you want to help but in reality you can't. You stand out too much which makes you a target rather than someone with fresh spirit and energy who wants to chip in and solve some problems. One day when we win the lottery we'll be able to help out whoever we want whenever we want.
Anyway, for now its back to the UK (well, in 24hours time), and back to reality! Peace out.
So here I am, in my final 24hours of being in most definitely one of the craziest countries I've visited. Having said that, i've been in a bubble. A bubble of affluence basically. Surrounded by gadgets, expensive toys a security perimeter and all the home comforts I could wish for; peppered with a slight feeling of guilt each time I am escorted from the air con compound in the air con range rover, to the air con office...all the while passing people in abject poverty.
Its a strange world isn't it. No matter where we are, we strive for perfection in its various forms. But its interpretive isn't it. Each person holds a different definition of this concept in their mind, and therefore executes a different life plan. Or perhaps they don't. Perhaps there is no plan, or they don't have the ability to formulate one. Worth pondering.
Either way, Nigeria is as crazy as they come. And the poor live side by side with those with money and those in power. Its an odd country and I know this from only being here one week.
I was given an incredible opportunity by an extremely kind man who I have grown to very much respect and like over the last week. This gentleman, who shall remain anonymous, provided me with a chance to completely change the lives of Jen and I. He brought me into his house and showed me great kindness for which I am eternally grateful. He is a very successful business man who has made his money from nothing and built up an empire single handedly from scratch. For this, I fully respect him.
Now onto the country itself. Well, what can I say. All those english folk out there, if you can imagine the M25 on steriods with car size potholes, no traffic lights and cars in a condition akin to those still limping along from the 1950's you'd be close to the roads here in Lagos! They're mental! Oh yeah, and throw in someone walking up and down between the moving traffic selling pretty much anything you can think of. And I mean anything. I've seen bike tyres to shoe racks on offer, phone cards to chocolate bars bartered for and electronics to chewing gum. Its basically like a walking tesco, lol. The funny part is when they have a sniff of deal and have to run to keep up with the still moving car to seal the deal!! Lol.
And then theres security. Boy oh boy this country isn't for the faint hearted. I was fortunate (or not) enough to have an armed escort with me wherever I went. And by armed I mean a guy with a machine gun in the front seat. This is by no means typical though as its all dependent on your connections. The 'normal' situation is to basically live in fear as an ex-pat it would seem. Fear of the kidnappings and harsh violence or fear of simply losing the power in your house which frequently occurs of an evening. Things are very unreliable here and so it feels as though you're living on a knife edge. It would appear that theres lots of money to be made if you have the connections. But you would need to do business in majorly uncertain circumstances. And this creates a dilemma. The age old dilemma of "do I do anything for the money"....as I do need it. There are almost no opportunities in the UK as far as im concerned, and so it'd be amazing. But at what price. This is the dilemma.
Either way I've had a great week. I've met some amazing people and witnessed how harsh life can be in Africa. Its most definitely a far cry from the creature comforts you grow to take for granted. And although I've seen abject poverty in places like India and Cambodia for example, somehow its different here. In my brief introduction to Nigeria, I've seen a country that wants to have high aspirations. A country that has great wealth in its natural resources, but also one with a massive amount of corruption that directs the wealth to the few in power in the Government. As always, you want to help but in reality you can't. You stand out too much which makes you a target rather than someone with fresh spirit and energy who wants to chip in and solve some problems. One day when we win the lottery we'll be able to help out whoever we want whenever we want.
Anyway, for now its back to the UK (well, in 24hours time), and back to reality! Peace out.
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