Monday 2 February 2009

Birthday & Snow!!!!















Yesterday 1st February was my birthday. Not that I had anything special planned but it was not a good one as I was in and out of hospital. Also, I didn’t get a card or a present from anyone in my house. I spent my birthday in bed! During the course of the day, my hubby said it was snowing but I didn’t take him serious but I later looked out the window and the whole place was covered in white snow blanket. That was Sunday night. On Monday morning, I was woken up by a phone call from my uncle who mentioned snow then I heard the boys and then dad talking and thinking loud I asked why they hadn’t been to school yet but my hubby said he had called the school and it’s closed for the day. I still didn’t look out the window but I called my colleague Abs who said she had called the office that she won’t be coming in. Then my I heard my sister’s voice downstairs she said she just came in form the station and she met a guy who said he had been waiting for a train for over an hour. My sister came back home and called her office likewise my hubby. Since I start work later in the day I didn’t think it would affect me. Logging on to face book, I had a chat with another colleague who said he couldn’t get a bus or train then I decided to look out the window. I even went down stairs to open the main door. It was snow every where. I put a call thorough to my office that I won’t be coming in. Although, I drive to work but not in this weather. About 7000 London buses were grounded today. Even the Mayor of London Boris Johnson said on BBC News that “it’s the right kind of snow but in the wrong kind of quantities”. Man proposes God disposes. On Wednesday, I put in a request to have Monday off since my birthday is on Sunday. My manager told me that it had been declined by the performance team. Later in the day, I bumped in to a performance team member who asked if my manager had sorted out the leave but I told her what she said. The lady now explained to me that it had nothing to do with them that the onus was on my manager. I felt bad and I wondered why someone who is training to be a pastor tells such a lie? But looking back at the turn of events today, got me asking is she God? I’ve got the day off anyway and there is nothing she can do about it. Also today was meant to be my last day on her team as I’m moving on to train for 8 weeks and start working in another team which is why I joined the organization in the first place.

Thursday 15 January 2009

Naija Experience!!!!!!












Me in the life jacket on the "speed canoe"










Langbasa-the residents pelt the canoe passengers with stones sometimes because the canoe engine vibrates thorough the water which alos makes the houses vibrate. So the canoe rower/minder leaves the Langbasa jetty quietly.



As I stated in my last post, I went to 9ja on New Year's Day on Virgin Atlantic. When we got to 9ja, we couldn't land due to bad weather conditions so the plane was diverted to Abuja I dozed off while reading John Grisham's book -The Appeal when I woke up, we had landed so I looked out the window and saw this nice oil tanker and noticed that the tarmac looked very nice and neat. Just as I was still lost in my thought, my neighbor. (my seat partner) said "we're in Abuja". I was like hmm no wonder the place looked neat . He then told me that the reason why the flight was diverted. Better safe than sorry you'll say.
We finally landed in Lagos around 11.30 and by the time I got my luggage, the ground staff either in London or Lagos had ripped my bag and helped themselves to 6kilos of my personal effects!! no cause for alarm I'm making a claim.
I enjoyed the rest of my stay in 9ja. I took a boat/canoe ride from one side of Bayeku in Ikorodu to Langbasa, Lekki/Ajah.What an experience that was. I hope and pray that Gov. Fashola would rebuild a modern jetty as its a very quick means of linking the Island from Ikorodu. It only took 12 minutes a journey that would have taken me 1 hour and a half driving. I drove
The next time I go to 9ja, I'll be exploring more the rural areas.



Tuesday 13 January 2009

Being Thankful!!!

I wish you all a happy New Year. I've been busy doing this and that last year. Well I'm back now after spending the first week of New Year in Naija. Thankfully I got back in one piece.
On 8th January 2008 at about 6.30am on my way to the Murtala Mohammed Airport, as my cousin turned into Kuidirat Abiola Way from Oregun, I noticed that something wasn't right so thinking out loud I said “why are those cars turning round”. Suddenly, the car in front of us was reversing at a high speed so I told my cousin to be careful before I could finish the sentence, I heard a loud bang. The car had reversed into our car. I got out of the car to assess the damage then an okada rider came from the opposite direction (Opebi) with some other motorists then my cousin asked what was happening the answer was that the were armed robbers operating on that road (Kudirat Abiola Way). My cousin quickly put the gear into reverse then I found a big space where he could turn round I quickly told him to seize the opportunity to turn the car round rather than reverse. Leaving the scene, I could see the armed robber’s car parked in the middle of the road with the hazard lights flashing.
My cousin now asked where he should go. I directed him to go through Ojota rather than Obafemi Awolowo way as we did know what was happening at Allen junction. We were able to properly assess the damage when we got to the airport. The driver’s side of the front bumper had been bashed in but THANK GOD!!!!!!!!