I step off the plane and this very hot humid air hits my face, and instantly I’m reminded that it’s no longer 65 degrees. It’s now like 90. As I walk towards the entrance, I’m handed an immigration form that looks like it has been copied seven times over to fill. *smile* I walk hurriedly towards immigration hoping that the air conditioner would be on and I’d once again be blessed with some cool weather. I was very much disappointed. It was still hot and humid. Either the air conditioners were spoiled, or they just weren’t on. I was 99% sure that the latter was NOT the case. Lol. I heard a woman shouting “citizens left, non citizens, right”! I found my line, or rather my place, because it didn’t look much like a line with people trying to cut in other people’s places. As I filled my form, some man behind me asked for my pen when I was done. This happened every single year – except I didn’t have a pen at all. (which was never the case.)
I finally got through immigrations, and headed to recover my luggage at a baggage claim point which was a tad bit larger than half the size of the one where I was coming from. I couldn’t even see the bags going round because of the number of people that surrounded it so I leaned against a pole hoping someone people would find their own real quick and step out to give me room to wait for mine. It seemed like I had forgotten that where I was, I needed to hustle. As soon as I remembered, I dropped my bags at the feet of that pole, and tried to sneak my way to the front to find my bags. The lady beside me finally got all hers and gave me room to breathe a little. (phew). After a while mine came and I started to make my way towards further immigration checks. When I got there, my form – the one that looked like it had been copied seven times over – was collected, and I was asked to proceed to the exit. A wide smile crossed my face, but not until I had found my baggage tags, because I would not be let out of there without them. Surprisingly, no one was checking baggage tags! I quickly saw someone wearing a long black dress I recognized and as the person came towards me, I figured my ride was here. Thank goodness I didn’t have to wait for anything.
I hugged her, and she took two of my bags from me. We rode to the car, and native music began to play. Now this was something I loved – the native music! It was a long ride to our destination and when taxi drivers drove craaaazzzzzzzyyyyyyy, I remembered that this was nothing like where I was coming from – no stop signs to control traffic and no speed limits. Yup! We made our way into the city and to our destination. As I stepped into the house and turned on the switch, no power came on. There wasn’t any power. I sighed because I wished that there would be some at least to welcome me. Again, I was wrong. I began to take my luggage into the room that I had been shown, and then power returned! Yes!!! Excited, I quickly took my stuff to the room and fell on the big, bed. The air conditioners were put on, and I was offered something to eat by my host. First plate, then second, then third. I hadn’t this kind of good food in a while! We watched t.v and talked and laughed until it was time for bed. I took a very hot shower, changed my clothes and jumped under the covers. The cool air from the air conditioner beat my feet, and I slept more comfortably than I had since last august for about three hours until I woke up again. Why? There was no power, and I had to open to the windows to get some air. It wasn’t until I could not go back to sleep that I realized that I was jetlagged. Oh my good friend was back again. It wasn’t a bother, I picked up my laptop and played solitaire from 3 am until about 7 am before I was able to go back to sleep – sweet sleep.
Some of you have been itching to know where I was. This place I speak of. This Nigeria. This Home.
That's about my first day of home...as i do it. ~***shanpepe***~
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