2016: Moving out of the Comfort Zone

2015 was the year of happiness and new beginnings and while writing my review of last year I realized it was more of new beginnings than happiness. Last year I started my masters and moved to a new organization.

2016 is a rough year the world over and I am no exception. 

2016 is the year I moved out of my comfort zone.

I wrote in my review that 2016 will be the better year and I sure made it better.

So below is a breakdown of my year.

Education: So last year I started my Masters in Managerial Psychology programme at University of Lagos. I wrote my final exams in June and I am proudly a Masters degree holder. Convocation is in January next year. This was not an easy something, I almost dropped out at some point. When my first semester result came out last year, I got way below the required minimum GPA for graduation. I had to work extra hard in my second and third semester which is why graduation is even possible. Mom is insisting I attend the convocation ceremony but me I can't even be bothered, but I just might change my mind and attend. Now I can face writing my CIPM exams in the new year.

Classmates....the day we wrote our last paper

Career: When I started the year, I had a resolution that I was going to resign by June.  I was going to leave the organization even if I didn't get an offer somewhere else. Working at the organization was draining me emotionally and mentally. It was not easy going to work daily. I lived in fear of getting fired for the most flimsy reason. I couldn't deal with the politics and when My direct manager's contract was released, I knew it was only a matter of days before I leave.

You see the relationship between my overall boss and my new direct manager was not healthy. I sat through my performance appraisal debrief meeting in January and all I heard from my new direct manager was that the overall boss was complaining that my former direct manager and I were always talking about him. I gave up at that moment and knew that for the sake of my sanity and career, leaving was the best option.

When I resigned and was offered the option to ask for a salary increase, I declined. They were willing to pay me what the new organization was offering and I could even get more but I knew I was done. I visited on the 21st of this month and seeing everyone reaffirmed my belief that I made the right choice.

I joined a digital Marketing Agency is May, funny when my erstwhile CEO told me in 2015 to go take up the position at this current organization, I just "Yimued" and went my way. Fast forward 2016, I applied and was selected. It been an amazing 7 months with it ups and down, but I am glad I made a decision to move.

Changing organizations has made me realize my strengths as an HR Practitioner. I have learnt that been a specialist is not for me, Generalist HR is the way forward for me. I get bored easily and restricting myself to one aspect of HR, like I did with the last organization is not a good idea.

Family: This year is a year of new additions. A number of my maternal cousins gave birth and my sister Aisha also had a boy this December. 

Books:

Last year I read only 3 books.

This year I went on book reading spree. The moment I finished my exam in June, I was reading everything. I have finished reading a total of 25 books and currently reading the 26th. Re-reading some and discovering new authors. I hope to top this number next year.

Travel: So this year travel chopped my money well. Every where I visited this year was novel, I went chasing 3 waterfalls and finally visited Ghana. From Ibadan to Ilesha to Owa Kajola to Lomé and Accra. I am off to Accra with Irin Ajo on the 27th. I decided to visit again and actually tour the nation.

This is just basically a summary of my year.

I hope to travel more in the new year and to achieve this I have to work extra hard to make sure my account does not turn red.

My first international trip for the new year has been confirmed, visas sorted, air ticket sorted, remaining accommodation and PTA.

The one thing that really did not get as much attention from me this year was photography. I need to find time for it and start churning out beautiful pictures.

I pray 2017 will bring us peace in the world

I hope to focus on my personal business and get it rolling in 2017.

What is the one thing you achieved this year that you're most proud of / the highest point of your year?

How was your 2016?

♥Lara

My Favorite Destination of 2016

2016 is the year I moved out of my comfort zone and decided to take a lot of bold steps.

On Travel, I got to explore a lot of new destinations, in short almost all of the places I visited were novel to me. Two destinations stood out for me this year and they gave me the best travel experience ever since I caught the travel bug.

First up is:

Togo
Togo is one destination I didn't expect much from but this beautiful West African nation blew my mind. Togo was one of my biggest travel oversights coming into 2016, and I’m so glad I made the trip happen.

My favorite highlight of Togo was chasing the Cascade de Womé (Womé fall) in Kpalimé. I was equally wowed by the Togolese people and their warmth.

Read More: Togo: A Hidden Gem, Togo in pictures,

Next on the list is right here at home in Nigeria and it is also a trip to a waterfall, the Owu Waterfall. 

It took me a long time to finally visit this waterfall and it was so very worth,

Read More: Chasing the Owu waterfall.

Now, I want to hear from you,

What was your favorite destination of 2016? please do share

♥Lara

Chasing the Owu Waterfall

While I lived and traveled around Kwara State for work, I never for once got to explore the many wonders of the state. Maybe the Ilorin Central Mosque which is a beauty to behold, yet I never stepped into the premises.

Owu waterfall came on my radar few months before I left Ilorin back in 2014 but I never got the time to visit or my guide was just not available. Visiting the fall came back on my priority must visit lists after I visited the Olumirin (Erin Ijesha) Waterfall in July.

The initial plan was to visit with Sandra the weekend of her birthday but she canceled last minute. I threw the trip to some friends and on Instagram, Funmi was the only one available during my proposed date. This is my second trip with Funmi, we are in Togo together earlier in the year.

The plan was to leave Lagos on the 12th of November early in the morning, visit the fall, spend the night in Omu-Aran or Offa and leave for Lagos early the next morning. Meet-up time was 7 am at the Ojota New Garage. When I got to Idiroko bus-stop, there was this mad traffic and the bus I boarded dropped us at Maryland bus-stop. I had to walk from Maryland to New Garage, the traffic was crazy. There was this pedestrian bridge construction at Ojota and that was the day the workers decided to connect one side of the bridge.

We finally left the bus park some minutes to 10 am after waiting unsuccessfully for other passengers. We had to split the fare for the last seat amongst us, those old men at that New Garage are on another level of high.

The journey for the most part uneventful. Asides from few chats with fellow travelers, the conversation was strictly between Funmi and I. I was reading Robert Ludlum's The Icarus Agenda then which was a good companion. The drive was through Ibadan (Oyo), Osogbo (Osun), Offa (Kwara)-which is actually my maternal grandfather's place of origin and Ajasse Ipo (Kwara).

Passing through Offa

The driver decided to change one of the tyres when one of the passengers alighted at Ajasse Ipo. This was around 4.10pm, the change of tyre took more than expected as the driver had issues with his jack.

While we waited for the driver to change his tyre, we decided to take a picture of the corn-selling woman. The woman decided to dash us corn.

Some minutes to 5, we were finally on our way. Few minutes after we got back on the expressway leading to Omu-Aran, we heard a burst. This time a flat tyre, the tyre was punctured by a nail on the road. We hitch-hiked a bus heading to Omu-Aran from Ilorin. We were advised against going to fall that evening, it was already past 5. We decided to alight at Oro and found a hotel to spend the night with a plan to visit the fall the next morning before heading to Lagos.

We spent the night in a hotel called Obitesy in Oro. The hotel is a decent budget hotel with bungalows. We paid 5000Naira for the night which was actually lower than our budget. We had dinner at the hotel and went to bed exhausted from the over 7 hours journey.

The next morning we were awake by 5 am and one of the okada men we made pre-arrangement with was at the hotel by 6 am. Harmattan has started in Kwara by then, it was a cold morning. 

We joined a car going to Oke-Onigbin and which luckily for us was actually on it's way to Owa Kajola.

The driver was going in another direction and we had to look for okada to transport to the fall. Sundays are for church and the first okada rider we found decided on the way he had to go church for some thanksgiving and would not be able to make it back if he took us to the fall. He found us another okada rider who took us down to the fall for 1500 Naira.

Getting to the fall was no easy feat. The fall is 7km from the closest village called Owa Onire. One advice, never go alone, especially if you are female. I felt safe with Funmi. We only met 2 people on our way after we left Owa Onire village. They were on their way to fill their plastic with water from the fall. This is apparently a weekly pilgrimage for them as they believe in the spiritual powers of the waterfall. 

The road to the fall at some point is not motorable, we had to walk at some point. The journey to the fall is another adventure on its own and good for fit fam lovers.

The Owu waterfall is a goldmine the people of Owa Onire and Kwara State government are sitting on and refusing to tap into it's many potentials. The people of Owa Onire are oblivious to economic benefits of this fall. The two men we met on our way were actually indigenes of Kogi who recently moved to one of the surrounding villages.

Who would have thought that West Africa's highest fall is in Nigeria and not to even mention Kwara State. I know I was shocked the first time I heard this and couldn't believe it. Kwara state is also home to Nigeria's first museum, the Esie Museum. The Kwara State government needs to stay woke to its tourism potentials.

It is holiday time, what are your plans? Are you staying in the city or traveling?

Until My next Adventure
♥Lara

Out and About in Accra

After many years of cancelled plans and non refundable plane ticket, I finally made it to Ghana last August. The Chale Wote Street Art Festival was the main reason for the visit.

We arrived Accra late on Thursday night, we got in around 10pm Accra time which was 11pm Nigerian time. We boarded the Efex Express bus from their Yaba park and entered Benin Republic through the Idi-iroko border of Ogun state. 3 borders and about 12 hours later inclusive of the wait at the Efex park at Iyana-Ipaja and the Abule Egba traffic due to the ongoing bridge construction, we arrived Accra. The wait time at the numerous borders was not as long as when we travelled to Togo the last time.

We had to get off the bus with our bags to be searched before allowed entry at the Aflao border (Ghana). We had really interesting travel partners on both bus rides in and out of Accra. Unfortunately pictures are not allowed at the borders, so no pictures to capture the activities around there. One of the reason I love road trips is the great conversations. I live for those moments, we had great laughs, complained about the Nigerian Govrnment, talked about food, the Ijebu people's love for party, about the Ghananian environments, life in secondary school entered the conversation self at some point. 

We had Friday to explore Accra, we didn't get to see much. We visited Tayo's Ghana office and met her boss and colleagues. Asides from her boss, the rest of the team have never met Tayo so it was good opportunity for her. 

We went out to get lunch and got to see a different part of Accra. Tayo insisted on eating 'Wanke' and Sandra decided to taste the staple as well, we bought this at a store called Finethings Patisserie. Here is the thing, I hardly experiment with food. I always stick with familiar dishes, blame this paranoia on a food allergy I had back in 2004. We visited Papaye Fast Foods on the popular Oxford street in search of fried rice for me.

 

After close of business, we found our way to Accra mall which was on another end of town. 

Apparently the makers of Robb produce sweets as well

 

Saturday was all about the Chale Wote festival, we got to spend the whole day in Jamestown where the event took place.

I also got to visit the Makola market on Sunday because mum insisted I buy her ankara. The market was empty and I didnt get what she wanted.

So I got to taste Ghana Jollof, actually only took a spoon out of Tayo's food as I stayed on my Fried rice diet all through. Going by the slander from both countries, I really couldn't tell the difference, although I suspect the cook who made Tayo's food has some sort of Nigerian influence because it tasted just like the Nigerian party jollof. I found Chicken republic and there fried rice was way better than the one from Papaye.

I must say Accra did not blow me away, it is a pretty decent city, but just not what I expected despite all the comparison and all. Accra gave me the Ikeja and Abuja vibe and Jamestown gave the Ajegunle feel. My sister told my mum when she saw the pictures that Accra looks like Mile 2 in Lagos. I wasn't disappointed, but it was underwhelming. The neighbourhood where we stay, "Dansuman" reminded me of Mafoluku-Oshodi and in a way Mumbai.

Accra is relatively safe and expensive, the recession did not help our currency at all. Changed 100Naira to get 1Cedi. Imagine the bureau de change in Accra were not changing our currency, we were only able to change our money at the border. Everyone was quick to rub our recession in our face, I kept hearing at the border "Naira e no good again"

Transport: we moved about in taxis and buses aka 'Tro tro'. The bus is way cheaper compared to the taxis, the highest we paid was 2.50 Cedis while for cab was 15Cedis.

I will definitely visit Ghana again and maybe next time I will get to explore Accra more. A friend is planning a trip to Cape Coast in December so I guess that will be my next visit.

Have you been to Accra? What was your experience like? If you haven’t visited, would you like to go?

♥Lara