Accra with IrinAjo_ng

So I mentioned in my 2016 review post that I would be ending the year in Ghana with Irin_ng.

This is the third time I will be travelling/exploring a place with fellow Nigerian bloggers. 

The travel plan between my friends and I was to visit Cape Coast in December, but in between my cancelling (Plan was to visit Sout Africa in Decemeber), I advised my friends to get in  touch with Irin_ng and go on the trip along with them. I decided to join the trip last minute due to the cancellation of my South Africa travel plans. Our major reason for going on the trip was Cape Coast since we already explored a bit Accra in August (here and here).

Asides from Sandra and Tayo, I met for the first time every other person on the bus.

The journey from Nigeria was fun and almost smooth until we got to Aflao and everything went south from there due to no fault of the organizer. I watched with amazement how a perfect plan crumbled and how someone can stupidly disrupt the world of another without any feeling of remorse. 

I learnt a hard lesson on how unreliable transport operators can be. The importance of a written contract when requesting or giving service to another party. 

Thank God for the awesome people I traveled with. I couldn't imagine travelling with an irrational or impatient person. The gang was so cool and understanding, we understood that the situation we found ourselves was beyond the control of the Damola.

Sadly we couldn't make it to Cape Coast due to the numerous issues that came up.

So even though the trip did not go as planned, we did our best to enjoy every moment.

The Gang

Sights

Food 

So this time around I get to experiment with food.
I got to eat Ghana Jollof and Banku and even Eba.

This is one reason I always look forward to the Hilla Condji border

Hot Pepper (actually raw pepper)

Banku and Okro Soup

Ghana Jollof, Tayo is the only who believes their Jollof is better than ours

I am off on my South African and Kenyan adventure.

Ciao
♥Lara

10 years of the Labyrinth

10 years ago today, I posted my first post on this blog.

What a wonderful year, It was a thank you post.

It took 2 years to get me into the world of blogging.

The first time I heard about blogging was in 2005 at an AIESEC Conference in Abeokuta, we were all encouraged to document our AIESEC Experience and I got to read a lot of blogs after that.

It is amazing how this blog has evolved.

From documenting my AIESEC experience to my final year as an undergraduate to the bus diary and finally the identity of a travel blog following my adventures in India and Germany and back to Nigeria.

A couple of days back I read some of my old posts and I am reminded of my growth, of the past, of the joys and the sadness that has been my life in the last 10 years.

I remember opening an anonymous blog and having to abandon it when I was slowly unconsciously revealing myself on it. This blog was abandoned then. There are days I wished this blog was anonymous or that I never shut down the anonymous blog.

I miss the days of Aloofar who has now unveiled himself as Chris Ogunlowo, Original Mbeke, Diary of an Exschoolnerd, BrownSkinNaijaChic and all many others who have abandoned blogsville for us.

Even though the blog url has changed a couple of time, the blog name has still remained the same.

I know I have not been a consistent blogger, consistent blogging no be beans.

10 years of sharing snippets of my life with the world has been one hell of an experience.

Thank You to everyone who has passed through this blog, left a comment and sent a message. You have no idea how much this means to me.

I hope not to abandon this space anytime soon.
Maybe someday I might  walk away from it.
I know I won't shut it down.

While the zeal is there, cheers to more years of blogging.



Until my next post

♥Lara

My Travel goals for 2017

I am never one for lists, I never write them out. I might have them mentally stored but they are never written until this post.

I pretty much have my destination plans for January and February sorted out. But for the rest of the year, there is no fixed plan. The plan is to visit at least one destination a month which will be mostly domestic trips. Account cannot come and be red all the name of travelling.

Below destinations are calling my name in 2017 and I hope to heed their call in the year.

Johannesburg, South Africa
This is happening in January. Visa and ticket is sorted, so this is no longer a dream but a reality waiting to happen.

#nelsonmandela #greatmen #johannesburg #holiday2016

A photo posted by Alex (@alex16280) on Jan 2, 2017 at 11:51am PST

Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi has me for 5 days in the month of February.

Baby giraffes 💛 #KenyaBeAnyMorePerfect? 😂😳 #CBSChazen #WhyCBS #Africa #Kenya🇰🇪

A photo posted by Melissa Lien (@melissalienny) on Jan 2, 2017 at 12:12pm PST

Abeokuta, Nigeria
Abeokuta has always been home and I cannot believe I have not returned to the town in 3 years 10 months. I want to visit Olumo rock again, the first time I visited was on the 1st of January 2009 with my family members. I hear the elevator no longer works but I always preferred the hike.

01.01.09 Olumo rock, Abeokuta #Abeokuta #TBT #Travelbackthursday #NG #hikingadventures #travellingheart #throwback #travellust #ihearttravel #ibleedtravel #travellover #Nigeria #DestinationNigeria #TouringNigeria

A photo posted by Lara A' (@lhararom) on Jul 21, 2016 at 2:35am PDT

Ile-Ife, Nigeria

I want to visit the Ooni of Ife's palace and the newly unveiled statue of Moremi.

😎.......moremi #IfeTrip

A photo posted by Jamilat Zubair Daramola (@houseofmila) on Dec 26, 2016 at 8:27am PST

Ekiti, Nigeria

I want to visit Arinta waterfall

Day 1, Attraction 1: Oh my dear Arinta 😍😍😍😍 #arintawaterfalls #arinta #waterfall #waterfalls #ekitistate #ikogosi #ikogosiwarmspring #ikogosiwarmspringresort #ikogosiresort #ChasingWaterfalls #explorenigeria #nigerian #roadtrip #roadtripping #travelblogger #travelblogger #wanderlust #adventure #travel #travelling #instapassport #instatravel #travelgram #travellife #travellinggram #explore #nomads

A photo posted by EatTechTravel (@eattechtravel) on Dec 10, 2016 at 8:48am PST

Osogbo, Nigeria
The Osun Osogbo groove is on my list of visit for the year.

Inside Osun Groove, This is the Entrance to Igbo Ifa. Ifa priests use this gateway to enter the forest of initiation. Initiates are taken through this doorway.. (don't ask me if they come out through the same gateway) Shot with Tecno Camon C9 @irinajo_ng #AfricanHoliday #AfricanArt #AfrianReligion #OsunOsogbo

A photo posted by Fola Folayan (@thefavoredwoman) on Nov 14, 2016 at 4:50am PST

Cross River, Nigeria
Kwa falls is calling my name.

Cheers to many more adventures in 2017🎉 @Regrann from @kabenny_ - Working hard is important. But there is something that matters more: believing in yourself. -Harry Potter. Tourists -moving forward- at Kwa Falls in Cross River. See you all next year.. 2017 👑 #kwafalls #socialprefecttours #itgetsbetter #bernardkalu - #regrann

A photo posted by Social Prefect Tours Est. 2015 (@socialprefecttours) on Jan 1, 2017 at 12:26pm PST

Cape Coast, Ghana
My major reason for going on the Irin Ajo trip to Ghana was to visit Cape Coast but due to unforeseeable circumstance we were not able to make the trip. I hope to visit time to do this.

Paying respect #edemfairre #capecoast #africa #africahistory #fortlauderdale

A photo posted by edem fairre (@edemfairre) on Jan 1, 2017 at 1:36pm PST

Ganvié, Benin Republic
This will be a part of my West African road trip if I finally embark on it.

#nofilter #travelnoire

A photo posted by @stevemkms on Dec 28, 2016 at 7:05am PST

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
This is one West African country I want to tick off the bucket list. Also I have a quite a number of Ivorian friends from India days that I would love to meet again.

Basilica in Yamoussoukro #tdawestafrica #basilica #yamoussoukro #ivorycoast #cotedivoire #cyclingwestafrica #cyclewestafrica

A photo posted by TDA Global Cycling (@tdacycling) on Jan 2, 2017 at 10:01am PST

New York, USA
This is visa and account balance dependent, I would love to ring the new year (2018) in Times Square, New York. I hope this works out as planned.

NYE 2017 After Math... #3am #TimesSquare #2017 #Confetti #GoodBye2016 #nycprimeshot #NewYorkCityThroughMyEyes .. .. .. .. .. .. Shooting along side till sunrise with the homie @shotbyasmith #peopleworthmeeting .. .. .. .. .. .. .. #ig_color #made_in_ny #ig_nycity #newyorkcity #usaprimeshot #icapture_nyc #AGameOfTones #Way2ill #HeaterCentral #CityKillerz #artofvisuals #moodygrams #newyork_instagram #what_i_saw_in_nyc #theimaged #loves_nyc #sonyimages #sonyphotography #sonyphotogallery #sonypictures #picturesofnewyork #NuevaYork

A photo posted by New York City Through My Eyes (@nyctme) on Jan 2, 2017 at 9:52am PST

Here is to a beautiful, travel filled 2017.

So, where would you love to go in 2017? Have you been to any of the places on this list?

Do you have any suggestions to add to my list? I would love to hear them?

♥Lara