how to get to Lagos airport on public transport

This is how I did it. Note that I took this trip during afternoon rush hour, so the fares could be slightly cheaper during less busy times.

From the Obalende Motor Park on Lagos Island take an Oshudi bound minibus. Note that there are 2 routes to Oshudi - up & down, wait for the Oshudi up minibus as it follows a shorter and more direct path. If you carry a big rucksack (like I did) or have lots of luggage, you have to be patient and wait for a bus that has room in the back for luggage, most minibuses don't have. In rush hour this leg of the journey cost me N150 (N100 for a seat and N50 for the luggage). If you take a minibus without room for your luggage, you will have to pay for 2 seats.

goodbye West Africa

Will fly out of Nigeria for Tanzania tomorrow.

"you are under arrest!"

This morning at a minibus terminal in Lagos, a policeman came up to me and yelled at me sternly "you are under arrest!" I froze for 2 seconds and the notoriously brutal and corrupt images of the Nigerian policemen and soldiers took hold of my mind. I didn't feel scared by him and decided to be cool and just play along, I said with a big smile "oh, reeeeeeeally?" Then he laughed, too. It turned out that he was just trying to mock me. And I was a little amused.

for the 1st time I made some money in Africa

Today in Lagos, I made N10 by teaching an okada boy how to write his name, Sofa, in Chinese. Now I can go buy 2 500ml sachets of drinking water! :D

I don't like supermarkets in Africa

First of all, they are mostly only affordable to the well-off locals and rich expats; secondly, if the change that they should give back to you is too small, they always just keep it and make you take the loss.

For example today in Lagos, I bought a 1L bottle of juice for N245. I gave N500 to the cashier lady, but I was only given N250 back as change. When I asked about the N5, she just handed me a small candy (as if she was giving it to a begger) and said they didn't have N5 change. I was upset because firstly , as customer, why should I take the loss for their fault for not having small changes; and N5 can get me a 500ml sachet of drinking water on the streets. So I protested against the injustice and asked to return the juice and have my N500 back. I spoken loudly because I wanted to make a scene and to make people there see that this is NOT right. Maybe to other customers, N5, N10 or even N20 is no big deal and they are rich enough to "forget" it. Well, to me N5's monetary value is also very trivial. But I just really dislike this kind of practice! So in the end, I got my N5 back, and I will not go back to this supermarket again. I have encountered this same unpleasant practice in Ivory Coast as well. So are Africans really poor or rich?!

driving in Africa

Is so bad and dangerous that in Nigeria when you travel long distance (intercity), they often ask you to provide your next of kin's telephone number...

Lake Chad, and Fulani nomads

Back in Kano now. I'd spent 2 nights at/around Lake Chad. The first night I slept at a Christian pastor's house. The second day and night I spent visiting Lake Chad and then was invited to stay/roam in the bush with a family of Fulani nomads. These nomads had come from their hometown in Diffa, southeastern Niger to this bushland, which was once part of Lake Chad, 3 months ago in search of pasture for their herds of goats and cows. Of course to them, there's no border or passport.

in Kano, Nigeria. Maybe I'll head to Lake Chad next

 (indigo dye pit in Kano)

Arrived here by bush taxi from Zinder, Niger. I will be in Kano for 2 nights. I'm thinking about going to see Lake Chad next.

(breakfast: bab with sugar)