First week in Lagos

The arrival procedures were orderly and unexpectedly smooth.

On disembarking you head down to the first immigration check point, they review your landing card and your passport, sign it and then you proceed to the second immigration point, one person enter your info on the computer while the other one stamps it for you!

A few minutes later; we were in the arrival hall. Almost every passengers had an escort or two waiting for them. The luggage belts started and our 6 pieces of luggage arrived safely too. With the help of the company airport rep. and his airport veterinary friend carrying our cat, we swung past customs.

Back in 1996 when you walked out of the airport you were met with a wall of people who were just waiting for their next victim. This time around there was no one at the exit. It was calm.

That Saturday morning was Sanitation morning. It is a Lagos curfew held on the last or first Saturday of each month from 6 am until midday. No cars or motorbikes are allowed on roads or streets. The only exceptions are the escort cars leaving the airport.

Thanks to this the route to our new accommodation took 30 minutes.

The temporary apartment we moved into was on Ikoyi Island in a quiet neighborhood. It was very basic and extremely noisy not only because of the electricity generators but also of the window air conditioners.. And I thought they don't manufacture those anymore..... that night, I slept less stupid!!!!!!

By Monday morning, the noisy apartment drove me and the cat nuts! something had to be done...

First priority on Monday is to meet with the manager in charge of housing. Two days later after some haggling, he acted and offered an alternative. We moved immediately to a new place on the same island. The new area is Lagos version of 6th of October in Egypt.

It is a pretty apartment with 3 en suite bedrooms and a large kitchen.. Enough to host parties.