When you have that colleague that always has a great time when they’re on leave and ensure they share with you when they get back.

Here goes.

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“Hey bud! How’re you doing?” *firm, animated handshake.

I’m doing OK Mike. Welcome back!

“Thanks man! Everything ok here?”

O yea. We’re good. Everything’s on plan. How was your time off?

“Aw mehn! It was good. It was the last days of the fall and the weather was just right.  We took out the RV, went to the Oregon hills and camped out. Walked the park trail, the trout were biting, caught the Salmon swimming upstream on their return to the creeks for spawning season, hunted some mountain deer and pheasant, taught my daughter to shoot…  Just before coming back, I and my sons completed the renovation of our new guest lodge…did I tell you we bought the house next door, pulled down the fence and we’re turning it into a guest house for family and friends? You and Gladys should visit soon.

camping_0
Image source: camping-indigo.com
King Salmon Fishing
Image source: Alaska Fisherman (with king salmon, spawning. MR.)

“What about you bud? How did you spend yours?”

Oh me? Well, I was real busy. Spent a lot of time in traffic. Was indoors quite a bit too. My reading kept getting distracted by NEPA, diesel runs and real Nigerian problems. One of the guys was kidnapped in Warri. Oh, you heard? Well, that took a week of phone calls and worrying. No, I did not make it to my dad in Shagamu, even as it’s right next to my “Cameroon” locale. More traffic and pit stops to hydrate at Slicks, Zovar and Wind Bar…yes, I was in those places biting trout and grilled catfish. Yep! I also have some fish tales for you Mike!

grilledtilapiatomatoescilantro21
Image source: Townetworks
xovar-lounge3
Bunnies from Xovar Lounge, Lekki, Lagos

(This discussion will be repeated with some slight variation in a few months.)

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Folks, I need to go somewhere local and adventurous. Igbo Irunmole, Mambilla plateau, Olumo rock, Yankari, Oguta Lake, Abraka  resort, see the Argungu and catch a Durbar, the Osun festival and see a parade of sparkle dusted bodies at the Calabar carnival, mix with my brethren at Ojude Oba and Sagamu day events.

Why do I think none of these matches Mike’s nature holidays?

Hmmm…maybe I should get the naija version of a RV and camp out somewhere? Anyone on my list ever done that in naija? Ojuju, ritualists, kidnappers and bushbaby no catch you there? Is there any proper game reserve one can go to in the Sahel Savannah without the threat from terrorists and insurgents?  Is that part of our national life gone for good? What do we have left?

Somorika hills, Edo state
Olumirin waterfalls, Osun state
Obudu Mountain Resort
Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi state
Lacampagne Tropicana, Lagos
Yankari warm springs, Bauchi
Abraka river resort, Delta state
Mambilla Plateau, Taraba

Pix showing some Nigerian tourist locations.

SAN

 

Photo credits:

http://www.thegreenwhitegreen.com, http://www.afemaipeople.com, http://www.urbaniverse.com/, Yankari National Park, kethel85blog.wordpress.com, http://outdoorstour.com/, http://www.vanguardngr.com/, http://www.manswersonline.com/,