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Borno State; The shocking experience at Maiduguri
It is with a joyful heart and a big grin on my chin as I write this particular post. My experience in Maiduguri was a shocking one, I had such an amazing time. I have read a lot about how dangerous and unsafe it is in this particular state that it felt like I was going on a deadly mission. I actually thought of writing my will “like sharing my clothes and shoes amongst my favourite nieces” just in case I don’t make it back home. I journeyed from Gombe State to Maiduguri which is approximately 4hours to Borno State. I had no itineraries for the state because I had no idea of what to expect in terms of safety and movement. I literally thought the state was under duress and has a curfew time I was shocked at the entrance into the town, a bright and bubbling city far from my imagination/Expectation. It was safe, free and interestingly busy with people. After settling into the city I went on a quick adventure around the town and I visited few places like; The National museum of Borno State Monday Market The Emir’s Palace The Zoo The National Museum; This Museum was quite disappointing in regards of maintenance, well I shouldn’t have expected much knowing that tourism isn’t really thriving in the city based on the history of constant attacks by bandit that reduced the inflow of tourist into the state. They tried keeping things intact in the museum and hoping for a renovation as promised by the recent government. The Monday Market; My host had a quick errands to do at their popular and biggest market in the city, so I decided to jump on that opportunity to explore the market with her and see what it is like for the people of the state and their means of survival. The reception in this market was everything, it was obvious that I was a stranger in the land and they went on praising me with name like “Oyinbo, fine girl,yellow sisi ” I enjoyed all the name callings because well, it’s Maiduguri and I was happy seeing people happy and going about their daily lives in peace I met Mr Mohammed who is a master of the beads as he called himself, he allowed me take pictures of him and taught me some basic of bead makings. Prior to my visit, I had message Moe, a friend from Instagram who is based in Maiduguri and he did me the honors of taking me round the city. When went to the Emir’s Palace together. He spoke to the guards to ask for permission for us to be able to take pictures in the front of the palace. Right beside the palace is the gigantic and one of the most beautiful central mosques I have seen in the North . This Gigantic mosque is all the attractions Maiduguri needs to have thousands of tourists visiting year in year out. It felt like I was in Abu-dhabi The Zoo; for me the Zoo is more of a relaxation center than what a Zoo should be. The environment is so serene, it’s a spot for hangouts and cool breeze. Entrance fee is N50 per adult. After our exploration for the day my host and Moe took me out for a night life in Maiduguri. Moe gave a cruise round the city, to show me how beautiful Maiduguri looks at Night it felt like Christmas was around the corner. It was lit with colorful streetlight. from there to a Icre-cream spot. Talking about ice-cream , my dm on Instagram was filled with funny comment like “Ice-cream in Maiduguri ” they couldn’t believe it and I understood their reactions because I was shocked to. Maiduguri was a vibe, this post is not to totally discard the news from the media about how unsafe Borno State is, it’s true that some local governments/ towns in the State are under attack by bandits but Maiduguri is exempted because the capital is a highly security zone. They are some villages that are mapped out for tourist but Maiduguri isn’t one of them. Maiduguri is a state you should add to your bucket list, believe me. You won’t regret visiting the state. What was your perception about the state before reading this post s it a place you could have imagined to be as lively and safe as I pictured it? Let me know in the comment section. And I hope this post inspires you to go exploring Borno state soon. That will be all on today’s episode on travel gist with Toke, see you guys next week. Alarinka Cares
Exploring Brass Island in Bayelsa State
Talking about my daring adventures, travelling to Bayelsa was one of it. I can’t remember how many times I kept going on the website to find a positive report about the State to boost my morale before visiting.Bayelsa is tagged one of the notorious and unsafe State in Nigeria because it’s a high-security zone and of course one of the Oil producing States in the country. What was I expecting?!Guess whattttt! It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Had a little horrible experience, shared that on my Instagram page but it has nothing to do with the state of things in the State. Bayelsa is a state in the Southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta Region it is also known as Glory of all lands.There’s nothing much to see at the Capital which is Yenagoa, looking for real adventures in the state then you’ve got a 2hours boat ride to Brass Island to do. Few things to know before exploring Brass Island/Bayelsa. Yenagoa is the capital of the state, a small city filled with people going about their daily lives, it’s safe in Yenagoa but there’s nothing much to see or do. Brass Island is the historical part of the State, basically a destination for tourist to explore. Moving to Brass Island. It is one-hour 45minute drive by road and approximately 50minutes on water. To get a boat you have to get to Nembe, which is 800Bus fare from Nembe park. Boat fee is 2,000 Naira to and 2,300 fro There are ARMY CHECKPOINTS on the water, about 5 checkpoints. Please Note; You have to throw you both hands in the air, lifted above your head, any funny movement ha.. you already know. Don’t just take pictures anyhow on the water, you never can tell which is an ARMY checkpoint or a restricted building. The people of the brass island are nice, so try to be nice. Get a bike Man from the port to take you around the island, This way you get a guide to protect you in the city. Be careful/Watchful, I know you can’t be too careful because my dear you never can tell, but just watch out. Don’t be too quick to call yourself a tourist, This might do you more harm than good. Stay away from the SHIP on AKPOAMA Beach, avoid yourself the kinda trouble I encountered. Places to Visit in Yenogoa; – The Oxbow Lake: Need an evening at the bank of the lake to catch sunset and hold hands with a lover? Then Oxbow lake is a place for you. There are things to see, vendors around selling foods and drinks and of course music… Entrance fee to is just N100 The Kontiki Amusement park; Everything they do in amusement parks, Games Games And Games. It’s quite a beautiful space with a restaurant. It’s right at the Entrance to the city. Entrance fee: N500 Naira for adult. The peace Park; Honestly I should be beaten for listing this place as one of the places to see when there is absolutely nothing to see there 😂😂. Forgive me, but you can take an evening stroll there Incase you get tired .. Exploring Brass Island This is where exploring Bayelsa State gets interesting and you’ve to be prepared to visit, you have to want to or else you’ll be discouraged to go. Brass island is where we have the beach, the history and the fun. Places to Visit in Brass Island The White Men Grave; the white-man’s graveyard is a cemetery containing the graves of white-men (Europeans) who died in the Akassa Raid of 1885. The War was caused due to the monopoly trade given to the Royal Niger company by the British government under a Royal charter in 1886. The Royal Niger company went as far as molesting, killing and seizing all Nembe trading canoes at the Nigeer Delta coast along the Brass (Nembe) Nation which used to known as ‘Brave City States’ and also the creeks thereby cutting off the Brass (Nembe) middlemen of their legitimate trade into the hinterland. The the king, Late Federick William Koko, Mingi VIII, Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom, who was referred to as the king of Brass people could not withstand the injustice and oppression. Therefore, he mobilised all the kings and chiefs of Nembe kingdom to take action against the Royal Niger company. They collectively decided that it was better to die by the gun than die by eating mud or die by hunger. The Akassa Raid was the most historic event of the Brass people (present day Nembe & Brass local government ) Akpoama Beach; One of the longest sand beach is West Africa. Looking for a beach vibe, then you should visit the Akpoama Beach in Brass Island. Tarkwa Bay ; you need to see my expression when I heard there is Tarkwa bay at Brass Island, I was amazed at how chilled the environment was, so serene and the entrance fee is free Take a bike cruise around the creek; I took a bike cruise around the city, the people of Brass Island are so welcoming and interestingly funny. Especially when they noticed you are a stranger in the city. The Okpo Square: just a picturesque location. KEY THINGS TO KEEP NOTE OF -Stay away from the ship on Akpoama beach -Raise your hands above your head at every checkpoint. -Don’t just take pictures anyhow during your boat ride. Be careful out there, may God continue to protect o That’s that on Exploring Bayelsa State, if you have any questions you can send me an email or reach out to me on my social media platforms. I hope you find these informations helpful and you enjoy reading this post. Till another Episode of Travel gist with Toke. Have a wonderful day guys.
36/36 ; Backpacked across Nigeria as a Solo Female Traveller
Hello Alarinkaz,Now I can boldly call you that as we have switched the Url from Toketravels.com to Alarinka.com. I feel I have proved myself worthy of that name and it’s time to own it with my chest. Wassup Fam, It has been a minutes on here, nooo! It has actually been weeks since I last posted something on here. I have been exploring Fams, from one State to another. Good News Alarinkaz…. We did it… Yaaaayyyyyyy 36 Of 36States in Nigeria +FCT. What made is more iconic is that we made it on the set date for International Women’s day. We out here pulling weight fam.. If you’re a returnee from Instagram, it’s no longer news to you that I recently completed my Journey of 36 of 36 States in Nigeria. Read my message to the world on herehttps://www.instagram.com/p/B9eW6oBgQuj/?igshid=11nlsp39zdkp5 To my Readers all over the world, I just became the First Lady to travel solo around Nigeria by road in the space of 18months, backpacking as a lone ranger, meeting amazing people, falling from a waterfall, getting lost, short days and long nights, hiking under the scorching sun, challenging the status quo and every article about how unsafe it is to travel across Nigeria, especially as a Female. It is a lifetime adventure for me that I will forever cherish every experience from this journey. I did this for myself and my country. To inspire, to create, to promote, to give a voice. If you have been following my journey, I dated it here on the 8th of May 2019 that I would love to explore this Country before I turn 27, I didn’t do it before 27 but I did few months after I clocked 27. Read here And believe me, the timing made no difference, the good thing is one of my goals is already checked off the goals list. I wouldn’t say I can’t wait to check off another because I’m taking my time to enjoy this achievement.I have nothing less than 25 states piled up in content, and I can’t wait to start sharing everything on here. One state after the other. This is me officially welcoming you to non-stop incoming amazing content on this platform form across the country.I know the world is facing a hard time with this pandemic, so I just want to say; please be safe out there, follow the guidelines by W.H.O to stay healthy. Adhere to the strict rules of social distancing and take good care of yourself.
Where to stay and things to do in Accra Ghana
Are you planning a weekend getaway to Accra Ghana or you just want to backpack there for a while? And you don’t know how to go about it regarding Accommodation, Transportation, and things to do while in the city. This post is for you, if you planning on going to Accra by road from Nigeria, You need to read my previous post to get you prepared. READ HERE Welcome to the New Month of February, hope January was nice to you. I pray this new Month be good to you and don’t forget it is a new year of intentional travel. ACCOMMODATION IN ACCRA GHANA. Bays Lodge and Apartments. The lodge is a luxurious apartment with 8bedrooms. I can’t say for other rooms, but our room(my friends and I) has a king-sized bed, big enough for the 3 of us. The apartment is equipped with a television, a fridge, a big couch and 5-star wardrobes for clothes. The Apartment is quite a distance from the center of Accra, it’s located at Nungua about 10minutes drive from the popular Labadi Beach and about 20mins drive from the Kotoka International Airport. ACCESSIBILITY; The Apartment can be easily accessed by bus,bike or cabs, whichever one you prefer. The good part is the hotel management can help you order a cab if you need one. COMPLIMENTARY: I’m sure one of the things you check out in a hotel after how comfortable and neat it looks is if it comes with complimentary breakfast, I check out for that(lol) I can’t say about you. The Apartments comes with various compliments such as Breakfast,free WiFi and Toiletries. One of the most attractive parts of the apartment to me is the rectangular pool, I didn’t get to swim in it because my days were jam-packed with activities. But make sure you get a swim when you visit. The Apartment’s Environment is neat, and serene, far from the city noise, the staff members are really nice and welcoming. it’s really such a cool space to stay. PRICING:Standard Single – 330 Cedes / $58.5Standard Double – 385 Cedes / $68Standard Deluxe – 436 Cedes / $77Deluxe Pool Side view – 570 Cedes / $101Executive suite – 821 Cedes / $145Apartment – 422 Cedes / $75 You can book for the Apartment via bookings.com, Tripadvisor and hotels.ng. Endeavour to book at least 2-3weeks before you visit. Do let me know if you ever stay in the apartment. Things to do in Accra Eat: There is street food everywhere: the nooks and crannies of Accra breeds food, I had so much to eat that I returned to Nigeria almost x2 of my initial size. There are cabs everywhere to take you anywhere. You can also order for a ride online. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Yaay! My favorite part which is Adventure, yes I know I went for a conference, you don’t need to remind me but what is life without adventure? There is a lot to see in Ghana as a whole and a week is not enough to explore trust me. On this post, I will be sharing with you places to see only in Accra Ghana. Cape coast is another ground of adventure it’s own. Before I left Nigeria, I had reached out to my media friend, My Ghanaian Friend @akosuashirley was the plugShe gave me a list of places to see and I’m glad she did. Things to do in Accra: .Black star square •Independence Arch•Osu Castle•Asomdwe park •Jamestown walking tour, lighthouse•Jamestown Cafe •Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum•Hike Shai Hills/ see zebra’s, baboons, hike, rock climb at Reserve•Legon Botanical GardensCanoe ride, rope course, dope picnic area•Makola Market •Labadie beach •Bojo Beach Wow!!!This was how my Akosua dropped all this gems on me, let me drop it here for you too. She sent me a whole city tour for free, something that could have cost me 5days researching on the net and still won’t be as detailed as this. Of course, there’s no way I would have explored all these destinations in two days judging from the fact that I still had other region to visit, will be sharing few places my Alarinka legs were able to touch. Leggooo 1: Independence Arch-Cost: Free This monument is in the centre of Accra, it’s the most popular attention in the city. The Independence Square is the second largest City Square in the world after the Tiananmen in Beijing, China Osu Castle : Cost 40cedis for Foreigners. This is the most talked-about destination in Accra, the Osu castle is a beauty, it is an historical castle it listed by Unesco as world heritage Site. The castle was Built by the Danes around 1659 and originally called Christiansborg Castle, Osu Castle was the seat of government until 2013, when the president and his office moved to Flagstaff House The Castle was also used during the Slave trade era. The building consist of a Chapel built by the Portuguese • Kwame Nkrumah MausoleumCost: 10cedis for Foreigners 2cedis for localsLet’s talk about how intentional the Ghana government is with tourism in the country: it is obvious that they pay maximum attention to their attractions.The Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum is a beautiful site to see.The museum is well maintained with guides to teach you about Kwame Nkrumah history and early life, the garden is beautiful with sculptures. Asomdwe Park: This is on the road to Osu castle, it’s a 2minute walk from the castle. •Lighthouse /Jamestown – I was only able to walk around the castle on this said date, couldn’t go in cus I was told the tunnel has been shut down for a while and it’s under maintenance. All Destinations listed above are attractions in the same area. That will be all for today on the update of my Ghana trip, I pray I remain consistent this new month to share all the information/destinations I have lying around. Till another Episode #onthemovewithtoke follow me on Instagram to stay connected and up-to date on my travel escapades. Stay Safe, Laser fever
Nigeria to Ghana by Road; The Border Experience
I have finally come to the conclusion that Logistic companies in Nigeria have this personal beef with me being the Road trip queen of this country. The way they choose to disappoint me every time is beginning to get questionable. Before I get into this gist, Happy New Year Alarinkaz, Alarinka means(Someone who loves to see the beauty of the world) and that is what I will be calling you my Fams henceforth, let me know if you are cool with the name. Welcome to a new decade and I pray this year 2020 be the best for every one of us. Thank you for journeying with me in 2019, and I hope we can make magic together this year. My Border Experience I’m sure one or two of my readers would have read somewhere on the net, intentionally or not how scary and tedious crossing the west African border is, especially the Nigeria border. You have bah! Same here. On the 16th of November, one of my travel buddies in Nigeria @thefisayo shared information about the Women in tourism regional congress in Ghana with me and I thought since I haven’t been to Ghana, this will be a good cause for me to go visiting and explore the country. I have heard and read a lot of scary write-ups about the Nigerian border and I decided to go with that one safe advice they always give “Go with registered logistic Companies” they have their way with the border stamping. I took the advice to heart and I went ahead to book a bus online with Chisco company. Alarinkaz, it ended in hot tears. Bus Fare by Logistics Companies standard Virgin passport: 18,000(i:e you haven’t been to Ghana before by road) International Passport: 16,000(i.e you’ve been to Ghana before by road and you have a passport) No International Passport: 26,000 I know your next question would be how would you to travel that road without a passport? I guess most logistic companies already have an agreement with the border authorities. My advice: Have your International Passport, it’s easier and less stressful to avoid unnecessary begging and bribing. Back to my Story, Well! what happened with cross country happened with chisco again (Read about it here)https://alarinka.com/the-chronicle-of-nortern-nigeria-the-road-tripepisode-2/ But on this said date, I wouldn’t allow history repeat itself and I made sure I caused enough drama to get a refund. I was to travel on a Sunday because the event starts on Monday, 26th Nov, The agent, telling me the bus won’t move till Monday was the nonsense I didn’t want to hear. Dear Alarinkaz, I screamed my lungs out, turned myself to an award-winning Madea, and got my full refund. Hallelujah somebody. But I’m glad they messed up cause if not, I won’t be able to share these gems with you on how to travel from Nigeria to Ghana without any border issue or stress. Grab your pen and journal and take notes. There are two borders in Nigeria. •Seme-Border -Badagry road •Idiroko-Border – Ota, Ogun state. (the popular border is the Seme-border) I’m happy to inform you that, I’ve passed through both borders and they both have the same procedures and protocols, so choose the one closest to you anytime you’re ready to hit the road. Things you need on this trip.•Your International Passport and yellow fever card. •Enough Cash for transportation and border fees. Directions; From Badagry roundabout take a cab to Seme border cost 200naira. If your International passport is a virgin passport, you’ll be required a #1,000 naira for Stamping. If not: No payment is required, just stamp. From Seme-border, change your Naira currency to CFA. Exchange rate: 1.6= 1,000naira = 1,600CFA. Due to the scarcity of fuel in the country, transportation is quite expensive but still affordable. From Seme border- Take a cab going to Aflao Cost: 8,000Cfa= 5500 Nigeria currency. Note: Most times, these drivers don’t get passengers going that far frequently, they might need to transfer you to another bus when they get to Cotonou. Once you get to Cotonou border to cross to Togo border, you will have to stamp out of Cotonou border. Cost: 2,000Cfa = 1,300naira . Entering Togo Border: Here your yellow Fever card is compulsory. You pay: 300Cfa for Yellow Fever Card And: 2,000CFa to Stamp your passport. Total: 2,300CFA At the Togo border, you will be asked to do the meningitis Test, just tell them you’ll do it when you get back to Nigeria but if you have an extra 2,000Cfa you can go for it and you’ll be given the Vaccine at the border. Exiting the Togo border to Ghana Border. You’ll be asked to pay 5,000 Cfa (I don’t know why this particular one is on the high side but hello ma/sir, me I cried on their neck ni o, I paid lesser the fee but the fixed price is 5,000Cfa in case your trick doesn’t work. At the Togo border, you’ll have to change your Naira to Cedis, if you have Naira Or your CFa to cedis. Advisable to only change the exact amount you’ll be needing from Naira to Cfa so you don’t have extra Cfa, because the exchange rate to Cedis is extremely unfavourable. Entering the Ghana border. Stamp Fee: 40cedis This is where we blow the horn and say Akwaaba! You made it Side Note: The driver that picks you from the Seme to Aflao border, will stop for you at every border to stamp your passport while he crosses to the other side to wait for you. Make sure you know the colour of the car or start a relationship with one of the passengers for easy access. Moving Forward: Getting into Ghana. From Aflao, there are A.C buses to Accra. Aflao to Accra = 31cedis. (I have escorted you to the point of Peace, I believe before leaving Nigeria, you already made arrangements for Accommodation and you know where you are going. In the next post, I will be
The Chronicle of Northern Nigeria; Bauchi( one of the most toured Northern Nigeria)
Wondering why I tagged it the most turned Northern part of Nigeria, because of its wealth in tourism and the establishment of Yankari Game reserve, One of the most popular tourist attractions in Nigeria. Bauchi was my last stop and at this point I was only up for one more adventure. It seems like I have had the most adventure, and Bauchi has to do a lot to convince me that my it’s going to be worth it. And Yes! Bauchi did prove itself worthy. As we all know Bauchi is the state that host one of the most toured destination in Nigeria having both locals and expatriate trooping in everytime of the year.I know you already know but let’s list out top places to see in Bauchi shall we? Top places to visit In Bauchi Yankari Game Reserve is a large wildlife park located in the south-central part of Bauchi State, in northeastern Nigeria. It covers an area of about 2,244 square kilometres (866 sq mi) and is home to several natural warm water springs, as well as a wide variety of flora and fauna. Its location in the heartland of the West African savanna makes it a unique way for tourists and holidaymakers to watch wildlife in its natural habitat. Yankari is best explored with Friends, being a solo traveller, I wished I had few of my friends on this trip with me.It was near impossible getting to this destination by public transport, I’ve heard to get to this place it’s better to rent a cab but you know me Nah! I found a way. Direction to Yankari Game Reserve. From Bauchi central, take a bike going to Gombe park, Ask for busses going to Yankari Junction: fee 400naira.From Yankari Junction to Yankari reserve, you’ll have to rent a cab going inside and if you’re lucky, you can join other people going in.Entrance fee: Adult 2,000 Students Id card: 500naira. Cab fee cost :3,000 naira Things to do In Yankari; Go on a Safari Tour: To rent the Safari car cost 6,000naira for the whole space but if you’re with friends or you are lucky to join any group going on tour, you can share the bill amongst one another. We were 12 on the day I visited, the 6k was divided by 12 and I ended up paying 400naira. Visit the Yankari Museum Go diving in the Yankari Wiki warm spring. Sadly I couldn’t because it was already dark by the time I was back from the safari tour that lasted 3hours. Gidan Madakin Palace There was a man named Mallam Muhammadu Durugu popular known as Babban Gwanni( meaning the Expert ) was an architect who walked up to Gidan madakin in Bauchi and offered to build him a palace, a mighty palace that hadn’t been built before ever in the history. He got the permission to go ahead and he built the gigantic Gidan Madakin Palace. The man that was said to have no root was assumed to be a native of Zaria because he lived most of his life there. Babban Gwani is an expert who built 10000 of walls up north of which none of has no similarities. He was a man of great imagination and excellent creativity. Furthermore,It was rumored that he was killed by the Emir of Zazzau who wouldn’t want him to build any other palace as beautiful as his in any other state. Babban Gwani magical works which includes palaces and mosques can be seen all around Kano, Zaria, Katsina, Bauchi. Kafin Madaki palace is a beautiful and gigantic monument in Bauchi, it was declared an ancient monument on February 16, 1995 by the National commission of on Museums and Monument. This artistic building if well maintained will be a very good location for film producers, musical directors as a result of its ancient ambience. The beautiful Gubi Lake. The first destination to be explored was Gubi lake at about 6 pm when the sunset was just setting and it was a breathtaking view. This is one of Bauchi biggest asset in tourism to attract tourist and travel enthusiasts to come visit year in, year out. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Tomb if there’s one thing we have mastered in Nigeria Tourism, is keeping the memories of our Heroes Alive. In Yoruba Land they will say it’s a taboo to say a tomb is beautiful but pardon me, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa’s tomb is a cutie in Bauchi. Have you ever wanted to take a selfie with the dead. Hahahaha I wanted to. I believe we all know who the hero Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is , The first Prime Minister Of Nigeria. Read is Biography here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abubakar_Tafawa_Balewa To hear the firsthand history of him, his early life and his contribution to Nigeria freedom, you should pay a visit to the tomb. Not only did I hear the history, I felt it. It’s been an amazing year so far, documenting my travel journey on this platform. I want to use this medium to thank my returning and New Subscribers for making it a productive year for me. I wish to serve you better in the coming year and I hope my blog inspires you to travel more and most importantly explore Nigeria. Always remember it’s not about the journey it’s always about the experience, the exposure and the fulfilment. Always go for it. Looking forward to hearing from you about your travel escapades. I remain your favourite Alarinka of Afrika, the number one Queen of road trips. It’s at this point, I wish you all a joyful and fulfilled holiday. Have an amazing time . Happy New year in Advance Family. Alarinka cares♥️