Adventures and Delights: A Holiday in Abuja

My trip to Abuja was one for the books. I was excited to be back in the city, even more so because I had a whole week to explore and enjoy everything it had to offer; As the owner of new businesses, including a software development company and a livestock farming operation, I don't get much time off. So when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance to relax and unwind in one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in Africa.

Air Peace Wahala Turned Out Well

I arrived at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri early in the morning, determined not to miss my flight due to the notorious traffic caused by the ongoing road expansion project at Owerri-Umuahia road. As it turned out, I needn't have worried - my flight with Air Peace was delayed for three hours without any explanation. Still, it could have been worse - I had a flight with them two months prior that was delayed for seven hours with no explanation or apology.

Fortunately, I wasn't the only one who had to wait. As I settled into my seat, I couldn't help but notice the man sitting next to me, who introduced himself as Mr. Cletus. He was on a business trip to Lagos, but would be passing through Abuja a few days later. We struck up a conversation, and before I knew it, we were discussing everything from the benefits of using cloud services to manage one's portfolio, to the pros and cons of the construction industry.

As luck would have it, Mr. Cletus was in need of a website for his construction company, and I just happen to be a web developer. We quickly made plans to meet up later in the week to discuss his project in more detail. Eventually, we took off and arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Abuja around noon.

Benysta Hotel & Fanntaxi Monopoly

Upon arriving, I booked a Bolt ride to the Benysta Hotel, where I had made a room reservation in advance. However, things didn't go quite as planned - I was informed by the driver that Bolt no longer provided car-sharing services at the airport and that I would have to use the new company, Fanntaxi. This was unsettling for a few reasons - first, the monopoly that Fanntaxi seemed to have at the airport, then the outrageously high fares that the drivers were demanding to cover their fees. And then there was the issue of security - without the Bolt app, I wouldn't be able to share my ride with my brother and keep him updated on my location.

Despite these issues, I eventually made it to the hotel. The environment was nice, but the room left something to be desired - The air conditioning was broken, there was mucus growing around the edges of the floor, and the bathroom showers didn't work. When I requested a room change, I was told that there were no more rooms available.

Despite the less-than-ideal accommodations, I was determined to make the most of my trip. And so, I set off to explore the city and all it had to offer. My first stop was Tastia, a restaurant recommended to me by a friend. It did not disappoint, with some truly delicious food on offer. My personal favourite was the special jellof rice, which was cooked with sliced beef, peas, and green beans. The journey to Tastia was a quick one, with a Keke ride costing just 100 naira each way.

Back to my hotel; there is one redeeming quality of Benysta Hotel, it has a bar and a lounge that overlooks the swimming pool. After freshening up and settling into my room, I headed down to the bar to meet up with an old classmate, let's call her Eni, who had a surprise for me. She introduced me to a new friend, who we will call Emah, who turned out to be quite the character.

Emah and I hit it off right away, bonding over our shared love of food and good times. We spent the evening trying out various local delicacies and drinks at the hotel bar, laughing and chatting like old friends. The next day, we set out to explore the city and try some new adventures.

Village Chief Restaurant & Bar

We started by visiting the Village Chief Restaurant & Bar, where we feasted on jellof rice on plantain leaves, amala, and palm wine. Emah was particularly impressed by the palm wine, which she described as "liquid gold." In the evening, we visited Ibro Fish, a popular restaurant that serves catfish and other traditional Nigerian dishes. I was a bit hesitant to try the catfish at first, but Emah convinced me to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, because it was absolutely delicious!

Over the next few days, Emah and I had all sorts of fun and memorable experiences in Abuja. We went to a photoshoot for one of my companies, and later visited Kapadoccia, a restaurant built like a cave. We also went to Club Volcano, where we tried some truly amazing Nigerian dishes, including goat meat paper soup and afang soup.

Wakanda Forever

But the highlight of the trip was definitely our visit to Silverbird, a popular movie theater, where we saw Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film was fantastic, and the memorial for Chadwick Boseman had me in tears. All in all, my holiday in Abuja was a great success, and I returned home feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle whatever the new year had in store.

Orisun Art Gallery

Aside from all the fun and excitement, my holiday in Abuja was also an opportunity to learn and grow. I visited Orisun Art Gallery, where I was amazed by the creativity and talent of the local artists. I also had the chance to try new things, like feet detoxification, which unfortunately didn't work out as well as I had hoped.

Overall, my holiday in Abuja was an incredible experience that I will never forget. I met some wonderful people, tried new foods, and saw some amazing sights. I'm already looking forward to my next visit to this amazing city.