Bonny Island!
Hi guys, this doctor is in little heaven (not London, London no fine like this). Ill rewind my story for the benefit of my viewers (sorry readers! Does anyone read my blog:). Anyway I was chatting with my cousin who works on Bonny Island and she invited me to spend the weekend with her.
My journey started from the boat jetty. After a briefing on safety rules we were loaded on the boat. For some strange reason I wasnt scared, the last time I was on a boat was over a decade ago but I had no qualms about the trip, it took about 2hours but it was smooth!
Arriving in Bonny, my cousin came to pick me up, my first sight of the island was of concrete, metal pipes and other materials, it didnt look like a place one would living in. But when we got to the residential quarters all that changed. It looked like I was out of Nigeria, actually I would say I was. The plase was actually clean, neat and beautiful. The streets were well tarred no pot holes, the houses were neatly arranged, the entire estate was well planned.
I was in for another suprise, light is on for 24hours. I was about to ask for an iron to iron my clothes when I remembered that light does not go. We went swimming under the stars, of course there was light everywhere the streetlights work. We got back home at about 10pm, without any fears of being mugged or abducted, it was a delightful change from work, and life in a stressfull town. Things are well organised.
Their domestic waste is categorised into combustible and non-combustible waste. You are penalised if you mix your waste. Seatbelts are for not only the driver and his frontseat passenger, everyone in the vehicle uses one. Of course another penalty is waiting for defaulters. Bad driving is unheard of, even if you possess a valid Nigerian Drivers license you cant drive without a driving test on the island and a permit.
All in all it was a lovely weekend, I had a foretaste of heaven:) in Nigeria. Like my mum says no Nigerian should go to hellfire. Nigeria is bad enough as it is.
My journey started from the boat jetty. After a briefing on safety rules we were loaded on the boat. For some strange reason I wasnt scared, the last time I was on a boat was over a decade ago but I had no qualms about the trip, it took about 2hours but it was smooth!
Arriving in Bonny, my cousin came to pick me up, my first sight of the island was of concrete, metal pipes and other materials, it didnt look like a place one would living in. But when we got to the residential quarters all that changed. It looked like I was out of Nigeria, actually I would say I was. The plase was actually clean, neat and beautiful. The streets were well tarred no pot holes, the houses were neatly arranged, the entire estate was well planned.
I was in for another suprise, light is on for 24hours. I was about to ask for an iron to iron my clothes when I remembered that light does not go. We went swimming under the stars, of course there was light everywhere the streetlights work. We got back home at about 10pm, without any fears of being mugged or abducted, it was a delightful change from work, and life in a stressfull town. Things are well organised.
Their domestic waste is categorised into combustible and non-combustible waste. You are penalised if you mix your waste. Seatbelts are for not only the driver and his frontseat passenger, everyone in the vehicle uses one. Of course another penalty is waiting for defaulters. Bad driving is unheard of, even if you possess a valid Nigerian Drivers license you cant drive without a driving test on the island and a permit.
All in all it was a lovely weekend, I had a foretaste of heaven:) in Nigeria. Like my mum says no Nigerian should go to hellfire. Nigeria is bad enough as it is.
Nice one there, it sure sounds like a place to visit sometime. But on Nigeria being bad enough...it really ain't that bad.
ReplyDeleteWho are the people who live there?
ReplyDeleteHow do I get to move in there? :)
thanks footsteps and 30+ naija aint that bad but sometimes u wish u lived somewhwere else. 30+ i run a travel agency specially to take pips to bonny island:) dont mind me jo! its easy just send me mail if u are serious, thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteHaha Tomi has seen the future Nigeria.....what we need do is keep hope of the Nigerian Dream alive.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Bonny island?
ReplyDeleteBonny Island is one and a half hours from portharcourt by boat or 45mins in a chopper! somewhwere on the high seas!Pls look up a map of naija i cant give u the exact location:)
ReplyDeleteHey, I have a pal stationed in Bonny Island and considering visiting him. How would i get there from Lagos.. the cheapest way?
ReplyDeleteTo get to bonny from lagos get ona bus or plane to portharcourt it will cost u about 3.000/16,000 naira respectively. when u get into ph get a taxi to take u the nlng jetty near garrison.(my cos works with nlng so she booked me to come on the boat i dont know how much it will cost) but there are other boats that go to bonny too for a fee! hope i have been some help.
ReplyDeleteYou got the 'sanitized' version of Bonny, the LNG Residential area. I lived in Bonny for 2 years and lived among the natives. I worked in a Bank so we did not have the privilege of a special camp though we had a guest house.
ReplyDeleteYour description is not of the Real Bonny island. Yes there is light 24/7 but the sanitation and general life conditions leave much to be desired. Crossing the sea was a harrowing experience in 'see me see water' boats, not a thing persons who cruise in on the LNG luxury liners will ever understand. I mean you can stretch a finger ant touch the water, as well as be thrown overboard by a rough sea. Exciting but harrowing.
@darkova, Yes I did! I discovered soon after that LNG Bonny is very different from Bonny Islan
ReplyDelete