Thursday 29th September

Tomorrow is the Nigerian Independence celebrations in school. Practised raising the flag and singing the anthem today. It is very much like an Eisteddfod, each class are performing a dance and a song and there is traditional food and choral singing (no bakestones though!) I just hope I get through it without crying.- I always feel tearful  when children sing the anthem (any anthem) and I had a tear today and we have hundreds of parents there tomorrow.

My hopes rose today, the air freight finally arrived- BUT NO Evening dresses or shoes, my clothes seem to have somehow been put into the sea freight and only half the bedlinen is here. I have the event of the Nigerian calendar next week and no dresses or black tie for Carl. So tonight my hairdresser, Wonderous's tailor came to the flat. He brought lots of samples of fabrics for Carl and he chose a black and gold with gold embroidery to be made into a traditional Nigerian men's formal dress. For me Joseph only brought one fabric- but what a fabric it was perfect (for me) bright pink silk with gold and dark pink embroidery- how did he know? Joseph then proceeded to sketch me a dress and measure me and it will be here next Wednesday -So just shoes to source. I think the way Nigerians greet you as my sister or my brother is so touching, today a Nigerian colleague introduced me to a man I hadn't met as her older sister and a member of her family, you wouldn't get that at home.

We are also hopelessly addicted to Indomie noodles- sort of super noodles but so much nicer and very Nigerian. I have just seen the World weather on the BBC, London and most of the UK is sunny and 29c and Lagos is rainy and 27c !! Excuse me but we came to Africa for the wonderful weather - what has happened!!

Wednesday 28th September

Garden centres- roadside Nigerian style

So much has happened. OK driving on Sunday.- I actually ventured out onto Ikoyi roads - not the main roads admittedly but a road. It was very bizarre, we were the centre of attention. A white woman driving a white man is UNHEARD of. if you don't have a driver the woman doesn't drive, but as always in Nigeria the people were so helpful. The little motor bikes (ocadas) still drove at you, but when they saw me they sort of circled around us!!!Ikoyi is the most expensive real estate in Africa, and look at the state of the roads.

 We went to a really nice little old fashioned hotel and had Sunday lunch. We had Caesar salad (sort of) it had chicken and lettuce and was delicious but not Caesar salad. Just like all of Nigeria, different not better or worse but different.

Saturday night I made Yam porridge. It looked right, it smelled right, but OMG it was sooooo hot. Apparently black pepper in Nigeria is about 8 times as hot as red pepper and I put a desert spoonful in instead of a pinch. I took it to the security guards for their opinion. They said it was a bit hot even for them.but please make more!

Carl found it exhilarating but challenging.

OK that is upto Monday - the fire but thank the Lord no-one injured and of course I was able to drive! So able to rescue the girls.

This weekend is a huge one for |Nigeria and the school. Friday is Nigeria day and I have my fantastic outfit ready.  We begin with the anthem and pledge and then lots of food, music and dancing throughout the day, then a Bank Holiday on Monday. Sunday is the beginning of our 60th anniversary celebration and we have a huge pop concert on the school grounds (3000 people invited) and the organisation is massive, 50 security staff, massive marquees and food outlets 4 huge video link screens a full size green room for the top stars in Africa you name it, and a lot of the things have been donated to  the school.. The following weekend is a 7 course banquet celebratory dinner for 1500 guests, again in a full floored marquee with the top comedy and entertainment. I am embarrassed to say how much each ticket is, but a vast amount of money. BUT my evening gowns haven't arrived, Carl's dinner suit hasn't arrived so tomorrow the tailor comes to the flat. Carl is going to dress in traditional Nigerian 2 piece outfit  (I promise photos)and God knows what I am going to wear, I haven't even got my evening shoes!

very exciting / frightening night

I have so much to say BUT TOO tired tonight to even think. Had a phone call at 3:00 am (we all know what goes through our minds then ) 2 of my very young newly arrived staff in tears. Their block of flats had a fire and they were out in their pyjamas. Against everyone's advice I drove to rescue them with Carl and trusty crutches and brought them to us. Suffice to say no more sleep and the most stressful day I have has for very a long while. But luckily noone injured and I will tell you all in detail - about it tomorrow. I will also tell about my driving experiences and Yam porridge! what an eventful day.
xxxx

Whist drive!!

Yesterday we went tot he hospital- again and guess what no boot!!!! I am sure it has not even been ordered and quite frankly yesterday at 5:00 I hated Nigeria, I hated Lagos and was all for catching the first flight home!!!
People who know me know that I do not handle disappointment well and oscillate between high and low rapidly. After leaving the Reddington, with me very very close to tears, we stopped at the French deli to buy some plums. (imported from France do not even ask the price but they look and taste like plums and are not bruised/split/manky) and Remy, the owner who we have become friendly with managed to cheer me up, he sad we all swing from love to hate here but overall it is good and he is right. So we bought good chese, ham and wine and life looked better.

The WHIST Tournament - was fantastic. We played crazy whist where you change partners each hand and each hand there is a twist eg you have to lose/ 2 is high not ace etc. We had 4 hours of good fun and good company and the food was amazing, a range of curries and Nigerian food (must make my yam porridge today the eel in the fridge is looking at me mournfully) and even more surprising Carl enjoyed himself.

Our driver has had to leave Lagos this weekend as his mother has been taken ill, and holding my newly acquired driving license I am venturing forth today. You may think so what you are driving, but you are not in Lagos. It is NOTHING to be driving down a road designed for two lanes of traffic and a car to decide to make a third lane and drive straight at you whilst 5 ocadas (little motorbikes that carry anything upto 6 people!) swerve in and behind you. Carl said it is not fair for me to drive while he has a bad leg and can't get out of the car and run!!!

Goat ribs

How could I have forgotten?. We had the barbeque goat's ribs (see Tuesday's post) and they were amazing. Go out and buy goat friends. I made a sauce out of soy, tomato puree, vinegar and sugar and some chilli spice and roasted them for quite a long time. Definitely a new favourite.

Yesterday we had fried plantains, eel and yam porridge in school ( we have a lady who brings in Nigerian food for the staff N200 a huge plate - about 75p) and I brought a plate home for the invalide and he loved it - I told Mercy (my personal steward in school) and she said it was so easy to make.

So today she, went to the market  to buy me all the ingredients for yam porridge. Really kind of her and she wrote the recipe out for me as well, but she bought 5 kg of yam!!! 5 massive plantains and a huge amount of dried crayfish paste (the smell defies  description I couldn't even talk about the whole black smoked eel!) The palm oil to fry it in is bright red (I thought it was tomato juice) and it has been decanted into an old sprite bottle - I am not asking where from. I shall let you know what my first Igbo ( pronounced eebo)  recipe turns out like.

Also tonight, a young Nigerian artist I met at the sale came to the house. He turned up with well over 100 oil, acrylic and water paintings as well as the tablecloth I had commissioned. He walked a long way to show us these and we bought two very nice water colours of the local area, but can you imagine someone coming to the house for such a small amount of money (£20.00).

Disaster has struck tonight!!! we had all our air conditioners serviced on Monday and today it has all packed up!!! the flat is like an oven, all the netted windows (mossies are very dangerous here)  are open but the temperature at 9:00pm is well over 30c and the humidity 85%.

Tomorrow we are going to a whist drive  (Can you imagine Carl going to one in the UK? - but you make your entertainment where you can here). I know there will be drink and good company and conversation. TV doesn't hold your interest in Lagos.- we read or now listen to our amazing internet radio, we may actually be living in the 1950's (except I read on my IPAD).

Thursday 22nd September

Carl's stiches came out - fantastic job BUT the boot wasn't there! (I am not surprised) but it will be there Friday we have be assured.

I was late at school today (not by UK standards but we do start early and so finish early) The site looked great with the trees trimmed and the yards and paths swept. The light was magical and the scene was enhanced by the huge number of lizards you could see running around- and I didn't have my camera - next time!

Tuesday 20th September

Never trust your husband with a pedicure blade! An odd opening sentence you may think, however today for some unknown reason Carl decided to use the blade on his GOOD leg. The result, blood throughout the apartment, Beatrice (our maid) panicking, Friday and Sarah (Princess Sarah our very multi-talented school receptionist, who treats me as if I was made of china) and Waheed , our driver, rushing to tell me to phone Mr Carl urgently. I wouldn't mind but he did this before in the UK.  Carl now really doesn't have a leg to stand on! and what is the proverb the fool learns from his own mistakes, a wise man from those of others... I have NEVER used the blade.

But back to Nigeria, today it rained. But that doesn't adequately describe what actually fell from the sky. The alarm went off at 6:00 but we were both awakened by the amazingly loud thunder and spectacular lightening at 5:30. So I go to get dressed, my body is saying," It is dark, it is the end of September , it is raining, put on the tweed suit, polo neck and boots"  but I put on a silk sleeveless dress, bare legs and open toed sandals. It felt so odd. But by 10:00 the steam was rising from the paths around school and I was putting the air conditioner onto high (or is it low?) The roads flooded rapidly and here in Ikoyi we have the best of all roads. the International school at Lekki had to close because the road was impassible.

And now to yet another Nigerian shopping disaster. Our neighbour Mohammed recommended a Lebanese supermarket, so tonight, after work I went there. He was right, the meat looked fantastic, so I decided to buy some. I wasn't too sure about some of the cuts but the butcher was very helpful (after he had explained that there was no pork as everything was Halal- duh how stupid am I!!) I asked if the meat was lamb, he looked a little confused so I said sheep. The legs looked a bit long and skinny, but this is not Wales. So I had a shoulder of lamb expertly boned and rolled and some big mutton spare ribs. OR SO I THOUGHT. I get it home and guess what I have bought? GOAT. so I now have goat shoulder and goat spare ribs. Hey Hoh some barbeque sauce will enhance it I am sure.

The Nigerian tailor came today with my dresses.  The Western style dress is wonderful, fitted and fully lined and I am so pleased with it (see Pic) He had 4 yards ( never metres) of fabric left over, and Sara and Friday said that Mr Carl will love to have a traditional shirt out of this. ( It is common to see whole families in the same material but different styles) So I asked him. "Mr Carl" in very strong terms said NO. My Traditional Nigerian costume needed altering (in all the right ways girls, in at the hips and out at the bust). He is also making me two silk dresses but I had to try and describe the colours I wanted as he doesn't carry sample of silk- after all enough for two dresses with lining cost £12.00.
He said I will have them Friday, but I have heard. that before. Watch this space.

The other - not so nice side- of Lagos

I wasn't going to put this into the blog. but Carl said I must because it isn't all good in Lagos. Yesterday two members of staff at my school fell prey to the seamier side. Eunice my amazingly talented administration manager who went to University in Britain and worked at the London Stock Exchange was due to move house. She is renting a huge place and wanted something more family friendly. They had an agent to undertake due diligence on the house they were going to rent, they handed over a huge cheque as deposit and advance rent, and then the night before they are due to move in, they find out the guy renting out the house is not the owner! it was, as they say in Nigeria a 419 (fraud) Luckily they stopped the cheque in time but only just.
And then the school nurse (we have a full medically equipped sick room and registered nurse on site at all times) was late for work. When she came in she was in shock. She was at the bus stop (DO NOT THINK UK BUS STOP) and one of the numerous green and white buses (all wrecks with God is our Saviour etc on the back - I would think it should be "abandon all hope" they are such deathtraps) stopped and her and two other ladies got on. However the bus driver didn't stop to pick some other people up and she started to complain and shout, the next thing was she had a gun in her back, the driver went to a lonely spot, threw the women off and took all their jewellery, valuables and money. They were made to face the bush while the guy drove off. I said have you told the police and she laughed, and said,"so they can take the money I have left?"
Thank the Lord she is still alive, but mainland Lagos is not always a nice place. We live on Ikoyi Island -much safer and calmer and we have wonderful security on our compound, and I am driven everywhere.

Friday 16th September

I can't believe we have been in Nigeria for a month!
Well, the hair cut went really well, my hairdresser, Wonderous, although at first a little hesitant (she said she hadn't cut European hair for a long time ) did a fabulous job and Stella did the best pedicure I have ever had - bar none! The hard skin on my feet gave up the battle when she started with the file!!!! and the total for a pedicure, cut and blowdry was N3500 or £14.00, I usually pay £14.00 for just a pedicure in Ebbw Vale, and as you know the cost of my hair is not to be disclosed although my darling daughter who is checking my credit card and paying the bills NEARLY let it slip!!! Where is the mother daughter solidarity?
The tailor- obviously Friday was a Nigerian Friday and not a real Friday, he didn't turn up!!!but when he does I will post the pictures.
My day was normal, it was sunny, happy, and as always very well behaved. When children can moderate their own behaviour and are keen to learn like the children in my school, it frees up so much time and you can purposely interact with all of the children not just the few who take up all of your time at home.
However Carl's day wasn't so good  and here for the first time he is going to write a bit of the blog...

Well,last night I grumbled about the cast on my leg so much that Florrie Nightshirt (aka Susan) unravelled everything and redid it.We were both pleased at the cut (too low for me to lie about it being a duelling scar) but it is still a bit hot which is why the doc put me back on antibiotics.
I have to say ,Susan has missed her calling--she put everything back together far better than they did at the hospital and the whole job was sooo much more comfortable.
Friday started as normal and Susan went off to work leaving me to make myself beautiful and then to lie on the sofa all day.
I had just started to get twitchy when the fire alarms went off--everyone congregated on the landing to decide if we should evacuate when the building Superintendent (a great guy called Andy) turned up to tell us it was a false alarm --great! we all return to our apartments (remember we are on the second floor ) and I just get comfortable again,when Security come bundling in telling me to leave the building by the stairs.
I get up and there is a long silence when they see my leg. Offers were made to carry me down the four flights of stairs which I politely and firmly refused having visions of everyone landing at the bottom of the stairs in a heap with more broken bits.I eventually made it to the ground floor after about ten minutes and a lot of cussing under my breath ,just in time for them to tell me that it was,really,honestly, truly a fault in a flat in the next block and we can all go home---aaarrrgghh.but I went back upstairs in the lift.
To cheer him up and say goodbye to our temporary driver Festus I took them both to the ice-cream factory. Festus has become quite addicted to cherry ice-cream because whenever we go we , obviously, buy 2 scoops for him as well, and he had never had really good ice-cream before. He said next week when he is on holiday he will buy one scoop for his wife who has never tasted ice-cream!
And my treat? a medicinal Gin and Tonic- enjoy the weekend ! We are going to the Pier Harbour annual sale  tomorrow (Lord alone knows what that is!!!)

Wednesday 14th

Carl went to the Reddington Hospital to have his leg re-dressed today. All OK but he needed more anti-biotics and still can't put his foot to the floor. He is slowly going mad stuck in the flat all day. So, to cheer him up tonight, as Huw would say, "We visited the Colonel!!" Yep KFC is in Lagos. I bought a bargain bucket of chicken, fries and coleslaw it looked exactly the same as at home- globalisation is everywhere or is it?
We duly tucked in but the coating was definitely more Nigerian than UK sura spices abounded it was HOT! and the coleslaw, not carrot but yam. It was still nice, but as so many things are, it was different, not worse but decidedly different.
I am worried about tomorrow, I am visiting the hairdresser and anyone who knows me well knows that I am a one hairdresser girl and book up with Ken Picton months ahead and I am too embarrassed to tell people how much a cut let alone highlights cost, I have effectively lied to Carl for 6 years so I am not going to tell you how much it costs in Cardiff but I know it is a tiny fraction of the cost here but what will it be like? What with the tailor and the hairdresser I may be a changed person by Friday!!! Thank God they had gin in Park and Shop!!!

Tuesday 13th

Today, the tailor arrived. I spoke to my amazing deputy head Tina about a Nigerian outfit to wear on Independence day  (1st October) He came into my office, measured me - arms, waist hips length etc  and then brought out a magazine for me to choose my style. I chose a very traditional long outfit and then came the fabric. I duly chose a very, very bright pink material (If you are going to do - do it) and I asked him if he could make Western styles as well. So he looked at my Paul Costelloe fitted shift dress (cost well over the £150 I told Carl), measured me again, we looked at material again ( a slightly less busy purple fabric) and said Friday. I thought he wanted the school administrator who is named Friday, got him and amidst laughter we worked out that he would bring BOTH dresses to me on Friday (2 days time) and the cost for fabric and 2 made to measure dresses N10000- about £40.00. I shall post the photos of me wearing them on Friday- watch this space!!!!.
If I think they are tooo bad, (oh me of little faith but he only had a scrap of paper to write down my measurements and a lot of Nigerian ladies are really big ) Carl said he will post them. He is looking to get his own back after the notorious facebook photo (if you haven't seen it log on it is funny).

Saturday 10th

Carl managed to get out today- only sat in the car but at least it shows that although he is in pain he is getting better. It is amazingly hot and humid today over 33c and 90% humidity.

We have been here for three full weeks and I was thinking about how our attitudes and views are already starting to change.

• I no longer argue about carrying my  school bag. I have my bags taken out of my hands in school. either by Sara my secretary or Wahid my driver whatever I say.
• I expect to have my bags carried from a shop to my car by store staff.
• I have stopped giving money to children tapping on the car window- is this a good thing? I'm not sure does it mean I am becoming hardened or wise?
• I don't look twice at people balancing huge trays of food on their heads as they walk along the streets it seems routine.
• Bartering is starting to become enjoyable (Carl has always enjoyed it I just give what people ask!) I bought tow pots today and Festus, who insisted on coming with me to make sure I was charged a good price , said I did well- praise indeed.

I am still pleasantly surprised at how interested and genuine people are. How they share your joy and sadness  and how they want to help. I cannot count how many people who we have only met very briefly, who have taken the time and effort to find out my phone number or email address to ask how Carl is and if they can do anything to help me. Wouldn't happen on such a scale at home.

Wednesday 7th

First of all Carl's operation went off very well. I saw him at 12:00 when they were just bringing hil back from recovery. He was in pain but fine. We saw the surgeon, who explained that he had used very long screws in his bone (didn't have any smaller available) but not to worry because they are only sticking into soft tissue and on the inside of his leg anyway so he wouldn't notice!! the Nigerian complete truth and real frankness is sometimes  too much. We saw the Xray we didn't notice the screws were too long!!!

But now to another Eriksson dose of luck- On Monday we engaged a steward (At Carl's request) Beatrice comes in every day between 10 and 3:00. She seems really nice and she makes the bed so tight you can't get into it but soooo neat. Anyway I am in the car with my driver Waheed going to the hospital, when he gets a phone call from the Provost (facility manager) at our complex. Why Andy phoned Waheed instead of me I don't know. Anyway, Beatrice had gone onto the balcony to clean the floor and the air conditioners and for some un-fathomable reason she had shut the sliding door behind her, and got herself imprisoned on the balcony. She apparently was shouting for a while before she was seen. So no problem I thought, I asked Waheed to take my key, go back to the flat and let the poor woman free. BUT guess what, Beatrice had locked the front door and left her key in the lock so Waheed couldn't open the door. Two hours later, Andy managed to get an extra long ladder (we are on the second floor) climbed up with a carpenter and took the patio door off, let her out and then refitted the door.
Talk about baptism of fire to Nigeria - I don't want to think what will come next.
Mind you I did have a laugh because Beatrice is not what you could call slender, in fact she is, what is known as "traditionally built" and I thought she had had to climb down the ladder!
Can't wait for Carl to come home tomorrow.

New Job- New Operation!

What a week! My school is fabulous I am so lucky. Wonderful children and a great atmosphere.

Although Carl is very sad stuck in hospital tonight waiting for the operation tomorrow, and I must admit I did cry when I left him there, I was sitting here thinking ad reviewing the last three weeks- the first three weeks of our lives at Ex-Pats and we are so fortunate. We have AMAZING neighbours - I never thought anyone could ever come close to Milon and Amanda but Geraldine and Richard are wonderful. She immediately took over looking after Carl so I wouldn't have to worry on my first day in work! All the people in our compound are really friendly and have included us in lots of things. We are beginning to have a social life ( Whist drive next week and we all know how keen on cards Carl is!!)
However - getting a cup of tea in a Lagos hospital canteen was -different. Cold water, tea bag,evaporated milk and microwave! - Not exactly a Japanese tea ceremony and quite frankly undrinkable. But it was served with a wonderful smile and a, " Hope you are well Mar" so how could you do anything else but say thanks and drink it. Oh and make a note NEVER to have tea again!!!

So although tonight I feel very, very homesick, on balance things are good.
Hope the next blog is a bit more upbeat.

The Adventure with Legacy and the Nigerian Field Society.

How do I describe today?  We meet a bunch of new people from all walks of life and a large amount of countries. We are all dressed for a stroll in the Nigerian countryside - except my intrepid husband who is equipped for a trek through a rainforest. We have : first aid kit (with full blood kit), water, rehydrating fluid, ice packs, mosquito spray, hats, kagouls, knife (two sizes and all our emergency numbers. Carl is wearing long trousers, boots, and a safari shirt- I am in long shorts and a blouse and daps. The other girls are wearing flip flops. OMG we arrive in EPE and instead of going to the fish market and museum we go to look at an ancient shrine - in the rainforest. We walk in ankle deep mud down a very, very,  very steep track to a spring and look at a shrine at the bottom of a dyke which was hand cut over 1000 years ago. Fantastic except by now I have been bitten by ants that must have been 10 cm long at least (think Bear Grylls) and then we go through the actual dyke, Carl leads me and turns to help me and slips down the slope. I heard the bone in his leg crack as he landed. So now we are deep in the rainforest and he has a broken leg. Three Nigerian guys from the village whip out their machetes and cut branches for him, but he had to be carried for 45 minutes to the road. Luckily two French guys had taken a look at the bus the rest of us were travelling in and followed the bus in their 4x4 so Carl was bundled into that. I had phoned the ambulance (thank God for Shell emergency numbers) and we drove with him in agony for 1 hour to meet the ambulance, another hour later we are in the ER and he is being examined. As they took off his boot 3 soldier ants ran out!!
This is the shortened version, I won't go into all the details suffice it to say it was not the best day of my life. Carl is now going to have an operation on Tuesday to plate the very nasty break to his leg. He is at home in a cast now but in so much pain.
The staff in the hospital were wonderful and we felt very reassured by it all.On the plus side I saw some wonderful millipedes, frogs, butterflies and caterpillars and met some wonderful kind people.
Oh and tomorrow I start my new job!!! the luck of the Erikssons!

Saturday in Lagos

What a great day we had today, the sun was shining, there was very little traffic and we were out with new friends. We discovered an amazing French Deli- it was like being in France but with armed security guards at the doors. It is amazing how quickly we have stopped noticing the armed guards at the doors of shops and businesses. The security is very overt at Shell headquarters and that is still noticeable, but everywhere else we seem to just take it for granted now. Off for an adventure tomorrow with the Nigerian Field Society, we are going to EPE a very old town with interesting archaeological ruins - apparently. Anyone who knows Carl can imagine the preparations- we have a huge rucksack and we could probably survive for 10 days in the out back with what we are carrying.

First day at School

UK - I am fast learning that some things are definitely different in Nigeria. We had a huge branch cut off a tree and I asked for it to be trimmed so there were no sharp points and put n the Reception playground for the children to sit on. Two guys, two large machetes and NO safety gear later it was done- but my heart was in my mouth. And then there was the welding... no eye protection or gloves. I will have to take my UK H&S hat off. After that a teacher standing on a chair seemed small fish!!