I Just Got Married And This is My Story (Part One)

I Just Got Married And This is My Story

(Part One)

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Saturday, the 18th of February, 2017 will forever be etched in my memory. Not because I won the Olympic medal I have always been dreaming about. No, not yet. Neither is it because I bought my dream car – the red mini cooper 2016 edition. Oh well, I know God is working things out for me and very soon my red mini cooper will arrive (giggles). And until then, I patiently await ‘her’ arrival.

But that is not the essence of this story. The gist of this story is about the milestone that I just achieved. Yes, you guessed right. After several years of waiting and praying, I finally got married to the love of my life. And this is a recap of the unending episodes that preceded the d-day.

Like every excited bride-to-be, I looked forward to the wedding date with so much glee. Being a daddy’s girl meant that I had to get married in my dad’s church. And since it was also the church I worshiped, I had no issue with it. However, I found the compulsory 6 months pre-marital counseling period too long. More gut wrenching were the rules ‘le boo’ and I had to abide by if we wanted the church to certify us ‘marriage-worthy’.

‘Your skirt must be more than 3 inches below your knee. You must always tie a scarf to church. You must not have those ‘so-called’ artificial nails on when coming to this church. Trousers are not allowed in this church for whatever reason, you are not here to seduce the church members’. I sat down and listened to Madam Liz, the woman in charge of the pre-marital counseling, as she read out the rules to us.

‘Why are all the rules meant for only me?’ I asked Madam Liz. ‘ We are serious minded people in this church. If you want to do fashion parade, go to your Lekki church where you people dress half-naked to the house of God every Sunday’, she said. Just know we cannot join you together in this church if you refuse to change your bad attitude’, she further added. Since I had made up my mind that my wedding was going to be conducted in my dad’s church, I decided to abide by their rules, although grudgingly and reluctantly.

Weeks seemed to be taking forever to end. While the days dragged by like a snail in an Olympics. However, each new day brought the ‘d-day’ closer. And before I knew it, it was three weeks to the wedding day. It then came to my realization that I still had a lot of things to to. Despite the fact that I had a wedding planner, I wanted to do some things myself. And since I work for the number one hotel booking portal in Africa, I decided to book the hotel rooms where our guests will be lodged myself.

Since I wanted my guests to be lodged in one of the best hotels in Ikeja, I decided to approach the Vice President of the company, Meg, to ask for recommendations. Unknowingly to me, the company was offering a whooping 50% discount on all hotel reservations made during the Valentine’s season. And since my wedding date fell within this period, I was eligible to use the voucher codes.

...to be continued

6 Travel Hacks for Frequent Business Travelers

Traveling for business purposes is commonplace these days. Most job descriptions require that employees travel at least two times in a year while some others travel on a monthly basis. For those employees that travel frequently, planning the trip can be a very stressful task for them. As they are always faced with recurring issues of choosing which airline to fly with, what hotel accommodation to lodge in while in the destination, as well as things to carry along with them for the trip. If you happen to belong to this category of people, then your problem is about to be over. Below are 6 travel hacks to help you in planning your next business trip.

1. Make a Travel Checklist

It is very pertinent that you make a checklist of the things you will need for your trip. Even if you travel regularly, there is a chance that you might forget something. To prevent this from happening, always use a travel checklist. Keep crossing off things on the list until you are sure you have all the items you need for your trip.

2. Pay a Premium for Direct Flights

Paying a premium for direct flights will save you a lot of time and stress in airport lobbies. Apart from it being time efficient, it is also cheaper to fly from point A to point B instead of breaking the journey and boarding flights from different locations, you will most likely spend more. If you are having a hard time getting cheap rates for direct flights to your destination, then check an online portal for flight booking to get best rates.

3. Check in Online

There is no better way to save time than to check in online. Most airline companies now let customers check in online within 24 hours of their flight. This is in a bid to help customers save the time spent on long security lines at the airport, especially those that are not checking in any baggage. More so, checking in online prevents unexpected delays that happen on travel days.

4. Book your Hotel Accommodation Online Prior to Your Departure

To save you the hassle of being stranded when you get to your destination, it is better to book your hotel online prior to your departure. There are online hotel booking sites with a comprehensive list of hotels where you can book an accommodation close to your destination.

5. Arrive Early

Arriving early to the airport will save you a lot of stress associated with business travel. In a nutshell, business travel entails preparing for the unforeseen, such as unexpected gate changes, long taxi lines, flight delays and security check-points. By getting to the airport early, you give yourself the extra time to deal with the unexpected occurrences.

6. Travel Light

Experienced business travelers know the danger of traveling with too much load. From long delay at the checking-in section to annoying security checks at the airport. As such, it is always better to travel with a light luggage. To achieve this, make sure you pack clothing and shoes with similar colours. That way, you won’t have to bother whether the clothes match or not.   

Being single is not a reason to stay indoors on Valentine’s Day. You deserve to have fun irrespective of whether you have a partner or not. Valentine’s Day is not the time to be gloomy and sad about your single status. Rather, it is the time to get up and explore the world around you. There are so many fun things to do by your self this Valentine season. Some of them include:

1. Treat Yourself

Most single people find the idea of taking themselves out on a date very awkward. Although it may seem strange, it is one of the best ways to find happiness alone. There are so many places you can go on a date all by yourself. One of the best options is to go to a hotel near you and treat yourself to a nice and affordable buffet. Sheraton Lagos Hotel, for instance, offers tasty and mouth watery buffet to guests at an affordable price.

2. Go Shopping

Spoil yourself by going shopping this Valentine season. Buy yourself that dress you have been day dreaming about all this while. You can also go shopping in the company of your single friends to make it more interesting and memorable.  

3. Travel Solo

Another fun thing to do on Valentine’s Day if you are single is to travel solo. There is no better time to explore the world than when you are single and free. You can start by touring points of interest close to you before embarking on long distance trips. You can travel by air or by road. But for an interstate trip, I will suggest you go by road so you don’t miss out on the interesting sights by the road side.

4. Go Kayaking

There is nothing more fun than going kayaking on Valentine’s Day. Kayaking is the perfect fun and relaxing activity to do all by yourself. Apart from offering you a chance to get close to nature, kayaking is also a good way to relieve stress. It is great for aerobic exercise and offers upper body conditioning. So you see, going kayaking is actually a good decision to make this Valentine season.

5. Read a Book

If you have not had time to read On Becoming by Toke Makinwa, then this is the perfect time to do that. There is no better time to relax with a good book than on Valentine’s Day. Avoid reading academic books this season. Valentine’s Day is not the time to get too serious, just relax, read and enjoy!

6. Host a Singles Party

If you prefer the company of other people to being alone, then host a party for your single friends. You don’t have to go overboard in your budget for the party. A few drinks and finger foods will do. The aim of the party is for you and your fellow single friends to have unwind and have fun while enjoying the company of each other. 

10 Must have Items for any business Trip

Trying to decipher what to pack for a business trip can be a very daunting task for a first time business traveller. Even the regular business travellers do encounter difficulty when it comes to making a list of important things to carry along. If you happen to be caught in this web, then you need not worry. Below is a list of ten important items to carry along with you for your next business trip:

1. Laptop

A laptop is a very important item to carry along for a business trip. This is because the computers at the business-centre in your hotel accomodation might not have the software you require. As such you will be better off if you carry along your personal computer or a wide-screen tablet to help you keep tabs on your daily assignments.

2. Plug Adapter

Instead of relying on your hotel accomodation to provide a plug adapter for you, it’s better you bring yours along with you for any business trip. A plug adapter can come in handy at any time during your business trip, such as charging your laptop, mobile phones, and other electronic devices that require charging. 

3. Portable WiFi

Not all hotels provide free internet services to their guests. And connecting to the paid internet services available in the hotel can be quite expensive. As such, it is important you carry your portable WiFi along with you everytime you are going on a business trip. This will save you the extra cost of paying to use the internet. It will also keep you connected to the internet at all times so that you do not miss out on important mails.

4. Plenty of Business Cards

It is a bad idea to run out of business cards while on a trip. So always ensure you tuck extra business cards into your briefcase, wallet/purse, luggage as well as your suit pockets. This way, you will hardly run out of them while on a business trip.

5. A Name Badge

A professional name badge is important for networking during business trips. Do not rely on the hosting organization to design a name badge for you, as they may not get it right.

6. A Memory Stick

A memory stick is as important as a laptop. As such, always ensure you take it along with you when going for a business trip. As you may need it to copy or transfer presentation files to other people while networking.

7. The Right Clothes

When preparing for a business trip, always ensure you research the prevaling weather condition in your travel destination. This will enable you pack the right type of clothing you will need throughout your stay.

8. Water Bottle

Taking a water bottle along with you during your business trip is a good decision. As this will save you the cost of buying bottled water everytime. This is one of the best investment a cost-conscious person embarking on a business trip can make.

9. A Sizable Luggage

A durable and sizeable luggage is one of the most inportant items to carry along with you for a business trip. In fact, it is the first item you think of when preparing to travel for business purpose. As such, it is expedient you invest in a durable one of moderate size. So you don’t buy a new luggage everytime you intend to go on a business trip.

10. A Camera / Smart Phone

A camera will come in handy at those moments you sneak out of your hotel accomodation to get a view of the city. If you can’t get your hands on a good camera, then take a smart phone with a high resolution camera along with you. This will help you memorialize an important meeting or occasion.

5 Best Places to Visit in Lagos

The hustling and bustling associated with our daily lives may deprive us of that special time with our families, friends or loved ones. Besides Lagos being the busiest state in Nigeria, it also has some of the best places, restaurants, movie centers and what have you. There is a wide variety of places in Lagos to choose from such as cheap and affordable hotels, ice cream factories, beautiful beaches as well as exquisite hotels. If you are based in Lagos, or planning a trip to Lagos very soon, here is a list of the five best places to visit with your friends and loved ones:

1. Terra Kulture

Terra Culture, Nigeria’s foremost cultural center, is one of the best places to visit in Lagos. It is located in the buzzing business district at the heart of Victoria Island, and serves as a cultural and recreational hub in Lagos. It attracts a large number of crowd from far and near places. Here, you can appreciate beautiful pieces of artwork with your spouse, enjoy tasty delicacies at the restaurants situated in the premises, or even take in

 the beautiful view of the surroundings.

2. La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort

La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort is one of the best places in Lagos where you can enjoy a romantic getaway with your spouse. With its beautiful and serene environment, couples are bound to forget their worries while enjoying each others company. The beach resort is intertwined in the core freshness of nature amongst virgin trees and the beautiful view of the alluring romantic reflection of the setting sun upon the calm surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

3. Bheerhugz Cafe

If you are looking to go hangout with your friends, then Bheerhugz Cafe is one of the best places to visit for that purpose. It is a stylish lounge perfect for personal, corporate, group and social hangout. Situated in the high brow areas of Lagos State, Bheerhugz Cafe is a one-stop place for people looking to relax, unwind and enjoy delicious sumptuous meals prepared by some of the best chefs in town. The cosy longe at Bheerhugz Cafe will give your friends and you an interesting experience whilst you enjoy the thrill and comfort it gives.

4. Eko Hotels and Suites

Eko Hotels and Suites is a perfect location for a romantic get away with your spouse. It is one of the luxury hotels in Nigeria. Located at the center of Victoria Island away from the hustle and bustle of the Lagos metropolis, they offer their walk in guests as well as corporate clients a prefect blend of African delicacies, intercontinental dishes, relaxation and so many fun activities. Overlooking the Eko Atlantic Ocean and City, the hotel is designed for the comfort and convenience of the guest. The hotel prides itself with having banqueting and conference facility that are world class. Eko Hotels and Suites organizes the best themed buffet held every Friday evening where guests are treated to specialties across the globe. You can attend the special themed buffet with your spouse on a quiet Friday night.

5. Ikeja City Mall

Your exploration of the city of Lagos will not be complete if you do not visit Ikeja City Mall. Ikeja City Mall is one of the best places to visit in Lagos. It is a major shopping center and home to cool hangout spots in Lagos. It is a good place to visit with your spouse. There is a wide variety of things you can do in Ikeja City Mall. They vary from seeing the latest blockbuster movie to trying new international cuisines, shopping for groceries at lower prices, buying original make-up or even buying the latest designer outfit.

Cars you won’t see on Nigerian roads.

  

Even with the current recession, Nigerians are known to buy some of the most exclusive automobile brands in the world, From the Bentleys to the Rolls- Royce’s, Lamborghini to the Veyron…they are all on our roads especially in cities like Lagos and Abuja…Nigerians indulge, due to this current recession though, cars imported into the country has dropped sharply but even when all was rosy, there are just some brand of luxury vehicles you won’t find on Nigerian roads, some because of how exclusive they are, others because the technology that powers them is not readily available or simply some really have outrageous prices attached to them.

Here are some of the automobiles you won’t find on our roads

. Koenigsegg  : The Swedish super sport car company has three models in its line-up, very unlikely you would find  any of them on Lekki-Epe expressway. It has the CCXR Trevita, the 1 & Regera…exquisite pieces of automobile engineering

.Tesla Models : Model S and their rrecent SUV Model X…chance is Naija still has a long way to go before the ride on our roads, for Tesla makes full plug in electric vehicle, no internal combustion engine in these ones, we don’t even have enough power to charge our phones yet talk less of a vehicle…long thing indeed.

W Motors Lykan Hypersport : You may recall the Lykan Hypersport from its starring role in the blockbuster Furious 7, where the Lebanese supercar crashed through not one, not two, but three skyscrapers in Dubai.

Hennesy Venom GT : There is a raging argument about which is the fastest production car in the world…many believe it’s the Bugatti Veyron Supersport but no, The Hennesy Venom holds the Guinness book of world records as the fastest production vehicle in the world.

Pagani : Pagani has basically two models under the company, the Pagani  Huayra BC and the Zonda, the Zonda has variants, there is the original Zonda, the Zonda R, Zonda R Evolution and even Zonda Revolucion…Not gonna find any on these streets, zondas are so limited some eventual owners had to wait three years to buy one of these bad boys

Mercedes- Benz G63 AMG 6x6 : Imagine The G Wagon on steroids with 6 wheels instead of four, with tires you can inflate and deflate according to the surface you are driving on. It was launched in early 2013 and by early 2015, the company declared the model completely sold out, so the only way to get one now is to buy it from an owner….probably an Arabian Prince somewhere in the middle east.

Lamborghini : Yes there are some models of Lambos here, but even some Lamoghini are hard to come by anywhere in the world, three of their must exclusive models includes the Centenario LP, Sesto Elemento (sixth Element) and the Veneno

Ferrari – Yemi Alade would have to do with the more common Ferrari, not that any type of Ferrari is common to begin with but even among the Ferrari Models, The Ferrari Le Ferrari (so good, they had to name it twice) it’s Le Ferrari FXX K, F^) America and the tongue twisting Pininfarina Sergio are not to be seen by just any pair of eyes

Aston Martin One 77  -The British automaker wanted to make a vehicle so exclusive they made just 77 models of this vehicle, hence the name…And the 77 Lucky individuals paid for them even before they rolled out of the factory. Arguably the most classically handsome car on the list, this car is built around a carbon fibre monocoque chassis , with a handcrafted aluminium body giving it its sophisticated , aggressive look.

Zenvo ST1 – assembled in Zealand, Denmark, the Zenvo ST1 is less of a car and more of a caged animal, it creates and obscene amount of power so much the engine caught fire on the Top gear track, the company however claims Top gear’s crew hours of extreme driving of the vehicle led to the fire. Nevertheless…Maybe this one should just stay away from our roads.

Mclaren P1 – The Mclaren brand has roots in racing, so they decided to come up with a car that feels like a formula 1 car but street legal so they came up with a P1 aka the widow maker…it’s fast, it look menacing…A rocket on wheels really

Rolls Royce Phantom Serenity : The Phantoms are here though but the serenity is like a VVIP section in a VIP club that one has to wait a life time to even get into…looks  every other phantom except this is specially made and it’s the based on the Phantom Series two..(Neither Sultan nor Oni has one, theirs are series one) and the taken into some special after production customization with military grade security features

Bugatti Chiron – Bugatti Veyron is now old news, although there are also versions of the Veyron that would be hard to come by…like the Veyron Vitese or the limited Mansory Vivere edition cooked by German witch doctors. it’s latest sibling is not at car dealerships yet, those that have them in their garages are those that have paid for them even before the company started mass production…Maybe we’ll see this one sometime in the future because the name Bugatti somehow seems to excite the money bags in Naija

Honourable Mention – Mercedez Benz Maybach Exelero

By far the most expensive car our list, the Exelero makes its appearance under honourable mentions due to its one –off status, The Maybach was also built in 2004, but that makes its sticker price more impressive, Adjusted for Inflation, it would cost around $10.1 Million dollars in the US today…(Don’t bother converting that to Naira) close to the GDP of a small Island Nation. To see one on our roads would be sinful in fact!

Lagos at Night

Lagos is indeed a city-state on the rise, Lagos is looking beyond being a standard for Nigeria or even Africa but to become a truly world class city in every sense of that phrase, one thing that sets cities apart is what their night life is, Night Life looks better with public lights which is why world class cities glimmer even from Space, Light Lagos Project initiated by Former Governor Fashola and continued by The Ambode Administration is really putting Lagos in a positive light (Pun very much intended)

Here are some Lagos night pictures to enjoy.