They say that one doesn't forget his/her first. Cause, it's pretty easy to not remember the second, third, tenth time you did/tried something. But the first? It's always stuck in your head. While I agree with the saying, of course, because it holds true, my firsts somehow get lodged somewhere in my head that it takes a nudge to remember. It's never right at the top of my head. I don't even know why.
Image is mine
Reading the prompt, I thought I'd talk about my first time traveling solo. I can never forget how that experience was. Peculiar and eventful could maybe describe it.
It was two days before my post-ume exams, which was to hold in Nsukka, Enugu state. My mum had seen me off to the park only for us to find that no busses were available. And mind you, it was just past 8am and about three busses already left the station. Yet, the park was full with people, students mostly, who were traveling for the same reason as me. We had to go to another park.
Long story short, I managed to get another bus. Good for my mum(you won't get this part if I explained), I got on board with this older guy, a student too, who connected with my mum quickly and who she took a liken to while he, in turn, sort of looked out for me.
We took off. By evening, we arrived in Enugu and walked the distance to another park where we'd get a bus to Nsukka. I paid my ticket and boarded when I remembered that I had left my phone on the last bus. The phone's battery went flat(it had battery issues), and I had pleaded with the driver to help me charge it. Kai! I got out of the bus immediately and took off. Thinking back, I think I don't know what I was thinking. It was my first time in the city and I didn't know my way around. And oh, I feel like the people in that region are chill. Although the bus was almost set to move, no one murmured nor complained when I got out.
I took to my heels in the direction of the last park. On the move, guess who I found running beside me? Yeah, that guy. He ran with me all the way to the park(the bus couldn't leave with two passengers absent, yeah? That was it!). We got there and were directed to an office where I had to identify my stuff. I was immensely surprised that I wasn't asked to pay some fee for safekeeping or whatever. E shock me!
We went back to our new bus where we were waited for and began the journey. And then something else happened. My backup phone(my mum's) went off. I had a sibling there, so I used my phone . The battery was just at the brink of giving up, to call him. He sent his bike man's number to me. I called the guy, but it wasn't connecting. I had only dialed the number into my trip buddy's phone when my own phone went off. I was lucky. After a number of trials, his line went through. Turned out he was around the park already since my brother had already informed him of my coming. Just went out and met him out the premises and then bade my travel buddy who insisted on staying with me until I was sorted, goodbye. I could never forget that kind gesture from one stranger to another.
It was a fun experience. I had the phone scare, particularly when my phone went off(it should have been when I lost it, but well...) but more than the fear of losing communication and getting lost, I was thrilled. I still relish the memory sometimes, and I tell you that nothing I've described comes close to the actual experience. Truly.
And, I just had to include this...Nsukka has a very homely feel to it. Would have been great if I had studied there. But it's fine, I'd visit again sometime.
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!