A road trip, oh what fun
We pack our bags and hit the road
The miles stretch out before us
As we drive through fields of gold
The wind in our hair, the sun on our faces
We stop to see the sights along the way
The world is ours to explore
As we journey on, day after day
We laugh and sing and tell tales
We make new memories to last
A road trip is a thrilling ride
One we'll surely want to cast
So let's rev up the engine
And hit the road, my friend
A road trip awaits us
Let's make it one to remember in the end
The above poem was written by me a long time ago. My love for traveling made me pick up the pen and drafted in ink the poem above. Maybe my love for the road grew from the incessant relocation with my parents due to work. So this weekend I'm going to tell you my experience traveling to a new land to celebrate my Christmas.
Oh! What a time to be alive
You know that feeling when you're about to visit a new state you've entirely not visited before. The feeling of adventure mixed with pleasure. That feeling of nostalgia that you are going to meet friends after long years of seeing each other. That was how I felt this morning as I packed my bags and set off for the beautiful city of Uyo. That is exactly where I am going to spend my Christmas. I have heard a lot about this beautiful city from friends that stay there and also from the beautiful pictures they have been posting on their timelines of how beautiful the city's Christmas decorations look at night. I didn't want to be left out.
I planned from the beginning of this year that I wasn't gonna spend my Christmas in my state of residency. I had been planning the trip for weeks, and was already excited to see all of the beautiful sights along the way. I'll try to post some pictures here. Mind you I love traveling.
So the sun rose over the horizon, I packed the last of my belongings into the trunk of an already ordered Bolt ride and set off for this journey. I was embarking on what I like to be termed as a cross-country adventure, traveling from my home state of Owerri to the beautiful city of Uyo in Akwa ibom State Nigeria. First I went to the park before I booked a bus going to Uyo. To be honest I felt a little nervous. I really didn't know why.
The first few hours of the trip went by smoothly. The driver stopped at a few rest stops along the way, and even took a detour. According to him the government was working on a road ahead hence taking another path so as to cut off the gridlock on the way. He stopped at multiple police checkpoints and also at a gas station to fill up his tank. The driver was a chatterbox as he couldn't stop talking all through the trip. Not to lie he actually made the trip enjoyable as he kept cracking jokes and feeding us with laughter. He would have made a great comedian.
As we reached the border of Uyo and Owerri which was Ikot ekpene I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement because I was told that in that peaceful town was the popular Four Towns Hotel. I had always wanted to see the gigantic building nestled in the heart of the town, and now she (the hotel) was finally here staring me right in the face. One day when I'm richer I'm sure I will lodge there. From afar one could see the hotel as it towered over every other building in that vicinity.
As we drove through the city landscape, I couldn't marvel at the breathtaking views. I saw this statue of a hand with a write up Dakaada which according to resident meant rise up. According to them it was the city slogan given by the government to daily remind them of the need to rise and chase their goals. The city of Uyo is indeed so beautiful and neat. No wonder it is among the neatest cities in Africa. I noticed they had more flat ground than hills and valleys, unlike Some states I've been to. Thank God I was determined to make this trip.
Finally, after nearly two weeks of planning I arrived at my destination, the beautiful city of Uyo. It was definitely an adventure and I'm sure ticking my bucket list of states traveled to In Nigeria.
Enugu, Lagos, Abuja, Umuahia, Ebonyi, Owerri are all ✔️ in my list. So proudly I'm adding Uyo, Akwa ibom State to the list ✔️. I will try to settle down today, then tomorrow I'm taking a tour of the city so keep up with me.