claremont:
Exactly!

@OP: Inasmuch as we are enjoying your stories, tell us about the ladies and the night life as well. In Africa, we consider ladies to be the pillars of our culture; therefore, the best way to really understand the norms and values of a people is to 'sample' the women.

'sample' women ke!

Tony where are you?!
You are keeping guys waiting
Hope ink isn't dry in your pen or ion from your battery

where u de

I really found your piece interesting. I'm passionate about travelling, your memoirs just increased my passion to travel. I've travelled to Niamey in Niger Republic and Cotonou in Benin Republic. I have plans to explore further inwardly to Agadez in Northern Niger and as far as Rabat in Morocco. Keep us posted, i think writing is your 'Calling'.

Johnny crash: I really found your piece interesting. I'm passionate about travelling, your memoirs just increased my passion to travel. I've travelled to Niamey in Niger Republic and Cotonou in Benin Republic. I have plans to explore further inwardly to Agadez in Northern Niger and as far as Rabat in Morocco. Keep us posted, i think writing is your 'Calling'.

hahahahaha.. mr. john. point of note, monsieur tonye has a ministry in 'writing' and the ministry must move to it parmament! lolzzz

Dear Op

I enjoy reading your memoirs. You should be a writer. Your ability to pun seamlessly is an inherent gift. You should consider writing as a profession.

@OP I stumbled on this thread then I have been following ever since. Its so engaging I would almost say its fiction. Nice thread, pls keep updating us.

Tonye update soon plssss.

#waiting!

Maybe MR Tonye the great traveller has been kidnapped in senegal. Update us pls.

Hello Friends,

How are you doing today?

Thanks for liking my story and thanks for encouraging me to continue.

I shall do just that.

I'm so sorry for being away for this long, I had some issues to attend to.

I'm healthy and ok; lolz.

Happy to announce that I'm now at home here in Port Harcourt.

Updates on the way friends...

Thanks for your patience...

monsieur tonye, welcome back.. bon arivo.... abi no be so them dey talk am for french? abeg, your people dey wait you.

TONYE001: Hello Friends,

How are you doing today?

Thanks for liking my story and thanks for all encouraging me to continue.

I shall do just that.

I'm so sorry for being away for this long, I had some issues to attend to.

I'm healthy and ok; lolz.

Happy to announce that I'm now at home here in Port Harcourt.

Updates on the way friends...

Thanks for your patience...

I woke up the next day in excitement. It was a Monday.

I called Cow-boy Idi to confirm our appointment.

“Bonjour monsieur” I greeted.

“Yea. Good morning my bros.” He replied.

“About our appointment today…”

“Yea.. I shall be there by 0900 hours” he confirmed.

I got ready in about 30 minutes’ time as I played around with the television watching Mbc Action and NatGeo Wild in my wait for Idi.
As I waited, I made a mental list of the order of our tour. First and most importantly, I would go to the bank to get some money and then I would proceed to a traveling agency and pay for a ticket to Sierra Leone.

I had planned to spend at least 3 days in each of the countries I visited. My initial plan was to fly to Senegal, and then complete the rest of the journey by road. This, however, was way too stressful as I later found that from Dakar to Freetown is about 3 days or so. My spirit of tour never reach this level.

I met Monsieur Idi at the Car Park of Terrou-Bi. He had promised to come with a friend’s taxi. It was a Mazda car whose body cried of old age and mismanagement. He introduced me to the driver, a Senegalese giant whose thick, black beards were thrice the length of a fully grown elephant grass. We exchanged greetings and off we went as we joined the Senegalese stream of traffic.

I explained to Monsieur le Cow-boy Idi that I would love to go to the bank as I had almost nothing with me. He disclosed that Ecobank has a branch not far from the hotel. He ordered the driver to drive towards the location.

Dakar is a very busy city. The impression of Dakar I had on Sunday was a big city with terrible roads and lots of ‘unused space’. My Monday journey presented a different city. There was barely a route to turn to that was void of traffic jam. Not even the black pedestrians were free from this as there was barely enough space to walk and swing your arms without hitting the person just next to you. It seemed to me that only old, shabby cars were allowed to be used as taxis as almost all the taxis (and buses) marked yellow and black were just few steps away from complete breakdown.

We soon arrived at the branch of Ecobank. There was no space to park. The driver made a swift stop as I and Idi jumped out. He drove off.

We crossed the busy road as I walked up to the Gauchet Automatique (ATM machine). I joined the cue.

In my wait, I observed the people of Dakar from my angle. My eyes reported a happy people walking briskly towards the directions of their affairs. Some with hand bags, others with back packs. Some in groups, others sole. There were hawkers, road side traders, newspaper vendors, beggars, and police officers on foot patrol.

As I observed, I noticed that every security agent had a holstered pistol (mostly revolvers with brown handles but I noticed a few glocks). Those with longer rifles still had their pistols holstered. I found this interesting. This also includes the private security agents (I saw a couple of them at the bank) and the whistle-blowing traffic wardens (officers)! No wonder Dakar is a relatively safe place.

I also noticed the incredible population of whites. Few driving in cars while others walked in their T-shirts, shorts, canvasses (or boots), caps, and sun glasses (it was a sunny day). Perhaps, in West Africa, Nigeria has the lowest population of westerners (just saying).

It got to my turn as I walked into the ATM room.

I slotted in my card. The machine asked me if I wanted to operate it in English or in French. I selected English (I no ready to learn French with my money I beg before I go click CLEAR MY ACCOUNT come trek dey come house..[/i]lolz). I was out in about 5 minutes.

I walked up to Idi (he was busy buying a T-shirt from a roadside seller). In no time we were back to the road, heading eastwards (I think).

“[i]Monsieur, where is the driver?” I asked as we marched.

“I asked him to look for a safe place to pack” he said.

“Ok.”

The traffic was very heavy that day. It seemed static to me.

“There is a traveling agency about 20 minutes from here” Idi said.

“Ok. That’s great. Let’s go there please” I said.

“I advise we walk down as we may not get there quickly if we use the car because of the traffic.” Idi suggested as we walked under the harsh Senegalese sun.

“That’s great monsieur. I agree with you.” I said.

Cow-boy Idi called the driver and asked him to return to the street he had dropped us and drive straight, due east. He gave him a location where he would park and wait for us.

Idi’s short legs (no insult intended) carried him in an incredible pace. I found it difficult catching up with him. We maneuvered our way through the highly dense population of pedestrians as I made sure he didn’t leave my sight.

“Wow! What’s that?” I asked pointing to a two-coached blue and yellow bus.

“We call it Dakar Deme DikK. It’s used for public transport.” He said.

I rushed for my Nikon digital camera in my bag as I tried to take a picture.

Busy Dakar...

Dakar Deme Dikk...

..I Am Following Your Adventurous Story #Tonye, Please Don't Keep Us waiting For So Long to Update Especially Now you're Back to Nigeria!
..More Ink to your Pen.

@Tonye: I like the part where you operated the ATM in English. So funny... Lmao. Make you no use legwagon complete your tour

Live on Frontpage

TONYE001: Hotel Eda Oba

This part of my story is called Togo 101.2.

A phase of silence passed as she allowed me to make a decision. If only she knew that the only decision I was making was to figure out how to run out of the office without harming my pride. I cleared my throat as I shifted in my sit.

“So sir, about the negotiations for a discount?” She tried to lead me into the conversation.

“Ahmm…” I was looking for the right words “- ahmm, you know-“ I cleared my throat again “- I would have to get back to you please. I need to make some consultations. Can I have your card please?” I demanded as I managed to give out a smile.

I grew up to discover that there is nothing really there to just being upfront albeit in a matured honourable manner o.
You were misinformed. Simple. And that misinformation had formed the basis of your decision for a two-month stay, which you were now re-considering, in light of the new information.

Love your narrative though. Very descriptive and engaging.

waoo

tonye oilye money.

i dey calculate how much u don spend so far (roughly 1.5milla already just when u land senegal)

all i can say is BIG BOY

the part about the cowboy guy picking u@the airport.chai...i think say na one senator u be

I enjoy reading about west africa. keep up.

TONYE001:

Lolz..I'm getting there please...patience..

u keep on beating about the bush,now snake don come out.where i go run enter now.

lol very engaging story teller
I love the Togo 101.2 bit Raw garri and sauce? nawa oo

Nice adventure.I hope to embark on same within Africa and Europe someday.