Two things were apparent as at 10am 17th December, we were either going to remain indoor or outside of it.

None of us would go to Church, at least, if put together, our combined attendance will be up to 30, with majority of the attendance (25) done by Dami with the rest of us sharing the remainder.

The summation was clear, we needed to have fun and the beach seemed to be topping the list of all preferred destination.

Without wasting much time, we came up with lists of possible bitches beaches based on just 2 criteria:

Accessibility
Affordability


Preparation For the Trip
Since we also wanted something a bit different from what we’re used to, Dami suggested Marwa Beach. His reasons? They don’t charge for entry. We thought that was a good idea, so we locked up our minds, Agreed on a budget of #30,000, smuggled ourselves into different Shorts, Shirts and Slips while an order for Taxify was simultaneously made. A quick stop at the ATM and a drinks store was also necessary as there’s a need to retrieve some cash and liquor for such an operation.




Getting to the Island.
The only thing we couldn’t do on getting to the said Maruwa beach was to combine efforts into lynching Dami.

The place would pass for a spiritual lab than a fun hub. It would have been perfect if one or all of us had come for spiritual cleansing. A quick snapshot revealed worshipers littered at different spots on the beach adorned in different colours ranging from red to purple and were supposedly praising God. Their caps going at alternate directions each time they rigorously shake their head to say a prayer point. “God must have been a lover of colours for people to have come all out with such collection to clad themselves”, I thought.

At other spots were more worshipers armed with local soap and sponge, washing their bodies while reciting some words I’m somewhat familiar with.

All in the name of free entry?!” Like it was planned, we gave Dami a collective scornful look for such atrocity. Our driver turned as we made our way out in search for somewhere better.

We must have fun. And It has to be by a beach.

A Cold Shoulder At Lekki Leisure Lake
Our anger quadrupled at Lekki Leisure lake as we weren’t allowed to go in with neither our drinks nor camera (but camera phones are allowed..smh). It was even too expensive for an off-peak period.




Ok we are cool with that but will you at least help secure this camera?

Manager said no and the body language wasn’t welcoming. Nigeria still has a long distance to complete in terms of customer service.


After all the back and forth, There was just an option left. Elegushi beach!!! The golden boy among beaches! The over-mentioned dude who springs varying surprises every time you make a trip to him. Musicians have done their bit in making it stick and we’ve come to agree it’s the best even though there are better ones.



Elegushi beach!
Only a few do not know this beach is owned by the Elegushi royal family in Lekki, Lagos state. Though two post-graduate students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) got drowned sometime in June Last Year, it did little in deterring us from asking the wind to take charge of our caution. only a few will kuku remember us should we die without doing remarkable things.

Since our Taxify had left, we figured it’d be a wasteful move to hail another, so we jumped into an approaching Maruwa who agreed to take us all to our destination for a fee of #700.

It was after driving for close to twenty minutes that the Aboki discovered we weren’t going to Bar beach but Elegushi beach. He got mad, but were we to blame ourselves for his ear defect? We acted considerate by adding 300 bucks to round it all up top #1,000. It’s needless to say that he was overjoyed.

On getting to Elegushi beach
It was an unwritten rule, haggle your way in OR pay through your nose at the entrance. In our own case, we opted for the former, especially when alcohol was swimming in our bloodstreams.

We ended up paying #2,500 for the 4 of us.


Kunle’s goal was to ride on a horse like a Dothraki warrior.

All Dami wanted was to play with water like a baby.

Noble needed to just chill and feel the atmosphere.

I had just 1 aim: capture the moments from start to finish and maybe watch beautiful girls in bikinis (If they revealed tits or butts, it’d make the fun more filled).

Fair right?

But how did it go?


Kunle was the first to achieve his goal.


You can’t truly understand this feeling if you’ve never had a cold shower in the sun as a kid.


Trust me, people who enjoy the most are those who watch others have fun.


2 to 1 plate of full chicken and chips. We later discovered we were outsmart because the real cost for a full chicken and chips was #3,500 but the thugs who presented themselves as the sellers had printed a fake menu list and we fell sheepishly.

Home came calling so we had to call a Taxify around 4pm so as to escape the horrors of Island traffic jam. Christmas is close and Olic4 was also happening.

EVERY TIME I STAND BEFORE A BEAUTIFUL BEACH, ITS WAVES SEEM TO WHISPER TO ME: IF YOU CHOOSE THE SIMPLE THINGS AND FIND JOY IN NATURE’S SIMPLE TREASURES, LIFE AND LIVING NEED NOT BE SO HARD.

PSYCHE ROXAS-MENDOZA

Things To Do At Elegushi Beach

1. Watch people have fun


2. Stroll along the shore


3. Take pictures


4. Eat asun


5. Ride horse


6. Appreciate art


Tips On Going To Elegushi Beach
Try not to go alone to the beach: go instead with your squad and don’t stay away from them.

Haggle till you are abused: we learned our lessons the bitter way.

Dress as simple as possible: allow the goddess of the beach see through you.

Hold cash instead of cards: there are no ATMs there

Be careful of the thugs: most times they are more focused.

Try not to spend beyond the time budgeted: trekking home is no child’s play, neither is begging for money.

AT THE BEACH, LIFE IS DIFFERENT. TIME DOESN’T MOVE HOUR TO HOUR BUT MOOD TO MOMENT. WE LIVE BY THE CURRENTS, PLAN BY THE TIDES AND FOLLOW THE SUN.

SANDY GINGRAS

Nomadicnegro.com is where this piece got stolen from

cc; lalasticlala,
cc: Mynd44,
cc: Ddominique,
cc: Obinoscopy,
cc: MissyB3

Nice post