₦airaland Forum

-

I mostly skimmed this thread, but the only way I'd describe it is - like watching an industrial revolution-era locomotive train chugging along the tracks, with a consignment of corn kernels and gasoline. Suddenly, BOOM! It's off the tracks, crashing into a poorly constructed tunnel overpass, in an inferno of mangled metal.

Now, all you're stuck looking at is a major train wreck, overflowing with fresh popcorn - and you can't look away


For what it's worth, I'd say, while the OP's pettiness definitely crossed the point of diminishing returns, he has most certainly defeated his detractors.

PeacefulPeaceA:
I want to commend you for creating this thread and sharing your knowledge. Reading your story has reminded me that my dream is valid. You are living the kind of life I aim to live😊

Yes, your dream is valid. However, it only becomes reality by defining what concrete steps lead to it.
Break down those steps into many smaller actionable steps you can begin within one hour from reading this response.

If your first step includes anything along the lines of, "one day, I will..." or "when I get X amount of money, I will...," then you're stalling.
No guts, no glory. Good luck (though luck only plays a tiny role). I'm sure you'll get where you choose to go.

Sukovick:
How can I contact you pls

Feel free to ask any questions here.

If you need to contact Wakanow, their visa department email is visa@wakanow.com

Suckovick. Detailed info on how I got it done last year.

I don't live in Nigeria, but I had to process a Nigerian visa for my wife, so we could visit Nigeria together.

We first tried processing it on the NIS website. It was a mess. The wording on the website makes it seem like you can process an "eVisa" 100% online, but that's not true.

When I started processing it, AFTER making a payment of about $105, it asked what the closest Nigerian embassy to me was. We were visiting Ghana at the time and heading to Nigeria next, so I put in, Accra. Only then, it notified that an appointment had to be made at that embassy I selected.

I said whatever, and made the appointment for the next day. We got there and they said, "sorry, we can't help you. We only process Nigerian visas here for people residing in Ghana." WTH?

They said we have to go and request a refund from Innovate1, which is the third-party service that processes payments for NIS' website. Innovate1 refused to issue a refund, and tried to hold on to it. Getting it refunded is a story for another day, but to keep it short, I had to ask my bank in the US to get it back from them - which they did.

So since the NIS website option and going to the embassy in Accra were all a waste of time, I found out Wakanow processes visa on arrival. I contacted them, paid and got it by email, 7-8 days later, which is longer than they promised, but still okay. They didn't ask any detailed questions. I'll attach the list they sent.

The amount is shown in the image, but that was Sept. 2023, so prices will be different. It was about 45-50k more expensive to process it with Wakanow, than directly with NIS. However, it was an easy process, where I didn't have to deal with the shenanigans and headaches of the NIS site anymore. I believe the visa was valid for 30 days.

So this is all you need to get your Zambian lady to you. Since this is a short term visa, you'll need to figure out long term options after she arrives. Good luck.

I took my wife to Nigeria last year, and as I loved Mr Bigg's meat pies as a kid, she wanted to try it. On Google Maps in Abuja, a few locations showed up and we drove to 3 or 4 in the Wuse 2 area. None of them were there, including one I actually went to in 2018 on Ademola Adetokunbo, I believe. It wasn't there anymore.

We ended up driving a long distance, to find one. It was in a gas station, but can't remember the area. Somewhere on the way to Gwarimpa. After all that stress, they had nothing at the dingy location, except rice & chicken. Pretty annoying. We went back a few days later still in hunt of the legendary Mr. Bigg's meat pie, and this time they had it. Mission accomplished.

Mr. Bigg's downfall was mostly a classic case of poor franchise implementation. Nothing kills a franchise quicker than poor quality control audits and systems.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y27Qlab31YI

Naijamanyoutube

Any reason you didn't stay around Bocagrande? It appears you stayed around Manga or even further into Cartagena. Except the goal is to immerse yourself in the barrio vibe, it's not really worth staying in those areas.

Looking at your dates, I was in Cartagena just 2 days before you, but I only stayed for a day, as part of a bigger trip. Only went for old times sake (third time there). Last time, I and my wife went there for 6 months, in the Bocagrande beach area, during the pandemic.

I like Cartagena. There's something for everyone, but the new Mayor is anti-nightlife and determined to clean up the city's reputation. Trying to make it a more family-friendly destination, especially in the walled city. Most walled city clubs have recently been shut down, and the few still open don't let in unaccompanied females. The cops patrol the old city and people are not allowed to stand around anymore. You must be walking to or from somewhere. It's a bit ridiculous.

tensazangetsu20:
Funny enough I have never been to Santiago. Aside the airport. I live in Concepción. I should probably visit Chiloé this month. It's in the region closest to the Antarctica. My friend has been disturbing me to come visit her but I wanted going with my own money cause some of this people their brain dey touch sometimes

You should visit Santiago when you can, to have a more rounded perspective of the country.

Good ol' Santiago. I was there for two days earlier this month. It's definitely not my favorite city in South America (in general), but it's decent and Chile has a pretty reliable economy.

Also, the views of the Andes mountains are quite something. In early 2020, I spent 2 months in Santiago, right before covid lockdowns. I used to wake up to the sun rising from behind the Andes mountains, and that was by far my favorite thing about Santiago. My place was on the 29th floor too, so great views of it from my bed.

Enonymous

One year is a long time to wait on a passport. Do you have a US passport? If you do, consider flying to Brasilia, Brazil to get it done. Same day service, with no extra charge.

Not sure what state you're in, but the cost of flights + DC hotel rates might be about the same as the cost of a flight + hotel in Brasilia. Except with Brasilia, you can book an appointment for tomorrow, get the passport in a few hours and go home.

I did a renewal in Brasilia last year. I wrote about it here. Check my profile.

This has nothing to do with Nigeria. I was in S. A for about 2 months, last year.
South Africa has been experiencing a major power outage issue for an extended period, which they term "load shedding." During load shedding hours, which are published by the power outage companies, the power goes out for 2-3 hours. It happens nearly every day.

It's the equivalent of what was termed "rationing" in Nigeria a long time ago. South Africans are fed up with the power outage issue, and this video is simply a humorous show of that frustration.

donogaga:
Thanks boss.

I want to go for holiday in Brasil, I will use the opportunity to get a new passport there since I can get it same day. That makes sense.

As long as you were planning to also visit Brasilia on your trip. Otherwise, the total cost might outweigh the benefit, if you're based in Nigeria.
For anyone based outside Nigeria, it might be okay.

I say that for two reasons:

1. Brasilia generally isn't a very exciting place, so your vacation will most likely be to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo or maybe Florianopolis.
This means you'll have to make a detour to Brasilia, at an additional cost of flights + accommodation for at least 1 night.

2. The cost of renewal outside Nigeria is significantly more than in Nigeria.
I can't remember the exact cost, but I believe the immigration fee + admin fee was in the $150 range.

donogaga:
Quite impressive.

Could you please send me the address of the Naija Embassy in Brazil?

It's at Lote 5, SEN Av das Nacoes, 70800 - 400. Asa Norte, Brasilia

Their number is +55 61 2106-0050

I saw a thread on the front page a few days ago, titled "Can This Happen At Nigerian Embassies?"

The thread had a pic depicting a lady's social media post about getting an emergency US passport in a few hours, at a US embassy.
In that thread, the overarching sentiment of posts was - that could never happen at a Nigerian embassy.

Well, the definitive answer is.. YES, it can and it does.
I know this, because I did it only 3 months ago. A standard Nigerian passport renewal, not an emergency passport like thaty lady got.
And no, I'm not talking about any "back doors" or "greasing" any palms.

I responded in that thread, but felt it's also relevant to emphasize it in detail in a new thread. Nigeria is incredibly incompetent at most things, but once in a while, something works. As they say, even a broken clock is correct once a day.


Just for context, I travel with a US passport, but use my Nigerian passport when going to Nigeria, or some African countries.
I've renewed my US and Nigerian passports in multiple countries (as I travel quite a bit), so I've had some experience with both.

From the screenshot in that previous thread, it's clear the lady was NOT in the US when she got the emergency passport. In the US, we don't go to an "embassy" to get a passport, as "US embassies" don't exist in... the US. The emergency passport is no big deal and comes with only 5 or 6 pages, so you still need a standard renewal when you get home.

Also, the current estimated time for a US passport within the US is 11 weeks, and the "rush" service is 5-7 weeks. There has been a lot of passport backlog, similar to the situation in Nigeria, but it's a bit better now, I believe. I renewed my US passport in Argentina last year, and got it in about 2 weeks.

Anyway, I went to Brasilia, Brazil 3 months ago, to renew my Nigerian passport, as that was the only passport-issuing location in the region I was traveling. I first visited the Nigerian embassy in Argentina and was told they don't produce passports, but I could get it in Brazil on the same day. I was very skeptical of that information, because... Nigeria.

As it turns out, the entire process from getting there, to receiving my new passport was a few hours. It wasn't some emergency passport either. It was a standard passport. I paid online > booked an appointment > went there. Paid an administrative fee > did the capturing and walked out with my new passport all in 2-3 hours. I was literally the only person being attended to at the Nigerian embassy, though. It was empty, except about 4-6 embassy staff I saw. The guy who attended to me was also very polite and professional (something lacking in most Nigerian operations).

So, not only can you get your international passport at a Nigerian embassy in a few hours, it's a permanent passport - not an emergency one. Shout out to the Nigerian embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. The embassy in New York is a different story. Took me many months and headaches to renew there, in 2017.

The attached image is from a video I took outside the Nigerian embassy, in Brazil.

The definitive answer is.. YES.
I know this, because I did it only 3 months ago. A standard passport renewal, not an emergency passport like this lady got.

For context, I travel with a US passport, but use my Nigerian passport when going to Nigeria, or some African countries.
I've renewed both my US and Nigerian passports in multiple countries (as I travel quite a bit), so I've had some experience with this.

From the OP's image, it's clear the lady was NOT in the US at the time of getting the emergency passport. In the US, we don't go to an "embassy" to get a passport, as "US embassies" don't exist in... the US.

I was in a US embassy in a South American country last year, to renew my US passport, and met people getting emergency passports. It's no big deal. The emergency one comes with only 5 or 6 pages, so you still need a standard renewal when you get home. I was there for a standard renewal, for a larger 50-page booklet, as I had enough time (2-3 weeks). So mine clearly wasn't same-day.

All that said, I went to Brasilia, Brazil 3 months ago, to renew my Nigerian passport, as that was the only passport-issuing location in the region I was traveling. The entire process from getting there, to receiving my new passport was a few hours. It wasn't some emergency passport either. It was a standard passport.

I paid online, booked an appointment, went there. Paid an administrative fee, did the capturing and walked out with my new passport all in 2-3 hours. I was literally the only person being attended to at the Nigerian embassy, though. It was empty, except for about 4-6 embassy staff I saw.

Not only can you get your international passport at a Nigerian embassy in a few hours, it's a permanent passport - not an emergency one. So shout out to the embassy in Brasilia, Brazil. The embassy in New York is a different story. Took me many months to renew there, in 2017.

The attached image is from a video I took outside the Nigerian embassy, in Brasilia, Brazil.

I have no recent encounter with the New York office, but they seem generally incompetent, and that's one rundown office. I did a renewal there in 2017, as I needed to visit naija, and certainly won't apply for a naija visa. 2-3 months later, it was one excuse after another. Their booklet production machine was always broken back then. Managed to get it in about 3 months.

The most efficient Nigerian passport renewal I've done was a few months ago, in Brasilia, Brazil. Entire process took a few hours. Paid online, made an appointment, showed up at the embassy for capture and they produced the passport immediately. I was literally the only non-staff at the embassy, so I guess that explains the speed.

elonmuskbaby

I haven't been to Cape Coast, but I spent about 2 months in Accra, very recently.
You'll likely be in Accra at some point, so I'll provide some details about it.
I have nothing against Ghana or the people. Many of my friends in the US are Ghanaian.

My honest opinion is, Accra is highly unremarkable as a city, and overpriced (for what it is).
I've spent time in many countries and Accra has one of the worst value, for money spent. Especially airbnb accommodation.

That said, your question is about "fun places." Everyone's definition of fun is different, so you'll need to be more specific.
If fun for you is tourist sites/activities, well, there are only a few of those in Accra:

Black Star Gate and Black Star Square:
This is what someone referenced as Independence Square earlier. It's a monument with a black star on it.
The square beside is the equivalent of Nigeria's Eagle Square, in Abuja.

People only go there to take pictures at the Black Star Gate. Nothing else happens there, in general, except there's an event.
It's free to access.

Osu Castle:
The Osu Castle is a historic castle related to the slave trade. However, it has recently been closed to public access.
You won't be able to get in there anymore. When we went, we were turned back.

The city beaches: Labadi Beach & Laboma Beach:
The good part is these beaches can be lively, with a lot of people and activities. Bars/restaurants, ATV-riding, horse-riding etc.
There are also several nice beach clubs, like Sandbox and Polo on Labadi beach, and there's Alora on Laboma beach.

The bad part is these beaches are the dirtiest I've seen in my entire life, and of the 100+ beaches I've been. Actual garbage on the sand and in the water. Especially at the far ends. The water is heavily polluted and has rip tides, making swimming dangerous. For a cleaner beach experience, you'll need to travel far out of Accra. Cape Coast likely has much better to offer for beaches.

Nightlife:
Accra definitely has a lot of nightlife activities, like bars, clubs, lounges etc. They're mostly concentrated around the Osu area of the city, on and off the main street called Oxford Street.
Drinks aren't expensive, per se. A small stout beer, for instance is typically about 25-50 cedis, depending where you are.
You can look up the menu of most places, on their Google Maps page.

Food:
There's a bit of variety in Accra. Food can be pricey (for West Africa), depending on where you eat. Like once, I paid 2000 cedis, for a meal for 5 people. Nothing out of the ordinary, just grilled chicken + rice/salad, lamb + rice/salad etc, and some juices. It was a restaurant called Persia, I think. Osu area.

One of the nice restaurants for local food is called Buka, in Osu. It's a pretty big Nigerian restaurant, but they serve most Ghanaian local dishes too. Their prices aren't bad. For instance, egusi + pounded yam and a drink, for 2, runs around 300 cedis. That's about N24,000. That might sound expensive to some, but wait till you get to Accra. As with any country, there are definitely places you can eat for less though.


Overall, Accra is not a very developed city, so keep your expectations in check. It's exactly what you'd expect of a typical West African city.
There are a few neighborhoods like Labone, Cantonments and North Ridge, which are similar to Abuja. Outside of those areas, the rest of the city is comparable to places in Nigeria like Zaria, Makurdi, Enugu, Ibadan etc.

.

frog12:
@ram-a-lot, good to hear from you. na true those madmen actually were found in brazil ??

I saw this story a few days. Yes, the story is true. You can look it up on reputable news sources, like Reuters.

There seems to be a lot of ignorance here about Brazil. Brazil is not the US, but it's not remotely Nigeria either.

I'm a US citizen, and currently spending 6 weeks in Brazil. I also spent about a year in Brazil, in 2020, as the pandemic hit. At the time, overstaying was permitted, because of the pandemic.

The development level of major Brazilian cities aren't nearly in the same league as Nigeria or any African country, except South Africa. A simple Google image search of Brazilian cities should offer you an idea.

Of course, there are many crappy neighborhoods and favelas, with high poverty and crime. In the same way, I can show you a bunch of slummy neighborhoods in the US with high crime.
The Brazilian economy has had major growth over the last 20 years, even though it has slowed down slightly.

Also, Brazil has a very strong passport. It gives you visa-free access to nearly 170 countries. For comparison, Nigeria's passport gets you to about 55 (mostly African countries).

For anyone who hasn't been to Brazil for at least a few weeks, you probably have a warped view of what it is like. So instead of making assumptions, it's better to look up some vital stats and info.

colonelwealth:
For me: my negative impression was the unnecessary fear for Nigerians.....this made me appreciate Nigerians for their welcoming attitude towards foreigners irrespective of nationality.


While my positive impression was the general contentment and ease with which life is approached.....this made me criticise our mindset of 'get everything by all means necessary " in Nigeria.

I'm hoping you realize how contradictory these two statements are, and how the second completely justifies the first.

It's perfectly logical for you to consider the cautious treatment Nigerians receive as a "negative impression." However, it's illogical to call it "unnecessary." The reality is, it's absolutely necessary, for the same reason you highlighted in your second statement.

While all Nigerians aren't criminals, the "average Nigerian" will attempt to take undue economic advantage of people and places, at the slightest opportunity. It doesn't matter if they're in Abuja or Abu Dhabi.

For general context, when I moved from Nigeria, Obasanjo was President. So it's been a while. I've done my fair share of traveling, which I spoke about a bit, here: https://www.nairaland.com/7484940/lived-visited-over-30-countries

@iqtest

Nice pics, but instead of copy/pasted descriptions, it would be more interesting if you provide personal insights/stories about the places in the pics, and your experience there.

I find Egyptian pyramids interesting and would like to visit (most likely in some months). I've climbed both the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon at Teotihuacan (Mexico), as well as all the smaller ones there. Pyramid of the Sun is only half the size of Giza, so I'd like to visit Giza as well.

Iqtest:
Pic 1&2
My accommodation la pacha resort
3&4
Night at sheraton street

You're most likely attaching images larger than 4 mb. Resize your pics with an online tool.

anutioluwa1:
Hello, i am a first year MBA student here in the University of Arkansas.
I have a program that i have to attend in Chile and i seriously dont know how to go about getting CHILE visa or if i will be needing it. Is there anybody that can put me through the processing?

You will have to get a visa, as I assume you're on a Nigerian passport.
Some countries allow you visit them if you have a valid US visa, but I doubt Chile is one of them.

Santiago, Chile is a nice enough city. I was there for two months.

Kolenda:
Please ramalot and others, I would appreciate a professional and experienced input/advice from everyone.
I did my undergraduate studies on a non-tech field(BSC Marketing). Being conscious of the age and time we are in pushed me to intern with a tech company on Digital Marketing and I'm good at what I do. My being in the tech company and seeing young guys like me fully in tech made me develop interest in Programming and honestly, I'm doing quite well and I'm constantly working on myself as we all know that programming requires constant practice.
Now, I have this desire to start working towards an MSC abroad. This is where I need your input please, would you advice I try out an MSC in a tech related field e.g. Software Engineering or I should go for an MSC in my undergraduate related field.
P.S. I am not planning on working on myself as regards the tech I've transitioned into and we all know that programming is all about what you can do and not really about certificates.
Please I need your responses/input/advice

I think this question is better-suited in one of the job/career sections of Nairaland, as this is a travel thread and I'd rather keep it that way.

However, I'd say get an MBA from a good business school, instead of an MSc in Marketing. If you keep improving your practical tech skills, in combination with an MBA, you'd be more formidable in the labor market, as a leader of both tech and marketing teams.

Suky01:
Please is it true that Argentines are realy racist. I've heard a lot about the country but since you mentioned that you are in argentina what's your experience like

Please read the thread. I've answered this a few times.

Konquest:
That's awesome!

What language translation devices have you used for learning Spanish and Portuguese in those LatAm countries?... Or did you enrol in a Spanish immersion program?

I love the fact that you have visited
Brazil. They are warm folks but things can head south fast if you are in the wrong hood or favelas of
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and other cities where unsuspecting visitors could be robbed or brutally shot.

The very strong retention of the cultures, languages, and religions in Salvador, State of Bahia, of the Yorubas (of Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Benin), Angola and Congo due to the Trans-Atlantic deportation of Africans on slave schooners shows the triumph of the human spirit.


Happy 2023!

I used duolingo in learning the basics. However, nothing beats real-world use of a language. The more you speak a language with native speakers of that language, the better you get.

And no, I haven't been to Cuba. I've looked into it and honestly don't see much of an appeal. I'll consider a 3-5 day trip to Havana, but nothing more.

geraldo077:
Hi Ramalot,

This thread is the most informative and educative thread have read on Nairaland and I must commend how detailed you are in narrating your wonderful experience arround the world and also how civil your responses are generally. I'm really impressed we have great Nigerians like you.

I'm a legal professional residing in Abuja seeking to make that career transition to Tech in 2023 and also later travel around the world. Therefore, this thread is very timely and has given me much motivation and believe to start something today!!!

So my questions are?
1. What's the most amazing experience you've enjoyed travelling to the South American countries and How's Luxembourg like for a tourist?

2. How do you juggle work/life balance considering the fact you work remotely and also a tourist? Do you have daily time schedules you adhere to?

3. What's your advise to a first timer tech enthusiast seeking to build a career in Tech and what programs should he start with which can be economically rewarding?

4. Everyone usually thinks Brazilian ladies have big booties lol, from your thread it's obvious there are more obese ladies than curvy ones....what do you think changed them?

5. What's your worst travel experience and how did you deal with it?

Once again thanks for this fantastic thread, I'll be following you Sir.

Thanks.

1. Getting to meet some of the people at that event in Uruguay was certainly one of the highlights.
I haven't been to Luxembourg, so I really can't say. I know it's certainly not cheap though.

2. Work/life balance is great. As I detailed somewhere before, traveling the world isn't one massive extended tourist vacation, for me. Sure, my entire lifestyle is similar to a vacation, based on varying locations, but everyday life isn't.

I spend a lot of my time working at home, same as I would if I was back home, in the US. When you stay in a place for say 3 months, you've already seen the major attractions in a few days, and from then, life becomes relatively "normal," which is great. Trying to be in full-time tourist mode, wandering around all day is a recipe for burnout and low productivity.

3. Look into Data Analysis, Cyber Security, UI/UX Design, and any programming languages you can handle, if you want to challenge yourself with programming.

4. I talked on some of the reasons earlier in the thread, but it's a combination of an improved economy and diet changes. Since the average Brazilian has more money than 15-20 years ago, they've discovered a love for fast food, and can now afford it. So yeah, teletubbies everywhere in Rio.

5. I once missed my flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok, around midnight. Spent 24 hours at Schiphol airport, because I waited till morning, so I could have the airline re-issue my ticket in the morning. They refused to re-issue it, so I lost the ticket and had to buy a new one. Then I had to wait till the next flight, at midnight. So a full 24 hours of frustration and having to pay double for the flight.

This is certainly not the most dramatic event in my travels, but I'll leave it at this one.

Correspondence:
I have BSc and Msc in Geology. Please what tech can I switch to in order to earn more money and be to travel like you ?

I answered this a few times in the last few pages, so please go through them. The summary is Data Analysis, Cyber Security, UI/UX Design, any programming languages and more. Artificial Intelligence is the future, so look into any related field.

Since you already have a quantitative background, the transition shouldn't be hard, if your general computer skills are good.

flyinnizam:
I mean is it dollars you used everywhere or how do you convert your dollars?

In most places, I go to an ATM with my bank card and withdraw cash in their local currency, at the official rate.

Remember, unlike Nigeria, Argentina and some places with "black market" exchange rates alongside their inaccessible official rates, most countries have a single official rate. So changing dollars at currency exchange businesses in most countries will leave you with a worse rate than an ATM.

Blessiing:
good evening,pls is there anyway i can apply to relocate Abroad based on health issues?if yes would you be so kind to put me through the process or steps to take??thank you

Sorry about your health issues, but I have no information on this.