A mini-bus on the road from Enugu to Lokoja. I wanted to make sure I captured the name on this bus.
Driving in Nigeria is quite a challenge. Of all the places I have been in the world, Nigeria is probably one of the worst (and most challenging). India was bad because of the traffic but I remembered people followed a particular traffic pattern and there was “some” road rules. The same can be said of East and North Africa, there were some rules to the road.
In Nigeria, it’s not uncommon for you to meet a car heading in the opposite direction in your lane, even on a four lane highway. And whenever there is traffic, Nigerians use the median and shoulder to get around, causing additional headaches as the traffic is inching along. Nigerian roads are extremely dangerous and there are countless examples along the roads of tragedies that have already taken place. This weekend, we were traveling between Anambra State and Enugu State when we encountered a traffic jam. We were descending down into a valley before you enter the capital city of Enugu when all of a sudden traffic came to a halt. We inched along until we were upon an accident that had just occurred. I assumed it had just occurred because sadly there were bodies scattered around the scenes. Injured ones and those who were presumed to be death. A young boy laid across the back seat, dangling from the rear door. It was a gruesome scene and one that has replayed in my mind since that moment. On Sunday, as we were driving back to Abuja, there was another crash, this time, a mini bus ran off the road into a small ravine. People were rushing down to rescue lives but once again, it was obvious that a few people would not be reaching their destination that day.
During last week’s journey, I was a reminded how dangerous the roads are in Nigeria. There is no way to end car accidents but as a country, Nigeria doesn’t even have speed limits. There are no signs posted along the road telling you to slow down or a curve is approaching. I have to believe that by enforcing some common sense laws, car crashes would decline slightly which would result in saving lives. As Nigerians say, thank God for journey mercies.
It was one year ago that the fighting broke out in South Sudan. It’s hard to believe that a year has passed and I am in Nigeria and South Sudan is still in a state of war and conflict. I was quite naive when I left South Sudan on a charter U.S. flight destined for Nairobi, Kenya. I just assumed that after my Christmas vacation, I would be returning to South Sudan. 365 days later, I am now in Nigeria and never made it back to South Sudan.
But the sadness and sympathy should not be addressed to me but to the people of South Sudan who continue to suffer during this conflict. I have prayed every single day for leaders in South Sudan who put people first and not their positions. Sadly, 365 days later, there are still people living in UN camps, tens of thousands of people have died from the conflict (or a related issue) and the country is no closer to peace then it was on the night of December 17th.
I am providing a link to an article written by James Copnall about the South Sudan crisis… http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30447094 it’s a great read for background on the issue and potential for peace.
Please pray for mature hearts for the leaders of South Sudan, to lead and govern well by resolving the current conflict. Pray for the people of South Sudan. Pray for God to comfort his people who are suffering in South Sudan. Please pray for the workers that are toiling in this difficult environment. Pray for a quick resolve to this horrific crisis.
1 John 5:14 ” This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
Last weekend, I experienced my first Nigerian wedding. By the end of 2014, our office will have experienced three staff weddings. I missed the first wedding as I was in the United States attending two other weddings so I was looking forward to my first Nigerian wedding experience. As with most African countries, marriage celebrations consist of two ceremonies – a traditional celebration and a “white” wedding (what we are accustomed to in the US). I missed the traditional wedding because I was in Tunisia but I was looking forward to the “white” wedding.
A few months ago, I was talking with my colleague who is getting married in December and she was telling me about an episode of “Four Weddings” that included a Nigerian/British bride. The British reality show takes four brides, who attends each other’s weddings and provide each wedding with a ranking. The person with the highest score will win a honeymoon. There is also a U.S. version of the show. Because the Nigerian wedding had many cultural elements (traditional dress, religious ceremony, local food, and Africa time) the other brides, who were typical British brides, didn’t enjoy her wedding and she received the lowest score among the brides. A few weeks ago while I was scanning DSTV for something to watch, I ran across this episode.
My plan was to go to the wedding with one of my colleagues. At 10:00am, I started to get ready when my colleague called and said that he would not be going to the wedding on time. I was a little confused. The wedding was supposed to start at Noon but he wasn’t planning to be at my apartment until 1pm. Initially, I was frustrated, who attends a wedding an hour later…and if we were to attend the wedding this late, should we just head over to the reception? At 1:00pm, we were off to the wedding. When we arrived at the church, it was clear we were not the only ones planning a late arrival. When we walked in, I was confused and a bit dumbfounded as the couple at the front was not my IRI colleague. Not only were we late but somehow at the wrong wedding…
After investigating the situation, we were actually experiencing a triple wedding. There were three couples getting married at the same time on this Saturday afternoon. And it turns out, the wedding was nearly an hour and a half late so in some ways, we arrived right on time…Unlike in the U.S., where couples go over the guest list numerous times to pare down the numbers to fit the budget, in Nigeria, your wedding is open to all that attend. There is no RSVP…you just show up and somehow you are accommodated. And while the reception agenda moved on time, because of the large number of people that showed up, many were unable to eat because the food ran out – one of the significant problems of not holding tightly to a guest list. When I approached the buffet line to get food, I was informed there were no more plates. To solve this problem, the caterer staff began to wipe off used plates with a napkin and reused them. I know I am going to sound like an American, but that it is completely unacceptable! (And unsanitary) My response when asked if I wanted a plate, “I’m not very hungry but thanks for the offer!”
For those that know me, I am not a big fan of weddings…well, I don’t enjoy all the details that go into wedding planning. In my experience with friends, people spend too much time deciding on a shade of blue and a particular flower. I love the idea of a man and woman becoming one and the celebration that ensues…but planning a wedding seems to bring out the worst in people. I am all about hiring someone to do those details and just show up. Maybe that just the man in me speaking…When my day eventually arrives, I give all those who read this blog the authority to remind me of my words when I am stressed about wedding details. My experiences on the African continent continues…in unexpected ways!
Despite my negative attitude toward weddings, I am very happy for my colleague and excited for the new adventure that he is embarking on…
Earlier this month, I was invited to participate in an Election Observation Mission (EOM) with my organization, the International Republican Institute (IRI). This was my first time as an observer with an EOM. IRI wanted me to gain experience managing and organizing an EOM. In February, Nigeria will hold its Presidential, National Assembly and state elections and IRI is considering an EOM. I was excited and looking forward to this opportunity. For the most part, I would be observing Tunisia’s first presidential election. In 2011, it was Tunisia that gave birth to what is now called the Arab spring. A young fruit vendor ignited himself on fire to protest the corrupt practices of the authoritarian government but his actions also ignited an entire region. Tunisia, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Bahrain all erupted in protest to demand the end to authoritarian rule. On Sunday, unlike the other countries that either succeeded or tried to overthrow their regimes, this tiny Mediterranean country not only celebrated an end to a dictator’s regime but held an historic election to choose a new president.
Tunisia is a very nice country. Situated on the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Africa, the tiny nation has miles and miles of coastline and a comfortable tropical climate. While Arab in culture and religion, France’s influence can be felt across the country. Bread is equated to survival and cafes are a staple of any city or town. France also left a legacy of cigarettes. People smoke everywhere – in cars, restaurants, hotel lobbies and cafes. In the United States, smokers have been regulated to outdoor smoking sections that exist 25 feet from any door or entry way. While I am not put off by cigarette smoke, it is difficult to adjust to in closed-in spaces.
I had the opportunity of observing various poll centers throughout southern Tunisia. I was paired with Paul DeGagagrio from St. Louis Missouri. We rode five hours to the city of Gabes to observe the voting process. We visited 11 Polling Centers and 18 polling stations (within the Centers) between 7:00am and 8:30pm on Election Day. The polling centers we visited were diverse, with a good mix of urban and rural. In the urban locations, the poll workers were happy to assist the international observers. In the more rural districts, the poll officials were much more standoffish. However, at one school, we were invited to join some observers for tea.
During this once in a lifetime opportunity, I was able to witness the joy and celebration as Tunisians filed in and out of polling units casting votes. In one polling center in Gabes town, a disabled man had to be carried into the polling station to cast his vote. He said that it was very important for him to cast his vote for the new president. In addition, I had an opportunity to talk with various organizations about the election and the future of democracy in Tunisia. In one of our meetings, I asked, how do you distinguish between 27 different candidates? An older Tunisian man, working with people with disabilities said to me, “for so long we had only one candidate, we are happy with 27.”
In my work with the IRI, I have come to learn that democracy is different throughout the world. What works in one part of the world doesn’t always work in other parts. I currently reside in Nigeria where I work to support the country’s continuing work to move to a democratic society. Nigeria is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and its “winner takes all” political system has been plagued with voter fraud and ballot stuffing. My greatest take away from this experience was the sense of disappointment for Nigeria’s political system. For forty years, Tunisian’s lived under a corrupt authoritarian regime that demanded bribes from its citizens. Now the country was striving to move away from those corruptible practices. While the infrastructure can use some modernization, Tunisia has reliable power, great roads and easily accessible toilets (that is a really big deal). On the other hand, Nigeria, who has been striving for democracy since its first elections in 1999, lacks toilet facilities for a majority of its citizens, a decaying infrastructure system outside the major cities and major corruption in the government and at the ballot box. I was disappointed that after all these years and after billions of dollars of oil money lost to corruption, Nigeria was still considered a developing country. While Tunisia has a long way to go in turns of political development and expanding opportunities for its population, to a casual observer, it seems light years ahead of Nigeria.
I wanted to upload the map of my trip around the world. It was a very long journey!
My vacation ended when my Lufthansa flight landed in Abuja. It was a bitter sweet moment. While I was sad to leave the confines of the United States, I was looking forward to getting back to my normal routine. Although quick and very busy, my time in the US was very enjoyable. I was able to celebrate the marriage of great friends – Shami and Emily and Ian and Emily – spend time with my family and enjoy the company of friends. I ate a ton of vegetables (including salads from Chop’t), brushed my teeth in the shower, and watched as much of Netflix and Hulu as possible (if anyone has a digital copy of Parks and Recreation episodes, I would welcome a donation to my entertainment account).
Friends celebrating the marriage of Ian Tuck and Emily Poland.
I am also thankful that I was able to meet up with Travis and Lauren in Asheville. I met Travis and Lauren during my time in South Sudan. They had traveled throughout the continent, building relationships and sharing the Gospel. It was great to catch up with them and talk about our time in South Sudan. I was also delighted that they could share in my experiences in Nigeria having lived in the country for a few months.
I calculated that I traveled in 16 different airplanes – the smallest, a Canadian Regional Jet (CRJ) to the largest, an Airbus 380 – for 66 total flying hours – the longest flight being the 13 hours from Sydney to Los Angeles and the shortest, Mobile to Atlanta – and I actually circumnavigated the globe – Abuja to Dubai to Bangkok to Sydney to Los Angeles to Houston to Mobile to Atlanta to Frankfurt to Abuja. I am sure many of you are exhaust just reading the details of my trip. I can tell you that it was extremely exhausting and I do not think I have fully recovered. It was an interesting trip visiting various aspects of the world.
In the Royal Botanical Gardens with Sydney Harbor in the background.
Catching up with friends – L to R (Top) – with former colleague Bryan Blom, friends that I met in South Sudan, Lauren and Travis Jones, Laura Jackman and Jenny Martin and Kury Cobham who kept me laughing while I was in South Sudan.
Scenes from the wedding of my friends Emily and Ian (on the right).
Scenes from my world travels. L to R – Top: Hobbiton in New Zealand; Sydney Opera House, Australia; Sunset in Los Angeles, California; Downtown Mobile, Alabama; An Auburn Fan in Daphne, Alabama; and Autumn in Asheville, North Carolina.
The topic of discussion during my trip home was Ebola. It came up when I was clearing customs and immigration at airports, chatting with my seat neighbor on airplanes and among friends and family when I arrived in the United States. The conversation was elevated when the Ebola victim arrived in Dallas from Liberia. I was constantly asked if I had washed my hands and even received a message from a friend inquiring if I was patient with Ebola like symptoms treated at Howard University! 🙂 Since arriving in Nigeria in May, Ebola has been a topic of concern. My office has had to develop an evacuation plan that includes Ebola and the U.S. Government (USG) has announced how an evacuation will be conducted if Nigeria is paralyzed by the disease. Thankfully, Nigeria has successfully dealt with the disease unlike other Western African Nations. However, Nigeria is not out of the dark.
I think it’s premature for Americans to be up in arms about the disease in Texas. While healthcare officials made a few missteps in the beginning, I think the U.S. has the resources to fight the disease. In Liberia, a lack of medical facilities, the ability to track people and funding to adequately target the disease is making the situation worst. The same can be said of Guinea and Sierra Leone. However, the entire world should be concerned with how rapidly the disease is spreading in Western Africa. Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone have been paralyzed by the disease. The death rate has topped 4,500 and some organizations are saying that we could get to 10,000 cases a week if something is not done about the disease. I am concerned that if we cannot contain the disease and decrease the impact, it’s only a matter of time before we are ALL talking new cases in other countries.
I do not want to end my blog on a depressing note (actually maybe this is a depressing note)…The day before I left for my vacation I had to give a goodwill message before a crowd of Nigerian women leaders (Sept. 23, 2014) – I know, they look so interested in what I was saying…
The day after my return, I had to speak to a crowd of Nigerian women political party members (October 15, 2014)…it’s as if I never left!
The End of an Enjoyable Vacation!!!!
My time in the US has been a whirlwind tour. I met an old college friend in Los Angeles and spent the day resting at his house. The 13 hour flight from Sydney to LA had been exhausting and it was nice to sit on his couch. Later that afternoon, we met up with my friend Vartan who I had just visited with in New Zealand. He was back in the US to finish his second year in graduate school. Strangely enough, he convinced us to go to a networking happy hour. While initially thinking I would be out of place, I actually enjoyed because it was like being back in the swing of things here in the US.
I finally arrived in Mount Vernon, Alabama on Wednesday, October 1. I had two brief days of rest before heading out again to the Mid-Atlantic region of the US. I was attending the wedding of a dear friend in Philadelphia, PA. I met Shami in 2009 when my friend (Myal) living in Rwanda recommended that Shami spend a few nights with my roommate and I. Shami is from Rwanda and was making his first trip to the US. I didn’t know what to expect at that time, I had never traveled to Africa and my only international trips were to Ecuador and India. Shami’s visit was an enlightening experience and the start to a great friendship. He has since returned the favor by hosting by brother and I when we were in Rwanda in 2010. I am delighted that I was able to celebrate this magnificent occasion with him and his lovely wife Emily.
After the wedding, I spent a brief time in Washington, DC catching up with a few friends and conducting meetings for work (I briefly forgot that I was actually on vacation). I spent the rest of my vacation lounging on my parents couch and nursing a sinus infection. It was a nice vacation and a needed break from the busyness of Nigeria. It was very easy to grow comfortable and want to hangout much longer but the return flight beckons. It was also nice to watch an Auburn football game (despite the results). Still hoping for a magical season for Auburn! (War Eagle!)
And I’m off to my second wedding featuring a bride name Emily! Next stop Ashevillle, North Carolina!
Frodo: You’re late! Gandalf: A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.
(Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring)
New Zealand is as picturesque as a postcard. Rolling green hills, snowcapped mountains and an overabundance of sheep. New Zealand is an outdoor playground. While driving on the North Island, I was mesmerized by the landscape and often had the urged to stop and take pictures at every curve, turn and open field. People are also now flocking to New Zealand to visit the filming locations of the “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” I was told by the tour guide that many visitors tour the locations in costume of their favorite Tolkien character. (Not Surprised) New Zealand was the highlight of my journey around the world. I was able to send two days taking in the sights and sounds of Pacific island nation. And despite the flight cancelation in Bangkok, I was at least able to spend one day with my friend who was temporary working in Auckland. Besides hanging out with him on Sunday, the drive down to Hobbiton was the highlight of my brief visit to Middle Earth (New Zealand).
Having spent the past four months living in West Africa, I am always afraid of getting sick before a flight. There are numerous stories of people arriving at airports from West Africa only to be quarantine for several days because of the fear of Ebola. In past travels to Kenya and Rwanda, passengers are subjected to invasive and burdensome travel requirements to prove that they are Ebola free. When my Emirates flight arrived from Abuja, the passengers were free to roam with no if, ands or buts. The Australian customs form required that you declare if you had traveled to Africa in the past six days. I marked that I was recently in Nigeria and was told that I needed to head to the quarantine line. My heart sank…I was rehearsing in my head what I would say to the agent once asked about Ebola and Nigeria. When I approached the desk he asked to see my yellow fever card. After a quick analysis, he handed the form back to me and told me to enjoy my day. I was relieved as I thought I would have to endure a medical exam to prove I was Ebola free.
I arrived in “Bris-Vegas” (as it was reference by one of the flight attendance) at noon. My outbound flight to Auckland was at 6:00pm. I had four hours to waste before check-in for my next flight. I decided to go into the city and walk around. The city put me in mind of a Baltimore-type city…not a popular destination like Sydney or Melbourne but a city of hard working people. At 4:00pm, I returned to the airport to check-in for my Virgin Australia flight to Auckland.
As I was checking in, I was informed by the ticket agent that I needed a return ticket. I had not purchased a return ticket as I didn’t know when I would arrive in Auckland. I told him that I had a U.S. bound flight on Tuesday out of Sydney so obviously I would return to Australia. That was not enough to allow me to proceed to the security gate. I was directed to the service desk where two very nice women helped me purchase a non-refundable ticket that could be refunded without any penalties. They also helped me by exempting my second piece of luggage, a wooden walking stick that I purchased for my uncle. When I returned to the ticket agent, I had to rearrange my luggage because I was over the weight limit. I think she could tell I was becoming frustrated by the maze of luggage requirement that exist among airlines. Emirates allowed me 30kg (60lbs) when I departed Abuja. Now I was being told that I could only take 23kg. Luckily for me, my bag was only 23kg when I departed Africa but I had recently purchased a few things in the airport and repacked in my checked bag. I told her to just charge me the extra baggage fee because I’m just not sure what to do…In addition to being exhausted, I was losing time to catch the flight. She helped me arrange my bags to get them under weight and told me to run so I would not miss my flight. As I was going through security, they were announcing that Virgin Australia was making its final call for passengers on the flight to Auckland. I had to sprint through the airport to board the flight.
Finally, Auckland was now in focus and I was only seven hours delayed. I would get at least one day with Vartan before he headed back to the U.S.
Pictures from my “brief” trip to Brisbane…https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xxzvul2caiurvx1/AAA6-LDcNyhrZoqTpiWdv9HOa?dl=0
Everything was going so well on my international trip around the world. I had two very comfortable flights on Emirates and got to enjoy a chicken Big Mac at McDonalds in the Dubai airport. In Bangkok, I again celebrated the American experience with some French fries from Burger King. We boarded our JetStart flight to Melbourne Australia on time and everything was looking as if I was on track for an on-time arrival in Australia the following morning. I sent an email to my friend in New Zealand that I was on the plane and would be arriving in New Zealand as scheduled. I was extremely excited as this was my first time on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane. The plane had cool mood lighting and the windows lacked the typical pull down shades (however, on Emirates, my window was trim in premium wood). There was a button underneath the window that allowed you to change the tint of the window.
![IMG_2959[1]](https://fredayinafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/img_29591.jpg)
Sadly, Boeing’s much heralded airplane was unable to get off the ground on Thursday night thanks to a mechanical problem that the technicians on the ground were unable to fix. After three and half hours on the flight, the pilot announced that we had missed the deadline for taking off and JetStar would have to cancel the flight and reschedule for Friday. While I was disappointed, I was initially excited to spend a day in Bangkok…but this excitement would be short-lived. It took nearly two hours for me and other passengers to exit the airport. For me, I lacked a visa for Thailand. But after a few discussions with Thai immigration officials, I was granted a transit visa to Thailand. At 6:00am, I was finally given a room at the Novotel Airport Hotel. I was too exhausted to enjoy anything…But for a few other passengers on my flight whose visa had expired the day they were leaving, they had to spend an uncomfortable night in the airport.
I’ll get back to my travel woes shortly but I want to spend some time talking about air travel. I love traveling and seeing new places and I have a fondness (and overzealous interest) in airplanes. I was excited in 2012 to fly the Airbus A-380 and had been looking forward to the new Boeing 787. But like all things in our society, quality has been overtaken by quantity and we now suffer with recalls, ccancellationsand near misses. In March, it was reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had raised concerns about the 787. The initial concerns centered on the lithium-ion batteries used to supply power to critical systems on the plane. After a few incidents, the plane was grounded until the problem could be fixed. The pilot on our JetStar 787 didn’t say whether our plane was experiencing problems with the battery but he did say that the connection between one of the engines was not registering in the cockpit. Customer care and quality of goods seem to be at an all-time low. Recent arguments between passengers on some flights highlight the simmering tensions that exist in customers. These tensions will only continue to grow as airlines pack more people into smaller planes. Which is why Emirates is currently dominating international markets and pleasing customers with preferential treatment, whether in first class, business class or economy. For one, the airlines is owned by a government known for over-the-top antics (tallest building in the world, ski resort in the desert and the highest tennis court in the world (on top of one of the hotels), non-existent labor contracts that constrain other airlines (like United and Qantas) and good customer service.
![IMG_3003[1]](https://fredayinafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/img_30031.jpg)
![IMG_3043[1]](https://fredayinafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/img_30431.jpg)
Back to Thailand…when I got to the hotel I started looking up potential flights in case JestStar was unable to get the passengers out of Bangkok. I slept for four hours because I was too concerned that I would miss the call from the airline informing me that the flight had been rescheduled. At noon, there was no information. I found a Philippines flight that would get me to Sydney by 7:25am on Saturday morning. However, when I contacted JetStar, I was informed that I had a confirmed ticket on a 6:30pm flight that would arrive in Melbourne at 6:25am on Friday morning. That was perfect because I would be able to catch a connecting flight to New Zealand and be in Auckland at noon preserving some of my lost time in New Zealand. An hour later, I called Jetstar again but was informed that my 6:30pm flight had been rescheduled to Saturday at 6:30pm. I was now scheduled to arrive in Australia on Sunday in-turn unable to make it to New Zealand before my friend headed back to the United States. The excuse once again was that the technician who was flown in from Australia was unable to fix the problem.
I was now in “Amazing Race” mode. I had wasted the morning thinking Jetstar would get me out on time but now I had to take matters into my own hand. I went on Kayak and started searching for flights that would get me to either Australia or Auckland. I was excited when I found a Cathay Pacific flight that departed Thailand, connected through Hong Kong and arrived in Auckland at noon on Saturday. Sadly, the flight departed at 3:30pm and it was currently 2:30pm. There was no way I would be able to clear security and immigration in addition to purchasing a ticket. The next option was a Singapore Airline flight that connected through Singapore and arrived in Sydney at Noon. The flight was scheduled for a 6:30pm departure. I raced over to the airport only to be told by the ticket agent that the flight from Hong Kong to Sydney was booked and I would have to stand-by. I had no interest in traveling to yet another city to be trapped. She could tell I was frustrated and losing hope so she suggested I try Thai Air which coincidentally had a flight to Auckland. I raced over to Thai Air in hopes of getting out of Bangkok. I was informed that the Thai flight to Auckland departed on Saturday but there were flights available to Australia. I could choose between Melbourne and Brisbane. By the time I could make up my mind, the Melbourne flight was booked (mostly with other Jetstar passengers taking their travel plans into their own hands). I quickly booked the Brisbane flight that was scheduled to depart at Midnight. I went back to the hotel to take a shower and have dinner with other passengers.
Despite the stress and frustration that comes with flight cancellations, the experience wasn’t as bad as it may have seen. These situations are the few times where you get to interact with a random assortment of passengers from your plane. For one or two days, they are your best friends. You share your frustrations, talk about your family and joke about the “joys” of traveling. I met a women who, after nearly a decade serving in ministry in Thailand, was returning to assist in the development of new projects for the ministry. She was Australian but spoke what seemed like perfect Thai. She also had experience serving in Africa (Cameroon and Chad) She was traveling with the 17 year old daughter of a friend. Another women had just finished a consultancy in Bangkok and looking forward to spending time with her husband and children once back in Melbourne. There were two young guys who were trying to get back to Australian to partake in the finals of the Australian League Football between Hawthorne and Sydney.
After 28 hours in Sydney, I was now on my way to Brisbane, Australia…a city I knew nothing about. All my research had been on Sydney and Melbourne.
A FREDAY in AFRICA! 