It’s mid-year and the long vacation for schools is almost here which means it’s holiday time!
Like many people, I love travelling and discovering new places, their food, culture, and the important sights there are to be seen. I’m fond of saying that ‘travel broadens the mind’ (because it does) and there is so much to discover and learn about different places, cities or towns that is remarkable, and truly reflects the diversity of human nature.
Right here in Nigeria (charity begins at home), we have the Ikogosi Warm Springs in Ekiti state. I was recently reminded of this unusual site, which has both warm and cold springs flowing side by side. The therapeutic properties of warm springs have been well documented since the time of the Roman thermal baths. During a recent study in Lagos, where a selection of leading bottled water brands were analyzed for purity, I learnt that the brand of water which is bottled at Ikogosi was judged the purest. Apart from their unique characteristics and purity, the springs are also truly beautiful to behold, nestled in a world-class resort which includes a 150 room chalet that boasts Executive and VIP suites. Definitely worth a visit. Just breathing air which is so much purer than the smog filled city air, is in itself a cleansing treatment. And of course, because it is local, you won’t have to go through the hassles of immigration controls.
Literally next door to us is the Benin republic, which is a good choice for a short break. For the same time that it takes you to drive to another Nigerian city, you can find yourself in another country, completely immersed in a different culture and language. The beninois, like other francophone African nations have assimilated a lot of the French culture, and so you will find restaurants all over the place of varying degrees of luxury, as well as cafés serving all manner of delicate pastries. Even when you visit their most modest eateries (think bukas) it is almost guaranteed that you will be served a decent salad alongside your main course.
Another thing that strikes me about the francophones is their innate sense of elegance. As far as I can remember, they have favoured their local textile prints even for office wear, pioneering what has eventually become a revolution of sorts today. From the ‘Ankara’ print shirts of Zaire’s Mobutu Sese Seko (political connotations aside), to the chic designs of the Ivorian ladies, our french speaking neighbors have combined european tailoring with African flair and creativity, long before it became the trend that it is today. The ‘Nana Benz’ of Togo are famous for having amassed fabulous riches from selling Dutch wax-prints, which the Togolese ladies you encounter on the streets of Lomé still wear ever so stylishly, with a touch of insouciance; completely transforming their simple ‘pagnes’ or wrappers into style statements. Their elegance doesn’t end there, but is extended to the way in which they carry themselves, to make a truly positive impression. Certainly, one of the highest compliments you can receive in a francophone country is that you’re ‘toujours élégante!’ or ‘always elegant.’
If you find yourself in Ghana, there is a possibility that you might take offense if a Ghanaian friend who meets you eating, proceeds to dip his hands in your plate to share your food. Try not to take it personally though, it is a cultural expression of friendship! They also have a tradition of greeting people in a counter clockwise direction; so when you walk into a room, you start from your left hand side! Of course you would be forgiven for not knowing the right thing to do but if you want to score some cheap brownie points, there you have one.
Between the Indian ocean and the South China sea lies Singapore, where you are sure to experience exquisite hospitality and good manners. With few natural resources, this small country of under six million inhabitants has gone on to reposition itself as a first world country, through the vision of its founder, the legendary Lee Kuan Yew. Singapore is so well policed – yes it’s a police state but like Austria, most residents consider it reassuring – that a solo, female tourist can walk around the downtown area even when it’s well past midnight.
I remember strolling into a shoe boutique, admiring a few pairs of shoes and asking the male assistant who was attending to me, to please find me pairs in my size. Let me explain quickly that the average Singaporean lady is just a little over five feet tall. I am quite tall, and a size forty one in shoes. It simply did not cross my mind when I embarked on my trip that I would encounter any problem buying shoes or clothes. Anyway, I decided to sit down on a provided armchair and wait. About forty minutes later, the assistant was still nowhere to be seen and I began to wonder if there was a problem. I then decided to look for him and find out why he was taking so long. When I finally located him, he had a completely embarrassed look on his face as he confessed to me that they had no shoes in my size and in fact he was wondering how to break the news to me. Not a single pair in my size! I also had the unfortunate experience of trying on jackets only to find that the shoulders would fit perfectly but the sleeves would stop just short of my wrists – clearly too short. Well, there are so many other things to do apart from shopping and the rest of my trip was happily spent sightseeing as you can imagine!
Another thing that fascinates me is the midnight sun phenomenon, in countries situated to the north of the Arctic circle or south of the Antarctic such as Scandinavia, parts of Russia and Alaska in the United States. The sun literally does not set at all, and this can sometimes go on for up to six months in some extremely located areas. Often in Europe, in summer, you may witness a very late sunset, where it stays quite bright until past nine or ten at night and that can be quite fascinating in my opinion. But think how incredible (or disturbing, because it has its other side) it would be to have a place look as bright at midnight as it did at midday. Understandably, some people have difficulty adjusting, and get rather agitated, unable to settle down to sleep.
If you happen to end up in Rio or Sao Paulo though, bear in mind that Brazilians may judge you by your shoes! Appearance is important to these South Americans and we can see this in the popularity that beaching and plastic surgery enjoy in their country. They will check you out, right down to your shoes, so please don’t wear any old flip-flops if you are looking to make a good impression! Also, Brazilians are the only Portuguese speaking people amongst a host of Spanish speakers in South America so it is key to remember that when communicating with them.
The United Arab Emirates are very popular as a holiday destination, and just about everyone knows that clothing restrictions apply, with ladies expected to cover up their shoulders or not show too much leg, for instance. But did you know that it is considered offensive for you to eat and drink openly when it is the Ramadan (fasting) season? When you think about it, it does appear insensitive.
Street food is another fun thing to sample on holiday. Personally, at home I love suya, but grilled corn and plantains (also known as boli) are also popular here. In many francophone countries, they choose fried yam and grilled fish which is tastefully spiced. In Belgium it’s waffles, in Paris, crepes, while in New York burgers and hotdogs are huge. In London you’ve got fish and chips while India offers you samosas. As far as Asia is concerned generally, noodles in every variation from stir-fries to soups are the norm. However, you can also expect some much more exotic fare in that mix, such as fried spiders, silkworms and grasshoppers if you have the stomach for it (pun intended). It all depends on how adventurous you are!
Well, I hope you have a great vacation, wherever you do decide to go and as they say, ‘bon voyage’!
