Driving to Jos - July 16th, 2007
It's about a four hours drive to Jos from Abuja. We leave around 4pm, so there is about 2 hours of day light left to see the sites as we drive. We are still driving when darkness falls and I hear the first sounds of the night through the car window. What is making that sound I ask? What is out there? I can't see anything, so I can't tell if its a jungle or grassland... but its sounds full... Crickets are the most likely answer. The windows are open as we are driving, it would be too strong, smelling of gas if the windows were closed. Will the mosquitos get me now that it is night? It is my first NIGHT experience in Nigeria... and I am feeling a little vulnerable, and not knowing how long the journey to Jos will take, not knowing the road conditions, or what surrounds us, or what creatures lie in wait... We are stopped at a couple road blocks. Ah ha, men with machine guns do exist. Who are these people stopping us and what do they want? I don't get this explained to me, later I am finally able to figure out who is the police, who is the road control, who is the military etc. They all carry machine guns. The men at the road block let us pass. It was scary I have to admit, this first experience. They held a large wood two by four covered with upright nails, under the vehicle, to keep the vehicle stopped, they scan the vehicle with their flashlights, and remove the board, and wave us past. (I'll have to tell those intersted of another experience when we were stopped by men with large nail 2X4, a 14 month old, and a driver who didnt speak english, and I not knowing what the heck was going on...a time when I wish I was fluent in hausa.)

On the way to Jos, and in the dark, Joel the driver, and mechanic, has to stop the Land Rover and top up the water. And later the gas runs out... or at least it seems that way. There is a second tank, under the passenger's seat. Joel manually takes off the hose from the back tank and attaches it to the front... I wouldnt see this in Canada. Is this safe? This become a norm. And the Land Rover is not yet finished having its way with us... it likes to spend its time at the mechanics, and it like to give us problems when we go place, especially when we are in the middle of no where... I learnt to take it as it comes.

We finally arrive in Jos around 10pm. This is my second night's sleep in Nigeria, and I am wondering what I have gotten my self into? I sleep because I must, it is a matter of mind over matter this night... maybe tomorrow Ill have a better outlook.