Republic of Ireland: Driving and thoughts about Ireland

Driving outside Dublin is easy. Everything is clearly marked. The route, road and the attraction, historical or geographical will be marked clearly and we didn't get lost not even once. Of course at the airport I bought a book of map of the Irish Island (North Ireland included), with some info on places of attraction and the car's GPS somewhat helped.

While on the ferry

But from our trip, main attraction was clearly marked and here and there, you must've seen the wave shape among the attraction with a light blue background along the route we took. There's one in the picture below and this one was on scenic route R559 also known as the Slea Head Drive or Slí Cheann Sléibhe which Google translate as Mountain Head Drive. 

Thus, we introduce you to the amazing Wild Atlantic Way!

RARECATION: The Beginning...(Part 1)

Finally I am going to Europe for a short study-visit with some friends! 11 days around Europe. 

Trip begins from Munich in Germany - Switzerland's Rhine falls and its Alpine regions - Italy's Lake Como, Verona and Venice - Bovec in Slovenia - Hallstatt and Salzburg in Austria and finally back to Munich for a visit before departing for Lagos, Nigeria. 

All in all, it will be a ~2000km journey which we will be cooking our own food...make our bed...recharge the on board batteries...fill the tanks with water...empty the grey water tanks (used water)...clean the WC, all those on daily basis, because all of us will be travelling on these....

C1 Euro mobil by DRM

MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur: Travel Photography Workshop by Saiful Nang at Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

2 weeks before going back to Nigeria, I attended a photography workshop at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Muzium Kesenian Islam Malaysia) which my friend was invited to give a talk on a topic which has gained its popularity in recent years.....travel photography.

The museum

Saiful Nang

Syibli Fakih

MALAYSIA: Bitten by the Photo bug....Oh SNAP!!!!

Most of us nowadays have FB and IG... Depends on how you use it. It can be a tool for you to achieve greatness, get information, be inspired, acquainted and connected to most or maybe some of the influental individual in so many field. 

One of them advertised a rarecation (yes, it is rare...) in his FB page. I commented and sent him an email, reminding him how we met and told him that I am interested to join this rarecation he is organizing. Left my Lagos phone number for him to contact and the very next day, I got a reply from via WhatsApp. It was great to recieve the message from Saiful and I sign up on the spot. 

the advert for rarecation..this one is to Guilin in China organized by Saiful Nang

MALAYSIA: Throwback 2004: August 21st, The Anniversary

Thanks to FB, I managed to contact a friend of mine who is one of the best portraiture photographer in Malaysia - Saiful Nang (http://blog.saifulnang.net)

Our friendship went as far as 2004, August. It was also the month and year I was conned into settling down with Madam and he was our cameraman for our ceremony. My Uncle Ian arranged Saiful Nang to be our photographer. Where he found him (SN), I have no idea. 

Pak Su (Uncle Ian - Ian Davies) and Mak Su (Mak Pati -
Fatimah Yassin), were the people who introduced
Saiful Nang to us

NIGERIA: Kaduna-Abuja: Malaysians in Abuja...and the High Comm

It was already late in the evening when we left Kaduna. Entering the interchange into the freeway to Abuja, when were saw this..

a small plot of corn field

#365dayson #ChibokGirls #NeverToBeForgotten

It has been a long time since I posted anything on the blog. Some I wrote and then delete, most of it still in draft form. 

I've been busy too (not really). Meeting with some people, making new friends. Spoke to some people from the other states in Nigeria and some from back home. I was online with a prominent photographer from Malaysia, Saiful Nang of Candidsyndrome (www.candidsyndrome.com). We met way back in 2004 and now a big man in the industry.  With some friends, they ran an orphanage back in Malaysia as a way of giving back to society that has given him so much. Other than that, I went to the National Stadium at Surulere and Lekki Market checking out some merchandise there. We took the motorboat out to Tarkwa Bay last week and had great time there, playing by the beach with the children...ahhh the children.

Tarkwa bay beach in Lagos

Children. How something so small can give you so much....trouble (in a nice way). Life changes when they came into my life. The first one was about 2.4 kilo and the second one was even smaller, at 2.2  . Ohhh...how they turn my life and of course all parents out there inside out, upside down and every other way around. Oh yes they did. Everyhting was about them. I mean everything....

So when the news about the plight of parents whom children were abducted by the Boko Haram (BH) in Chibok, Borno state..I could feel their anguish. 

All in all, it had been over a year. Most papers would report on daily basis on any news regarding the girls. From the commitment of the new President elect, the statements made by the National Security Advisor, past and present governors to the various group and agencies local and international included. All giving assurance, bringing hope and some very direct to the point condemning the authorities, but in a very proper way..Queen's English, no less!

The Guardian newspaper ran the numbers every day to remind others especially the government (incoming and outgoing) of the missing girls. 

The Guardian and This Day newspaper

A pageful just about the girls and related news