the bossman
Superstar
@phcitywarrior are you in Joburg yet? 
Essential The Official Coli Travel Thread
For SA, I'll be in the city proper. I don't plan on doing any trips outside the city. I even talked to my boy from SA and he said to forgo the car rental. I haven't driven on the left side of the road in a while and I don't want to worry about parking and petrol. A car is just an additional liability.
For my trip in SA, I simply plan on seeing the sights within Jo'Burg. I'm here to mingle with people and catch the Jo'Burg vibe, not see animals.
It's good to know 1k will cover me well both Kenya and SA. I get what you're saying about Westlands. It's kind of like my family home in Abuja, Nigeria. Abuja is where all the embassies are located so things are priced accordingly unlike in Lagos that's a bit more varied as far as income. I plan to be in Westlands more so to rest but plan to hit the CBD for fun/hitting the town. Either way, I think I'll be good. I know how to navigate these African countries well.
If I get leftover cash from SA then I'll just add it to my Nairobi budget.
Good looking out on the nyama choma spot. If this thing is half as good as suya in Nigeria then we in there
breh let me know about lagos
will be stay in victoria island for two weeks
@phcitywarrior are you in Joburg yet?
What’s good G? I took a little break from the coli and other media for a while to focus on some other things.
To answer your question: Na, not yet. I’m headed off next week Friday. Will be touching down next week Saturday by 1 pm local time in SA. By 4pm I plan on being out and about after getting to my spot and settling down. Already scoped out this nice steak restaurant in Sandton I plan on having my first meal at
From there I’ll check out some spots around the area and kind of plan as I go along.
Get me hip to some spots I should check out while there. I do know I’ll head up to Pretoria on the first Monday and Tuesday I’m there since it's a 25 min train ride. Will only be in Jo'Burg for this trip and then will be off to Nairobi for a bit.
Woooh! V.I. (as the locals call it) is the creme de la creme of Lagos. Many of the top businesses and such are based there as is a lot of the night events and not just clubs but afro-jazz lounges, theatres, etc.
There's a lot to know about Lagos but I will say this, it's easier to navigate if you know someone down there or are going with a group. Lagos can be a bit intimidating for a first time visitor, especially if you haven't been to a similar African city before e.g. Accra, Abidjan, Nairobi etc
If you could expand a bit on your plans I can possibly point you in there right direction.
Stay safe in Joezy bro. I hear brazy things about there.What’s good G? I took a little break from the coli and other media for a while to focus on some other things.
To answer your question: Na, not yet. I’m headed off next week Friday. Will be touching down next week Saturday by 1 pm local time in SA. By 4pm I plan on being out and about after getting to my spot and settling down. Already scoped out this nice steak restaurant in Sandton I plan on having my first meal at
From there I’ll check out some spots around the area and kind of plan as I go along.
Get me hip to some spots I should check out while there. I do know I’ll head up to Pretoria on the first Monday and Tuesday I’m there since it's a 25 min train ride. Will only be in Jo'Burg for this trip and then will be off to Nairobi for a bit.
thanks breh
Never been before, don't know anyone there. Staying at the eko, already got my vaccines, my malaria tablets etc, getting my visa soon once i get my yellow fever immunization on thursday. just plan on visiting lekki conservation centre, Badagry town, a couple markets, fine dining and stuff
any recommendations will be great, will only mess with bottled water, not going to any ghetto areas, not going to be some dumb ass tourist getting got
Solid you've done your research and are hitting the proper places.
There's a huge surge in contemporary art and fashion that I would definitely advise you to check out. I haven't been to Lagos in a year so some of these places escape me. Let me circle back to you in a some time and I'll have a site that can point you in the right direction.
As per tourist places, Lagos isn't really a tourist destination to begin with so you'll be good.
I do suggest you go to a "real" open air market to get a feel of what raw commerce and trading looks like.
Balogun Market is a nice one to check out but it's hectic.
No lie bro. People get got out Jozi all the time. I think I'll be good though, as a Nigerian I'm used to being on my toes and such.
thanks breh appreciate it
Haven't forgot about your ask. My boys are just busy atm. There's a site that aggregates a list of events happening in Lagos over a period of time. That's what he's searching for.
What I will say about Lagos, say compared to DC, Toronto, NYC, Paris etc is that your experience can really be enhanced greatly if you connect with the right circles.
What do I mean by this:
Take for example Paris. As a solo traveler there's a lot to do without the need of a "social network" on ground. You can visit the Eiffel Tower, go see the Mona Lisa, check out the art, sample the food etc. It's an easily accessible city with well worn routes for tourists.
Lagos isn't quite the same for a host of reasons. So I will say this, especially with the fact that your at Eko, network heavily when on ground. There are a lot of events that aren't widely announced publicly but are spread through word of mouth (quality control things etc).
In the meantime some tips for when you land in a few months:
Before you leave
1. Get your phone unlocked - not a lot of reliable public wifi in Lagos. It's easier to get a sim card for like $1 (USD) and top it up with airtime and data as you need.
2. Get your meds - The main thing you'll want to get is malaria medicine (in Nigeria its often referred to as 'Sunday-Sunday medicine' because you usually take it once a week). Take these 2-3 week before you depart and while you're in Lagos. I also recommend some over the counter fever medicine, painkillers etc. Just in case.
3. Get some forex - you'll probably want to exchange some cash once you land in Lagos. USD, EUR or GBP are the main forex traded. You shouldn't need too much at first. $50 worth of Naira will be good until you can find a better rate either online or on ground.
Once you land
1. Get Naira - Unless you source Naira from your bank, then it's a good idea to get some Naira from the Bureau de Exchange at the airport. It's not gonna be the best rate, but you'll want some cash to hold as not all places take Visa or Mastercard quite yet.
2. Get a Sim - I don't know if there's a place for you to buy a sim card, register it (required by the Federal gov't, takes like 10-15 mins - you'll need your passport) and get airtime in the main airport terminal. I usually fly out/in of Abuja so not too sure of Lagos. But if there is a place then you'll want to get a line and data ASAP. Ask around
3. Get Uber or Taxify or OgaTaxi - Very important. Once you leave the main airport know this, you will be rushed by various people offering you many services. Whether it's taxis, help with your bags etc. It can be a bit jarring especially coming from the west. Best thing is to hail your ride (if you can access data) from inside the terminal and then have the driver meet you outside. I think with Taxify you can pay cash (always good to have cash on hand in Nigeria). If none of that works you can try and haggle a taxi outside. Just know it'll be quite pricey, especially once you say you're going to Eko (probably the nicest hotel in Lagos). I'm not 100 on the prices as I haven't been around that area in a while but I'd imagine it should be around 7-8k (Naira) as that is the rate from the airport to Ikoyi the last time I was there (2 years ago). 10k may be the higher side of things. Know that you have the upperhand. If someone calls something outlandish, try to bargain a bit more, if they don't budge, then walk away. Usually there will be another taximan nearby that will be keen/eager to take your business and will undercut his competitor. You just have to be patient. Make sure the taxi has good A/C. If you do take a taxi from outside, I suggest taking the taxi person's number/business card for when you depart.
While in Lagos
1. Get situated - When you get to Eko, if you didn't already, find where to get a sim card and get a data plan for your time there. If you brought a laptop then you may want to really load up the data on your phone and hotspot it. Internet bundles at the hotels can get pricey.
2. Check out the Eko hotel bar - I don't know if drinking is your thing. If it isn't then feel free to skip this step. But if it is, then I suggest checking out the bar in the hotel. You can meet people there and get a lay of the land. Again, a good number of events in Lagos go unannounced and are usually only spread through inside circles. So outside of the tourist things you may want to check out one or two marquee events.
3. Enjoy - Self explanatory.
Check out these pages to see what's popping in Lagos while you're there.
Fear Of Missing Out in Lagos (@fomo.lagos) • Instagram photos and videos
NTDIL (@nothingtodoinlagos) • Instagram photos and videos
Headed back to Cozumel Mexico in a few weeks for about 9 days.
I follow travelnoire on instagram. They go to the most amazing places.
Any of the brehs that been to Cartagena, Colombia know anything about it. Just copped tickets out there for next month. @Malta you prob got some insight
