The World As Eye See It

28/05/2023

I had never heard of Koutammakou until I Goggle-searched places of interest in Togo. Koutammakou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the unique mud tower houses of the Batammariba tribe can be found. UNESCO calls to attention such sites in literally every country of the world with the aim of highlighting its cultural significance and encouraging its preservation. Since I made up my mind that Koutammakou was worth seeing, the proximity of Kara to the site was totally appealing....

My 5 hour journey to Parakou was mostly uneventful. The driver didn’t seem to be in any hurry as he made 10 stops! Trust me, I counted. I was struck by how much it seemed like I was still home. Hon

01/04/2023

Boy, did I wake up early and excited to begin my Togo adventure! Destination was Kara (pronounced Kara with an emphasis on the second ‘a’ – pretty much like how you would pronounce Ole in Spanish) and my first stop would be at Djougou (pronounced Doogu). The Centre Pastorale Guy Riobe receptionist was gracious enough to write instructions in French so I could show any bike man (or as we say in proper English - commercial motor cyclist) I waved down to give me a ride....

Finding a car going to Bohicon (pronounced Gboikon) was a great start to my Abomey journey. It takes less than 20minutes to get to Abomey from Bohicon. It didn’t seem like I was going to get a car

17/03/2023

What better legacy is there to build than that of positively impacting the lives of the people around you - especially that of vulnerable persons.

Support Refuge Foundation in making an impact and building a legacy by donating to us with the following details:

Bank name: UBA

Bank account: 1025588175

Thank you!

Ogonna Kanu Debbyperfumery and Moore

20/02/2023

My 5 hour journey to Parakou was mostly uneventful. The driver didn’t seem to be in any hurry as he made 10 stops! Trust me, I counted. I was struck by how much it seemed like I was still home. Honestly, if I had been driven from Nigeria to Benin Republic without being told, I would never have guessed I was in another country....

Porto Novo, meaning New Port in Portuguese, is the second largest city in Benin Republic and also serves as its capital. It did not strike me as a large city (am I wrong?) Instead it presented itself

19/01/2023

Another day, another place. Who's coming with me?

I must confess I wasn’t exactly thrilled when my friend, Celia, told me that my boat trip from the Lagos Marina (in Nigeria) to Porto Novo (Benin Republic) was to be aboard a banana boat (that’s

12/12/2022

Here's the concluding part of the Porto Novo adventure

Porto Novo, meaning New Port in Portuguese, is the second largest city in Benin Republic and also serves as its capital. It did not strike me as a large city (am I wrong?) Instead it presented itself as a peaceful, laid back kind of town. People were unhurried as they made their way to their busines...

16/10/2022

I must confess I wasn’t exactly thrilled when my friend, Celia, told me that my boat trip from the Lagos Marina (in Nigeria) to Porto Novo (Benin Republic) was to be aboard a banana boat (that’s what we call them here). A banana boat is a canoe used by fishermen for fishing but with some ingenuity, a motor engine is fixed at the rear to help speed it up – pretty much our own local speedboat!...

You know me, I can’t resist an adventure. It’s not that I don’t try, I just can never seem to win! It all started with me casually browsing the Internet on a not particularly bright afternoon i

05/09/2022

This trip was easily my most memorable trip of all time! I doubt if there is ever going to be any other trip that will outshine this but I have been warned that since I am not done travelling yet, ‘let’s wait and see’ may be a better attitude to adopt. Cape Coast Lagos I had been planning this West African road adventure for quite a while....

I wrote this on a homeward bound flight with my heart heavy at the thought of having to go back and face office politics! This poem truly reflects how much I love being without the cares of the world

28/04/2022

Who wants to share my Iyake Lake adventure with me?

In the beginning……This story starts with a foiled attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro ten years ago. I made it as far as Arusha and found to my chagrin that it takes days to achieve the Kili cli

07/04/2022

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In the beginning……This story starts with a foiled attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro ten years ago. I made it as far as Arusha and found to my chagrin that it takes days to achieve the Kili cli

10/09/2021

Try to travel, otherwise
you may become racist,
and you may end up believing
that your skin is the only one
to be right,
that your language
is the most romantic
and that you were the first
to be the first.
Travel,
because if you don't travel then
your thoughts won’t be strengthened,
won’t get filled with ideas.
Your dreams will be born with fragile legs and then you end up believing in tv-shows, and in those who invent enemies
that fit perfectly with your nightmares
to make you live in terror.
Travel,
because travel teaches
to say good morning to everyone
regardless of which sun we come from.
Travel,
because travel teaches
to say goodnight to everyone
regardless of the darkness
that we carry inside
Travel,
because traveling teaches to resist,
not to depend,
to accept others, not just for who they are
but also for what they can never be.
To know what we are capable of,
to feel part of a family
beyond borders,
beyond traditions and culture.
Traveling teaches us to be beyond.
Travel,
otherwise you end up believing
that you are made only for a panorama
and instead inside you
there are wonderful landscapes
still to visit.
- Gio Evan, poet and songwriter.
Translated from Italian.