Today, Guy and I decided to head out to Lekki Market to buy some baskets to organize the shelves in Jeremy and Elizabeth's rooms. It is always interesting to people watch when I am riding in the car. One okada driver hit our car on the driver's side. He knocked our rear view mirror. I saw an okada driver hauling about a hundred pound sack of beans on the back of his okada. (Picture above) I really can't believe some of the things Nigerians will strap onto an okada. We got to the market and we were swarmed by young boys who want to help us while we are in the market. We have been out to the market a few times since we have been here and we usually have the same boy help us, Ola. We got there today and immediately when we asked for Ola...the boys said he wasn't there today. Which is the answer they always give. Miraculously after they realized we weren't going to have another boy help us, Ola appeared! Just like magic! Ha ha Elizabeth loved walking down the small pathways between the different shacks set up selling goods. She must have said hello to all the Nigerians there. When we were walking out, most everyone knew her name.:) Jeremy really likes to walk with Ola. Heis much more quiet han Elizabeth, but he takes everything in.:) We finally agreed on a price for the basket after going back and forth between two different vendors about three times. Ola helped us carry our baskets to the car. Jeremy had to go to the bathroom right when we got to the car; so, in true Nigerian fashion, he dropped his pants and peed right there on the side of the building by our car!! I think he is getting way too comfortable here.:) On the way back, we had to take the beach road home because Lekki Expressway was backed up. We saw a car and a truck that had gotten stuck in the sand. Luckily there are gangs of boys who " monitor" the beach road to "help" you get unstuck for a very high price. Thank goodness Fatai is a good driver...and we didn't get stuck in the sand. We were hit again by another okada driver trying to weave his way through the traffic...this time on the passenger side. Then, when we were very close to our compound, I noticed the van in front of us...or I should say the "bus"....since the van is what Nigerians consider the city bus, ( picture above) started to have black smoke come out the back of the tail pipe. Needless to say, it stalled and the poor man next to the van had to push the vehicle. When we got home...I was exhausted and I wasn't even the one who had to drive!:)
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