American Visa Application update

So the American Government, has decided to suspend the "drop box- interview waiver" process for visa applications for Nigerians.

Previously this waiver, allowed Nigerian passport holders who had been to the US in the last two years, not overstayed their visa timeline and did not have any issues with the law enforcement opt out of attending an interview at the American embassy to obtain an American Visa.

Instead they had to fill out the DS-160 forms and then take the appointment sheet- printed out off course, along with the proof of payment from GT bank, and "drop off" these at one of the DHL offices in Lagos.

The turn around time was on average 10 days and you were called/emailed to come pick up your passport.

This service has been suspended, instead now applicants will have to make an appointment and then go to Walter Carrington cresent ( where the embassy is located in Lagos)  to see a consulate officer for an interview.

Can someone say stress?

The possession of a US visa in the Nigerian passport grants the holder access to over 19 countries , and by access, I mean Visa on arrival.

You can read more about this here

This announcement comes closely on the heels of the Tanzanian government taking Nigeria off the visa on arrival list.

Visa Rejection and other short stories.

It might be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to own a Nigerian passport and not have experienced Visa struggles. 

Especially Rejection.

Honestly my camel had been fitting into the eye quite nicely until last year when it’s hump hit a snag. 

My friend was getting married in Lake Como and I was going to be in London for summer anyway so I thought- why not? 

I have a 5 year British Visa and I had some miles on my one world account- It made all the sense in the world to attend.

So I RSVP’d.

 I called my trusted, never disappointing, designer Karen of Flat 17 studio, to whip up some sultry baffs for the occasion. 

The Groom (who happens to be my friend) sent me the wedding itinerary.

Beloved, I was ready.

So ready, that I holla’d my home girl who was currently doing a masters degree in London at the time if she was down to plus one for this wedding ( I had asked the groom- relax). She agreed.

So we decided to make a euro trip out of it. Visit our friend who currently lives in Vienna, swing by Prague, you know the whole works.

Took out hours from my employers time and drew up an itinerary that started out in Berlin and ended up in Milan. A week of traveling, wine tasting, car rentals. It was going to be the summer to die for.

The baffs were ready. The company was popping. 

In the immortal words of Skepta

 “ I saw the turn up button and I pressed it twice”.

All that was left was a Schengen Visa.  Honestly it did not even occur to me that my visa application might be rejected because I am a pretty seasoned traveler.

 I’ve visited a bunch of countries including France, Italy and Spain all in the last five years. I had a current US and UK visa. 

I had a confirmed ticket to London.

 I am gainfully employed in a multinational.

I can provide pay slips.

 I had a tentative itinerary.

As someone who has done maybe 50 visa applications, I was ready. 

Ready enough that I knew not to show up with my own passport photo because- it is never good enough for the visa officers and you have to take a new set of 4 for N1,500 inside the VFS hall.

Look, as I said, I know things.

Anyway fast forward to doing all of this, applying for the visa, paying €60 but the Naira equivalent of roughly thirty something thousand naira. I submitted my Visa and went on with my life.

 Still scheming and making more summer plans.

A week later, I got an email to come and pick up my passport. I skipped, hopped, jumped to the Visa office and went to get my passport. Opened the bag and skimmed through alas a sheet of paper fell out.

Color me confused. The officer distributing passports asked me to apply again, and sooner rather than later.

 I wanted to appeal this rejection because – THE ACTUAL fuck?

I did not appeal. 

Because the pull of possible enjoyment was stronger than the indignation I felt at my rejection, I applied again.

Let me save you the stress. I got rejected again. But even though I had addressed the reason for the rejection in the first application. I got a different rejection reason, a literal check box.

So I took my sights of visiting the Schengen Area for some time, while I licked my wounds and tried to get my camel through the eye of the needle.

Fast forward to last week on twitter I came across a visa rejection from the Swedish embassy that was so tastefully done. The reasons were so pleasantly communicated, and the rejection seemed like it gave room for open lines of communication eg appeal or whatever.

Anyway that is my Visa rejection story, but it is really not why I have been away. 

But,while I was away, I visited IITA in Ibadan for a long weekend, London for Christmas, Morocco for New years, Brazil for post carnival shenanigans and I’m set to jet to Houston for a quick break.

So it’s not for lack on content. I was probably just pissed off about the whole rejection thing.

I still am if I am a being honest.

Anyway I’m back now and I plan to be CONSISTENT.  

And give you guys all tea on Morocco and coffee on Brazil And

 also speak on other travel things- like claiming miles across airlines.

and how I structure my travel plans at the beginning of the year.

Lets just say 2019 is going to be popping for the blog!

 😊

How have you guys been?

2019 Q1 going according to plan?

Let me know!

 

Lekki Conservation Center

My baby cousin (I refer to every one younger than me as baby- so baby brother, baby cousin etc etc), said cousin is actually a medical doctor and over 25 so really not a baby .

Not my baby cousin

Anyway, my baby cousin, came into Lagos for the week as a vacation from work as she lives in Abuja.

In as much as I love Lagos, it is stressful.

But people can come here on vacation and still have a swell time.
I curated an itinerary for my baby cousin and she had such a wonderful time. ( if you want a run down, hit me up)

Baby Cousin

Lagos as a vacation spot? 
I dig it. Totally
Might as well put out a series of vacation touristy things to do in Lagos. 

Of all the things we did for the week she was here, I’d say LCC was the most fun and informative. 

The Lekki Conservation Center was opened in 1990 by the Nigerian conservation foundation (NCF). It is a seventy something hectare of natural reserve spanning from the lekki express ( where the entrance is) towards the Atlantic.

Rumor has it that the master landscape architect that worked on it asked, begged pleaded with the NCF to extend it to the atlantic as there needed to be a natural outlet for an eco system to flourish. The same rumor has it that NCF said LOL, and cordoned off the conservative center, took the land facing the Atlantic and built a delicious water front estate.As a result there are not a lot of animals to see. I mean there is a turtle, a few peacocks and enough monkeys. And probably insects too.

Irrespective of the rumors if you are a tree hugger or not, the conservation center is an oasis from the Lagos madness. It also houses the longest canopy walk in Africa. Which was built by Oyibos so it’s pretty safe.

We arrived at 4pm on a Wednesday and bought tickets.
LCC is open from 9am-5pm.

Entry into the center costs N1,000.
Access to the canopy walk N1,000 and
access to the family area N1,000.
Total N3,000.

You pay at the entrance and you are given three different bands that give access to the three attractions

I only have two, because I didn't think I'd want to go to the family area

 There is a tour guide every 30 minutes to walk you and your party along with the other visitors that arrive in the same time slot.
Now there are three main attractions of the conservation center. The actual walk way, built on stilts sitting over the swamp through the conservation that is overrun with monkeys. The main attraction here is the tree house. 

Walk way

Strike a pose

The second one is the canopy walk

Please read the warnings properly

Baby cousin

Sun set. At the highest point of the canopy walk

the third is the family area which has games and fish ponds and gazeebo’s for a picnic.

Directions

Chess game

 If you were observant enough to note that I had two bands but visited the three attractions, you are right. I decided last minute after the canopy walk to show my cousin the family area. There was no one checking our tickets so we just walked right in, played a game of chess and watched the sun set.

Entrance to the family area

A few things to note about LCC is that you walk everywhere. So you want to keep your personal possessions on you to a minimum. I.e. Leave your magic bag that has everything in it AT HOME. Or in your car, your hands will thank you.

Also you’d need the hands to hold the railings while you do the canopy walk.

As for food it might be difficult to lug two coolers of drinks through the conservatory to get to the family area where there are seats available.

But where there is a will, there is a way. – you can ask the LCC staff to get it to the family area and tip them.

I think If you plan to have a bohemian picnic LCC seems like just the spot.Or if you are like me and you just need to come somewhere quiet to watch the sun set and play candy crush on your phone then LCC is for you.

Ps: I also think it is perfect for a first date as a picnic with someone who you "actually like" and want to get to know, because all you have to do is talk and stare into each other's eyes.
Dear Lagos boys. Don't say I don't do anything for you.