FUN THINGS TO DO IN LAGOS

Hi guys, how are you doing? I wish I could send blog posts every week, but laziness and cares of this life will not let me be great. Having said that, I respect and heartily commend people who push out weekly content – podcasts, newsletters, vlogs, blog posts, etc. You all motivate me ‘aje’.

So, some of my contacts on WhatsApp think that I am a member of the ‘Lagos chop life gang’, I do not think they are totally correct o because this is only true on just a few days, and on MOST days, I am just at home sipping garri water. Some of my friends have even suggested that I create a platform where people can be updated on all the happenings and doings within my environment starting with Lagos State – maybe I would, maybe I wouldn’t, we do not know yet. The thing is all these “chopping life” that people are thinking I am chopping, na the cheap ones I dey do and I will show you shortly.

Moving on from the people whining me, I have visited some really nice places or been involved in some really cool activities in this Lagos which will not be necessarily regarded as expensive, and I just want to share these places/activities with you all and my experience at these places:

* Kayaking. This is the most recent activity I did. It was organized by a page on IG, and we just decided to go there for my friend’s birthday (shoutout to Lola Osho). Kayaking is you literally ‘paddling your own canoe’ (‘paddle your canoe’ was an abuse in my primary school which is why I put it in inverted commas). It could be stressful on your arms and legs for a first-timer like myself especially if you do not know how to swim (you will be trying to not ‘pour away’). There was an instructor and seasoned professionals available to render advice and assistance whenever it was needed and honestly, once you get a hang of it, it is super fun. My fears did not overcome me, though they should have especially after seeing a young man ‘pour into the water’. It cost 6,000 Nigerian Naira and the fee covered the kayaking and refreshments. I suggest you carry your food and drinks from your house if you intend to spend some amount of time there as the refreshment na only small chops and maybe drinks.

Kayaking

* Paintballing. So, I went paintballing with some friends somewhere on the island (shoutout to the Ozzz, my sponsors). It was a fun experience but painful for anyone who got shot. I did not get shot but I reckon that the pellets can take blood from the human body as I witnessed it do to humans on my team. It is a fun exercise because a number of us have watched one too many action movies to not try out the stunts we have seen in these movies (coman see men rolling on the floor trying to form Tom Cruise). The marker is quite heavy, I guess it is because of the gas inside or maybe the pellets, I don’t know but e sha heavy sha. Also, they would rather not refer to the marker as a ‘gun’ or the pellets as ‘bullets.’ So it is important to use the right vocabulary when in these spaces. It costs 7,000 Nigerian Naira at this place I went to, there are other paintballing arenas that I haven’t visited so I am not sure how much it costs at those places. With the 7,000 Naira, you have 100 pellets. If you wish to purchase extra pellets, it is 5,000 Naira.

Paintballing Champion

* Salsa Dancing. I started to learn and dance salsa deliberately in 2019. Salsa is one of the different Latin ballroom dances and I think it is the easiest to learn for a regular human like me who is just learning and dancing for fun. Social dancing of salsa is free everywhere however, for one to enjoy dancing, it is just nice to learn, and with less than 30,000 Nigerian Naira per month, you can get to learn from the top instructors in the Latin ballroom dance community. I only know about salsa communities in Lagos and Abuja. It does not take long to learn the basics and you unlock the endless possibilities in dancing. It is also a great place to network. Dancing takes place mostly at restaurants, bars, or clubs. If you wish to learn, I could introduce you to the people I learned from.

* Visiting the Beach. Although I do not know how to swim (yet), I enjoy going to the beach and being in the water a looooot. Water is life and honestly, the beach breeze is sooooo refreshing and soothing. I find going to the beach therapeutic. The gate fee for a regular Lagos beach used to be 1,000 Nigerian Naira but now it is N2,000. You can either buy food and drinks on the beach (you will find a vast array of food or chops options and vendors) or you can take your food along (for the beaches that allow you to bring food in).  You could also visit resorts that have lakes or are facing the beach which gives you that inside American movie feeling – waking up to the sound of the ocean (#GodWhen). Those are more expensive and require that you book them ahead, but it is such a relaxing experience I strongly recommend everyone should explore.

Beach

* Eating. Exploring food is probably my most fun activity in life, not just in Lagos. The nice thing about exploring food and restaurants is that it is according to your pocket. There are exotic restaurants that are not bank-breaking expensive with palatable food. If you enjoy a nice meal exploring food options is a fun activity. Sometimes, in fact, you should try out these roadside food vendors, they sometimes just sell bliss instead of the nice decor and ambiance we sometimes get from some of these Lagos restaurants.

One of many food

* Games and Recreational activities. This is another fun activity to do in Lagos where time just flies by. The centers provide a different range of recreational activities you can engage in; some would make you sweat and work out, some others get you rewards that you can use to win a prize at the end while others are just to boost your morale like bowling. It is best to visit a place like this with friends because you would need someone to take pictures and videos of you doing these activities and it is just generally more fun when you go with loved ones.

My sisters and I at a Recreational Center

This list is not exhaustive as there are many more activities to do and places to go in Lagos. My overall suggestion is to wear comfortable clothing, if possible, go with a group of friends, eat before you leave your house, and have an open mind to trying out new things.

I know for a fact that there are more people who have explored this Lagos than I have, you can share the places you have been to, and maybe it would be my next place or activity to try out.