Lome Togo anyone?

[Kurt]

We are going from NYC >>Lome >>Lagos >> Lome >> NYC.

I know that a layover in West Africa can become longer than expected so anyone got any recommendations for Lome?

Or just a decent hotel with chicken and beer?

[SRR]

Is the Lagos airport so bad you'll cross 2 country borders to avoid it?

Actually, I think I answered my own question.

[Kurt]

Is the Lagos airport so bad you'll cross 2 country borders to avoid it?

Actually, I think I answered my own question.

I handle Lagos this way:

"Suh, you are not permitted to enter because the month listed on your Yellow Fever Vaccination card is invalid"
"Sir, I am aware of calendars. The Doctor filled out the form following the instructions of the United States Government. The form is correct."
"Suh, the form is incorrect"
"Please show me the Law governing Nigerian dates on vaccination forms."
"I DO NOT HAVE THE LAW HERE"
"Maybe you misremembered. I will wait here until you find it sir"
*Stamps Passport* "Welcome to Nigeria suh"

Its a layover before Lagos. But just in case it extends due to reasons or volcanos I want to turn it into a pleasant time.

[Kurt]

As is typical for Nigeria we cannot get our visas processed in time so a friend of a friend is gonna talk to someone and get it done (hopefully)

The other issue is that kidnapping from the Airport in Lagos is incredibly common. So we might be spending New Year with our Igbo armed Bodyguards again. Nice guys. I gave them a huge tip last time so they should be happy to see us as well.

Or we might just totally give up and go to this beach hotel in Lome. French food and West African peanut and Scotch Bonnet based sauces (in my dotage I can no longer eat peanuts so I am gonna go for fresh seafood and croque madams.

[ReptilianKittenEater]

How does a kidnapping at the airport happen? Is it a taxi, or do ppls simply walk up to you in the terminal?

[Kurt]

How does a kidnapping at the airport happen? Is it a taxi, or do ppls simply walk up to you in the terminal?

The road. The road is pretty much airport traffic only and there are lots of places to pull off in a car and wait.

[Darcy]

Just flew over it, flying a helo from Cotonou (where we got jacked by a couple of lads with AK47s, I chatted about it here the next morning) to Accra (where I had an absolute blast). Would have loved to stopped in for a visit. Love that section of Africa, romantic ideas from Chatwin's The Viceroy of Ouidah..... Liberia was my favourite

[Kurt]

Just flew over it, flying a helo from Cotonou (where we got jacked by a couple of lads with AK47s, I chatted about it here the next morning) to Accra (where I had an absolute blast). Would have loved to stopped in for a visit. Love that section of Africa, romantic ideas from Chatwin's The Viceroy of Ouidah..... Liberia was my favourite

We have to get a "jacked plan" for the airport to Yaba in Lagos since that is a thing that is happening now.

I am quite certain my "Kill everyone with a pocketknife and save the day" is more fantasy than "plan" so I gotta think again.

Our "Fuck Lagos, Make the family come meet us plan is this:"

https://sarakawa-hotel.com/restaurants-et-bars/

Asside from the stupid shape of the wine glasses (I intend to be beer and pastis only with Calvados at night) it looks great. West African food for my wife (too peanut heavy for me. I love peanuts but my 56 year old digestive tract has rebelled against me eating more than a teaspoon of the stuff) and French food for me.

I am almost hoping Lagos is too much a bitch to go to but it would be nice to see my in-laws again.

[Darcy]

Just flew over it, flying a helo from Cotonou (where we got jacked by a couple of lads with AK47s, I chatted about it here the next morning) to Accra (where I had an absolute blast). Would have loved to stopped in for a visit. Love that section of Africa, romantic ideas from Chatwin's The Viceroy of Ouidah..... Liberia was my favourite

I am quite certain my "Kill everyone with a pocketknife and save the day" is more fantasy than "plan" so I gotta think again.

Yeah, carried an Emerson CQC7 then a DPX HEST folder forever in the back of my pants or pocket, for just such a thing. Actually had it out twice in case things went South but never went beyond that. I had it on me when we got taken in Benin but I didn't think it overly practical to try anything at the time. It's a bad day if you need it but I prefer having it on me. Most jobs I can't carry more than that. Handy for LOTS of other things though. I feel pretty naked without a knife

[Kurt]

I've carried a pocketknife since i was a paperboy. No worse feeling than needing to cut the twine on a stack of papers and having to try to untie it.

But I will probably bring my "Cybertool" swiss army knife since it has tools and booze openers on it.

[Kurt]

The Lome departure lounge is awesome. Clean toilets, tons of duty free and bolts and bolts of traditional cloth.

But getting here is tons of weird lines. Signs in English filled with regulations no one follows (documents) and really hot line area. 90 degrees outside and like 110 in the connecting flights line.