The Diary game || Workload and A Journey I Will Never Forget || 10-04-2024

What a week (last 7 days) it has been for me since Friday 5th of April. It has been a period with a lot of office work, keeping me busy and away from almost everything even my blog seems to suffer from it. Even though it was the weekend, I was asked to put in some extra hours to get things done since the Eid al-Fitr holidays were around the corner.

Then came Wednesday 10th of April 2024, a day I will never forget any time soon in my life as it was filled with a rollercoaster of emotions, but mostly frustration. With the public holidays in full swing, I was sent out on a field trip, so I hit the road, full of excitement and ready for an adventure as I was heading to Ikom, Cross River state. A place I'd always wanted to go. But, as luck would have it, our vehicle broke down in Aba (Abia State).

at the Peace Mass Transit park	at the Peace Mass Transit park
waiting to leave	other passengers also waiting to leave

We were stranded for a very long, trying to figure out what to do. The spring of our vehicle broke, and as the mechanics were trying to fix it, came a heavy downpour. With the rain, the mechanic had to delay the work as he couldn't work under the rain and we all looked for a nearby shelter to escape the rain.

The driver and the mechanics trying to find solution

It rained approximately for over 2 hours 30 minutes, and so we were helpless. But then, I was on moderating duty on the Steem4Nigeria community, and with everything happening I couldn't even work, so I reached out to a very good friend of mine, our lead moderator to help me out.

the downpour	the rain continued as we find shelter
Other passengers in the shelter with me	the mechanic working after the downpour

It was an unexpected twist to our travel plans, but sometimes those unexpected moments turn out to be the most memorable ones. However, this wasn't one of those memorable ones as we waited for the rain to stop the people who were to wield the broken spring back together said they couldn't work under thunder and lightning, so we had to wait an extra 1 hour. When everything was finally fixed, it was already 5 p.m. for a journey we started as early as 8 a.m.

As the vehicle was ready, some of the passengers suggested we head back to where we started the journey so we start all over again the next morning, however majority said we head on, so we continued the journey. Unlike us, we were held again at a police checkpoint between Abia state and Enugu for over 1 hour, what made it even worse was the fact that it was night already and we had children on the bus.

After much pleading, we were allowed to leave, so we continued the journey till we got to a trailer park at Ebonyi, close to the Ebonyi and Cross River boundary and our driver had to pack the vehicle that it was too late into the night to continue the journey as it was already passed midnight, as at 1:25 a.m. So we all had to sleep on the bus, to continue the next morning as other travellers were also there doing the same thing.

When morning came, at 5:30 a.m. we continued the journey after much frustration of looking for our driver when others were already leaving. Thankfully we got to Cross River State at 8:00 a.m. but to another twist, the spring that was amended in Aba (Abia state) broke again, this time cutting the vehicle propeller with it, and the engine literally caught fire that we had to extinguish using foamy water.

The driver pouring foam water on the fire

Thankfully we were already in Cross River, and we had to board another vehicle to continue to our various destinations leaving the driver with his vehicle. This was how I spent 2 days on a journey that was supposed to be 8 hours, but the good thing is that I've gotten to my destination safely. I hope the driver went left and also got to his destination safely.

Now, as I reflect on the past week and the journey mishap, I can't help but smile at all the frustrating moments. But then, we are told that Life is full of surprises, and it's how we handle them that truly matters. So, therefore despite the vehicle trouble and all the unfortunate incidents, I can say it turned into an adventure of its own.