As our stay in Lagos draws to a close

 Tomorrow we fly on from Lagos to Accra (Ghana) so that I can deliver 360Life training to the prison chaplains ministry over there.

It's been a fascinating stay here in Nigeria, our first ever visit to the country, and as we prepare to depart I thought you might like to read a list of random reflections on our time here. They are in no particular order, and only represent my views, or views gained through chatting with local folks here. 

• The traffic is insane - and I'm glad I don't have to drive in it
• Predicting what time you will get anywhere is almost impossible, due to the massive traffic jams, especially on weekdays.
  
• The food has been delicious although the concept of being vegetarian is definitely not mainstream.
• I'm a convert to jollof rice, and definitely want to find out how to cook it once home.
  
• Many of the churches are huge (based predominantly on my experience of going to one that had several services of 5000 people each, driving past other churches as streams and streams of people were coming out from them as well, and just seeing some church buildings that were simply ginormous) 
• Some churches have so many people coming, that they lay on buses to take them to and from the bus station, as no space for all the cars. Therefore at the end of church there is a very long line for the buses!
  
• There is a fishing community on the edge of the water where all the homes are built on stilts. It looks like an incredible place - covering a big expanse of water, with all the navigation being done by boats. It also looks pretty poor, and it's caught my eye everytime we've driven past on the freeway. I’d love to explore it but given that there are no roads, and we've only been in a car, sadly that wasn't an option. Very intrigued by it however. 
• The Ring road that circumnavigates Lagos CBD is essentially one very long bridge over the edge of the sea, as there was no land to build it on. Apparently it is 12km long, so therefore it is 12km of bridge, a major feat of civil engineering
• Such colourful and stylish dressing by most people especially when they put on their Sunday best - a veritable feast of colour!
• Everywhere you can see evidence of the very rich living alongside very poor - huge skyscrapers and mega-churches right up next to  informal and inpoverished settlements and cardboard box homes.
• The ability of Lagos minibus drivers to get more into the boot of their minibus than seems possible is quite incredible. Many of the minibus taxis can be seen with boots open at the back, with sacks and boxes and cases etc all piled up inside and held in by pieces of rubber rope. They just appear to defy gravity in staying in the vehicle and not all falling to the floor - and everyone looks very laid back about it all!
• If there’s not a lane for you in the road - just make an extra one!
• Driving in a straight line is not common, weaving is the way to go!
• Everyone is so very friendly
• Lagosians seem to like to shout when frustrated but just as quickly calm down and move on.
• Horns are a prerequisite on the roads, and are used very frequently
• One of the common dishes for breakfast is bean porridge and custard (and it's actually rather nice, even though it sounds very bizarre!)
• Peanuts are sold on street corners in old water bottles - very sensible as you can just take the lid off to get a handful of peanuts, and not lose the rest of them when the bag splits!!!!
• You know when you have to put your pin number into a pin pad to pay for something? Well over here, the card machines change the order of the numbers each time, so that they are totally random. As a result, no-one can watch the pattern of the numbers you type and then work out your pin, as each button could be any number. Result - less stealing of pin numbers, but you do also have to concentrate and make sure you've actually remembered the pin!!!
• Everyone is so very friendly, helpful, and generous with their time and advice. 

All in all, it's been a great trip, and I'm forever grateful to all the Nigerians who have helped make it happen. Now on to Ghana!!!