Location From outside Benin City to Warri, ending the day in Aba, Nigeria

Summary

December 22nd started earlier than planned, about 35 kilometers before Benin City, after realizing the previous day’s delays had put me well behind schedule. I set off around 7:00 a.m., still unsuccessfully hunting for a proper cup of coffee — something that turns out to be surprisingly rare around here. The plan was to bypass Benin City, but traffic had other ideas. I got stuck again, this time learning from a man named Innocent that a major accident involving multiple trucks had shut things down since the day before. Thanks to his advice (and a bit of creative driving through ditches I’d normally avoid), I managed to escape the jam and reroute toward Warri.

The road to Warri was more of the same: heavy trucks, uneven roads, and traffic flowing wherever it could fit. Along the way, I picked up a refrigeration repairman heading home. He wasn’t very talkative, but he did point me to Warri’s only mall — where I finally found coffee, served not by a café but by a single person with a small machine at a table in the middle of the food area. That cappuccino felt like a major victory.

After dropping him off, I picked up a mother and daughter heading to Aba. What sounded ambitious turned out surprisingly smooth, with the roads improving after Warri. I still had to drive part of the way in the dark, navigating police checkpoints — most friendly, welcoming me to Nigeria — except for one officer who tried to cite my perfectly fine spare tire. That situation resolved the usual way, costing a bit of cash and some patience. Having the mother and daughter along helped smooth later stops, as they handled the talking.

We reached Aba late, slowed by darkness, and settled in near a hotel where they planned to stay for shopping the next day. For me, it was another long, unpredictable day on Nigerian roads — full of detours, small frustrations, unexpected help, and human moments that make it all worthwhile. Tomorrow, the plan is to head toward Calabar. Thanks for being along for the ride.