Today on #ThrowbackThursday

Let me tell a story - one of my travel memoirs.

I was travelling with my family on a long-distance trip - 18/20hrs, so I reckoned that when we transit at Addis-Abba International Airport, I would use the airport lounge for a quick shower. Little did I know that electricity would mess me up.

We arrived at the airport somewhere around midnight and checked into the Cloud Nine Lounge Addis Abba with our business class ticket. Once we settled in and found out where the bathrooms were - and equally dropped my ticket with the attendant managing it, I took my baby to go bath with me.

I bathed the little boy first with my clothes on because I had to hand him over to my spouse afterwards. I asked my spouse to stand close to the bathroom as I would likely be dripping wet.

Everything went well until I went to do my bath. I was feeling so relaxed and comfy as I used the toilet. I was tidying up my "toileting" when the lights went off.

Everywhere was pitch black and silent. There were no windows, nothing. My brain instantly told me that in about a minute or 30 seconds, the lights would be back on. I was in for a ride.

5 minutes later, still sitting on the toilet, the lights had not come back on.

Irritation began to creep in. What was happening? What was I supposed to do? I was stark naked. I didn’t familiarize myself with where things were. I didn’t have a towel - just a small face towel (I didn’t plan on using the ones made available in the lounge).

15 minutes later, no lights! Fear began to creep in. My dress was wet. My husband had moved with the kids to a sitting area. What was I supposed to do?

I didn't know where my phone was and I didn't want to start groping for things in my bag with my unwashed "toilety" hands. And having everything fall on the bathroom floor.

Gosh! Heavens! Christ!

I quickly donned on my wet dress and groped out the bathroom unit.

Thankfully, no one was coming or going. The attendant was nowhere in sight. And, there were lights everywhere except for the bathroom unit.

I called out to my husband hoping he was close by and he would hear. Thankfully he was. He quickly gave me his phone torch to use Suddenly, the attendant appeared and started apologising. Apparently, there was an electrical problem with the bathroom unit.

I asked her: Did it just start?
She: No

I went ahead to tell her that why didn't she warn me early enough?

Well, I had to finish my bath with my husband's phone torch (had to clean vigorously later with wipes🙄).

I was vexed!

My husband told me that I rely too much on technology for someone who spent almost 3 decades of her life in Nigeria.

Me: well, I was always in a fight or flight position in Nigeria 😒

Anyway, Addis Abba Bole International airport has made it to my memoirs and stories I would tell and retell my grandchildren.