It's been quite a while since I last posted something from Abuja. In fact, it was just the day before I left for a short holiday with the family back at home.

But now I am back again. During the time I was away the contract for the house I am moving to was finalized. So when I came back I immediately could move in. Of course still most of the furniture is missing, as I did not find the time for shopping around, but basic living is possible. The major things are there which is: a bed, a fridge and one roll of toilet tissue. What else do you need?

Well, the topic of this posting is about something else. So let's start now.
When you're in Africa, you will discover that there's a big hype regarding gadgets. The latest mobile phones, the newest electronic devices - you will find them here. Everybody needs nowadays those little handhelds with full alphanumeric keyboard to show off. Together with that the need of power (for charging these toys) is rising. Therefore those countries invest a lot of money to get their power networks refurbished and extended. But sometimes I ask myself if this is correct, if it was right to bring electricity to Africa? It may sound like racism, but I will explain why.

I moved into this house within a nice compound as first tennant. The house was empty for quite a while and so I was checking through what had to be re-done or fixed. Besides some AC units that lost gas over the time and therefore did not work well, there was no bigger issue. That's what I thought.

After my first night I got up in the morning and went into the bathroom. Waking up in a seating position is part of the ritual. During that time you got enough time to make plans for the day or just check the environment. Inside the bath tub outlet there was some piece of metal which caught my interest. I finished what I was doing and went to the bath tub to check if something broke off and was flushed there. But when I came near I could see it was a piece of support metal keeping the screw for the sieve into position. Most probably an adjustment after someone spoiled the hole of the sieve. Anyway, touching it was not really a good idea, as I received an electric shock. Ok, may have been static electricity. And as well I am a bit stupid. Second touch ended up with electric shock as well. So the conclusion was that static electricity was out of the possibilities. Next careful tries were touching the taps. Nothing on the tub, nothing on the sink. Good. Next floor, next bathroom. Touching the sieve: nothing. Touching the tap: bingo! I already started thinking about selling the principle to PHCN: power from the tap, just open it and you'll get a combination of water and light! Only the master bedroom on the top floor seemed to be without electricity on the taps.

So the decision grew to move everything to the top floor and use the bathroom of the master bedroom. But first it had to be cleaned. So I went upstairs and opened the tap for hot water. Felt a bt strange and not hot, when I put my finger inside. So I touched the tube coming from the water heater. Needless to say that it is made of metal. Double shock: hot and charged with electricity.

The next thing was going and complaining to he management. Before I started not to have any bath at all and smelling all around. The management organised an electrician to come around, check and fix the problem. A real specialist. He came to the house, touched the metal tube of one of the water heaters with his electrician screwdriver and told me "There is light!" If I did not knew before. Then he unscrewed the first switch for the water heater, without switching it off before. Well, he found out that there was still light on the water system. When trying to screw back the switch he caused a nice little spark which blew the fuse. No more light on the water pipes.

So we went up to the distribution box on the top floor and put two fuses in again which had tripped. Wonder what? Electricity on the water system existing again. Wow. Slowly I was impressed by this guy. He found out what I knew long before and what I already told him. But nevertheless, I am just a stupid consulting engineer anyway. So he took out the next heater switch. And found out that one fixing screw had caused a connecton in between the switched power cable and the earthing connection. So the earthing connection put full electricity to the outside of the water heater and, water is a very good conductor, the water system inside the house. he then fixed the problem and went again.

Hours later it came to my mind that if the earthing connection was carrying full 220Volts, why did the fuse not blow? Was it possible that all the earthing connections are useless inside the house? But now it is too late to tell. And touching a running system: never do so!

So let me continue within my series "Dining out in..." which I started during the last project in Qatar. Now Nigeria, mainly in the beginning out of Abuja, but maybe there are more locations to come.



This time now Dunes. Located not far away from the Hilton, Dunes is well known to everyone here in Abuja. There's a supermarket on the ground floor offering quite a range of products except alcohol. Run by Lebanese also there's no pork available, the meat is halal.

When you enter the supermarket, there is a snack restaurant in the middle, just on your way to the meat and cheese counter in the back of the supermarket. This snack restaurant opens to the patio and offers nice shadow seats there, so you can easily enjoy your lunch break. Or go for dinner at night.

Dunes offers starters, burgers and sandwiches (as well as single pieces or as platters accompagnied with chips and cole slaw), shish kebap, salads, meat dishes, pasta and pizza. Other than the supermarket they also offer beer here, Star, Gulder and Heineken.

The prices are ok, but keep in mind that a 10 per cent service charge will be added. Sandwiches are most times small baguettes, nicely filled and slightly toasted. Pizzas have a good size, rich toppings and the dough is thin and crispy outside. Tastes very good. Prices are in a range around NGN 800 to 1000 for sandwiches, 1900 to 2400 for sandwich or burger platters and 2000 to 2500 for pizza, excluding service charge. Gulder and Star NGN 500, Heineken NGN 700, minerals (Coke, Sprite, Mirinda) NGN 250 to 350, depending if you take a glass bottle (250) or a plastic bottle (350).

It has been a while since I posted the last one about this topic. I was of the opinion that only in countries where English is a kind of second language mistakes like those could happen.

But no, also over here there is the phenomenon of interpreting the English language in a special way. The small restaurant where I occasionally go to changed its menu. In fact not the content, only the presentation. But still some corrections could have been carried out. But no.



Still there is the wish for dry soil, garnished with toppings of your choice. Well, whoever likes something like that, will be pleased to find on the next page:



Pure deserts, sweet and without oasis. And if you brought enough time with you, you can still have a coffee. It will be delivered late then.

Each day the same over here in Abuja: around 5 a.m. it is starting. The night is over for me. As hard as it can be, it is disturbing my sleep and makes me doze only a bit until the alarm goes off.

I don't know if you can imagine how it feels when you are being woken up every day by the same cock, disregarding if it is a weekday or week-end. And if it was only one, but no, there are a few, at least five.



And all next door.

Four years passed since the last time. Four long years filled with changes, new impressions and surprises.



Tis year now I was there again. Julius Berger Camp in Abuja, this time with invitation only. I have to admit, nothing really has changed in those years. Still there are the huts where small Christmas items are being sold, still there is the long queue in front of the plces where the food is being distributed. And still there is the magic container.



The container which is being chilled down using airconditioners for selling Gluehwein inside. Mulled wine, hot, spiced, red wine while outside the temperature still does not drop under 28 celsius.



And again this year there was a special glass available for the mulled wine. As usual printed with this years 2010 and a different pictur. Collectible and mine now.

Talking to my wife in Germany she is telling me that already it began to snow over there. Temperatures dropped heavily within the last week after I left and now winter is about to move in.

I can imagine how it looks like, Mr. Gorillaschnitzel postet a picture directly taken out of his bedroom. Somehow I am missing the cold, the snow and the fun you can have with it. But on the other hand, still I am able to walk around here with short sleeves enjoying the sun and the warmth in the morning.



So, Mr. Gorillaschnitzel, after you let us participate in your room with a view, here is mine. Maybe the sky is not as blue as in your case, but although there is morning mist, the temperatures are already high.

Today was the big day. Not only for me, but as well for bride and groom up there in Kaduna. A traditional wedding took place and I was invited.

After most of the guest settled, it was time for the groom to show up.



Escorted by his friends he approached the area dancing. Meanwhile his parents and relatives already were there and had introduced themselves to the parents of the bride, claiming that they wanted to pick up the bride now. But this would not be Africa if it was that easy.

Arriving at the venue, the guests started blessing the groom by dropping money on him.



Still the bride was not his.
After having greeted his own parents, he had to show respect and dignity to the bride's parents.



Asking for his bride, him and his friends had to go down and be submissive to the parents-in-law. After that happened, the parents-in-law decided to bring their daughter.



Veiled and covered she was brought to the groom dancing, escorted by her best friends and family.



Her mother also was involved, handing the bride over to the groom.
After unveiling the bride and exchanging the rings the traditional handover of kitchen appliances took place. These presents are being donated by the brides parents to the bride and groom to give them the opportunity to start their own household immediately. The groom's parents in this case are obiged to donate yams, palm oil, rice and other food items, so that the couple can start their own life without break.
Having fulfilled their tasks, everybody will be served food and drinks now, also the couple, but as I spoke to them, they wanted to eat later. I wonder why.

Here we go again - Abuja.

Since yesterday evening I am back in the capital of Nigeria, Abuja. A new project is calling. No, in fact it is an old one that now is continuing. Up to mid 2012 I will be here now, trying to do my best in what I am here for.

Already I did the tour to see old friends and colleagues, some of them disappeared, some others were in meetings or busy. Nevertheless I am sure I will see them again within the next week.

One day only

Yes, scheduling the flight for Thursday left me with just one day to be in the office until the week-end starts. Just to get a slight taste of what changed. And what not. It depends on what you focus. Abuja has grown, lots of new buildings are there, that changed. But back in the business, nothing really has changed. Internet is crap as usual, electrical power is dropping frequently and whitre people are still ripped off. Ok, the last pointy I could not verify yetr.

So let's see, because for tomorrow I am invited already to a traditional wedding. And there - I hope - I will be able to take pictures and maybe publish them. If everybody agrees.

And yes, there was a slight shock getting out of the plane. Having left Germany at temperatures around seven degrees celsius, over here it is around 30.

Note to myself: put all warm clothes away.

geht es hier dann wieder weiter.

Qatar ist abgeschlossen, aber das naechste Projekt steht schon in den Startloechern. Eigentlich habe ich ja jetzt erst mal 9 Wochen Urlaub, aber ich denke, viel frueher werden hier wieder Sachen aus fremden Laendern stehen.

Nigeria mal wieder.

Two small topics only for today.

Number one is regarding Ramadan. As you will need an export certificate from the chamber of commerce to get your personal effects shipped out of Qatar, try to get it before Ramadan. The forwarder I am using handed over the paperwork a week ago, but up to date he did not receive anything back from the chamber of commerce. And the export insurance for the car is running out in a few days. A renewal would be another QAR 160. I guess that the chamber of commerce will not re-imburse you even if they are the ones to slow down the process.

Number two is regarding the insurance of the car during shipment. If you request an offer, most companies will give you a quotation for total loss only, where the fee to pay is around QAR 800 for a car worth QAR 100,000. But as I wrote: total loss only.
Now more likely is that the car is getting scratched or damaged slightly when packing or unpacking it inside the container. Also there's an insurance covering it. Almost. Exclusion number one is that all damages below QAR 1500 are not covered. Exclusion two is that minor scratches and dents are not covered. So what's the point then?

One more step. Assuming you have a valid road permit for your car and you want the insurance company to pay you back, you will have to take the insurance paper to the traffic department during the time you change the registration to export plates. Traffic department will stamp and sign your insurance paper for you to retrieve the paid money.

Back at the insurance company you will have to present the stamped paper, the ID of the car owner and the export certificate. This will lead to a lot of paperwork until you will get a cheque with your refund. Don't be surprised - it is almost nothing. Regarding what I was told by the insurance, the law says you will get back 7/8 of your paid insurance if you cancel within one week after renewal, 1/2 if you cancel the insurance less than 3 months after renewal. In my case the insurance ran for three months and 10 days, so I was refunded 3/8 of the money I paid in. Ok, Germany is different, but in Germany you will be refunded more properly. And if your car was insured here in Qatar more than 8 months until you change to export plates, you will get back nothing.