I’m a kind of person who love spending money for souvenir, yes I do. A month before I left Africa for my annual leave, I went to Lekki market three times. First visit was a time to find souvenirs for some best friends + my family and capturing Lekki itself, poor me it was drizzling. Second time I went again and got some additional souvenirs for my close friends and capturing Lekki was successful. And the third one I went there AGAIN, to find more souvenirs AGAIN. The last visit was for my new friends.
I had no issue for that because I knew myself would lie to what I’ve been promised before I left that I would bring SOME souvenirs only. Yes, because I already brought for some of them first year I came back home. In fact, I still took my pocket to Lekki. But hey by seeing pictures for this post when I gathered/edited them before is another simply joy for me.
I don’t know, I do love buying souvenirs. For me, a little thing you bring from where you travel/live outside could be a simply love worth to share to your beloved ones. I’m thank God this year, on my second time I went home, I could spread that simply love. Here they are my simply love for them :
AYOS
I always happy if I meet Ayos, one of inspiring friend I had. Even we just had only, hmm, just three hours this year I appreciated a lot. He’s awesome friend of mine who loves culture, so I brought this wood carving, the figures are Igbo women wearing Gele, a part of Nigerian woman’s traditional costume. O lemme tell you, I know it sounds garish, whenever after I meet Ayos I feel smarter, Hah.
WINDA
Yeah Winda got an African cloth called Kinte. It was so funny when I saw that cloth in Lekki my mind said that it would be fit and lovely for Winda. Gosh I love when Winda said so.
ATRE
Hah. Atre was the one who made me back to Lekki for third times! Yeah, when she tweeted me, I decided to go back AGAIN. I was so happy could see her in person, she’s my new fantastic friend. Atre got a tribal handmade African necklace.
MAYA
One bag made from wood bark, a cute key ring from Dubai and M&M’s chocolate in cute figure were for Maya. I remembered when Maya and I talked on our Line, she told me to bring THIS, THAT, and THIS, hahaha. Oh yeah the chocolate was for her cute toddler, Ranu :*
RULI
I met Ruli two times this year, I wish we had more. I brought a unique craft, Africa map shape, it’s a small jewelry box actually. What I love from that craft is the key to open the box is Nigeria map. Apart of the craft, I gave him Swiss chocolate inside gold box I found in DBX. Shit my spirit said “BUY!” immediately to give Ruli those GOLD, big GOLD when I chose some chocolates for myself :P
SHOHIB
Shohib requested a stone bowl with African painting on it, see zebras, very Africa right?. He got something like this before in a smaller size. He loves history and culture as well, probably I will bring another thing next year. O yeah, Shohib wasn’t confident enough to pose in front of my camera. Dah.
PUTRI
Another new fantastic friend this year I could meet with. For Putri I got a tribal necklace in red as a gift. O yeah I love giving a gift for somebody and an elephant made from stone was a cuteness :). Hope she love it.
NURAN
I wasn’t sure this year I would have a chance to see Nuran a.k.a Bang Nuran in a person. So, when he passed Surabaya from where he traveled before, I agreed to meet even my time was so strict. Thank God I could manage my short time to meet him and shared breakfast. Oops shit I forgot to ask him to pose with his souvenirs, poor me. You have to know that he’s a brilliant writer, I officially say that he is one of my fav writer. One more thing, he’s good in cooking!
JONATHAN
This guy is so funny, he asked me to bring wood statues that I gave to my other friends when we met last year. And can you imagine, Jonathan even forgot that he said so, Dah!. But I know myself I would bring something he asked for, I’m too kind right? :) I brought this craft for him for his birthday gift last month yeah, as souvenirs as birthday gift so :P. His photograph here wasn’t clear enough, sorry for that, I thought my hand was shaking and out-of-focus on his face when I snapped with iPhone. Sigh.
FAHMI
Fahmi is my best friend since we were in high school until today. This year he got Akosombo, Toblerone and one key ring from Dubai. Key ring wasn’t on my list actually but I remember he gave me a very cute Mickey key ring one day. So, 1-1 right? :)
MBAK IKA
I respect Ika a.k.a Mbak Ika, a mom of two who always has time to see me when I come back home. She always try to find quality time to spend even when she is busy doing her thing. She just like my own sister who care about me since I live outside country. So, when she asked me to bring fridge magnets I grabbed some when I was in DBX, not only that because I thought Akosombo for woman would be lovely for her. O yes, I should thanks to LINE by keeping me close with Mbak Ika since I use my BB for phone only :) You will see her hilarious-posed here :P
LUKKI
She was my junior in school but wait, she grows so fast!. She is one of young talented award-winning movie director, was it cool? Yeah!. When I and Putri agreed to meet this year, we invited Lukki as well so I thought small souvenirs for her was a good idea. O yes, hope she has a chance to South Korea for her scholarship in movie next year!
Happy I could share simply love when I came back home last month. I’m gonna say thanks for all friends above due to they could take time to see me. I would love to see another new friends this year but sadly as I said time was my challenge. I had some of friends that got souvenirs as well I couldn’t attached here cause I couldn’t meet them :( but hopefully they were happy with the souvenirs. I felt that those souvenirs are so much better than what I brought last year, don’t you think so? You can compare with this.
Alright, I think I talk to much on this post but I’m gonna keep this post as one of my fav post on this blog. Hmm how about next year? I can’t promise myself to bring those souvenirs again EXCEPT my spirit says contrarily. Lets see.
goofydreamer 