Hello everyone, am glad to be among such a great community. Am new here so this is actually my first post. Happy i will get to talk about my weekend activities.
I come from a part of the world, Nigeria where the WEEKEND is not taken for granted, but in words and action. Its the two days and a half where people especially those in government establishments get to relieve the stress of the working days in preparation for another new working week days.
Weekend starts here every friday evening and runs until sunday evening and every worker always looks forward to these jolly good days of rest and merry making. Parties, picnics, clubbing, weddings and gaming is among the top activities on the list carried out during the weekends here.
But for me, the weekend goes differently, way out of the noise filled weekend activities of most people, mine goes more quietly but believe me, its most fun filled, captivating and soothing to the human body and soul. Its something i loved during even as a kid but back then, it was limited to boyhood pranks, games and the locations were limited but right now its done on a professional level and there is absolutely no restriction to my movements. Man! I go as free as the wind! Professionally!
Am a wildlifer. I studied Forestry and Wildlife Management and currently serving at the forestry commission in one of the states in my country, Ekiti state to be precise. I happen to come here at a time the commission is trying to mark out sites with captivating features to declare as protected zones and ecotourism sites. This state is located on the hilly part of the west and most of it land areas are hilly and rocky. There is hardly any plain land around except those that has been touched by the hands of man.
Now, taking a survey of all these proposed tourism sites are the activities that take up my weekends. And most of my working days but most of all my weekends. And i really love it. We start by loading of our camping backpack, making sure we have all the necessary things ready for the trip, mostly hiking since like i said, the areas are mostly hilly and rocky. Our kits range from our sleeping kits down to food and water, cameras and binoculars, sleeping mats and blankets, camping tents, foodstuffs and beverages, water bottles, pots, jackets, GPS, maps, first aid kit and a lot more.
Most times we do trek for hours before getting to these sites since the paths are not easily reached using vehicles and what's more, so we can take in every flora and fauna as we proceed. It's sometimes a very tiring experience, the trekking but the prospect of a beautiful site ahead keeps us going. We also try to arrive just before sundown so we can get a good place to camp for the night and also prepare our evening meals. We try doing this very early at dusk so as to have enough time so as to listen to the calls of nocturnal birds, mammals and insects, undisturbed.
On getting close to the site, we study the area and select a site for our camp and how to arrange our tents and where to build up a campfire.
At the first crack of dawn, we gear up, take what is necessary and move in to the site. For this week, my visit is to the Arinta waterfall. A potential protected site and an ecotourism center. We are yet to round up our survey as it is still early but trust me, i know it will be worth my weekend.
Have a fun filled weekend everyone.