Traveling to the village often from the big city where my family live is not what is achievable sometimes because of high cost of transportation. This limited our travel to once every few years. I loved traveling to the village because Grandma would pamper me and I get to eat her delicious African meals which was hardly found in the city. The village was also calmer and the people over there are more friendly than in the city where everyone minded their businesses. I always look forward to traveling to the village and whenever my parents made it known that we would be traveling in a particular year, I am always the happiest person in the universe.
"Now that you are now mature and working, you can start saving up for your travels, you can travel to the village next year if you wish", father said to me. What! did you really mean what you just said? I asked my father and he confirmed his approval.
I went to my mother, thanked and gave her a big hug because I knew this could only be possible through her influence.
I said to mother, "it's been five years now since we traveled to the village, Grandma has really grown old, i would really love to go to her"
Then mother replied that she would also love to travel, she has missed her mother dearly and would love to see her before she dies but things keeps getting tougher, the transportation cost to travel to the village is five times more and for a family of five, that's a lot of money. "I would rather send food items to them", mother said.
Then I told her, but what if I go alone to the village, mother freaked out and said
"How on earth do you think we would allow you to travel alone on such a long journey "
I reminded her that I was nineteen years old now and no longer the baby they take me for. I assured her I was capable of traveling, all I need is for them to give me directions and that's all. Besides I traveling with my own money that I have saved up. I spoke to mother and begged her to convince father. After several deliberations, father agreed and said i can go. I was indeed really happy, i started making plans for the trip, bought some new clothes and shoes, i need to look a city boy. I also got some stuff for my grandmother and my cousins who stay in the village. I just couldn't wait for the month of December, that is the set date for my trip.
I went to the bus park to make enquiries about the current cost of transportation, I compared prices and realized that night bus was way cheaper than the day bus. I went home and informed my parents about my enquiries at the bus park and that I would go with the night bus since it's cheaper.
Father objected and said I must go on day bus or cancel the travel, when i asked why?
He said "because traveling on a night bus is a recipe for disaster ." I didn't understand what father meant, so i went to mother to plead with her and she explained to me about the dangers of traveling at night and said she doesn't feel good about it because it doesn't always end well, infant it's a bad idea, and I don't support either.
I decided to get the day ticket for my trip to make them happy, unknown to them, i had other plans. The day came for my trip and I was escorted to the park. I hugged mother and father and said goodbye as I entered the bus. Immediately they left, I came down, waited for another passenger to come and sold my ticket. Then i went and paid for a night bus ticket, this helped me save alot of extra money.
"I will have fun in the village with this extra money " I thought to myself. I waited there in the park until evening for the trip, I didn't dare going back home unless I want my trip canceled. Time came for us to start the trip and we all got into the bus, I saw young guys my age and some older people, they all seemed friendly and this ride would be fantastic, I thought.
The trip started and in about 4hrs, the bus stopped abruptly in a strange place, there were noises outside and the next thing we heard was gunshot. I became scared, what's going on I screamed. It's armed robbers one of the passenger said, we have been ambushed another replied. I became really scared and remembered what mother and father said about traveling at night, they said it was a recipe for disaster, that the outcome isn't always pleasant but I didn't listen, what will I do now, I can't let the robbers take my phone and my money.
I hid my phone and money in my shoes, and held on to my bag tightly, the door of the open was opened ajar and we were asked to come down and lie down flat, they took all our valuables, when they couldn't find my phone, they took my bag and went off. The bag contained my new clothes and shoes I cried, but it's better they took it than my phone, I needed my phone for communication and direction.
When we were all calmed and moving again, i called mother and told her about what happened, my father was really furious "you've learnt your lesson the hard way" he said. I apologized for my wrongs, I promised to obey their instructions next time. We finally got to our destination, i was so happy to find my cousins waiting for me at the park, apparently mother had called them to pick me up from the park. I enjoyed the fresh air in the village and gave Grandma a big hug. She was already really old, yet still strong, she was so happy to see me and I even felt happier when she gave me my favorite meal she had prepared for me.
I enjoyed my visit to the village and would definitely do it again.
