Rainbolt Travel Diary

In this blog, the Rainbolt Family will leave the walls of the AIS compound and journey out for a weekend. They will not travel to another country or a secluded beach resort. They will, in fact, travel 150 miles into the heart of Nigeria to the city of Ibadan.

The Rainbolt family will be joined in this overland adventure by Jim and Melody Vincent, Joseph and Mary Teague, and their fearless driver Amechi. The brave travelers will battle heat because the van’s air conditioning isn’t working. They will battle boredom as the van sits in Lagos traffic for hours. They will be amazed by an expressway that looks like the longest truck stop in the world. Their noses will be assaulted by the smells of burning vehicles and small brush fires.

The Nigerian Field Society organized the trip to Ibadan and the IITA campus. The IITA campus is a research facility specializing in tropical agriculture. The campus is huge with a lake and a nature preserve. It was an opportunity to see a little countryside and feel like there was some space around all of us. We would also take a trip to a small village north of Ibaden known for its weaving and have a chance to do a short hike.

The caravan left Friday afternoon and battled the Lagos traffic along the Ibaden expressway, which at times seemed like a parking lot for every lorry in Western Africa. We arrived at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, campus before sunset. After a quick check in the group found time to sit outside and share travel stories and living in Nigeria stories while we waited for dinner.

After an early breakfast, we left Ibadan for a trip to the weaving center of Iseyin. Young boys were carrying out the village traditions on their great-grandfather’s looms. With hands sending the shuttle flying back and forth and feet moving rhythmically up and down the weavers worked on producing bands of woven cloth; and we worked on taking as many pictures as possible. From the looms, we followed the process backwards to see the yarn stretched and dyed, and then the finished product was pounded with wooden mallets to make it shine. A trip to a small, dark building on the outskirts of the market provided everyone an opportunity to purchase meaningful souvenirs.

An added bonus in Iseyin was the opportunity to watch the local pot maker turn scrap metal into cookware. The process which included a charcoal blast furnace kept at high temperatures with a bicycle wheel bellows, a large supply of sand to use as a mold, and the on-looking eyes of the whole neighborhood showcased the resourcefulness of the Nigerian people.

For those of us who had been cooped up in Lagos for the last few months the trip from Ieysin to Ado-Awaiye was a soothing view of open land, big sky, and monolithic inselbergs. The climb of one of Yorubaland's most famous inselbergs gave all of us a chance to stretch our legs, work up a sweat, and develop an appetite for lunch. The view from top was amazing with the green forest and rust metal village roofs of Oyo state visible for miles.

Many of us found our way to the poolside when we returned to the IITA. It was a wonderful way to wash the trail dirt of our bodies and the snack bar provided a multitude of ways to wash the dust out of our throats.

On Sunday, we took advantage of a leisurely departure time to explore the IITA grounds, which include a lake, agricultural research fields, and a preserved section of natural habitat complete with thick growths of bamboo. Then once again we piled into our cars and set off to explore the city of Ibadan. The kids on the tour enjoyed wondering through the former British Colony Headquarters and the adults once again gave their cameras a workout. Next on the tour was a visit to the Ibadan History Museum and its excellent display of Yoruba musical instruments, pottery, and masquerades. A special treat awaited the group at the next stop. What was supposed to be an architectural highlight turned into musical celebration. The art gallery, designed by one of the first African architects to break from European traditions and incorporate African design elements into his work, hosted a performance of local musicians and dancers.