VISIT TO OMU RESORTS & ZOO IN LAGOS WITH MY FAMILY
Preparations started the previous day, which was the 9th of September 2022 to get things ready and packed for the big visit to Omu resort and Zoo, which is located on the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria. Around 9 pm on the 9th of September, I drove out with my siblings to Blenco supermarket to get spring rolls, tomato sauce ingredients, drinks, and other stuff that we would later use to prepare jollof rice and small chops for the small camping with my family the next day.
Things were pretty straightforward at the supermarket with my caterer sister picking most of the things she would need to prepare the aforementioned. We got back home and she headed straight to the kitchen, while I tasked my siblings to iron their clothes and we enjoyed some PS5 games afterward. After the kitchen tasks, my siblings helped to pack most of the food and drinks, while others continued with the PS5 games.
We slept at about midnight and woke up very early on the 10th of September to prepare for our visit to the resort and this is where things kicked off in earnest. The pot of jollof rice was dished to small take-away packs and the other chops/drinks were packed accordingly, whilst we took turns to use the bathroom. I watched movies in between these tasks and proceeded to have a shower and then dress myself up for the visit.
At about 9:30 am, we were done with preparations, then my elder sibling put a call across to a family brother that would join us to visit the resort. At about 10 am, we drove out and had to wait for a few minutes at a junction for him to have ample time to catch up with us. I took the extra time after I parked the vehicle to go to a nearby supermarket to get some plastic disposable cups and spoons, then proceeded to join my siblings much after.
Our family brother arrived shortly after we arrived and then we proceeded to the resort at about 10:30 am. The journey was not pretty straightforward as I had to drive through the crazy road of Epe, known for its bad road structure and multiple potholes that were visible on both sides of the main road. We drove for about 45minutes, jostling past different traffic jams at various junctions, before heading to the road that led to the resort.
To be frank, I was bemused at the state of the roads to this popular resort in Lagos. It is badly riddled with huge holes almost through the entire 2-3kilometre lane and sandwiched between smelly gutter like thick mud that gave an awful appearance and feels about the whole place. Well, after a few steering swerves and brake presses, we got to our destination and were met with some chilly breeze coming from the lake inside the resort.
We proceeded to the waiting counter and got the list of different prices on various packages. There was deluxe, premium, and basic package which ranged from N7,000 to N23,000 per individual. I and my family brother scrambled around the best packages to choose from and what was pocket friendly for a few minutes, before arriving at the package that would serve all 9 individuals that were part of our entourage. We were billed about N115,000 (tax inclusive) for all 9 persons before proceeding to get our food packs and gear for the experience.
At exactly 11:34 am we were inside the resort and proceeded to unpack our bags and small luggage. My elder sibling emptied the bags carrying the food as she carefully dished out small portions of Nigerian jollof rice on the plastic disposables that I bought previously. The kids amongst us were first given food and spring rolls to eat before the few adults on the list. After a little over 10 minutes, everyone was eating and vibing to 'Buga' by Kiss Daniel, which was being played in the background by the disk jockey for the day.
I brought out some fresh juice and a few bottles of red wine and proceeded to use a corkscrew to open the wine bottles. I took out a handful of plastic disposable cups and handed one to each individual seated at our table and took turns filling their cups to the brim. Some persons preferred the Chivita nectar flavored juice, while others went for Chamdor and Valletta wines which were available. I made sure everyone got exactly the brand of drink they wanted, and the groove was in smooth earnest.
Refreshments took another 20mins before we headed to the zoo to see some animals that we would only naturally be able to see on cable television, Nat Geo Wild. We were greeted inside the zoo by Spotted Hyenas that were moving from one edge of their cage to another, then the huge Python snakes and Cobra. The snakes were basking in the day's sunlight and their skins seemed like they glowed differently from various rays of the sun.
We proceeded to the Ostrich area afterward and I must confess, it was a beautiful sight to behold. We all were careful not to get too close to the iron railings because apparently, the Ostrich had used its beak to puncture a part of it, and the hole there was quite visible. We took turns taking selfies of the very tall animal while feigning certain gestures to arouse its attention. I've never seen an Ostrich live before, so it was quite an experience for me. The other caged railings had the Monkeys, Crocodiles, Striped Hyenas, Zebra, Porcupine, and the best of them all, the Lioness and Lion.
We took different pictures of the Lion pride and proceeded to the bird's area where we saw different types of birds ranging from the Peacock, Guinea fowl, the Sparrow, and others. We didn't waste much time there and quickly headed for the exit doors of the zoo. The experience took less than an hour to accomplish before we moved to the games and recreational area of the resort.
There was Skiing, Quad biking, Swimming, amusement rides, Go Karting, and lots more to enjoy in this area. I participated in one of the sky rides and decided I had to meet a few people that also came to the resort. I moved around and found a few people that were also touring and had short conversations with them about their experience at the resort. After this, I moved to the games area where I played table Tennis with my family brother. I was a bit rusty, so my serves weren't direct, and neither did I play with sublime confidence as it's been almost half a decade since I played this game.
At the back of the Tennis area was an Aquarium, which hosted various types of fish ranging from the Tilapia fish to the Agnatha and others. It was a clear sight and calm music was played in the background of this section of the resort and a chilly AC to keep the place well ventilated. At this point, we were very close to the end of our vacation, and I took the time to sit on a bench across the open field while watching my siblings play energetically in different sections of the resort.
I was sitting there when one of my younger siblings rushed to me and gleefully told me the zoo keepers wanted to feed the Lion pride and asked us to come to watch. I was excited and rushed back into the zoo like almost every other person present at the resort. Two Goat kids were thrown into the lion area and their cages were opened as they rushed out and pounced on their meal with great vigor. The Lioness didn't waste much time in killing its share of the meal, whilst the Lion took over 15 minutes before it could start devouring its own. It was a pleasant experience to watch as onlookers brought out their smartphones and captured the entire scene.
We bought some ice cream at about 4 pm that day and decided to call it a day after some basketball games directly opposite the entrance of the zoo. It was time to take group pictures and we all made sure we took pictures to match the day's delight. Everything was well taken and also shared on our various social media handles as we trudged out of the resort with brimming smiles and a lasting recollection of the whole experience.
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