First Full Day In Calabar

I got up and was tired. My sleep wasn't good at all. I was paying N4000 for this room and I was suffering. At least I didn't pay for the whole 4 days. It was already past 9:30am, though, and if I'm going to move today, I'm going to have act fast. I got dresses and headed out. The woman at the desk asked me how we were going to settle the payment. I asked her if she was aware that the air conditioner didn't work. She acted as if she didn't know and said they would look into it when the manager arrives. I told her that I wasn't sure if I would stay or not but I'd be back before noon either way. She didn't seem happy that I was dissatisfied and was planning to leave.

I headed up to toward the Paradise City hotel which has rooms that are more expensive that the original Nelbee prices in Lonely Planet but cheaper than their new gouging prices. I stopped at the Zoo Garden hotel the first of 2 hotels at the statue of Mary Slessor. The price was posted N5500. Too much. I explain to the desk man what I was doing and he started dropping the price. He came down to N3500 which is less than I was paying, but still more than I wanted to pay.

I went next door to the Palladium and asked about their rooms N3000 per night. Now we're talking. I said I might be back and headed up to the Paradise City. The Paradise City looked abandoned but I went in and it is open. But it didn't look like they have any customers. No stuff at the desk, no furniture in the lobby or common areas. And the rooms were N4000, but when I explained what I was doing and said I got a room for N3000 at the Palladium already lined up, He dropped to N3000 and they showed a very nice room.

So now I was set. I had two options at N3000. I headed back and told the woman I'd be checking out. The manager still wasn't there. I packed my stuff and loaded it up on my back and took my key out. Now the manager was there. I told her I was leaving because the air conditioner doesn't work and I need to find a place with AC. She said I could change rooms. Then I told her that I wouldn't mind switching rooms, but since I found 2 places that would give me rooms for N3000, I wouldn't be willing to go over that price. She was impressed by my legwork as I told her all the prices and how they all came down. The room they switched me to was normally N3600 but she gave it to me for N3000.

So I took my stuff and went back into the Nelbee and settled in a new room with a brand new air conditioner.

Then I slept for a while. I hadn't had a good sleep in a while. After a good nap, I was hot and thirsty. There was still no electricity so I decided to head to the Hotel Metropolitan. This hotel is the most expensive hotel in Calabar and I figured it would have and air conditioned bar with a TV and super-cold beers. I was right. They the Discovery Channel on for a while. Apparently in the African version of the Discovery Channel, according to the ads, Mythbusters and Survivorman are new series. The beer was only N400 plus taxes and tips that bring it up to N500. But for a large Star it isn't bad. And they have a happy hour from 6pm to 7pm where it's half price. After a while, all the employees came in and they switched the TV to Manchester City vs. Arsenal. They were a bit unhappy because the Chelsea vs. Newcastle was on at the same time and they would rather watch them both than choose one. A couple guys had N1000 riding on the results.

I headed home and rested a bit. Then I headed back up to a fast food place. They didn't have hamburgers or hot dogs yet, but they had a takeout shawarma place outside on their premises and I got a chicken shawarma for N500 which was OK, but not great. By the time I got back, the generator had started and my room was delightfully cool. I just stayed in and relaxed the rest of the night.

Sunday, November 23, 2008 8:42 Nigerian local time