I was looking to speak with people about how traveling has led to frustration for them, when i found Zara*, She talks about how her 1 years old nephew suffered the heat that came from the AC in the operator vehicle she trusted
This resulted from the most expensive trip i have experienced, When i think if traveling my regular route is either Benin to Imo or Benin to Lagos and for every trip i have made in the past, my family and i keep up with the most important detail. Tier 1 operators, fully air-conditioned, top brand name and quite a lot i have encountered more bad experiences with this transport operator compared to regular transport operators.
In my most recent stressful trip, It was a trip from Lagos to Benin my expectation was high since with was my most trusted and reliable transport operator, I have traveled with the operator severally and also recommended this particular operator stood out for everyone, but now it got to my turn and this operator fell my hands My sister, her one-year-old son, and I were riding with a transport operator I trusted implicitly. The morning was uneventful; we left home on time, boarded the bus without any hitches, and settled in, expecting nothing but the usual comfort.
It was meant to be smooth sailing.
Then came the request that changed everything. Someone asked for the air conditioning to be turned on, and at first, it seemed fine. But within 20 minutes, it became clear something was horribly wrong. Instead of cool, refreshing air, the bus became a mobile sauna.
Picture this: a bus without windows you can open, a one-year-old crying inconsolably, and every passenger sweating buckets. My nephew’s cries intensified as the heat grew unbearable, leaving my sister and me flustered. We stripped him down to his underwear and fanned him desperately, our clothes sticking to us like cling wrap.
People shouted at the driver—excuse me, the “pilot”—but the man had nothing to offer except vague promises and a stubborn refusal to stop for repairs.
Our first real respite came when we reached Ore for a food break. Stepping out of the bus and into the open air felt like breaking free from an oven. It was the sweetest relief, albeit temporary.
When the journey resumed, so did the torment. No AC. No fresh air. Just relentless heat. By the time we rolled into Benin, my family and I were among the first to leap off the bus. It felt like escaping captivity.
Looking back now, it’s hard not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. But in that moment? It was an ordeal. A trip I’ll never forget, for all the wrong reasons.
**Some names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.
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