A woman has driven 3,700 miles from London to Lagos in less than three months, passing through 17 countries during her epic drive. Pelumi Nubi, 29, set off from the UK on January 24 in her purple Peugeot 107, nicknamed Lumi.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in Britain, Ms Nubi shared her journey with her 300,000 Instagram followers.
The travel blogger said she passed countries including France, Spain, Morocco and Ghana in a bid to inspire “solo black female travellers”, encourage people to move outside their comfort zones and prove such adventures are possible.
She announced that she had arrived in Lagos on Wednesday (April 10) to a huge welcome led by Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The British High Commission in Nigeria also congratulated Ms Nubi, who is now Lagos State Government’s brand ambassador.
Governor Sanwo-Olu presented her with a brand new car, with the state offering to cover the costs of her travels.
Ms Nubi wrote on Instagram: “This is getting too much! Lagos my city. Lord how did we get here? Thank You Jesus. Meet the newest brand ambassador of tourism in Lagos state.
“Grateful to His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State Jide Sanwo-Olu, for the warm reception, generous gift of all expenses on my London to Lagos trip paid for, new car with my customised plate number, a beautiful home in Lagos!
“Truly, God’s blessings overflow! Congratulations to us guys!!!! Lumi now has a sister”.
Ahead of the trip, Ms Nubi told her followers that to the best of her knowledge she would be the first black woman to make the journey, but it wasn’t about breaking records.
She said: “It’s about showing the world that ‘impossible’ is just a word, especially when you’ve got enough grit and determination. I can’t fully describe my emotions right now but I am just so excited to finally put it out there – no matter the outcome”.
Pelumi told CNN Travel during her roadtrip: “When I crossed into Morocco, I literally broke down crying. And it wasn’t sadness.
“It was just this overwhelming feeling of wow, I overcomplicated this process in my head. I really thought it would be more difficult than it was. And it made me wonder what else in my life I was overthinking”.
She told the same publicationt the trip was particularly meaningful to her as it linked the two places she calls home.
While Ms Nubi reached her final destination, the trip was dogged by some setbacks, including breakdowns and a collision which saw her receive hospital treatment.
She took some time to recover from that ordeal, but then got straight back on the road. Despite such setbacks, Ms Nubi appeared to remain positive.
In one video posted on Instagram after a breakdown, she said: “This is mad she just stopped working… I’m not going to lie this is really stressful”.
She added: “One minute I am 30 mins away from crossing the borders into my second to final country, and the next, it feels like it might never happen.
“But as usual, giving up is never an option. We must keep pushing through for when we get knocked down 7 times, we rise the 8th”.
Ms Nubi was welcomed at the end of her journey by her parents, who she thanked for their support. She told her followers: “It’s a wrap, everyone! We made it! London to Lagos is officially completed. I had a fantastic night’s sleep, no exaggeration.
“Huge thanks to everyone who came out yesterday. I genuinely appreciate your support and don’t take any of it for granted. Thank you, Lagos. Thank you, Nigeria!”
