December 23rd – An Early Start Toward Calabar
Good day. December 23rd. I left early again at 7:00 o’clock because I wanted to make it to Calabar. The main reason was that I needed to get the sticker in my passport for the Cameroon visa. I had already received my electronic Cameroon visa, but according to what I had read, it still needed to be physically shown in my passport.
It was still a four-hour endeavor to make it to Calabar. Along the way, I picked up an older couple who were heading to some kind of religious conference in Calabar, and they made great company.
Roadblocks, Police, and Endless Trucks
The couple didn’t hesitate to chew out a few policemen who hinted at wanting money just for stopping me. They gave them a full lecture about being respectful toward foreigners and didn’t leave a single stone unturned. As a result, I didn’t pay anything that day.
The road itself was intense. There were many sections where you had to really finagle your way through—big trucks everywhere. Tanker trucks, old trucks, new trucks—just trucks as far as the eye could see. It’s a pretty intense place to drive through.
Arriving in Calabar and a Small Treat
I made it to Calabar sometime between noon and 1:00 p.m., which seemed to put me on schedule to still get the visa handled and possibly make my way toward Ikok in Cameroon. Well… maybe not so fast.
Before heading to the consulate, I was treated to a Zamzalova cappuccino—an instant cappuccino the couple knew exactly where to find—along with some nice egg dishes. That took care of lunch.
Waiting at the Consulate
When I arrived at the consulate, the person who was supposed to take care of what I needed wasn’t there yet, so I had to wait. There was a soccer game playing on a screen. I don’t really enjoy soccer, but that’s just what came with the waiting.
As time passed, it became clear that my journey to Ikok would likely take three or four hours. If I didn’t make it there by daylight, my entire schedule would be off by several days. I needed to be there for the next day’s convoy into Cameroon, which is required for security reasons.
Plans Change Again
I don’t know all the details about the convoy system, but it’s well known that you need to be part of one. I have no issue with that—life happens—but it was clear I wasn’t going to make it that day.
The next opportunity for the convoy was on Saturday, and I didn’t even know if the Christmas period would affect that schedule. At that point, my plans officially changed.
That meant I didn’t need to do any more driving that day. I just needed to stay where I was and wait until the consulate staff member showed up.
Visa Sorted and Settling In
After I finally got the visa sticker in place, I asked whether I could have skipped the electronic visa and just done everything in person. The answer was no—I would have been told to apply online first anyway, wait the five or six days, and then still come back for the sticker. So in that sense, I actually lucked out.
I found a place to stay—the US Wig Hotel in Calabar—and it seems like a nice enough city. At this point, it’s just a matter of waiting it out.
I booked two nights and felt pretty good about the situation, despite the extra three days it’s going to take to get into Cameroon. But what else is new in this place?
Thanks for staying with me.
