December 29 – A Productive Start
Hey, December 29th. First thing in the morning, I had to book two nights at the hotel and then go find a place to service the car. I stopped by a place called Total Energies, which is basically a gas station but also has a café-style setup that serves croissants and sometimes even espresso. That was my kind of place.
Car Service and a Lucky Break
There was one about 15 minutes away from the hotel. I went there around 10 o’clock, just like the lady had told me the day before, and met Bastian, the manager. As luck would have it, the bay that was needed was open and the mechanic was available right away. My lucky day.
I drove the car onto the bay, they got started immediately, and I could enjoy an espresso and a croissant while waiting. Next door, there was a tire shop, so that person was called in, the tire was removed, and he took it with him to get fixed. Even though everything took a while, it all worked out smoothly.
Discovering a Fuel Issue
I noticed some diesel on the rear springs, and the mechanic explained that this meant one of my tanks was leaking at the top, causing fuel to spray onto the springs. Fixing it properly would be complicated, so the workaround is to keep less fuel in that tank and use it first. That way, it’s manageable and not a major issue.
The people at this Total Energies service station were very nice. Both they and others I’d met the day before had recommended places like this, and it all worked out well.
Trouble with My Phone
After that, I needed to deal with an issue with my phone, since the internet wasn’t working even though I had a SIM card. I found a place online called AppleCare237, which turned out to be absolutely nothing.
Eventually, I ended up at an appliance store where a guy named François really helped me out. He even offered to come with me to sort out the phone issue.
A Police Stop Along the Way
Not even half a kilometer down the road, we were stopped by the police. So far, I’ve found the police in Cameroon to be quite friendly, but these guys wanted to see my insurance. The problem was that I hadn’t been able to buy any yet.
When I entered Cameroon through Ikok, there was no insurance available, and the day before in Douala had been a Sunday. After some explaining, a bit of compromise, and probably some “beer money,” they finally let me go and returned all my papers.
Fixing the Phone and Finding Insurance
François was amazing through all of this. He took me to a shop where they figured out I just needed a different SIM card. They charged a small consultancy fee, which felt fair.
Back at the appliance store, François somehow found an insurance agent he knew and called her. She could help, and all I needed was an address. It turned out to be roughly on the way back to the hotel.
Finally Getting Covered
After asking a few people for directions and walking several extra blocks, I finally found the office. I was relieved when I walked in, thinking the problem was solved. It was around 3:30, and they were supposed to close at 4, but it wasn’t that simple.
There were a lot of phone calls and about an hour and a half of uncertainty before she finally started typing everything up. In the end, I walked out with insurance.
Wrapping Up a Successful Day
The downside was that even though I only wanted insurance for two weeks, the minimum was two months, costing about $245. It’s only third-party insurance, not coverage for my own vehicle, but that’s how it goes.
Still, I managed to get the phone sorted, the car serviced, and the insurance handled all in one day. It was a really good day. I went back to the hotel, had a small dinner, and wrapped things up feeling very satisfied.
Another day with lots of good things happening. Thanks for coming along.
