Thursday, December 4th
Good day. December 4th. Hopefully, this would finally be the day of departure.
Visa Pickup Day
I had a 2:00 PM appointment to pick up my Ghana visa, which left me with some time to do other things beforehand.
I checked out of my hotel, paid 5,000 CFA for the lost key—which is a normal thing—and got ready to move on.
The Treichville Market
I drove down toward the center of town to visit the Treichville Market, which is absolutely humongous.
I even managed to find my way to the second floor, which was surprisingly hard to access. Once you know where it is, everything becomes easy.
That’s where you can have a dress or a suit made fairly easily. I didn’t do that since I didn’t have the time or much interest, but there wasn’t much I could think of that you couldn’t buy or find in that marketplace.
St. Paul Cathedral
Next, it was time to visit St. Paul Cathedral. It was only completed in 1985, so it’s a very modern cathedral.
There was a service going on, so I didn’t go to the front, but I sat in the back and observed for a little while.
Embassy Uncertainty
I arrived at the embassy about half an hour before my appointment and was told that I might have to come back on Monday.
It turned out there were equipment issues, and they hadn’t been able to print the visa stickers needed for passports.
Waiting It Out
The excitement never seems to end. I decided to wait and told them it was no problem, hoping they could get things working.
Meeting a Fellow Traveler
While waiting, I met Mary, an American-Italian independent traveler.
We had a short conversation and even considered riding together, but she was fine on her own. She was trying to get a visa at no cost and wanted it instantly, but she was given the same treatment as everyone else.
She ended up needing to apply online and might get her visa on Tuesday if she was lucky.
Visa Approved
Eventually, the waiting paid off. Around 2:00 PM, my passport came back with the Ghana visa inside.
That meant I was finally free to head toward Ghana.
Heading Out Slowly
I decided to take small steps toward Ghana, since I had a reservation coming up on Sunday in Accra, which gave me plenty of time.
Leaving Abidjan
Since it was already 2:00 PM when I left Abidjan, I chose to head to Assini Mafia for the night.
Assini Mafia
The name might not sound promising, but Assini is known as a place where people go to enjoy the beaches—or at least that’s what I had read.
It was a few hours’ drive and a pretty one at that, lined with coconut and palm trees, including palm oil palms.
The drive was relaxed, with not many people on the road—just the occasional massive pothole you definitely want to avoid.
Finding a Place to Stay
I had already booked a hotel, which worked out well.
Most of the hotels in Assini are on the inlet, or lagoon as they call it, and many of them charge between $200 and $500—or even more—per night, which was well out of my range.
Instead, I found a place in town for around $70, including breakfast, and it even had a swimming pool.
Payment Reality
One thing I look for is the ability to pay online with a credit card, which avoids having to exchange cash.
That’s what I thought I had done when booking the Jade Hotel, but it turned out they couldn’t process credit cards on arrival and required cash payment instead.
Luckily, I keep buffers, so it wasn’t a problem—just not what was advertised online.
Evening in Assini
Assini turned out to be an interesting little town.
I drove around a bit to get familiar with the area, then went out walking in the evening. Towns really come alive at night when it’s cooler.
Dinner and Reflection
I settled for a nice sandwich for dinner, which was made fresh while I waited.
All in all, it was a really good experience.
Closing Thoughts
That’s it for today. More tomorrow.
Thanks for coming along.
