Wednesday, December 3rd
Good day. December 3rd. I realized I had omitted to mention that yesterday, on Tuesday, I also received my Togo visa.
Receiving the Togo Visa
Like the Guinea visa, it was emailed or WhatsApped to me. I’ll need to have a printed copy with me when I reach the border. We’ll see how that goes, because with Guinea we eventually had to get it placed in the passport anyway.
Submitting the Ghana Visa
I was then able to submit my Ghana visa application and go to the embassy at 12:30. That process turned out to be relatively easy.
All I needed was a copy of my passport and my yellow fever vaccination card. With that, I paid 55,000 CFA. I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s about $100.
Fast-Track Processing
The fee was for a 24-hour turnaround, and I was told I could pick up the Ghana visa tomorrow between 2:00 and 4:00.
If all goes well, I’ll leave town right away and head in the direction of Accra, Ghana.
A Surprise Zoo Visit
That left me with some extra time, so I ended up going to the zoo—of all places.
It’s a small zoo not far from where I’m staying. The property is triangular and basically consists of a single alley with animals on both sides.
Animals Big and Small
There were a few different kinds of monkeys, parrots, and crocodiles—actually caiman, since they’re the smaller type.
They also had a few lions, an elephant, and some kind of camel. There was even a small area for kids’ entertainment, which makes sense given the size of the place.
Domesticated Animals Too
In addition to the wild animals, they had donkeys, chickens, and even a few turkeys. Domesticated animals mixed in with everything else.
It was interesting to see it all and get a sense of how animals are treated here.
An Expensive Cappuccino
After that, I stopped by a place called Second Cup. As soon as I see an opportunity to grab an espresso, it’s usually a good idea.
This time, though, it was a bit of a mistake. They were charging 4,000 CFA for a cappuccino, while I’ve been getting double espressos elsewhere for about 200 CFA.
Worth Trying Once
I still had one, just to see why it was so expensive. I ended up having a good conversation with the people there, and they were enthusiastic about checking out the website and talking about different things.
Back to the Sausage Stand
In the evening, I once again found my way back to the sausage stand for dinner.
A Lost Hotel Key
What wasn’t so great was realizing that the long pants I wore to the embassy—trying to be a bit more respectful than last time—had a tiny hole in the pocket.
That hole was holding my hotel room key, which means the key ended up somewhere along the way. I have no idea where that somewhere is.
Enjoying Tranquil Residences
Overall, I really enjoyed staying at Tranquil Residences and got to know Francis, the manager from Nigeria, a little better.
Sometimes it’s good to stay in one place a bit longer. I also enjoy walking around the neighborhood, even at night.
Evenings in the Neighborhood
A lot of people are out at night just walking around—not doing anything special—eating, drinking, and watching football on TV.
Football here, of course, not soccer.
Looking Ahead
Thanks for coming along. Hopefully, we’ll be in another town tomorrow.
