Another country, another visa.
As much as I tried to prepare everything for this excursion, some things are a little more fluid than I expected.
Western Union, anyone?
So, looking at this map you might think there are plenty of places to pick up cash, right?
Wrong. 100% of the places on google maps are no longer in existence. That was my Sunday night when I rode in, thinking that a quick walk to one of the locations would allow me to get cash to pay for my hotel – wrong again. One location was even listed in the old sports complex.
If anyone needs a site for a post-apocalyptic movie, this is it! It’s the giant green circle on the map above btw.
Went back to my room (these were taken the next morning because it was too dark btw). Not bad, but expensive for my trip – $47 a night. This was actually the cheapest place I could find in town. Turns out, Gabon doesn’t manufacture or grow anything, so they have to import everything and inflation is off the charts. Whatever, I’ll be out of here on two days, right???
Room with a view – of the “city” at least.
The super awesome person working at the front desk didn’t seem to care that I only had enough money for the first night.. and they made me a sandwich! Jambon et fromage.
Figured I’d get some rest and try again tomorrow.
Daily Diary
You’re really only getting one.
On the Hunt for a Western Union
Well, first by some more of the Western Union “locations” that were apparently “verified by the company less than 9 months ago” according to google. My ass.
One was a mosque.
The other was a preschool – didn’t take a picture in front of the place for obvious reasons.
This one was nothing.
This one was just a wall in a mall.
I gave up and decided I would try to the service later that Jan and Silke recommended, called “Remitly”.
Monday – Off to the Cameroonian Embassy
Headed over the to embassy to start the paperwork process all over again. Once you lose one transit visa, they all fall like dominoes. Whatever, I never actually got a response to my visa for Nigeria, so all roads lead there anyway.
No phones allowed inside, unless you ask?
This was the list of requirements. Well, until they ask you for something else! Basically, the list was:
- Passport with at least 6 months before expiration
- Copy of yellow fever vaccination
- Copy of hotel reservation
- Copy of Gabon visa
- Letter of invitation from hotel or national
- Guarantee of repatriation, basically a copy of your bank statement
- And, as of 9/1 – a copy of a plane ticket to Cameroon even if you are not flying in
No problem. I’ll get the papers ready by 5pm, when they said they close, and I’ll probably have to wait 48-72 hours. Just a question on when the time starts.
Turns out, it doesn’t matter. The person who was handling my case was gone after 3PM. I asked to get my papers back that I had given earlier so I could keep them together and they didn’t care.
Tuesday – Back to the Embassy
Yeah, only one more trip this time! Dropped off my papers at 11AM, they said they would send me a message via WhatsApp on Friday. Fine.
I ended up sending myself money via Remitly. It was easy to use, and I saw one of the pickup locations was a bank around the corner.
Turns out, they have Western Union too. Grrrrr.
Got my cash, so off to the Carrefour to buy some food. It’s not easy finding street food or any cheap restaurants in this town.
Checked out the liquor section, no where near as cheap as the other countries.
Some of the best salt and vinegar chips I’ve ever had.
Got a nasty mosquito bit the night before. I really need to make sure I get them all in the room before I go to bed, although I can’t figure out where they are coming from!
Wednesday – Personal and Motorcycle Maintenance
Before I could get started on anything on my bike, I needed to get the mud and clay off. I walked by a car wash on one of my walks looking for a fruit stand and saw this one. I rode over.
This guys absolutely killed it! He washed my bike for 40 minutes, soap and all! I tipped him $5 and he was practically hugging me.
With my fresh wheels, I went back by the mall where I saw a place that had a bunch of people sitting outside.
It’s actually in the parking lot and there’s a Disney themed merry-go-round. Hilarious.
I hadn’t eaten anything other than the sandwich, bananas, and a granola bar since Sunday. Give me some protein! They had a burger special during happy hour and the music was pumping!
Went back and cleaned and oiled my chain. Check the tension and brakes – all good.
Needed to adjust the automatic oiler feeder. It was gunked with clay and mud.
Thursday – Exploring
Dropped of my brand-new bike at the hotel – can you believe that?
It’s never been cleaner.
I decided to do some exploring, which for me, is walking around and updating closed places on google maps. When Alex and I were in Ambato, I did the same and nearly had 200k views before we even left the town.
This was the only place that existed. Definitely going to have to give it a try!
Looks like someone already had the idea for “PresidentRx”, sorry Trump.
Some cool public art.
I walked nearly 8 miles and needed to get some work done.
EOD.
Friday – Mama Africa
It was a beautiful hot day. I was planning on a celebratory dinner since I was leaving on Saturday, but the call never came from the embassy. I rode over and the guy wasn’t there, but the person who help be originally told me they would send me a message tonight.
That’s a black kite in the distance… the bird that is.
Got a really good close-up with my phone somehow.
I rested and got some work done. The message from the embassy never came. That means I would be here until Tuesday – at the earliest!!! Crap.
Decided I would head out to Mama Africa just before dark for dinner.
Nyembwe! I am definitely getting that! The funny thing is that the hotel says that they have it every day, but whenever I asked, they say “it’s finished”. Been dying to try a version of the national dish – https://nationalfoods.org/recipe/national-dish-of-gabon-poulet-nyembwe/
The place was cool, and the people very friendly.
Finally! I can’t describe the immense flavor and the spin the chef put on it, but it was amazing. Definitely a top 5 fish dish I’ve ever had in my life. Yes, I said that. All of the components of the dish were there, just in different representations. The okra was part of the sauce/puree with palm butter, and a nice sweetness from the onion as well.
Doused the plantains in some habanero & birds-eye pepper sauce. I was sweating!
Went back to the hotel with a full stomach and crashed hard after a movie watch party with Shel – highlight of my day, every day!
Saturday – Beach
I tried to get up to the national park, but traffic was nuts due to construction and I didn’t have my gear on to go on the backroads.
Mapped out a little alley that had beach access and parked and walked.
I brought my trunks just in case.
There was zero chance I was getting in that water.
It was really bad.
I did manage to clip a photo of a part of the beach without garbage, just don’t zoom in.
The tide was coming in and the whole coastline up to the rocks in the distance was ripping. I decided against getting pulled out and lost at sea.
I decide to go back to my other spot for some food. I noticed before they had some local items on their menu.
Porcupine? Maybe next time.
I decided on the smoked mackerel and shrimp.
It was spicy and full of fresh greens.
Mixed in some rice and had many perfect bites.
Went back to the hotel and realized why my cell signal and data were better than the hotel’s.
There was a wedding reception the night before, the bride and groom leaving as I got in.
Watch party and off to sleep!
Sunday – Day of Rest
I need to just do nothing for a day, which was good because absolutely everything is closed on Sundays. I was talking to my family about them preparing a whole fish dinner and decided to seek one out for myself.
Other than some emails and repacking some stuff on my bike, I didn’t do squat.
Monday – Visa!!!
Got up at 6, decided to get some work done. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do for the next 3 days if I didn’t hear back from the embassy.
Well, well, well. At 9 the visa approval was sent over. The guy felt bad because he went home on Friday due to an illness.