Calabar, Nigeria - December 21, 1998

. OnHiatus.com > Journal 1 > Day Index > Journal Entry: December 21, 1998

Monday, December 21, 1998

Calabar, Nigeria

Calabar, Nigeria:

Latitude:	4° 57' 47" North
Longitude:	8° 20' 12" East
Altitude:	179 feet
From Seattle:	8700 miles
Lodging:	Hotel - Andy Guest House

Today's Travel:

Country:	Nigeria
Region:	Cross River
Weather:	Overcast

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Trip Stats to Date:

Day:	620
Linear Dist:	131265
Countries Visited:	45
Regions Visited:	180
More stats...
Hotels:	191
Friends / Family:	155
Camping:	67
Hostels:	145
Transit:	55
Other Lodging:	6
Beers:	2147
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Journal Entry:

Spent most of the day at the Cameroonian consulate getting visas. First had to write a letter requesting a visa, buy a 500 CFA revenue stamp, and turn it in. Then sometime later we get a form - one form - and we each need two copies, so it's across the street to get photocopies. Major hassle to get the man to take a ripped 50 N note (it's all we had) - first he said it was no good, then he said he'd take it, but he'd have to keep the 20 N change we were due so he could buy tape to repair it, then he claimed that since it was ripped the bank would only give him 30 N for it - when we started to walk out he gave in. Filled out the forms and turned them in with our passports. Elapsed time one hour. We're told we have to wait (we can't leave and then come back later). Sometime later it's upstairs to a different office to buy more revenue stamps (30,000 CFA - $60), wait some more, turn them in. Elapsed time two and half hours. Turn in the photos, wait some more, get the visas. Total time stuck in the consulate: four and a half hours!

Rest of the day was filled with getting some CFA changed to Naira so that we could pay for our hotel and eat. In the consulate we met a bunch of VSOs (British equivalent of the Peace Corps) who we met for beers later. We're going to try and fit four of them in the car tomorrow for a drive up to some falls.

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