Celtic Rover
The last visa ….. but one
We spent last night in the car park of a beach bar in central Lome the capital of Togo, not our usual style but options were limited and we had to go to the Embassy of Gabon first thing today to get our visas. Before the Coup Gabon was visa free today it cost us £230 to get our visas ouch !
The good thing is we were well prepared with copies of everything needed, photos and patience so we could get the visas by 3pm, having exhausted the sights of Lome while waiting for the processing, it was 34oC in the car at midday but we found a french cafe (nice coffee machine unused Nescafé powder and hot water served)
However we got out of the city and headed along the coast to a little village, we are parked up under the coconut trees on the beach, pasta has been made, tea and chocolate and good music keeping us company.
I like this sort of camping as we are in the village but we asked permission of the neighbours (Carlos has the house beside us and came over to chat) and we bought some drinks at the bar so everyone knows who we are and apart mild curiosity and a bit of chat we are left alone and feel very safe.
It’s important to realise that often the villagers are concerned about who we are and what we are doing, so when we first park up we go out of our way to say hello, shake hands and politely ask permission to stay as tourists for just one night, once the ice is broken we nearly always get a warm welcome
Off to Benin tomorrow, all visas that we need to get to Namibia safely in passports
Darn I have just remembered we still have to get Congo visa in Yaounde, never the less
A good day
