0 miles.

I woke early this morning to avoid any queues at the Cameroon embassy. I took a taxi as wasn’t prepared to fight my way through the crazy Lagos traffic. The drivers use their horns aggressively similar to their speech, though I soon became a custom that no harm is meant.

My taxi driver was an old boy and knew all the short cuts. Travelling over the third and fourth bridge is a magical experience giving views of the surrounding slums and rubbish heaps which smoulder by the lagoons.

The traffic is like nothing I have ever seen and a thick haze hangs over the city

I arrived in good time only to find no queue and be told they only open at 0930. I ask for an application form for my visa, the man thrust it in to my hand. The doors opened at 0915 but the man was asleep at his desk so I gently woke him. The Ambassador told me to come back in fifteen minutes, so I waited in the consulates conference room until he hissed at me indicating he was ready. The Ambassador, asked how long I expect to spend in Cameroon, I replied one week and hand him my application at which he tells me to come back in two days’ time to see if my visa has been granted. I kindly ask if it could be processed today to which he answered come back at 1500 not a minute earlier or later and he will see what he can do. I try to pay but he insists I pay on collection which made me concerned, considering the man’s rudeness.

I return at 1500, pay the Ambassador 80 Euro and he surprisingly gives me my visa and passport, however, there’s a catch, the visa is only for a week starting in one days time. He wouldn’t alter the visa and I feel he had done this purposefully because i woke him, but I’m very pleased I even have this visa especially within one day and no extra payments required.

I return to the Lagos hotel and take the opportunity to replace my tyre with knobblies but keep the intermediate tyres I took off. The hotel porters help me clean the red African dirt from the bike. I still haven’t connected with this bike as I did with my previous GS, however I did give it a little pat after I changed the tyres so maybe our relationship is improving.

I received an email from the one and only Dai today. In it, he tells he will be sadly leaving Bamako, Mali tomorrow.

I also, receive an email from Eugene who is still just behind me and hopes to catch up soon. Im hoping we can meet in Cameroon or Gabon maybe once I have sorted my final visas for Gabon and Congo.

Still at the hotel, I just seem to be paying out left right and centre so keep a close eye on my bills which were sometimes duplicated.

Tomorrow, I hope to apply for my Congo visa at their Lagos Embassy.