The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes 'sight-seeing.' - Daniel J. Boorstin

22-27 August 2019, Yaoundé
AirBnb Bastos 14,000CFA (R350)  

Much of our time in Yaoundé was spent in trying to obtain visas for Nigeria, and in eating mainly good food at a range of restaurants. These varied from lamb schwarmas at the Istanbul, to lasagna and calamari and chocolate mousse at the La Salsa (a pretty place that has been an institution for over 20 years); from pizza at Dr Schwarma to Chinese at Chez Wou. Such a pleasure, but a surprisingly expensive exercise often. A similar meal to that enjoyed at the La Salsa, eaten in Johannesburg, would be around one third the price.
On our first visit to the Nigerian embassy, on the Thursday after we arrived in the city, we were told they did not issue visas to non-citizens or residents of Cameroon, an answer that did not come as a surprise to us. We asked if we could meet with the Consul and, as he was out of town, got an appointment for the following Monday at noon. We then met with the South African High Commissioner and three of her staff members. They agreed to write a letter to the Nigerian High Commissioner, whom they addressed as “Dear Brother”, confirming we are South Africans, saying we are explorers who had been unable to apply for visas in our home country, and requesting that the Nigerian embassy bend its rules and issue us with visas. We also obtained an invitation letter from the CEO of a Nigerian think tank, someone I worked with long distance while at the Free Market Foundation, who agreed to take “immigration responsibility” for us. The Consul could not be shifted, unfortunately, explaining that he was near retirement and would not bend the rules for us.We did, however, persuade him to deliver the High Commissioner’s letter to her Nigerian counterpart. When we returned a day or two later, we were told a request had been sent “Nigeria” and that we should return in a few days.
Before leaving Yaoundé for a visit to Bandjoun and Foumban in the north, we visited the Blackitude Museum, which displays a range of royal artifacts. Beaded thrones, masks, musical instruments. Difficult to find, but worth a half hour or so.