Once the boat coming
from Idenau (Cameroon )
arrives in Nigerian territorial waters, it is necessary to undergo 4 checks on
Immigration boats and the Nigerian army, which are heavily armed. So before you
get to these checks, every time and 4 times you need to raise your hands before
approaching. Then you have to give money every time for 4 times for a total
amount of 4,000 NGN, which of course I had to pay myself, even if I was in
possession of only CFA, EURO and USD, but the boat crew changed my CFA, at the
following exchange rate: 10,000 CFA = 6,000 NGN. However the Soldiers of the
aforementioned vessels checked my Passport, they asked me some questions but
they proved to be kind.
We then arrive at the
small town of Oron , where it is necessary to go
to the immigration office, to have the entry stamp in Nigeria placed
on the passport. Keep in mind that even if you can stay 30 days in Nigeria with a tourist visa, if you declare that
you want to stay in Nigeria
for only 15 days, the immigration staff will write it on the entry stamp and
then you will be forced to leave the country after 15 days. There they will
take a picture of you. Then another employee will check your passport, then in
the adjacent office you will be checked for the Yellow Fever certificate. The
staff proved to be kind.
Keep in mind that in
Oron, you can only change CFA, to get NGN. Euro and US Dollars are not accepted
here.
To reach Calabar from
Oron, it is necessary to take a boat for 1,500 NGN, although the boat I had
used to come to Nigeria
offered to take me to Calabar immediately for 2,000 NGN and I accepted. The
journey took about 40 minutes.
Once I arrived in
Calabar, in the southern suburbs of the same, I paid 200 NGN, for a 3-wheeled
TUC - TUC that took me to the city center.
From there I took
another to reach 500 NGN where I changed currency at the following exchange
rates: 1 Euro = 390 NGN, 1 USD = 355 NGN. This exchange rate is obtained with
50 or 100 USD pieces. With pieces of 20 or 10 or 5 USD, you get a much more
unfavorable rate.
In Calabar I rested at
the Achieves Hotel, located in the city center, for the price of 3,000 NGN, for
a double room with en-suite bathroom with water in buckets and fan, without
WIFI. There are also rooms with shared bathrooms that cost 2,000 NGN.
I turned Calabar
on foot.
Keep in mind that if
you want to go to Lagos , Ibadan ,
Benin City and Abuja , you have to go to
the Calabar Bus Station, in front of the Central Market, before seven in the
morning.
There at the desk I
got the ticket for Benin city at the cost of
5,000 NGN and I got on a Minibus, which took me to the Peace Mass Transit Bus
Terminal, where I registered and then I boarded a Minibus to Ibadan ,
which stops also in Benin City .
I waited almost an hour before the bus moved. The journey lasted about 9 hours.
The first part of the
road to the city of Aba
is in very bad condition. There are many checkpoints where they checked my
passport and yellow fever certificate. On one occasion the policeman politely
asked me for a small tip and I gave him 500 NGN, while on the other occasion
the Soldier was more decisive asking me to pay 1,000 NGN, because I had crossed
the bridge over the Cross
River near Ikot Essien .
I gave them to him.
In Benin City the aforementioned minibus left me
on the eastern outskirts of the same in Località Iguomo, about 12 km from the city center.
From there, to reach
the Ring Road, and that is the big roundabout, which represents the fulcrum of Benin City , I took a
collective taxi paying it 200 NGN
In Benin City I rested at the Lixborr Hotel
located in the center of the city, on Sakponba
Road at 100 meters . from Ring. Road and in front of
Brass Casters Street, famous for the Bronzes, for the price of 7,500 NGN, for a
double room with private bathroom, hot water, air conditioning, magnetic card,
fan, non working WIFI.
The description of the
trip complete with the map, photographs and videos is available at this link:
https://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2019/07/viaggio-in-gabon-libreville-lambarene.html
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento