And then came Cameroon

On this border, the officials are not very nice and painfully slow at everything. And they strongly recommended us to take a guide because from there onwards was a mud road – got worse with the rainy season. Changing money and getting organised was painful. The ‘guide’ was asking a fortune for 160km of road, EUR310.

Stuck 1

Well, there is price to pay for everything around here and this is the price we are paying for choosing to get into this country in the rainy season. Barely 5 minutes on the mud road and they could not pass because there was an overloaded pickup truck blocking the road because he was stuck in mud and was leaning on its side. Hans pulled him out and went through. We got stuck  and Hans pulled us out with the other guys pushing and pulling and we carried on.



Informal toll



Next to land slide



Land Rover in the ditch

On another stretch Hans went on his side in a ditch, the excess of mud just sort of threw him there. It was hectic and he had to be pulled out. Coen finally attached the Land Rover’s winch onto the Cruiser and Hans was winching in while she was standing on the brakes. It took a while. Such is the road after the Ekok border of Cameroon in this season. There are 'road blockers' on is road too - informal road blocks that you have to pay informal toll to or else you have to pass through some other more dicy path!

Stuck 2

Deep in but rolling

Coen got stuck in the mud and had to be towed out and it did happen to all three cars that the ‘guide’ had to tug hard on one side, Hans or a few other guys pulling in front to just ease the car out of a nasty bit.



Ploughing

 A bit past 16h00 they decided that they should call it a day and the ‘guide’ said he knew a place in the town of Eyumojocko where they could camp in safety. It was in the backyard of an unused hall of sorts. And Coen set up to sleep in the car. She was preparing to serve Brazilian bully beef with macaroni. Everyone helped everyone else and soon dinner was ready. Coen closed off part of a space next to Hans’ car for a private shower and Mariana set the table.

As they were finishing dinner, the lady mayor appeared and sat with them explaining what is being done in the town and how they wish to develop it. Meanwhile she was showering precariously trying not to come into contact with all the mud on the cars. It was a difficult task and when Stephanus was showering the water ran out and had to finish with poured water from one of the gallons. It was very amusing.

That night her itches and scratches came back in the same place, on the forearms. It was rather nasty, getting warm and preventing her to sleep. She did get some sleep after she dabbed the area with tea tree lotion.