. OnHiatus.com > Journal 1 > Day Index > Journal Entry: December 25, 1998

Friday, December 25, 1998
Limbé, Cameroon
Cameroon's Flag

Map
Limbé, Cameroon:
Latitude: 4° 0' 42" North
Longitude: 9° 12' 0" East
Altitude: 8 feet
From Seattle: 8808 miles
Lodging: Camp - Mile Six Beach

Map
Today's Travel:
Country: Cameroon
Region: Sud-ouest
Weather: Overcast

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Map
Trip Stats to Date:
Day: 624
Linear Dist: 131494
Countries Visited: 46
Regions Visited: 181
More stats...
Hotels: 192
Friends / Family: 155
Camping: 70
Hostels: 145
Transit: 55
Other Lodging: 6
Beers: 2162
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Journal Entry:
Christmas! Woke up to the sounds of surf and live entertainment provided by a troop of acrobatic monkeys chattering in a tree 50 meters away. Not sure what kind of monkeys, but they're the largest I've ever seen in the wild. The camp's setting is quite spectacular (couldn't see last night). We're set up in a grassy glade right on a cove with dramatic dark red sand with bright green dense rainforest running right to the beach. To cap it off Mount Cameroon looms (13,000+ feet) over everything. Spent the morning taking care of business - laundry, journal, cleaning up camp, etc.

Early afternoon we all went into town to try and change some money, buy some ice, have lunch, and phone home. Town was dead and almost everything was closed. Couldn't find ice, couldn't find someone to change our West African CFA to Central African CFA, and couldn't find lunch. Dean called home, Stu tried to - but couldn't get through, Joy and I wanted to wait a few more hours - until it was a decent time in the US. We ended up sitting in a little street side café drinking sodas and playing cards. Dean and Stu took the car and headed back to camp to start partying, while Joy and I hung out a couple more hours.

Finally went to call home (now it would be 7am - an almost reasonable time) and couldn't get through. First Cameroon's phone system won't accept the new area code and the US wouldn't accept the old area code. I've had it happen a couple times that a countries phone system won't is behind, but the old area code has always worked in those cases. So then I had to try and find someone that I could call (it's amazing how many people area codes have changed recently), who could then call my parents and have them call me back. Tried two or three people, but couldn't find anyone who was home (or awake). Meanwhile Joy had gotten through to her mom so I asked her to ask her mom to call my parents and pass on the number. Then waited another hour and tried to call some other people but the international lines were busy and after almost two hours of trying to get through I gave up and headed back to camp.

Got back to camp about ten minutes before diner was served. We had diner with the Truck Africa people and it was good. The pig that had been roasting on a fire for the last 14 hours was so tender that it melted in your mouth. Several servings and several beers later it was off to bed early.


Related Sites:
US State Department ConsularInformation Sheets: Cameroon
CIA World Fact Book: Cameroon

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