Benin/Togo

[Sri Lanky]

Anyone been there? The voodoo thing looks very interesting.

It seems there's less of a hassle getting a visa than Nigeria or Ghana. Why is it such a pain in the ass getting one for most African countries?

[Kurt]

Anyone been there? The voodoo thing looks very interesting.

It seems there's less of a hassle getting a visa than Nigeria or Ghana. Why is it such a pain in the ass getting one for most African countries?

Nigerian officials actually bragged about denying a visa to Bill Gates years ago after a columnist in a Nigerian newspaper wrote about how Bill Gates does not close down roads in Seattle when he drives to work and is worth much more than rich Nigerians who do the same thing there. Basically he was praising the humbleness of Gates and claiming humbleness of the rich makes more people prosperous.

So the Nigerian rich didn't like that so they banned Gates from entering.

Same with the rest of the West but on a small scale. They could become more prosperous if they made visas easy and cheap but then they would not have that petty authority and they also would not have that revenue going directly to the people who are in charge of Visas. Its like if you and I have a chance to either split $100 between us by giving someone a parking ticket or give our hypothetical city $1million in benefits by granting free parking but you and I are out $50 each and out of a job enforcing a debilitating policy.

That is African visas.

[Sri Lanky]

Sounds like racism is a factor too. West = White...to them.

[rickshaw92]

I never had a problem in Africa but I have never been to Nigeria. I was looking into it a few months ago and it looks like a bitch to get one.

[Sri Lanky]

Don't mean to sound like a dick bringing up the racism thing but I lived with a black woman for 8 years and I know that racism operates up,down,and all around.

Anyways,is there any sub-Saharan African country save maybe S. Africa where you can just show up and get a visa?

[rickshaw92]

Malawi and Zambia aswell as Swaziland were free at the border when I went. So was RSA.

[jphripjah]

I did the Accra-Lome-Cotonou-Lagos road trip about 4 years ago. You could get a 7 day togo visa at the border with Ghana and then a 72 hour? Benin visa at the border with Togo.

Lome is interesting enough; crumbling colonial architecture and good nightlife. The "fetish market" on the outskirts of town is disappointing though. In my opinion, Togo may have the most beautiful women in the world. Really.

Cotonou has good nightlife as well, "New York New York" nightclub was good. All the white folks seemed to congregate at Livingstone's, which had good pub food.

[Sri Lanky]

Can you show up at the airport in Lome and get a visa or do you need one prior? Africa is frustrating in itself...never mind the women.

[Sri Lanky]

December is looking good for this. No interest in going to Islamic dominated countries in Africa. I can't think of anything more boring than Islam.

Anyways,it seems like it could be a good place to get away from the governmental,financial,corporate domination of the West...and you're not going to find that escape in Islamic nations because Islam is just another form of a dark cabal-like government.