November 12 2025 - A Visa Run, Lost Networks, and Unexpected Dutch Connections in Freetown

📍 Location

Freetown, Sierra Leone

📝 Episode Notes

On November 12th, I set out with one main mission: get my visa for Liberia. I’ve learned the hard way that online visa systems in West Africa can be hit-or-miss — and sometimes hit your wallet twice — so I wanted to handle this one in person. Luckily, the Liberian embassy was only about a kilometer and a half away from where I was staying.

I arrived right on time, got the application sorted, and learned I could have the visa in a week for $100. That didn’t fit my plans, so I went for the expedited option: an extra un-receipted $50 with the possibility of getting it the same day. After paperwork came the fun part — paying at Ecobank. No one could tell me which branch I actually needed, and the first functioning location I reached promptly  ...