Location Ekok, Cameroon

Summary

Boxing Day 2025 started calmly—I slept well, which already felt like a win. The policeman who had helped me the night before said he’d come back in the morning to help me exchange my remaining naira, since once I moved on, Nigerian currency would be useless. I knew I wouldn’t be able to access any “real” money in Cameroon right away, so getting that exchange done was important.

We hadn’t agreed on a time, so I waited around until about 10:00 a.m., when he showed up on his motorbike. The exchange spot wasn’t far, and I changed a fairly large stack of naira into Cameroonian currency—thankfully ending up with far fewer bills than I started with. Later I realized I’d missed about 60,000 naira, which I’d sort out the next day.

On the way back, we made one more stop—an informal gathering where people were already drinking beer at around 11:00 in the morning. It turned out to be a group of off-duty policemen enjoying their day. In a warm country, beer hits a little differently, and I went along with it, sharing drinks and conversation as best I could, mostly in French. It was one of those moments you don’t plan for and don’t forget.

After that, I returned to the hotel, rested, wandered around town a bit, and eventually had food back at the hotel. Nothing dramatic—just a solid day of recovery and observation, with everyone quietly preparing for Saturday and whatever that convoy would bring. Thanks for coming along.