Backpacking In Gabon: How I Fluked A Visa On Arrival As A Birthday Surprise In Libreville

“Oh my starry eyed surprise, sundown to sunrise, dance all night, we’re gonna dance all night, dance all night to this DJ” – Paul Oakenfold.

First up, I wasn’t even meant to be in Gabon. I need a visa for Gabon as a Northern Irish citizen, and even after booking connecting flights in a frenzy, I tried to get an online visa ahead of the trip, and failed. I filled in all the details on the official Gabon Evisa website just in case, since my birthday departure from Cameroon was into Gabon and then onward to Sao Tome E Principe. The Gabon visa remained unconfirmed. It was not issued or granted. They sent me only this below document to say I had registered, which I printed anyway but didn’t hold much hope getting into the country. I wasn’t overly bothered. I’ve been backpacking and getting visa refusals and deportations for so long that nothing bothers me too much in travel anymore.

Who knew what was ahead. I was happy enough to sit in Libreville airport for just over 24 hours, as this came about due to a connecting overnight flight option anyway, which I took due to to the visa being unconfirmed. I thought the worst case scenario is an airport transit for 24-26 hours. The best case scenario is they allow me the visa when I arrive and I get a full day to see Libreville, a night out there for my birthday and back to the airport the next morning. I had orange juice and a tuna sandwich for my birthday breakfast onboard, included in the ticket cost with Afrijet – I definitely recommend this airline!

I heard reports of other travellers to Libreville airport recently without a visa being put in prison overnight with no food, and then being escorted to get their onward ticket to get the f**k out of the country. It even happened to a blogger I had been aware of, very recently. I wasn’t going to fall for that, and I wasn’t prepared to fail – I’d just stay in the airport in transit and sleep there or find an airport cafe. However, I was in a better situation though, because…

1.I already had TRIED to get the online visa and had proof.
2.I already had in my hand my connecting flight for the next day to Sao Tome (since it was the same airline – Afrijet).
3.I had no luggage to collect – I’ve been hand luggage loyal now for years after airlines lost 9 of my bags.
4.I had emailed a hotel about reviewing them.
5.It was my birthday.

On arrival in Gabon, I learnt that two others on my flight were also going to São Tomé the day after. They were not Gabonese or Cameroonians, yet they had already secured guaranteed visas, proper visas.

Myself and those other two passengers were arriving at 11 a.m. and were leaving the next day, just after that. The same airline, just different flights, and different terminals. I’d have to change terminals anyway. But when the bus took us from the flight to the terminal and I saw this greenery, these Gabon flags, I felt different, I felt confident, I was unusually perky. I now believed they would let me in. It just felt it was my day.

Those two guys who had visas arranged went on through immigration and got their visas issued and I was now the only person at immigration. Nobody else was about and I was also the only white person around, that day on the flights and in the airport. But on arrival in the international airport in Gabon, I was in for a birthday treat. The police, immigration and customs officer were very kind and helpful, it was a real breath of fresh air how nice they were. I hadn’t expected it. I showed my onward ticket and told the immigration officer that I’m happy to stay in the airport and sit in the cafe or bar. He asked if had tried to get a visa and then I showed him the paper and he smiled. I was alone with three police officers and they liked me for some reason. They were extremely happy to issue me with a visa. Having a flight out the next day helped, as did a hotel “reservation” and the fact I had at least tried to get an online visa. Paperwork and smile in hand, I was your calm backpacker on this particular day. I paid them 70 Euros at a desk to a lady and she gave me a receipt then took my photo.

I bided my calm waiting time and I was being issued with a full tourist visa for Gabon!! On my 44th birthday. I was delighted!! This was country 226 on my wacaday journey and even though it was only for 2 days, 1 night, this was a huge bonus and really unexpected! As they were giving me a full tourst visa, I could have stayed for 15 days anyway, but then again, I had my onward flights booked. Once my photo was taken and paperwork done, the visa was issued, a peeler stamped the passport and I was wild and free, in the city of freedom, Libreville.

“Every paper that you read says tomorrow’s your lucky day. Well here’s your lucky day” – Damon Albarn.

I walked all alone through customs and the baggage room – nobody was here. All was calm. I called Mum and Dad using Wi-Fi at an airport bar once through immigration, where I got changed and had a beer. A Regab – good local beer at Food Plaza! What birthday bliss is this?!

It was here that I chatted to local girl Orphelia at Food Plaza Bar. She informed me about the lovely beach and promenade in Libreville and she recommended La Voile Rouge bar. After a brace of ice cold Regab Gabonese beers at the chilled out airport bar, I headed in a taxi to the beach, alone and wild. I swam in the ocean, watched the waves and sunset over the Atlantic Ocean like a childhood dream.

“Everyday is all there is; in my some kind of bliss” – Kylie Minogue via James Dean Bradfield.

After the swim and sunset, I retired to the bar suggested by Orphelia – La Voile Rouge! Here I found out from Yannick at the bar that AFC Bournemouth had beaten Everton 2-1! Yannick and friends invited me to join them for food and drinks!

Finally thank you to all the kind people I met in my quick 26 hours in Gabon – especially the airport officials who helped me get the visa, Orphelia and Michelle at Food Plaza Bar, my taxi driver, the staff at La Voile Rouge, the musicians who performed and Yannick and Cedric who helped me have such a great birthday!!

Here are some videos from my arrival into Libreville, Gabon: