📍 LocationFreetown, Sierra Leone📝 Episode NotesOn 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 had its network go down.With nothing happening at the bank, I decided to shift gears and drive to a recommended car shop — Sarah Motors — to schedule an inspection and some work for the following morning.Back at the hotel later, I grabbed a beer outside and ended up meeting Alpha Jolo, a Sierra Leonean physiotherapist who speaks Dutch better than I do. He lived and worked in the Netherlands from 1997 to 2019, and by pure chance, his office is right below my hotel. We talked like old friends from Holland — one of those rare, serendipitous meetings that makes travel so meaningful.The day still wasn’t over. At dinner, I met a young woman from the Netherlands doing NGO work in Sierra Leone since 2021. Between the visa run, the car logistics, and meeting two Dutch-connected strangers in one day, it turned into a surprisingly rich and memorable experience.Tomorrow — more adventures.⏱️ Key Moments0:00 — Setting out for the Liberian visa I walk to the embassy, hoping the address hasn’t changed this time.2:20 — The expedited option Why I paid an extra $50 (without a receipt) to speed up the process.4:10 — Ecobank and the great network blackout Standing in line just long enough for the system to go down.6:00 — Switching gears to car repairs Visiting Sarah Motors and scheduling work for the 13th.8:05 — A beer and an unexpected Dutch-speaking friend Meeting Alpha Jolo and discovering his long Dutch background.10:30 — Another Dutch connection at dinner Running into a young NGO worker who’s been in Sierra Leone since 2021.12:00 — Reflections on serendipity How meeting people with purpose makes travel worthwhile.

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