{"id":4411,"date":"2022-11-30T16:31:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T16:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zoa.com\/2022\/?p=4411"},"modified":"2023-11-14T06:07:54","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T06:07:54","slug":"car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoa.com\/2022\/travel\/car\/","title":{"rendered":"Central African Republic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last month, I compared my list of African countries I hadn\u2019t seen with a map of visa requirements for US citizens.  One African country stood out:  The Central African Republic (CAR).  CAR requires no visas \u2013 or any other entry requirements \u2013 for US citizens.  Yay!  So, I booked a one-way ticket to Bangui, CAR\u2019s capital city and only international airport, and figured I’d sort out on-going travel details once I got there.<\/p>\n\n\n

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At the same time, I reviewed the ominous US State Department travel advisory about Central African Republic<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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… and decided to go there anyway.  Although everything worked out okay, I\u2019m glad I didn\u2019t over-plan my travels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On my arrival at Bangui International Airport, immigration was faster and easier than flying into JFK.  No queues.  No questions asked.  Granted, only about a dozen passengers deplaned in Bangui … .and I was the only non-African. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With my passport stamped, I stepped out of the terminal into burning sunshine, a parking lot full of dented vans and motorcycles, and a crowd of people shuffling through fine orange dust.  My first thought was \u201cThis<\/em> is where Americans are welcome to come visa-free?\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n

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For about a dollar, I rode on the back of this fellow\u2019s motorcycle from the airport into town.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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