Haves and Have Nots

I put together a list of things that are and aren’t available in Bafang.  It’s not exactly comprehensive and there are some gray-area items (like pringles, which are found in one store but kind of too expensive to be considered available).  Anyway, it was just for fun in case you’re curious!

 

(starred items are either kind of rare or expensive)

 

AVAILABLE:

-          Bananas

-          Pineapple

-          Papaya

-          Apples*

-          Oranges

-          Lemons

-          Limes

-          Watermelon

-          Black fruit (more like an olive than a fruit)

-          Coconut

-          Corn

-          Pringles*

-          Green beans

-          Avocados

-          Green bell peppers

-          Hot peppers (pimante/pepe)

-          Onions

-          Garlic

-          Ginger

-          Okra

-          Tomato

-          Squash

-          Lettuce

-          Cabbage

-          Leaves (huckleberry, bitter leaves)

-          Carrots

-          Eggplant*

-          Plantains

-          Potatoes

-          Macabo

-          Cous cous de mais

-          Mangos, apparently, seasonally

-          Inyams

-          Cassava

-          Rice

-          Bread, baked goods

-          Spaghetti/pasta

-          Fish

-          (Live) chicken

-          Beef

-          Pork

-          Beans (kidney beans are everywhere, black and white beans available)

-          Peanuts

-          Popcorn

-          Corn flakes

-          “chocolate”

-          Soft serve ice cream (with amoebas included!)

-          Yogurt

-          Orange or strawberry jelly

-          Wine

-          Some liquor: Whiskey, vodka, gin.  Mostly unknown brands plus a few familiar expensive ones.

-          Many unfamiliar cookies

-          Bleach, liquid dish soap, bar soap, powder detergent

-          Toilet paper

-          Ovaltine and related

-          Pads

-          Toothbrushes and paste

-          Sunscreen and bug spray

-          Pens, pencils, notebooks, tape, rulers, etc

-          Palm oil

-          Olive oil*

-          Margarine

-          Real butter*

-          Fresh basil

-          Some spices: Pepper, cloves, paprika, cinnamon, thyme, I think weirdly herbes de provence?

 

NOT AVAILABLE:

-          Pears

-          Grapes (Although I saw them in Bafoussam, apparently for the price of 50 CFA/ten cents per grape!)

-          Dried fruit

-          Any nuts except peanuts

-          Berries of any kind

-          Peaches

-          Salad greens other than one kind of lettuce

-          Spinach

-          Broccoli

-          Asparagus

-          Mushrooms L L

-          Shrimp L L L

-          Milk other than powdered milk, cream

-          Cheese other than the laughing cow (*although one store in my town has swiss, brie, and camembert for lots of CFA)

-          Brown rice/quinoa/kale/whatever you hippies eat

-          Actual cous cous

-          Actual chocolate

-          Cereal other than corn flakes

-          Ziplock bags

-          Paper towels

-          Already-jarred peanut butter

-          Chips or crackers or cheese its, etc

-          Tequila L or margarita mix L L or cocktails anywhere at all

-          Familiar cookies or candy (one store sells snickers and mars bars though!)

-          Face wash

-          Body wash

-          Contact lens stuff

-          Tampons

-          Deodorant

-          Frozen food of any kind lol

 

Of course Bafoussam has slightly more available than Bafang (like oatmeal and cucumbers) and Yaounde has more available still (burgers and pizza and margaritas!).