Well, it’s been QUITE a long time since I’ve last written. I feel a little embarrassed… Needless to say, a lot has happened in the last two months or so, so I’m going to break it up into 3 main parts: 1) Christmas trip to Gambia, 2) New Year’s and Magal, and 3) Current goings-on. So here goes, get ready!
Gambia, Man!
Well, Neal, Sarah, and I decided to spend Christmas in the Gambia this year, so on the 23rd of December, we packed our bags and got ready to go. The trip there took a measly 15 hours (to go maybe 500 km/ 310 m), but with many a bump on the way as the road leading from Dakar to the Gambia often disappeared, and we were forced to drive on the sand heaps next to the road.
We spent the first three nights in an adorable little hotel on the beach. It was extremely picturesque: just a few “bungalows” about 50 feet away from the beach. Free breakfast was also included! We spent most of our time on the coast just relaxing and eating. One day, we decided to go into a small town nearby and check out the market. Gambian’s tend to be way more chill than Senegalese when it comes to pressuring tourists into buying their shit, which was quite surprising. That afternoon, we also went to the world-famous crocodile pond and got to touch a few of the scaly creatures. Sarah was quite thrilled by this, haha. We spent Christmas day on the beach and then headed into a really touristy town nearby to have a nice Christmas dinner.
After our few days at the beach, we headed into the interior of the country, to a place called Bintang Bolong lodge, to explore the forest. Once again, the trip was a little rough--- to start with, a police officer took us into the middle of an intersection, planning to stop every van to see if they were going in the direction we wanted. Thankfully, by God’s mercy, the very first van to stop was heading where we wanted to go. After two other forms of transportation, we arrived in a dusty village with one road heading down the middle of it. At the very end of this road, right on a small branch of the Gambia River, sat our small camp site.
The staff at Bintang Bolong lodge were amazingly friendly, and we had a really good time with them. The sort of maitre d’, Ibou, invited us to drink tea with them one day, and since then, they always included us. We did a lot more relaxing at the lodge, but we also got to experience a little bit more of the Gambia. One morning, a local guide took us on a monkey walk. Yes, I did say a monkey walk! We went into the forest that surrounded the village in an attempt to see as many monkeys as possible. There’s a Wolof proverb that says: “Ndank, ndank, mooy japp golo ci ñaay,” meaning, “Only with patience can one catch the monkey in the forest.” Whoever thought that one up was a wise feller. Them monkeys are slipp’ry bitches! Shoot! After an hour in the forest, I had given up any hope of seeing monkeys, but all of a sudden, our guide shouted and pointed high into a tree, where we saw a monkey jump onto a branch and then disappear. Wow! All in all, the tour was quite interesting because the forest is beautiful and very interesting to explore. Voir photos ci-après.
That evening, the staff invited us to a kora concert at the local elementary school (where apparently all the community events happen). The kora is a traditional Senegalese instrument that sort of sounds like a piano mixed with a guitar. It’s very pleasant. Anyway, the concert was really awesome. Lots of people were dancing, and of course, everyone laughed when we, the toubabs, started dancing in the middle circle with everyone. What really surprised me though was the intense smell of marijuana that permeated the entire kindergarten. Apparently, Gambians really enjoy smoking the reefer, even when children are present! I guess the laws are less strict there… that or the police don’t feel like going into the middle of bum-fuck nowhere to enforce them.
So, anyway, that was our trip to the Gambia. The return home took even longer than the way there, and for about two hours of it, we were travelling on a dirt road, during which time, the Gambians thought it wise to keep the windows open so the dust could fly in and out of the van… don’t ask me why. Consequently, I looked about 5 shades darker after getting off the bus because I was completely covered in dust (see picture below). I had to sit my smelly/dusty self down squashed in between 4 Senegalese men for the reminder of the ride (10 hours), and what a treat that was! Oh Senegal/Gambia!
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| Our bungalow! |
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| Neal and Sarah readin' on the beach |
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| Bungalow on the mangroves in Bintang Balong! |
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| Forest tour |
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| Neal with several Gambian children |
