OUR VISIT TO THE GAMBIA AND SENEGAL

Andrew & Françoise Lorenc

27^th March to 10^th April 2001

DIARY:

The main purpose of our trip was to visit Julia and Jan Sander who are both working as volunteers in the Gambia for two years. Staying in a family and being able to meet villagers in the bush gave us a real insight into African life which went far beyond our expectations.

After a 6 hour 30 flight which took us over Spain, Gibraltar and the golden sands of the Sahara desert, we approached Banjul by flying over the Siné-Saloum delta in Senegal which we were to explore later on, and landed amidst very arid countryside in great need of a few drops of rain. But the rainy season will only start in September. We were greeted by a disgustingly sun-tanned Julia and her private taxi-driver Moussa without whom we would have been assailed by numerous porters and drivers, all eager to earn a few Dalasis. The taxi drive, whilst fairly confortable by Gambian standards, already gave us a glimpse of memorable taxi journeys which we were to experience throughout our stay. Very friendly and chatty taxi-drivers made up for doors rattling, windows without handles, leather seats in tatters, loose dashboards not to mention the gigantic pot-holes in the tarmac which forced them to use the sandy tracks on each side of the road! We were in for an exciting adventure.

Three burnt out cars, totally covered in sand, provided us with an excellent landmark to spot Julia's road. No name, no tarmac, just a dusty sandy "street", the third after the Chinese Embassy!

Julia and Jan's house is in South Kanefing (near Serekunda on the map) is part of a compound of two houses well hidden behind a high wall with spikes on top to deter intruders. The accommodation which was very spacious but basic by European standards had been tastefully enhanced with numerous batiks, attractive cane furniture and interesting decorations such as Karabach containers, exotic shells or the head of a dolphin found on Gunjur beach and nicknamed Oscar.

We set out immediately to the local beach and ended up at Leybato for a Jul brew and bitter lemon. Restaurants rarely sell fresh fruit juices, which is amazing, considering the amount of fruits which are available. Our meal that evening which consisted of locally caught ladyfish with spicy ratatouille, followed by juicy paw-paw salad was most welcoming.

Sleeping soundly in the tropics turned out to be difficult to achieve. After successfully spraying the mosquito net with the magical Bop, we had high hopes. But dogs whining next door all night long, morning call from the local cock along with the painfully unattractive call to pray from the Oman from 5:00 to 5:30 forced us to take things easy the next day and never to rush anywhere. The intense heat during the day - 35 to 40 degrees sometimes - somewhat slowed our pace anyway!

Wednesday 28

Julia had kindly taken a day off work (her task is to set up a curriculum for primary schools, a challenge in itself considering the obstacles she encounters such as inefficiency and unreliability of the Gambian administrative staff), which she used to drive us in her 4 wheel drive to the Bijilo Nature Reserve Park. There we were treated with the sight of a dozen green vervet monkeys who gently came to eat peanuts from our hands. We were also very lucky to catch a glimpse of the shy and elusive Red Colobus monkey jumping from tree to tree. We spotted a myriad of birds, notably the Bee-eater with its rusty breast, giant hornbills and waders on the beach.

Lunch was spent at the plush Kairaba Hotel where we had scrumptious shrimps kebabs with garlic sauce, and where we observed the local Coucal birds.

Some shopping was also done that day, with the purchase of an African trousers outfit I was to wear extensively over the next 2 weeks.

We discussed work over dinner in a local restaurant (Yassa and Damala chicken were on the menu). Jan was complaining about corruption and inefficiency of the staff. Trivial issues seem to be discussed during apparently important meetings, such as the ordering of light bulbs for the offices. Jan shares an office with women who appear to be incompetent. When we visited him in his office later on, one of the girls was asleep on her desk! Julia, on the other hand, is not allowed to do any photocopying in view of her high position, but the delays which occur as a result make her task extremely frustrating. It is somewhat disheartening to see that recommendations made a few years ago by previous volunteers have been totally ignored. Children have no desks to work on, and the teaching methods are archaic. Children are very passive, there is no group working, lessons are repetitive, and children can be left without any work to do sometimes for an hour with their heads down, while the teacher is busy talking to another colleague. Julia is actively involved in remedying these flaws but as things are done so slowly, she is now wondering if anything will be achieved before she goes back to England! She has also undertaken to learn the Wolof language in order to communicate with her Gambian colleagues. We were amazed at her progress in a few months, and her linguistic ability has certainly allowed us to travel very cheaply by taxis.

Thursday 29

On our own this time to negotiate a taxi fare to Abuko Nature Reserve, where the walk round the lake was a delight with sightings of various kingfishers and herons. We then had a drink at Lamin Lodge built on stilts and commanding lovely views over the estuary. This area is famous for oysters which grow on the mangroves in the creek.

The evening was spent on the roof of an expat's house mastering the basic steps of African dancing. Basic but also energetic and not ideal for blisters... My feet suffered for more than 2 weeks as a result!

We had our first power cut, but the Sander's are well equipped with a battery light which lasts for an hour. Hardly a day goes by without a power cut. So frustrating when you are trying to write reports on the computer!

Friday 30

We went to Banjul by bush van, which cost us the grand sum of 4 Dalasis! The procedure is very simple. Just stick up two fingers in the air, and the bush van will stop if it is not full. Then until it fills up to about 15 people, the apprentice will shout out the destination to call for customers.

Visiting the Albert Market was an experience which we are not likely to forget. Our Tourist status allowed a group of touts to assail us to take us round the market. We then seemed to get out of this situation by following another man who took us under his protection. So with no more hassle, we were able to view the colourful fruit stalls and walk through the meat and fish market, as well as admiring the different batiks. At the end of our tour we agreed to treat our guide to a drink, and after winding our ways though backstreet alleys, we found ourselves in a so-called café in a yard hidden behind a high wall. We started to feel suspicious and the overcharged bill confirmed our fears. We had been conned. When Andrew refused to pay the full amount (200 Dalasis for 3 drinks i.e. £10), the atmosphere started to heat up and we had a job to get out of this place in one piece. This was an unfortunate incident which was not to be repeated as we learnt quickly how to turn down offers right from the start.

Before meeting Julia we visited the National museum devoted to African culture. I was particularly interested to learn about Fanels, type of lanterns in the shape of ships manufactured around Christmas time.

After lunch with Julia and Jan (offices shut in the afternoon to allow Muslims to pray) at the Heritage Café overlooking a busy street, we bought peeled oranges in the market, and watched admiringly Julia successfully haggling the price of fruit and vegetables in Wolof!

On our way home we stopped at Leybato Beach (deformation of le bateau) and made friends with the lady selling fresh fruits juices. Paw-paw juice was a treat at 15 Dalasis only!

Saturday 30

Left home early in the morning to catch the first ferry from Banjul to Barra on the north side of the river Gambia. All passengers were loaded, ladies were balancing baskets and containers on their heads very skilfully as well as carrying babies on their backs, and men were carrying wood, tyres etc. After much deliberation, Julia secured us a taxi to take us to the Senegalese border, but it broke down before we got there. So more haggling to secure a second taxi was required! Julia was not only competent but seemed to enjoy the challenge. And what an entertaining spectacle it was for us! Our second taxi took us to the second border where yet more vociferous haggling took place for another taxi to take us across the bush to Bandiala Gîte near the Siné-Saloum Delta (These rivers are visible on the map just north of the Gambia). The situation was idyllic, our mud-brick and whitewashed houses set in the middle of the Fethana forest. Meals were served undercover but outside, allowing us to observe the red-jacketed Patas monkeys coming to drink at the water point. Much of the afternoon was spent in the hide watching the animals and birds feeding. Apéritifs were consumed while eating barbecued oysters, a speciality of the area. No after effects, they were delicious! Even the dog was partial to them. The evening meal allowed to get more acquainted with the French owner, who, with his wife, was of French origin but third generation ex-pat, with dual French-Senegalese nationality.

Sunday 1

The Siné-Saloum Delta being famous for its birdlife and its deserted sandy beaches, we decided to spend the entire day there. Our guide drove us in a jeep to the little fishing harbour of Missarah where we boarded a pirogue which took us at a leisurely pace through the mangrove swamps. At low tide in the morning we were able to discover thousands of oysters clinging on to the palétuviers and spotting numerous birds like the majestic Goliath heron, pelicans and of course kingfishers. The mouth of the delta provided a change of scenery and a blazing sun. We headed for a deserted beach with glorious golden sand favoured by a multitude of crabs, and had our picnic under a rustic shelter. The salads and chicken prepared for us were most appreciated. We then went to visit a village on the island conspicuous by its lack of life. The Marabout was ill in bed, so we were allowed to meander on our own, discover the well and admire the many cashew-nut trees which represent a good source of income for the villagers. Each fruit only produces one nut, which would explain why cashews are expensive back in England. The afternoon was spent swimming and reading. Despite my spell of dehydration, this beach will remain paradise on earth for us.

Back at the lodge we had a game of boules with some skilful players from Dakar, watched by an unwelcome black scorpion which ended up in an vivarium that evening. Raw fish soaked in vinegar as an appetiser, followed by shrimps fritters and a delectable fish soufflé and crème caramel, ensured a most enjoyable evening.

Monday 2

Up at the crack of dawn we followed Chris on a very informative bird walk in the bush. The dawn chorus was impressive and Chris was able to point out to us many local birds and inform us on their habitat. We caught a glimpse of a wart-hog and examined the tree whose rough bark was worn smooth by his rubbing. Next time I go to Africa though, I will purchase a bird guidebook with names in English and in French!

As the taxi which was due to pick us up at 10:00 a.m. had failed to turn up (not unusual in this part of the world) we set out to walk under a blazing sun to Missarah hoping to find a means of transport. We accepted a lift in a very old Peugeot, which, after many bouts of coughing, broke down in the middle of the bush. Out we came, refusing to pay the driver and his friend, and off we went again in search of the main road! We were making a habit of this. Water supply was running low, so we were relieved to find a lift after half an hour's walking and an hour waiting under the shade of a baobab tree. The situation turned out hilarious as we stopped to pick up the drivers of the broken down taxi some miles away. Smiles were exchanged but no money was offered! In Tubakuta Julia competently secured us a taxi to take us back to the border. Our troubles however did not end there as I was told then that my visa was not valid. Julia saved the day again (she was ready to bribe the official with money!) and we made our way to Barra.

We inquired about boarding a pirogue, and having followed some touts to the boarding beach, we decided that the overloaded embarkation was a little precarious for the rough sea, and headed back to the village. A cunningly disguised café behind net curtains and corrugated iron made our wait for the next ferry more bearable. However a trip to the local loos by the sea definitely widened our Gambian experience!

Usual rush of women, men and donkeys to catch the ferry at 4 p.m. As soon as we left we realised that this was not to be an ordinary crossing. (I disagree - I suspect it was usual! Andrew). One of the few lorries on board was so heavily loaded that it started swaying from left to right prompting Julia to shout orders to unload it from the top deck, but to no avail. I must admit that I started locating the safety buoys! Back onto safe land, Julia confessed that she had been scared too. Not a very nice experience, but we survived to tell the tale. The taxi ride home could have been uneventful, had it not been for my door which refused to close. Fortunately Andrew held on tight to the handle of the window all through the journey to prevent his wife from hitting the potholes! This was truly a wonderful trip full of the unexpected. The evening was most pleasantly spent at Francisco restaurant amongst lush tropical vegetation - a favourite with Toubabs.

Tuesday 3

While Jan and Julia were at work, we caught up with our hand-washing, and ventured on our own to Bakau where we immediately befriended a Senegalese eager to earn a few Dalasis in return of a guided tour of the town. We first paid a visit to the sacred crocodile pool at Kachically located in the heart of Bakau's native compounds and we were encouraged to touch the beasts as they sunned themselves on the banks. The waters of the pool are supposed to have powers of fertility for women. They must be very desperate! After a long walk through the market, we ended up at the fishing harbour unfortunately reeking of smoked fish and sewers. We parted company with our guide and enjoyed resting our feet in a hammock facing the sea for the rest of the day.

Wednesday 4

This was the start of a 2-day trip inland following the Gambia River as far as the colonial town of Janjanbureh (Georgetown on the map). This gave us an excellent insight into rural life. I found the African villages most attractive with their circular huts with thatched roofs peeping over high fences of neatly trimmed tree branches (doubly used as washing lines), and its centrally placed well surrounded by a concrete ledge, a favourite meeting place for children women and animals. Women pounding millet by the side of the road and groups of men sitting under trees were a familiar sight. The road to Janjanbureh was however very long and in a dreadful condition most of the way. The landscape was totally different from Senegal with its rice paddies with women working in them and its more fertile land. I enjoyed stopping at Bureng market admiring women in their lovely colourful outfits selling peanuts and oranges from a wheelbarrow, young children driving donkey carts, men praying in front of the mosque, little children singing under a hut for our benefit, all this with a tumultuous and noisy background.

Back on the road, we were astounded to see a group of baboons crossing the battered tarmac, and a goat having a rough ride on top of a crowded bush van! We then reached the Bird Safari Camp owned by an English civil servant, via a ferry. As usual we were asked to sponsor children who make a habit of brandishing a piece of paper with their name and address on. One has to be firm otherwise one could be pestered non-stop. The camp which was built using local material in the African style, was basically furnished, had no electricity and was complete with permanent residents such as mice and lizards in some huts, and 3 monitor lizards near the rubbish heap. Not enough to deter us from enjoying ourselves!

After a welcomed dip in the pool (the heat was intense), we agreed to go and see Wassu's stone circles as all good tourists do. Quite impressive, but I must admit that the walk through the local forest was more rewarding for me and allowed us to spot a bearded barbet, red-throat bee-eaters, a yellow-crowned gonolek and a scarlet-chested sunbird. That was thrilling.

After the buffet meal, some local villagers provided entertainment by dancing and playing the gembay. Unfortunately their singing skills left to be desired. We retired to bed early having been bitten by our first mosquitoes.

Thursday 5

An amazing bird chorus woke us up gently at dawn, and after visiting the very sleepy and uninteresting town of Janjanbureh (formerly known as Georgetown) and its slave house, we were taken by Steve, our very jovial host for a boat ride on the Gambia river. Our knowledgeable guide was a well of information regarding bird life. The highlight of the trip however was to spot the elusive Colobus monkeys swinging from trees to trees with apparently no effort, and the hippopotamus who made an appearance in the distance for us. A scrumptious lunch was swiftly served by two African staff. What a lovely setting!

On our journey back, we encountered black pigs and of course goats crossing the roads and remarked on the impatience of our driver who seemed to blow his horn constantly. Part of our trip included a visit to a village situated by the side of the road. We were ushered into one bedroom littered with clothes, plastic bowls and metal containers and leading onto a yard where a young girl was making fritters under intense heat. We paused a few minutes in the bedroom watching a young woman feeding her one month old baby. She was one of the four wives of the head of the family. All these people apparently live happily together in the same compound despite the obvious poverty. A collection made by our party was gracefully accepted and a few pictures were allowed to be taken.

On our way back we passed The Gambia College in Brikama, where Julia lectures teachers. We felt very sorry for her for having to drive there everyday and tolerating the potholes and the amazing dust. I believe that she is hoping to move to an office in Banjul. In the meantime however, the suspension of her 4 wheel-drive has been permanently damaged.

Friday 6

A very low-key day spent writing postcards and shopping for Batiks at Agee and lazing in the hammock. Met Julia's daughter Helen and her daughter Alice who arrived from England that afternoon. We spent the evening eating round the pool of the Safari Gardens, again a favourite haunt for Toobabs.

Saturday 7

Julia, Jan, Andrew and myself headed for Gunjur, 30 kms south from Banjul, stopping on the way in Kunkujang, a little village lost in the bush where VSO volunteers are actively involved in funding the building of a nursery school and also setting up a bee-keeping project. This was truly a humbling experience for us as we were treated like royalty by the villagers. Balla welcomed us in his modest home and a great number of men came to shake hands with us. Two of them peeled oranges for us before we set out to meet the children who were having their lessons under a Kola tree. Each in their turn, they were reciting the alphabet and counting for the whole class to repeat after them. It was very refreshing to see all those smiley little faces who were obviously on their best behaviour. We were then shown the way to the bee-hives past the farms and via a long dusty track through fields which would be yielding vital crops of vegetables in the rainy season. A little rest under a baobab tree with more oranges offered as a refresher, and then one of the men took great pride in showing us the 8 hives hidden under trees well away from the children. A photo-album was then produced to testify the total commitment to this project. With more money, they could erect a fence all around the area.

Our next call was to check on the progress of the nursery school building. Our arrival was hailed by the sound of children shouting "welcome, welcome" and clapping their hands. Mums and Dads were gathered there too, begging us to take pictures with their babies who were so cute! It was quite a moving experience for us all. The school now has a roof. The whole village had a major part in erecting the school, whether it was mixing the cement with spades or fetching the water, all this in the heat of the day. The thousand pounds granted to them by VSO have been wisely used. Now they need more funds to make some furniture and provide some basic school equipment. Individual slates would be lovely. I am now very anxious to know how much money my school in England has raised for that purpose. We were certainly very grateful to Julia and Jan to take us to Kunkujang and see for ourselves what a good job they all had done. It was such a worthwhile and rewarding experience. I could not help being overwhelmed by the love emanating from these children, At one stage, we all had four children holding hands with us. We had to part however, in order to return to Balla's house where Julia and Jan's task was to check the accounts of the projects. Balla explained for example how he was planning to use profits made from selling honey advisedly. Jan was most impressed by their excellent organisation and commitment.

After the business was carried out, we were all ushered into a smaller but cooler room at the back, where we witnessed the tea-making ceremony, (but I wonder why we never drank it!) and where we ate a passa, a fish stew cooked by Balla's wife, from the communal bowl placed on the floor. A new experience for Andrew and me! They actually provided spoons for us to eat. We drank water from a communal jug.

Before we left, we gave them an assortment of pens and notebooks, and we were showered with presents too, but more of the consumable sort, like paw-paws, oranges, mangoes and their own produced honey. As expected more photos were taken to remember this happy occasion!

When we arrived in Gunjur an hour later, the fishing harbour was a hype of activity with pirogues coming back ashore, and women and children rushing to bring back the catch of the day in colourful plastic containers, balanced on their heads. Hearing the men struggling to heave the pirogues onto rollers on the beach was very entertaining. We passed dozens of brightly-coloured pirogues, fishermen's huts and a "grazing" cow on our way to our Gunjur Beach Hotel advertised by a very dilapidated sign. The roar made by the waves was astounding and augured well for fun bathing. The hotel owned by an eccentric Swiss-German couple was very welcoming. Rooms also had permanent residents as testified by the mice droppings but we slept like logs that night, after a walk to the other side of the beach to hear gembay being played in another hotel.

Sunday 8

Walking along the deserted beach in search of exotic shells was very romantic and reinvigorating. I also took great pleasure watching the vultures scavenging for dead fish on the beach, and the weaver-birds in the hotel gardens.

Julia and Jan returned that afternoon to Banjul, while we stayed enjoying the bathing, the sand and the musical background provided by corra, guitar and gembay playing on the beach. Andrew also kept to his promise to have a midnight swim!

Monday 9

After an early swim, we set out to catch a bush van to Serekunda to take us home. Abraham saw an opportunity to earn a few Dalasis by giving us an informative tour of the fishing village and the smokehouses, which was most interesting. For the princely sum of eight Dalasis each (80p), we shared a bush van packed with 16 passengers, a hen and boxes of smoked fish. The dust was so thick that we all had to protect our faces with any cloth at hand. A few stops on the way to check the ailing engine made this journey one that I would not willingly repeat.

Our last evening in Kanifing was spent bird watching along the golf course, chatting to a palm-wine tapper, and eating leisurely at El Mondo restaurant by the sea.

Tuesday 10

Last minute photos taken in front of the compound, quick packing and off we went to our favourite beach at Leybato before our taxi collected us to go to the airport. I think it was the hottest day we had so far. The road to the airport was also the best one we had ever driven on in the Gambia!

We feel very privileged to have been able to visit both The Gambia and The Senegal and are indebted to Jan and Julia for sharing their experience with us.