Having spent a week on the so-called ‘smiling coast’ (more
like a fixed grin), we realised it was more of an African Majorca than the
tropical paradise we had hoped for. The only saving grace (for us anyway!) were
the supermarkets. When Carruthers and I entered one, we were like children at
Hamleys at Christmas, confronted as we were with bacon, Branston pickle, HP
sauce and Ainsley Harriot cuppa soups, just like Waitrose but plus 50%.
Appalled by the drunken lobster red English tourists, we
headed east. Following the course of the Gambia River we overnighted at Tendaba
and engaged a local boatman to take us on a tour of the mangroves the following
morning. Idyllic!
Continuing east we crossed back into Senegal, our easiest
border crossing so far. Being this remote,
no one can be bothered to be corrupt and pestering, which was a joy…
very unlike all the other border crossings in this region.
We arrived in Campment Wassadou further long the Gambia
River. A stunning location over run with baboons, monkeys and on another river
trip... hippos! Our next destination was the incredible forest waterfalls of
Bassari Country, hard by the Guinea Conakry border (which, whilst slightly
lost, we almost crossed by accident). After, by far our most extreme
off-roading on the trip, we set up camp in the middle of a forest with the last
wild chimpanzees in the area. The next morning, after our camp being riffled by
mystery visitors in the night (baboons we think), we followed the course of the
river on foot and arrived at a beautiful 35m waterfall. A perfect opportunity to indulge in some
adrenalin sports! After scaling a slagheap of a rock face, we made it to the
top of the waterfall. Wet suited, helmeted and roped up we launched ourselves
off for a thrilling abseil, finished with a plunge into the freezing pool
below.
Everything great comes to an end (or so we thought) and we
started the drive back to St Louis (over 1000km away!). The road back wound
through the middle of Parc National Niokola Koba, a 9000 sq km parc in S.E
Senegal. We had the fortune to pass through at sunset and were just settling in
to the drive when a car on the other side began flashing its lights franticly…
3 lionesses walked along the road and into the bush. As we stopped in shock,
one of the lionesses turned around just 5 meters from the car and gave us a
long hard stare. Beni for once was extremely quiet. Apparently there are only 40 lions in the
whole park and therefore West Africa. We were extremely privileged to have seen
them.
We were back to St Louis for Christmas and will be here for
New Years eve in town tomorrow, which promises to have the streets filled with African
beats and a grand fete atmosphere!
 | | |
| Beach Batakunku, South of Banjul, Gambia. |
|
|
|
 |
| Dinner one night and the Barra/ Banjul ferry in Gambia |
 |
| Campment Wassadou |
 |
| Carruthers relations? |
 |
| The locals |
 |
| Eggs au Savannah, near Segou |
 |
| Carrithers moustache making a bid for freedom en route to the waterfall |
 |
| Wetsuit by Channel! Carruthers attire by who knows! |
 |
| At home in the forest |
 |
| Lost near the Guinea Conkery border |
